Old Time Radio (OTR) refers to a period of radio programming lasting from the proliferation of radio broadcasting in the early 1920s until the rise of television broadcasting in the late 1950s. Adventure, comedy, drama, horror, mystery, romance, thrillers. Old Time Radio aims to recreate the spirit of that era by linking to the best of radio broadcasting both old and new.
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On Easter Sunday, 1944 (April 9th) Between 12 and 2PM, news, religious, and war programming filled the radio dial. Standouts included the Salt Lake City Tabernacle Choir and Organ at noon on CBS, Soldiers of the Press at 12:30 on Mutual, and The Chicago Roundtable at 1:30 on NBC.
Ceiling Unlimited began as a series of informative dramas by Orson Welles in November 1942. It was sponsored by Lockheed Vega Aircrafts and showcased aviation's role in World War II. Welles walked out in February 1943 after a blowup with one of the ad agency men. Author James Hilton took over. It became a Hollywood variety series in August 1943. Joseph Cotten hosted with Patrick McGeehan as announcer and both Connie Moore and Nan Wynn providing vocals arranged by Wilbur Hatch.
This Easter episode took to the air at 2:00PM, from WABC, which at that time were still the call letters for CBS’ New York City Affiliate. The Blue Network’s New York flagship, WJZ aired Chaplain Jim U.S.A., while WEAF aired a play called “Those We Love.”
Joseph Cotten had spent years in NYC on the stage with Orson Welles as part of the Mercury Theater, as well as starring opposite Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story on Broadway. By 1944 he was a huge movie star. That year he appeared in Gaslight, opposite Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, In Since You Went Away, opposite Claudette Colbert, Shirley Temple, and Jennifer Jones, and in I'll Be Seeing You, opposite Temple and Ginger Rogers.