It's a Leap Year!
Every four years, February gains an extra day, a cosmic quirk we call a 'leap year'.
If you can, imagine yourself transported back to the 1940s or 50s, a simpler time when families gathered around the radio for shared entertainment. News of the world, delivered in measured tones, was interspersed with whimsical comedies, thrilling mysteries, and melodramatic romances.
Picture blushing brides taking the initiative on February 29th, challenging the old adage that women could only propose on that day. Or, listen to detective duos unraveling whodunits fueled by the extra day's hidden secrets. The airwaves pulsed with laughter, suspense, and the occasional musical interlude, all delivered with a charm that transcends decades.
Beyond the entertainment, old-time radio offers a historical perspective on how leap year was perceived. Was it a day of empowerment for women, as some portrayals suggest? Or was it merely a curiosity, a blip in the calendar year? By immersing ourselves in these vintage stories, we can engage in a conversation with the past, understanding how societal attitudes have shifted.
Listening to these shows on a leap year adds another layer of intrigue. The date itself becomes a character, influencing the plot and adding a sense of occasion. So, this leap year, turn off the screens, dim the lights, and let the warmth of old-time radio wash over you. Discover the comedic capers of Fibber McGee and Molly, lose yourself in the chilling suspense of The Shadow, or swoon over the romantic entanglements of Lux Radio Theater.
Or, why not listen to a selection of shows which aired on February 29th:-
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| Here's a special leap year old time radio show called "The Great Microphone Mystery" - or sometimes also called "The Case Of The Mysterious... more... |
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| The National Broadcasting Company brings you transcribed from Hollywood The Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis Show with their special guest actor... more... |
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| “You are standing at the edge of an enchanted grove, you are urged by a soft caressing voice inviting you to destruction, you have nearly... more... |
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| Mr. Harrison has loads of good ideas to advance the company he works for but his boss Mr. Tucker is determined to keep him down fearful... more... |
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| Fibber McGee & Molly was first broadcast in 1935 and ran in a variety of formats until the final broadcast in 1956. Jim and Marian Jordan... more... |
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| Tonight, Bill Goodwin has the sad duty of making an announcement which will plunge the people of the music world into deepest gloom. Sugar... more... |
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| From the stage of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium the folk music centre of the world it’s Grand Ole Opry time with the star of this weeks... more... |
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| Win Elliott opens the show, introducing the renowned star of opera, Miss Dorothy Sarnoff, who most recently sang The Star Spangled Banner... more... |
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| The Jack Benny Program was first broadcast on the Blue Network on 2nd May 1932. With his capable cast of supporting players Benny made his... more... |
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| Last week Jungle Jim and the Reverend Chalmers came to the conclusion that the bat woman wasn't as powerful in controlling the natives as... more... |
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| Shouldering upward into the clouds, looking out over the plains of four countries of Europe, are the great tumbled ranges of the Alps. The... more... |
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| There’s been a murder and right smack in the middle of it is a 16 year-old boy named Billy. |
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| All of us once in a while are asked to attend the funeral of some departed friend or relative. It's anything but a happy occasion, but it's... more... |
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| Post Cereals brings you The Roy Rogers Show starring the King of the Cowboys himself, Roy Rogers. The Double R Ranch, transcribed stories... more... |
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| In a heavy concrete sub cellar of a forgotten warehouse two men in white lab jackets stand tensely watching massive laboratory machinery.... more... |
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| The Case Of The King Phillips Golden Salver concerns the strange disappearance of an elaborate golden platter sent to Queen Elizabeth by... more... |
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| Lady In Love is the story of a small town girl who is forced to choose between two kinds of love. |
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| United States Marshall Wild Bill Hickok and his trusted deputy Jingles were leaving the Rio Grand and riding north after cleaning up a... more... |
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| In the year 4195 the inhabitants of Earth have lived underground since the third atomic war - a female scientist studies one of the... more... |
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| You are at the prison castle in Rouen, where Joan of Arc is being held after her trial for heresy. The procession will soon take place, to... more... |
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| As the title suggests, tonight's case from your FBI concerns a kidnapping. Styles change in crime, just as they do in automobiles and... more... |
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| William Marky was the 46-year-old owner of a consulting engineering firm in New York. He’d been married to his present wife for three years... more... |
Test your knowledge on leap year history, traditions, and quirks in our latest quiz!
In a world obsessed with instant gratification and fleeting trends, leap year, with its extra day, invites us to slow down and appreciate the past. And what better way to do that than through the timeless magic of old-time radio? So, grab a hot drink, and let the stories transport you back to a time of simpler pleasures and leap year surprises. You might just discover a hidden gem, a forgotten laugh, or a timeless message that resonates even today.
Happy listening my friends,
