Published May 05, 2025 by

Soundings: Jeff Green’s Visionary Radio Sci-Fi Universe

Soundings: Jeff Green's Visionary Radio Sci-Fi Universe

Vintage radio microphone Did You Know? The series was recorded using binaural audio technology for immersive 3D soundscapes!

Jeff Green, creator of Soundings

Ottawa's Answer to Twilight Zone

Produced from 1985-1989 by multimedia artist Jeff Green, Soundings delivered mind-bending science fiction through CBC Radio and international broadcasts. This indie production stood out for its:

  • Cinematic binaural sound design (recorded with Neumann KU-81i dummy head microphone)
  • 45-minute episodes designed for perfect cassette recording
  • Cyberpunk comedy (Spaxter series) alongside psychological horror
  • Original music by Charles Fairfield and Ian Tamblyn
  • International acclaim from NPR to Australia's ABC

🎙️ Behind the Scenes:

"We recorded 'Spaxter' in an empty swimming pool for natural reverb. The actors wore roller skates during chase scenes to create Doppler effects."
- Jeff Green, 1986 interview

"The 'Somebody Talking To You' cassettes were actual customized mixtapes we mailed to listeners who wrote in."
- Sound engineer Charles Fairfield

Dive Into the Soundscape

🔮 "Spaxter" Preview:

SPAXTER: "The meld in my head was buzzing like a hornet's nest. Osiris wasn't just another two-bit pharaoh wannabe - he'd bought the actual Great Pyramid."

LOUELLA: "So let me get this straight... you're going to stop a god by throwing a cocktail party?"

(Sound: Pyramid door grinding open with alien hum)

Complete Soundings Collection

🏆 Award-Winning Radio

  • 2x ACTRA Best Radio Program (1988, 1989)
  • NY Festivals Silver Medal (1990)
  • Mark Time Award for Best Sci-Fi Audio
  • ASFSFA Hall of Fame for "Spaxter"

Which obscure radio gem should we spotlight next?

The Hitchhiker? The Vanishing Point? Email your requests

Canadian Old Time Radio

Published May 03, 2025 by

The People Across the Street: CBC’s Lost Comedy Gem

The People Across the Street: CBC's Lost Comedy Gem

Vintage radio microphone Trivia: Recorded at CBC's Toronto studios, often after midnight when the building was empty!

From The Frantics to Suburban Satire

Before becoming Canadian comedy legends with The Red Green Show and History Bites, Rick Green and Peter Wildman honed their craft through two pivotal projects:

The Frantics (1980-1987)

  • CBC Radio's anarchic sketch troupe
  • Created the immortal "Boot to the Head"
  • Featured Paul Chato and Rick Green

The People Across the Street (Summer of 1989)

  • Satirical suburban humor
  • Precursor to their TV chemistry
  • Few recordings survive today

Both shows shared a signature blend of absurd premises and razor-sharp timing that would define Green and Wildman's careers.

Rediscovered Episodes

1. "The Freezer"

A household appliance becomes the battleground for neighborly one-upmanship.

2. "Death by Weed Whacker"

Lawn care escalates into a Shakespearean tragedy.

🎙️ Behind the Scenes:

"We'd write these in Peter's basement, fueled by instant coffee and leftover pizza. CBC paid us $300 per episode—enough for more pizza."
- Rick Green, 2008 interview

Why These Shows Matter

1

Comedy Legacy

Launched multiple Canadian TV careers

2

Rare Audio

Few recordings survive from this CBC era

3

Cultural Time Capsule

Captured 1980s Canadian suburban life

Have memories of these CBC shows?

Share stories or rare audio finds!

🔊 Stay Tuned for More Episodes!

This is just the beginning of our People Across the Street deep dive. Upcoming posts will feature:

  • Newly uncovered episodes
  • Behind-the-scenes CBC stories

Follow our blog or subscribe by email for updates!

Canadian Old Time Radio

Published May 03, 2025 by

Nightfall: CBC’s Groundbreaking Horror Radio Anthology

Nightfall: CBC's Groundbreaking Horror Radio Anthology

Vintage radio microphone Did You Know? The show's chilling theme was created using a waterphone and cello bow!

Nightfall Original CD Cover

Canada's Answer to The Twilight Zone

Airing from 1980-1983 on CBC Radio, Nightfall terrified listeners with its psychological horror stories. Created by Bill Howell, the show stood out for its:

  • Unsettling realistic sound effects
  • Twist endings that outdid The Outer Limits
  • Distinctive Canadian settings (from Toronto alleys to Yukon cabins)
  • No-holds-barred approach to horror (CBC's first "parental warning" show)
  • Legendary voice actors like Henry Ramer (narrator) and John Stocker (the iconic "falling man")

🎙️ Behind the Screams:

"We used real autopsy recordings for 'The Psychiatrist' episode. The switchboard lit up with complaints!"
- Sound designer David Millar, 1982 interview

✉️ "The script called for a scream, but I told the director that when you suddenly fall, you gasp - you don't scream. That's why the opening is so terrifying."
- John Stocker (the falling man and voice of Beastly in Care Bears), via subscriber Patte

Experience the Terror

📻 Complete Series

🎧 Archive.org Collection

All surviving episodes (1980-1983)

📜 Classic Episode

🎧 "The Contract"

(Aired Jan 28, 1983 - chilling finale)

🎭 Fan Favorite

🎧 "The Repossession"

Featuring John Stocker as conjoined twins
(Recommended by Patte)

🔮 "The Contract" Preview:

LAWYER: "Signing binds you forever, Mr. Carter. There are no expiration clauses."

CARTER: "What's this red ink? It feels... warm."

(Sound: Distant heartbeat grows louder)

Which Canadian radio horror should we cover next?

The Vanishing Point? The Hitchhiker? EmailSend your suggestions like Patte did!

Share Your Memories

"We love hearing from fellow Nightfall enthusiasts! Did you:

  • Hear these episodes when they first aired?
  • Work on the production?
  • Spot an error we should fix?

Interesting comments may be shared in future updates (with your permission).

Listener Memories

From the mailbag...

Patte

In the opening of "Nightfall" episodes, Henry Ramer was the narrator, and John Stocker was the man who suddenly falls backwards into the abyss. Both Henry and John voiced hundreds of commercials, and John still voices cartoon characters too, notably Beastly in the original 1980s "Care Bears" series. He told me that the script originally called for the "Nightfall" falling man to scream in terror. But he told the director that, when you suddenly find yourself falling, you involuntarily gasp; you don't scream. The director agreed, and that's why the "Nightfall" opening is so terrifying. John played both conjoined twins in the episode "The Repossession". It's one of my favourites!

Added: May 4

From the mailbag...

James (BC)

"I worked as a CBC intern in '82. The waterphone used for the theme was kept locked in a special case - musicians had to sign it out like library books!"

Added: May 3

✉️ Share Your Story

Comments may be edited for length/clarity.

Canadian Old Time Radio

Published May 03, 2025 by

5 Forgotten 1940s Radio Shows That Deserve a Revival

5 Forgotten 1940s Radio Shows That Deserve a Revival

Vintage radio microphone Tip: Click the show titles below to hear these vintage gems on Archive.org!

1. "The Cinnamon Bear" (1937)

A whimsical Christmas adventure with a dancing bear—think Wizard of Oz meets Rudolph.

📜 Iconic Moment:

ANNOUNCER: "Presenting The Cinnamon Bear, the thrilling adventures of Judy and Jimmy Barton..."

CINNAMON BEAR: (chuckling) "Oh my stars and garters! That Crazy-Quilt Dragon is up to no good!"

🎧 Listen to the complete series

2. "Dark Venture" (1944)

A noir-ish thriller about a war correspondent, lost years before Nightfall.

📜 Iconic Moment:

REPORTER: "The ruby was gone... and so was she. Just a note: 'Meet me where the trains don't stop.'"

🎧 Listen to surviving episodes

3. "Quiet, Please" (1947-1949)

A twilight-zone-esque horror-fantasy series by Wyllis Cooper (Lights Out creator).

📜 Iconic Moment:

NARRATOR: "It was just a whisper at first... then the sound of something alive inside the oil derrick."

🎧 Listen to the complete series

4. "The Hall of Fantasy" (1947-1953)

A Midwestern ghost-story anthology with cursed objects and haunted trains.

📜 Iconic Moment:

GAMBLER: "I'll see your soul... and raise you eternity."

🎧 Listen to available episodes

5. "Barrie Craig, Confidential Investigator" (1951-1955)

A hardboiled detective who solved cases with wit instead of violence.

📜 Iconic Moment:

CRAIG: "The typewriter told me everything. The 'E' key stuck—just like the killer's alibi."

🎧 Listen to episodes

Which forgotten show deserves a comeback?

Comment below or email us!

Old Time Radio

Published May 02, 2025 by

Jim Jordan, Marion Jordan, and the Creation of Fibber McGee & Molly

Fibber McGee & Molly: Radio's First Power Couple

Trivia: Each closet crash required 29 seconds of precisely timed sound effects!

Jim and Marion Jordan at NBC microphone in 1941, smiling while performing

From Vaudeville to Radio Royalty

Peoria natives Jim and Marion Jordan spent 15 years in vaudeville before their natural chemistry found its perfect medium on radio. Their 1935-1959 series Fibber McGee & Molly became NBC's longest-running comedy by blending:

  • Fibber's outrageous tall tales
  • Molly's patient but pointed comebacks
  • The legendary overstuffed closet (with its 18-object crash)
  • Wistful Vista's eccentric neighbors

Exclusive Audio Collection

📻 Original Episodes

🎧 Archive.org Collection

Classic 1940s broadcasts

🎤 Rare Interview

🎧 Jim Jordan Remembers

WTIC Golden Age Series

🎙️ Behind the Scenes:

"The closet gag was Marion's idea - she got tired of Jim actually leaving our attic door open!"
- Don Quinn interview, 1952

Why It Still Resonates

The show's magic came from authentic married life:

1

Real Arguments

Their on-air spats mirrored actual marital disagreements

2

Improvisation

Marion frequently ad-libbed Molly's best lines

3

Running Gags

Audiences loved anticipating the closet crash

Which classic radio couple should we profile next?

George Burns & Gracie Allen? Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz? Email your request!

Old Time Radio