Rusc Old Time Radio General Knowledge #1
Are you an old time radio expert or a nostalgia newbie?
Let's find out with these twenty general knowledge questions ranging from the simple to the sublime.
Good luck!
Ned
www. Rusc. Com
- 1.
According to the March 1922 issue of Variety, how many radio sets were in use in the USA?
- A.
None
- B.
100,000
- C.
1,000
- D.
250,000
- E.
500,000
- F.
1,000,000
Correct Answer
F. 1,000,000Explanation
On March 10 1922, Variety carried the front page headline: "Radio Sweeping Country: 1,000,000 Sets in Use." (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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- 2.
What do the radio shows Blondie, Dick Tracy, Li'l Abner, Popeye the Sailor, Little Orphan Annie, and Red Ryder have in common?
- A.
They were all first broadcast in the 1930s
- B.
They were all adapted from comic strips
- C.
They were all became broadway musicals
- D.
They were all adapted from broadway musicals
- E.
They were all made into full-length films
Correct Answer
B. They were all adapted from comic stripsExplanation
All of the radio shows mentioned in the question, including Blondie, Dick Tracy, Li'l Abner, Popeye the Sailor, Little Orphan Annie, and Red Ryder, have something in common. They were all adapted from comic strips. This means that these popular comic strip characters were brought to life through radio shows, allowing fans to listen to their adventures and stories.Rate this question:
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- 3.
What is the claim to fame of the old time radio show Clara, Lu and Em?
- A.
It was the very first radio show broadcast in 1920
- B.
It was the first radio soap opera
- C.
It was the longest running radio show of all time
- D.
It was first show to be taken of air due to a public petition
- E.
It was the first radio show to contain nudity
Correct Answer
B. It was the first radio soap operaExplanation
The claim to fame of the old time radio show Clara, Lu and Em is that it was the first radio soap opera.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were famous for playing Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson on radio and in films. Is it true that none of the episodes in which Rathbone and Bruce starred on the radio were filmed with the two actors as Holmes and Watson?
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
During the 1940s, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, famous for playing Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson in films, repeated their characterizations on radio on The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which featured both original stories and episodes directly adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. None of the episodes in which Rathbone and Bruce starred on the radio program were filmed with the two actors as Holmes and Watson, so radio became the only medium in which audiences were able to experience Rathbone and Bruce appearing in some of the more famous Holmes stories, such as "The Speckled Band". (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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- 5.
Which radio show has been broadcast continuously since 1950 up to the present day?
- A.
Red Ryder
- B.
Suspense
- C.
Unshackled!
- D.
Fibber McGee & Molly
- E.
The Twilight Zone
Correct Answer
C. Unshackled!Explanation
One of the very few still-running shows from the earlier era of radio is a Christian program entitled Unshackled! The weekly half hour show, produced in Chicago, Illinois by Pacific Garden Mission, has been continuously broadcast since 1950. The shows are created using techniques from the 1950s (including home-made sound effects) and are broadcast across the U.S. and around the world by thousands of radio stations. (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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- 6.
Which year and month is widely considered to be the anniversary of the end of the old time radio era?
- A.
June 1959
- B.
July 1960
- C.
August 1961
- D.
September 1962
- E.
October 1963
- F.
November 1964
Correct Answer
D. September 1962Explanation
The 40th anniversary of what is widely considered the end of the old time radio era (the final broadcasts of Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and Suspense on September 30, 1962) was marked with a commentary on NPR's All Things Considered. (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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- 7.
How many episodes of The Adventures of Sam Spade were broadcast between 1946 and 1951?
- A.
51
- B.
81
- C.
131
- D.
221
- E.
301
Correct Answer
D. 221Explanation
Between 1946 and 1951, a total of 221 episodes of The Adventures of Sam Spade were broadcast.Rate this question:
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- 8.
The lead character of Broadway Is My Beat was a hardened New York City cop who worked homicide. What was the character’s name?
- A.
Danny Clover
- B.
Danny Glover
- C.
Jack Webb
- D.
Lamont Cranston
- E.
Danny Webber
Correct Answer
A. Danny CloverExplanation
The lead character of Broadway Is My Beat was named Danny Clover.Rate this question:
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- 9.
In the old time radio show Calling All Cars, which city were the crimes based?
- A.
Chicago
- B.
New York
- C.
Los Angeles
- D.
Boston
- E.
Miami
Correct Answer
C. Los AngelesExplanation
The crimes in the old time radio show Calling All Cars were based in Los Angeles.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Who played Amos in the Amos 'n' Andy?
- A.
Freeman Gosden
- B.
Charles Correl
- C.
James "Jim" Jordan
- D.
J. Carrol Naish
Correct Answer
A. Freeman GosdenExplanation
Freeman Gosden played Amos in the Amos 'n' Andy show.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Which science-fiction show came first?
- A.
Dimension X
- B.
X Minus One
Correct Answer
A. Dimension XExplanation
Initially a revival of NBC's Dimension X (1950–51), the first 15 episodes of X Minus One were new versions of Dimension X episodes, but the remainder were adaptations by NBC staff writers, including Ernest Kinoy and George Lefferts,[1] of newly published science fiction stories by leading writers in the field, including Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, Robert A. Heinlein, Frederik Pohl and Theodore Sturgeon,[2] along with some original scripts by Kinoy and Lefferts. (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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- 12.
From which hotel were the early episodes of Amos and Andy broadcast?
- A.
El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs, California
- B.
The Sheraton, Manhattan, New York
- C.
Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas
- D.
The Knickerbocker Hotel, Los Angeles
Correct Answer
A. El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs, CaliforniaExplanation
The early episodes of Amos and Andy were broadcast from the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs, California.Rate this question:
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- 13.
On which radio network was the Mercury Theatre on the Air classic War of the Worlds first broadcast?
- A.
NBC
- B.
CBS
- C.
Mutual
- D.
ABC
Correct Answer
B. CBSExplanation
The correct answer is CBS. The Mercury Theatre on the Air classic "War of the Worlds" was first broadcast on the CBS radio network.Rate this question:
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- 14.
What was the name of the detective played by Jack Webb in Dragnet?
- A.
Jack Friday
- B.
Joe Friday
- C.
Jim Friday
- D.
James Friday
- E.
Joey Friday
Correct Answer
B. Joe FridayExplanation
Joe Friday is the correct answer because it accurately identifies the name of the detective played by Jack Webb in the TV show Dragnet.Rate this question:
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- 15.
What was Abbott and Costello’s signature routine?
- A.
What's on next?
- B.
It's your turn?
- C.
Who's on first?
- D.
Who's next?
Correct Answer
C. Who's on first?Explanation
Abbott and Costello's signature routine was called "Who's on first?" This routine involved a humorous dialogue between the two comedians, where Abbott would try to explain the names of the players on a baseball team to Costello. However, due to the confusing names of the players, Costello would constantly misunderstand and ask questions like "Who's on first?" This routine became one of their most popular and enduring acts, showcasing their comedic timing and wordplay.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Who played the married protagonists John and Blanche Bickerson?
- A.
Goodman Ace and Jane Ace
- B.
Howard Duff and Lurene Tuttle
- C.
James Monks and Virginia Gregg
- D.
Peg Lynch and Alan Bunce
- E.
Don Ameche and Frances Langford
Correct Answer
E. Don Ameche and Frances LangfordExplanation
Don Ameche and Frances Langford played the married protagonists John and Blanche Bickerson.Rate this question:
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- 17.
Where was the setting for Father Knows Best?
- A.
Deep South
- B.
Midwest
- C.
California
- D.
Alaska
- E.
Mexico
Correct Answer
B. MidwestExplanation
The correct answer is Midwest. "Father Knows Best" was a popular American sitcom that aired in the 1950s and 1960s. The show was set in the fictional town of Springfield, which was located in the Midwest region of the United States. The setting in the Midwest reflected the traditional American values and family dynamics that the show portrayed.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Fibber McGee and Molly was one of the longest running radio shows. Across how many decades did the broadcasts span?
- A.
1
- B.
2
- C.
3
- D.
4
- E.
5
Correct Answer
C. 3Explanation
Fibber McGee and Molly is an American radio comedy series which maintained its popularity over decades. It premiered on NBC in 1935 and continued until its demise in 1959, long after radio had ceased to be the dominant form of entertainment in American popular culture. (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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- 19.
The Great Gildersleeve was a spin-off show of which radio situation comedy?
- A.
Fibber McGee and Molly
- B.
Little Gildersleeve
- C.
Easy Aces
- D.
The Bickersons
- E.
Amos 'n' Andy
Correct Answer
A. Fibber McGee and MollyExplanation
The Great Gildersleeve was a spin-off show of Fibber McGee and Molly. This means that the character of Gildersleeve was first introduced in Fibber McGee and Molly and then got his own show.Rate this question:
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- 20.
In which year was the first radio news broadcast made?
- A.
1925
- B.
1920
- C.
1915
- D.
1930
- E.
1905
- F.
1910
Correct Answer
B. 1920Explanation
The first radio news program was broadcast on August 31, 1920 on the station 8MK in Detroit, Michigan; owned by The Detroit News, the station covered local election results. This was followed in 1920 with the first commercial radio station in the United States, KDKA, being established in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Source: Wikipedia)Rate this question:
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Mar 17, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Nov 22, 2012Quiz Created by
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