During the Great Depression of the 1930s, social workers reported that destitute Americans would sooner have given up iceboxes, furniture, beds, and bathtubs than part with their radios.

For better or worse, Americans stopped writing, playing musical instruments, and going to bed when the sun went down. Radio gave them something to stay awake for. In the 1930s, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fireside chats reassured people at a time when their most secure institutions were failing.

“In our television age, we have forgotten how incredibly new and powerful radio was… Radio changed the way we look at the world,” says film producer and director Ken Burns.

Ken Burns’ film Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio reminds those who forgot – and informs those too young to know – about radio’s profound impact on American culture.*

Though the glory days of radio’s golden age have passed, the Puget Sound region enjoys a surprisingly vibrant old time radio culture. Jim French’s Imagination Theatre, a weekly radio drama series heard coast to coast, is produced locally before live audiences. Saturday and Sunday nights from 10pm to midnight, KIXI radio airs “When Radio Was“, a showcase for classic shows such as “The Shadow“, “Father Knows Best“, stars like Jack Benny, George Burns, and many others.

In addition, the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound is one of the largest and most active radio clubs in the country.

“This is a club for people interested in vintage radio, radio that existed before television,” says club treasurer Frank Rosin. “Members can access our extensive collection of radio programs, and because of that we have members from all over the United States and Canada.”

The non-profit group got its start when a couple of mailmen with an interest in old-time radio noticed that some people along their routes were regularly receiving mail-order vintage radio programs. Word spread, and the organization was founded in 1991 when the collectors of the old shows decided to share their collections with one another.

“The group planned to meet monthly,” says Bryan Haigood, club vice president. “And then they discovered that John Archer, who had played The Shadow, lived in the area. They asked him to come to a meeting to talk about his days in radio. There was a huge turnout for the event.” The experience was so positive that the group has continued to feature recreations of the old-time shows, along with special guests who worked during the “golden days”.

“There are still a lot of people around who worked on the original programs,” says Bryan, “and we’ve hosted many well-known radio personalities over the years.”

The group has a collection of old scripts and they recreate the classic shows, down to the sound effects-even putting in the old commercials. “It can really sound almost exactly like it did back when it originally aired,” adds Bryan.

Another popular aspect is when the guests talk about their days in radio, relating humorous anecdotes and interesting stories. “The audience can ask questions, it really makes for a fun evening,” says Bryan.

Interestingly, the organization attracts members of all ages. While many are old enough to remember the original shows, there are a great many younger members, too.

“The shows are nostalgic, but they’re also stand-alone entertaining, even if you’ve never heard them before,” says Bryan.

Every year the group puts on an “extravaganza” production over the course of two days. This year the 16th annual event, “The Grand Salute to the Greatest”, is held on June 27-28 at the Bellevue Coast Hotel and features Dick Van Patten, Shirley Mitchell (from The Great Gildersleeve, Fibber McGee & Molly, and I Love Lucy), Jim French and many more exciting guests. For more information, visit http://www.repsonline.org or call 206-542-6231.

Membership to this active group is $20. In addition to the annual event, the club has an extensive library, monthly meetings and newsletter. They also perform in the community, give talks about old time radio, and lend scripts to groups who want to recreate a show.

Frank Rosin is the keeper of the club’s impressive sound effects collection (donated by well-known sound effects artist Ray Erlenborn); Frank gives demonstrations of how the effects were done.

“Radio was and is tremendous entertainment. We would like to have you join us in sharing the fun as we seek to preserve and protect the best of the past, and to seek the best of radio and audio entertainment today.”

“It’s a bunch of fun,” says Frank.

*Excerpt from “When America Stopped to Listen” by John Budris is reprinted with permission by The Christian Science Monitor.

The Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound invites you to join them on June 27 & 28 at the Bellevue Coast Hotel for a “weekend of laughs and chills!” Tickets run $15 to $118 per person. For more information about The 2008 Grand Salute to the Greatest Shows and Stars from the Golden Age of Radio, visit http://www.repsonline.org or call 206-542-6231.

This article appeared in the June 2008 issue of Northwest Prime Time, the Puget Sound region’s monthly publication celebrating life after 50.