This week, we engage in a little "audio-archeology," sifting through some of the rarest and most mysterious of all OTR recordings. First, we hear all five surviving fragments of "Smackout," the precursor to "Fibber McGee and Molly." Then, the earliest known episode of "The Witch's Tale," from June 1931.

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Come on over our place tonight and spend Friday, March 6, 1931, listening to Radio Journeys. This week, it's the historic first episode of "The March of Time", Time Magazine's dramatic reenactment of news stories, with announcer Ted Husing (photo at right) narrating such news items as Big Bill Thompson winning re-election as mayor in Chicago, the sons of Joseph Pulitzer trying to sell the World Telegram, convicts leaving for the infamous Devil's Island, and the House Of Representatives adjourning its seventy-first session. Thanks to Jim Widner for his article on "The March of Time" at www.otr.com/march.html, and to Dave Goldin's "March of Time" show list at radiogoldindex.com. Also in this podcast: Another episode of Si and Elmer, and Anson Weeks and His Orchestra from March 10, 1931. Oh, and some of more of Dennis Humphrey's tea...

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It's February 1931 on Radio Journeys, and this week we feature the last surviving episode of Empire Builders, plus our continuing serials "The Misadventures of Si and Elmer" and "Omar, Wizard of Persia."

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It's February 1931 on Radio Journeys, and this week we hear Empire Builders commemorating its very first show, in a remake of its January 14, 1929, episode. It's about James J. Hill, the founder of the Great Northern Railway, in his younger days, as one of the pioneers of railroading. Then, more from Si and Elmer and Omar, Wizard of Persia.

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It's January 1931 on Radio Journeys, and this week we hear the Empire Builders (January 26) telling one of the legends surrounding Joaquin Murrieta, California outlaw of the 1850s, in an episode called "La Mariposa." Plus, more installments of the Misadventures of Si and Elmer and Omar, Wizard of Persia.

It's the second week of January 1931, and on the radio we hear Episode 6 of the classic "Empire Builders," with the Old Timer (in photo at right as his original incarnation, "the Old Pioneer") offering a few lucky, hardy listeners the chance to accompany him on a tour of Glacier National Park, via the Great Northern Railway. Then, it's more "high corniness" in another episode of "The Misadventures of Si and Elmer." And we hear Anson Weeks and His Orchestra, in a return engagement on Radio Journeys.

Rolling on into the 1930s with the fifth surviving episode of "Empire Builders," starring Don Ameche in his pre-screen days. Plus, the third episode of "The Misadventures of Si and Elmer" and the first of "Omar, Wizard of Persia," one of the earliest surviving examples of an adventure serial. Historic, great radio, all from 1931, presented in the most authentic manner possible.

This week: A little history of the Great Northern Railway, then the fourth or our episodes of "Empire Builders," the classic program of 1930-31 that the GNR produced. This one is from January 5, 1931, and it concerns the impact of the Great Depression. Historic radio to take us along...another radio journey.

This week, the third of nine known, surviving episodes of the 1930-31 classic "Empire Builders," the earliest recorded dramatic series from network radio. This one is from December 29, 1930, and it stars a very young Don Ameche. Plus, a look at that great train sound effect that starts each episode. And: The first episode of the amusing, somewhat corny "hick" serial "The Misadventures of Si and Elmer," from 1931 or 1933, and the third installment of "Friendly Five Footnotes," with its delightful early '30s pop. They simply don't make radio like this anymore, so come along... on another Radio Journey.

This week: The second surviving episode of Empire Builders, plus more Anson Weeks and the Friendly Five Footnotes, all from 1930-31.

This week, the first of nine episodes of "Empire Builders," the earliest surviving network drama series, from November 1930 (original newspaper ad, at right). Plus, great dance music from Anson Weeks and the Friendly Five Footnotes, circa 1931.

We begin this week solemnly, with an appeal and a moment of silence for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and for our entire nation. Then, in our regular programming, we offer a brief profile of broadcast announcing pioneer Graham McNamee (photo at right), followed by the second episode of "Coca-Cola Top Notchers," from March 26, 1930, which McNamee hosted. Then, some good times with "Cliff and Lolly, the Nuts of Harmony," also from 1930.

In a special, "encore" presentation, we re-broadcast the pilot episode of Radio Journeys, now edited and improved. We jump into 1930, with three shows from that year: "The Life of Irene Castle" (photo at right), the earliest known recording of a full daytime women's program; "The Voice from the Housetops," another syndicated "musi-mercial"; and "Coca-cola Top Notchers," from March 19,1930, the earliest known recording of a full network entertainment program.

his week, it's more great 1920s jazz from the radio, with three excerpts from the syndicated shows of 1929 and 1930: Two from the Sunny Meadows Show featuring Ray Miller and His Orchestra (Photo at right). Plus, an undated, unnamed set of excerpts featuring Red Nichols. Great, historic, rare radio recordings to take us way back... on another Radio Journey.

This week, it's a night of music as it would have sounded on the radio in 1929. Syndicated, pre-recorded music shows were one of the great innovations in radio that year, with corporations hoping to market their products through shows that presented not only those products, but also some of the best music of the day. We listen to four examples: One from The Maytag Minstrels and three excerpts from Brunswick Brevities, the most successful of these shows. Brunswick Brevities include great, hot jazz performances by Irving Mills and Red Nichols. And hidden away in all of this is a sizzling vocal performance by a very young Hoagy Carmichael. Running Time: 55 minutes.

This week, we return to Newark, NJ, to hear local radio as it sounded in 1929. We hear two programs recorded for WAAM by the Edison Studios. Plus, a brief history of WAAM and its successor, WNEW, New York.