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How to Download and Listen to
All the Old-Time-Radio Shows
You Want -- 24 Hours a Day,
7 Days a Week!

by Ned Norris

"Woweee!!! I felt like I struck a gold mine when I found your website yesterday. I subscribed to RUSC and can hardly pry myself away from your radio shows. I work on the computer out of my home and I love to listen to these shows while I work. Thanks, Ned. Again, I say: Woweee -- I love these!" -- Sue McConnell, Oklahoma


My name is Ned Norris -- and I know something about you.

You're probably someone, like myself, who loves listening to old-time-radio shows.  Or perhaps, you've heard about the popularity of old time radio shows -- and are eager to experience them for yourself.  [If you've never listened to an old time radio show before, you're in for a delightful treat -- click here to hear an audio sample .]

Whether you are ...

... already an old time radio buff -- or are someone who's considering old time radio as an entertainment option
... 9 or 90 years of age, male or female, American or from elsewhere in the world, looking for old time radio shows to enjoy a second time around or discover anew...
... nostalgic for the good old days ... and would like to take a stroll down memory lane to the days when times were simple...
... searching for wholesome entertainment for you and your family -- and a refreshing break from the bad language, sex and violence that dominate TV, movies and other forms of entertainment...
... or just looking for the best bargain in entertainment...


...I'm delighted you've found your way to my website.  Here, I'm going to show you how to enjoy the most amazing variety of old time radio shows 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I'll show you how to easily download these old-time radio shows, stream them to your computer, transfer them onto CDs or cassettes, and listen to them on your CD player or portable MP3 player -- while you're relaxing, working, driving, commuting, or even while lying on the beach ... wherever you go.

I promise that your journey into the magical world of old-time radio will be an adventure you'll never forget -- and you'll travel back to a wonderful time and place where your imagination can take flight.

Did You Know...

...that radio programs that were broadcast between the late 1920s through the early 1960s had significantly more variety than radio programming today?

Believe it or not, it's true!  That era was often called "The Golden Age of Radio" -- and these were just some of the radio shows that dominated the airwaves of our yesteryears:

*Comedy Shows  (such as Amos & Andy and Father Knows Best )
* Detective Shows  (such as The Adventures of Phillip Marlow and Dragnet)
* Westerns  (such as Gunsmoke and Tales of the Texas Rangers)
* Dramas  (such as Lux Radio and War of the Worlds)
* Quiz Shows  (such as You Bet Your Life and Information Please)
* Music and Variety Shows  (such as Bing Crosby Show and Fitch Bandwagon)
* Thrillers  (such as Suspense and Escape)
* Science Fiction  (such as 2000 Plus and Dimension X)
* Juvenile Shows  (such as The Lone Ranger and Chandu The Magician)
* Miscellaneous  -- Historical (such as Mr. President and American Trail); Soap Operas (such as The Guiding Light and The Green Valley Line); and Sports (such as Adventures of Babe Ruth and Sports Broadcasts)



A Treasure Trove of Over 12,000 of the Best
Old-Time Radio Shows

My wife, Joy, and I are both avid fans of old-time radio shows -- and we started this website 6 years ago with the following intention:   

We wanted to build a website with the best compilation of old-time radio shows available anywhere, where enthusiasts like ourselves could stop by anytime -- day or night, 24/7 -- and enjoy listening to as many of their favorite old-time radio shows as they want.

So we called our website "R U Sitting Comfortably" (RUSC) and started building what many have called the most impressive library of old-time radio shows in 10 categories --  comedy, drama, detective, science fiction, thrillers, westerns, quiz shows, music/variety, juvenile, and miscellaneous.

I worked feverishly -- adding as many of the best old-time radio shows I could find to the RUSC website.  I didn't add just any old show, mind you, but I personally hand-picked only the best.  [ Click here  to view a partial list of the shows.]

While I continually expanded the content of RUSC, my wife, Joy, cheerfully took charge of answering many of the e-mails from our growing number of members.  She answered questions, helped those who were not familiar with downloading the shows as MP3 files or other technical aspects, and showed them how they could get the most enjoyment out of their RUSC membership.  There wasn't a day that went by that Joy didn't put a smile on the faces of our members.

Before long, we had over 12,000 of the best old time radio shows in the RUSC library -- and more happy members than we could count.  But it didn't stop there.  To this day, we continue to add more shows to the library every single day of the year (including weekends and holidays) -- except Wednesdays when Joy and I take a break.

Ned and Joy's Old-Time Radio Family

As a result, numerous letters and e-mails started pouring in from our satisfied members.  All kinds of unsolicited testimonials and rave reviews  jammed our e-mail box from people all over the country -- calling our site "the best website" for old-time radio shows -- "a gold mine" that brings "many hours of pleasure." 

Almost everyday, people tell us that one of the main reasons they like being members of RUSC is because they feel comfortable knowing that Joy and I are behind this website -- 2 real people who are just like them, who share their love of old-time radio shows, and who are willing to go the extra mile to provide them with as much enjoyment from these shows as possible. 

People also feel that we genuinely care about them as though they're members of our own family...

... so much so that some have even suggested that we rename our site "Ned and Joy's Old-Time Radio Family." 

Hmmm... that has a nice ring to it, don't you think?  After all, there truly is a sense of family and camaraderie here at RUSC -- if I might say so myself!

"I just wanted to say how wonderful the website is that Joy and Ned have.  When I found it, I was just in heaven.  My husband has been an old time radio buff for many years, and I found RUSC -- and I said, “Oh, my gosh!  This is perfect!”  You can download and you can burn CDs and listen to all the old-time radio shows you want for hardly any money each month.  It is possibly the best web site that I have ever found.  Thank you so much, Joy and Ned!" -- Dorothy, Tucson, Arizona

Click on the button below to listen to Dorothy's audio testimonial.

Click here to read other rave reviews .




If you're wondering what it would be like to be a member of RUSC, just imagine yourself in the following scenario ...
 

A 24-Hour Adventure
in Old-Time Radio

It's the end of the day.  You've just come home from work and you feel like relaxing before dinner.  You wonder if there's anything good to watch on TV -- but there's nothing on except reruns of sitcoms and the 6 o'clock news.

You decide to listen to old-time radio shows instead.  You've just become a member of RUSC, so you turn on your computer and log on to the RUSC Member's Area. 

"Hmmm... there are so many shows available," you say to yourself.  "I wonder which one I should listen to?"  You notice that on the right side of the page is a list called "Ned's Top 10", which is a list of the old-time radio shows that have been downloaded most frequently over the past month.  You choose one of the shows -- titled Treasure Map -- from the Fibber McGee and Molly series.  
                                                                          
You click on the Download button, and walk over to your La-Z-Boy recliner while the show takes a few seconds to stream to your computer. 

You sit yourself down on the recliner, relax and close your eyes.  In a few moments, the radio show begins to play...

... and it's as though you've stepped into a time machine -- and you find yourself traveling back to the days when times were simple.  Suddenly, you're back in the 1930s, 40s or 50s -- a time when families gathered around the radio in the living room, and spent hours listening to radio shows

Can you just see it in your mind's eye? 

Radio Family...Dad in his easy chair, hands clasped behind his head, feet propped up on the ottoman... 

... Mom in her rocking chair, knitting a sweater...

...and kids sprawled on the floor...

As you continue listening to the Fibber McGee and Molly show, you laugh and chuckle.  You begin to realize this is good, clean entertainment -- and that they don't make comedy like this anymore.  This kind of comedy is hilarious without being rude, filthy or disgusting -- and without using bad language.

The show lasts 30 minutes, as most old-time radio shows do -- and after it's finished, you feel relaxed and refreshed.  You're tempted to listen to another show, but it's almost time for dinner.

You walk back to your computer and you decide to choose a line-up of shows that the whole family can enjoy while having dinner.  You go to the RUSC On-Demand webpage.  You choose...

  • Superman from the Juvenile category

  • You Bet Your Life from the Quiz Show category; and

  • the Al Jolson Show from the Variety and Music category

... add them to your play list, and then click on the Play button as the family gathers 'round the dinner table.

Eating and listening to OTRThe kids want to know if they can watch TV while having dinner -- but when they hear the Superman radio show playing, they immediately forget TV.  They get engrossed in the radio show, and they start smiling and enjoying dinner with the family. 

Then, the next show begins to play, and no one seems to want to leave the table -- even if everyone's done eating dinner.  As the dishes are cleared away, and put in the sink, the third show starts to play.  The Al Jolson Show makes the dishwashing chore a breeze.

Afterwards, the kids ask if they can listen to another Superman radio show -- but when they see all the other kid's shows available in the RUSC Member's Area, they decide on The Green Hornet instead.

"Wow," you say to yourself.  "I can't believe old-time radio is actually making the kids ignore TV."  You're thankful they've taken a liking to old time radio because it's a wholesome alternative to the unsuitable programming usually available on TV. 

After the kids finish listening to their show, your spouse and you decide to listen to a thriller (Lights Out), followed by a detective story (Nightbeat), then a drama (Cavalcade of America). 

Since all shows are only 30 minutes long, you've been able to listen to 7 different categories of shows in the 4 hours since you got home from work.

Before you turn in for the night, you decide to download several shows and transfer them onto CDs so that you can listen to the shows in the car when you drive to work in the morning.  It takes only a few minutes to do this.

While looking at the selection of over 10,000 shows in 10 categories, you stumble upon several shows that your Mom or your Dad would enjoy.  So you create CDs to give to them as gifts -- a CD for Mom with 2 radio shows she'd like, and likewise for Dad.

Listening to old time radio in the carThe next morning, on the way to work, you pop in the CD you created the night before into your car's CD player.  Listening to the old-time radio shows makes the drive time seem to fly by because you're enjoying the shows.  Even the traffic doesn't seem too annoying to you anymore.

When you get to the office, you're in a good mood and you're energized -- instead of irritable and exhausted by the long commute.

You spend most of your day in front of the computer -- and you wonder whether you should listen to old-time radio shows while you work.  Well, why not?

Radio at workSo you listen while you work -- and it actually makes your work more enjoyable.  Man, this is addicting, you say to yourself. 

By the end of the workday, you realize you've listened to about 7 hours of old time radio shows on RUSC.  And the day just seemed to zoom by. 

Time certainly flies when you're having fun, as they say.

During your drive home, you pop another CD that you created the night before.  You're amazed that you're not at all bored listening to these old-time radio shows when you're normally bored out of your mind by the current radio programming.

Then, you realize, "What's there to be bored about?"  There are 10 categories of old-time radio shows to choose from in the RUSC library.  When you're tired of listening to science fiction, you can switch to westerns, soap operas -- or even variety and music.

Beach RadioAs you pull into your driveway, you realize you've been listening to old time radio shows from RUSC 'round-the-clock.  Those shows have really made your day truly enjoyable -- and you start thinking about all your other activities that can be made more enjoyable by listening to these old-time-radio shows: 

  • Your next road trip with the family
  • Your next game of poker or bridge
  • During your summer at the beach (you could alternate summer reading with old-time-radio listening).

  • While doing any type of chore -- washing your car, mowing the lawn, vacuuming the carpet, doing the laundry (you can listen to the shows on your portable CD player or portable MP3 player and make the chore more pleasurable).

You finally realize that there's simply no end to the number of uses you can find for the old-time-radio shows on RUSC.  You can listen to them practically anytime and anywhere you go.

"This has got to be the best bargain in entertainment," you conclude.


Join RUSC Now


Why Join RUSC?

While Joy and I have worked hard to bring you the best compilation of old-time-radio shows available anywhere, we also wanted to give you much more than you could ever ask for from an old-time-radio website.  When you become a member of RUSC, here are just a few of the unique benefits you'll receive:  

Arrow Access to All the Old-Time-Radio Shows You Want 24/7 -- There's no need to pay a considerable amount of money for the privilege of listening to old-time-radio shows(typically $.99 to $34.98 or more per CD).  RUSC is a not-for-profit, family-run website -- and there is never any charge for listening to the shows themselves.  Any money we receive in membership fees goes towards covering hardware costs, server space, bandwidth, general administration, and maintenance of the site.

"I couldn't find a better
deal than this if I tried"

"I feel like a kid in a candy store!  At RUSC, I can download and listen to all of the old-time-radio shows in RUSC's amazing online library containing thousands of shows.  I don't have to waste my money buying old-time-radio CDs.  All the old-time-radio shows are made available as a benefit to members of RUSC for one low monthly fee that comes to just 25 cents a day!  I couldn't find a better deal than this if I tried!" -- Maria, Los Angeles, California

Click here to read other rave reviews .


Arrow  RUSC On-Demand -- Now you can be your own old-time-radio disc jockey.  All you have to do is select all the shows you want to listen to and add them to your play list -- just like a deejay would do.   Then, you simply click on the PLAY button, and your selections are played continuously in the order you specified.  Imagine ... it's just like having radio programming tailored exactly to your specifications.  This provides hours of uninterrupted listening without the need to download the shows one at a time as you finish listening to each show.  Many members have called RUSC's On-Demand service the #1 benefit of being a RUSC member. 

"RUSC On-Demand is
absolutely the best thing ..."

"Man, I can’t begin to tell you what a wonderful service RUSC is.  Ahhh... the old-time radio shows give me a chance to close my eyes and go back a few years to when I really enjoyed listening to radio in front of a fireplace.  I really, really love it -- and RUSC On-Demand is absolutely the best thing that's happened to me, my office and my home.  It’s on all the time!"  Howard, Chicago, Illinois

Click here to read other rave reviews .


Arrow  Good Sound quality -- A huge selection of old-time-radio shows means absolutely nothing if the shows sound tinny, scratchy or full of static.  We make sure that the shows that are available at RUSC have good audio quality in crystal clear MP3 for your listening pleasure. 
 

"I'm truly amazed at
the quality of sound ..."

"I consider myself fortunate in being able to bring up your old-time radio shows on the computer.  It takes me back a long time ago when I was a youngster when some of these shows were actually being broadcast over the radio ...  I’m truly amazed at the quality of sound that the different shows have ... the voices are in totally good shape.  I’m glad to recommend this to anybody who’s willing to listen." -- Bill, McMinnville, Oregon

Click here to read other rave reviews
or click here to listen to samples.



Arrow  Ned's Top 10 -- Whenever you enter the RUSC Member's Area, you'll find a column on the right-hand panel titled "Ned's Top 10."  I put together and constantly update this ever-changing list of the old-time-radio shows that have been downloaded most frequently over the past month.  It's a good way to find out what other members are enjoying -- so that you can enjoy them for yourself as well.

Arrow  Ned's Picks -- In the "RUSC Guide to Old-Time-Radio" Digital Web Book that you will receive as a benefit of your membership, I list my personal favorite shows in each of the 10 old-time-radio show categories.  This will give you an excellent starting line-up of shows that you might want to listen to in order to simplify your selection process from the extensive array of shows available -- while you build your own preferences.

Show PageArrow  Show Details pages -- What good are thousands of show listings if you have little or no information about each show?  As a member of RUSC, as you view the show titles, you can click on the Read more about this show... link, and you will be taken to the Show Details page.  The Show Details page gives lots of useful information such as the name of the star, length in minutes and seconds, size of the file, the date the show was originally broadcast and a brief review of the show itself.  I've painstakingly put all this together so that you'll have more than ample information to decide which shows to listen to.  There are also links to find out more about the star of the show or the series itself if you wish.

Series DescriptionArrow  Series Description -- If you want to find out more about any particular series you can click on the appropriate link and you'll arrive at the Series Description page.  Sometimes it features just a brief overview, other times it is a mini-essay including information such as when the show was first broadcast and when the final broadcast went out, who sponsored it, the cast members and announcers, writers, theme tune and a potted-history of the show.

This information can be a useful background resource and makes listening to these wonderful shows even more pleasurable.

Arrow  Power Search Function -- If you have favorite shows that you want to find in our extensive library of shows, the Member's Area has a Power Search function that enables you to search by show title, series name, broadcast date, name of star or keyword.  This lets you get to the shows you want instantly!
 
Arrow  Relevant Editorial Articles Written by Yours Truly -- When you enter the RUSC Member's Area, in addition to seeing a listing of the shows that I've added to the library over the past few days, you'll also see an editorial article that I've written.  I post a new one frequently during the week.  These articles include stories sent in by RUSC members sharing new ways to enjoy the old-time-radio shows, relevant quizzes, fascinating facts about the radio stars and shows, special tributes, commemorations, well wishes and other timely information.  Our members absolutely love this because they say the editorials brighten their day, teach them something new, and make them feel right at home in our old-time-radio family!

Click on the button below
to hear a heartwarming message
sent by Ricky from Florida in response
to one of my editorial articles:

 
(45 seconds)

Arrow  Old-time Resources -- If you really want to stroll down memory lane to the hilt, there are interesting resources in the Member's Area -- such as recommended old-time-radio books, old-time advertising, and even old-time radio commercials for your enjoyment.  You can even send an old-time-radio themed postcard to your friends or family -- for free. 

Join RUSC Now
 

I Would Like to Give You 2 Special Gifts
When You Join RUSC Today

I certainly don't want you to miss out on an old-time-radio experience that people are calling nothing short of extraordinary.  I'm so eager to have you as a member of our growing old-time-radio family because I'm convinced you'll absolutely love it.  Therefore, to sweeten the deal a bit more, I've put together this very special pack of gifts for you.  Here's what you'll get in addition to all the benefits mentioned above as soon as you become a member.

Old Time Radio Show Listing

* * * SPECIAL GIFT #1 * * *

Radio Show Listing E-Book
This mammoth work stretches to over 900 pages and took over three years for me to compile.  It's an exhaustive list detailing thousands of the old-time-radio shows available on RUSC -- including a brief review of each show along with the date it was originally broadcast.


 

Guide to Old Time Radio

* * * SPECIAL GIFT #2 * * *

The Quaint "RUSC Guide to Old-Time-Radio" Digital Web Book
This 88-page guide to old-time-radio contains everything you need in order to get the most out of your RUSC membership. 

Most RUSC members find this absolutely delightful because it's not just your garden-variety e-book, but it's a
3-dimensional digital web book with a fascinating page-turning mechanism that makes you feel like you're reading a physical book the old-fashioned way -- one page at a time.  Clicking on your mouse automatically turns the pages for you or enables you to jump directly to any chapter you want.  You've got to experience it to fully appreciate it.  It makes the job of reading the book less like a chore, and more like fun! 

Chapters include History of Old Time Radio, Old Radio Show Genres, How to Download, Listening to Shows, Transferring to CD, Books on Old-Time-Radio, Useful Software and much more. 


My Old-Fashioned Guarantee

I mentioned earlier that RUSC is a not-for-profit website -- it's all about providing you with the utmost enjoyment from these wonderful radio shows.  With that in mind I'd like to offer you my very special "Ned's Word is His Bond" guarantee.  It's a good old-fashioned guarantee and it goes like this: 


If you are not 100% delighted with your RUSC membership,
just let me know and you'll get a full refund. 


Therefore, you can join with complete confidence -- and absolutely no risk on your part.

Okay, let's quickly summarize what you get when you become a member of RUSC:

  • Access to over 12,000 old-time-radio shows in the RUSC library that I personally hand-picked for your enjoyment
  • More shows added every day of the year (including weekends and holidays) except Wednesdays when Joy and I take a break
  • Ability to easily download shows to your computer to listen to whenever you like.
  • The popular RUSC-On-Demand feature that lets you select the shows you'd like to listen to, add them to a play list, and then listen to them in in the order you specify.  This provides hours of uninterrupted listening without the need to download the shows one at a time as you finish listening to each show.  (This is great for anyone who wants to listen at work or at home.)
  • Special Gift #1:  The mammoth, 900-page Radio Show Listing E-Book
  • Special Gift #2:  The quaint, 88-page RUSC Guide to Old-Time-Radio Digital Web Book
  • Regular editorial articles about the stars, the shows and more.
  • Useful tips and tricks to help you get the most enjoyment possible.

Membership of RUSC costs only $7.50 per month!
 

Join RUSC Now

The Best Bang for Your Entertainment Dollar

All the shows available on the RUSC website are for the enjoyment of RUSC members.  There is absolutely no charge for the privilege of listening to the shows themselves.  Your $7.50 monthly membership fee is simply a contribution towards hardware costs, server space, bandwidth, general administration, and maintenance of the site.

Therefore, for just 25 cents a day -- less than the price of a pack of gum -- you'll enjoy all the member benefits I mentioned above and get the best bang that you've ever gotten from your entertainment dollar!


"My entertainment dollar has never
brought me so much for so little."

"I’ve been a member for more than two years.  One of the first things I do each morning is to go online to see what new material has been added to the already wonderful library of available shows.  My entertainment dollar never before has brought me so much for so little.  Thank you, Ned and Joy."  -- Frank, Westchester, Pennsylvania

Click on the button below to
listen to Frank's audio testimonial

Click here to read other rave reviews .



We Invite You to Join Our Family of
Old-Time-Radio Enthusiasts

Joy and I never fail to receive letters of appreciation from our members on a daily basis.  We enjoy reading all the letters, and look forward to receiving one from you as soon as you join our old-time-radio family.  Recently, we received one that we particularly treasure:

"Thanks very much, Ned and Joy.  You're making a lot of people very happy.  Believe it or not, you are changing the world in a positive way.  Every bit helps, and every bit counts." -- Greg

It's heartfelt letters like these that makes all the hard work we put into this website worthwhile.  If we're indeed making a lot of people very happy, and changing the world in a positive way, we feel we've done our job well -- and that means the world to both Joy and me.

We invite you to let the old-time-radio shows here at RUSC engage you, thrill you, touch your heart, make you cry, make you laugh -- and best of all, make you free.  Joy and I look forward to welcoming you to our growing family!

Warm regards,
  Ned
 


Join RUSC Now

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We appreciate all your good efforts
"... I just want to tell you how much your old-time-radio programs mean to me. I've been a subscriber now since you've been on. It is one of the nicest things I have ever seen and we appreciate all of your good efforts -very much. Thank you ..."
James, Atlanta, Georgia

Keep up the good work
"... when we listen to the radio, especially the old radio shows, it forces the mind to form its own images and for me this is great because TV no longer offers anything important or entertaining to me. I want to thank you very much and keep up the good work ..."
Bill, North, Connecticut

A fabulous web site
"... I just can't tell you how great this web site is for me ..."
Monique, Chicago

A fantastic job
"... and then I stumbled upon RUSC and I was just amazed ... It's not just for adults. Kids can enjoy it as well ..."
Brian, Atlanta


Wonderful library of available shows
"... My entertainment dollar never before has brought me so much for so little.  Thank you Ned and Joy ..."
Frank from Westchester, Pennsylvania

Truly been a blessing to me and my family
You have truly improved my life and my spirits.  Thank you so much.  Keep up the good work.
Artonya, Blue Island

I love your site
You have given me the ability to turn my car into a time machine. Which makes my two-hour commute almost a pleasure.  I don't know what I would do without you.  Thanks for being there.
Bill, Hackettstown, New Jersey

This has been one of my great pleasures
... I don’t care how old they are.  It’s just the fact they’re really good. Good dramas and good detective stories and good comedians. Thank you so much ...
John, Grennan Hills, Illinois

Click here to read lots more kind testimonials about RUSC

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