Information Please page1
Various
Old Time Radio Programs, Information Please.
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
Chapters
Reviews
Smart People Having Fun
Samskara
Information Please was a game show that ran on NBC from 1938 until 1951. The format was simple -- listeners sent in questions, and a panel of experts would try to answer them. Listeners would be paid for each question used, with a bonus for stumping the panel. The first episodes were fairly straightforward, but the show soon found its pace, with the panelists displaying ready wits and a penchant for puns. Regular panelists were Franklin P. Adams, Oscar Levant and John Kieran, and they were joined by celebrity guests such as C. S. Forester (author of the Horatio Hornblower novels) Orson Wells, Boris Karloff, Rex Stout (the Nero Wolfe novels) and many others. The charm of the show was simply the banter between highly intelligent people who seem more interested in having fun than showing off, although there are occasions when the panelists answer seemingly impossible questions. Although many of what were then current events questions are beyond the reach of 21st century listeners, there are enough questions about classic literature and music, mythology and history to let anybody play along.
Sound Quaity Better 1/2 Way Through
Hal Evans
The sound quality does get better half way through. Using lots of high frequency boost, the program from about the halfway point are quite listenable. Ah those WERE the days! There is no such a program now. Closest thing is a group of druggy, perverty looking pop culture creeps trying to top each other with childish behavior in some TV network show. Many thanks to good old archive for giving us a link to the past, which was so much better. T'was a time when people dressed up to go out in public, were literate and had a lot more intelligence.
Thanks for shows. But horrible audio quality
Charlie Heinz
Whoever took on the task to give us what seems like all of Information Please, they should have listened to the audio quality. Why they did this and not listen to how horrible, overdriven or overcut the audio, is tragic! There is no excuse for such amateurish transfers. So I'll have to give an overall rating of just above lowest rating, taking into account whoever transferred these did provide a LOT of shows to us.
Mike Wallace "student" ep. #29
AncientAxim
Myron, better known as Mike Wallace is on number 29 (where are the dates..?) as a Univ of Michigan "beardless student". The episode with Carl Sandberg has errors: there is a long moment full of tick/time clicks, with no sound. There are quite a few digital blips, clicks, and stop-starts in these files. Some of the audio is less than par.
Sound Quality Regrettable
NoSpillBlood
I downloaded many of these I.P. shows from the late-lamented site Zoot Radio. The quality of those mp3s put these to shame. I still have mine, a burned disk full, and some day soon, I may up them here. This upload needs an upgrade badly.
Correction (please)
Eve Arden's BFF
"H Napier Moore" is mislabeled. Actually, FPA is acting host; Marc Connelly and Albert Johnston are guests. One answer mentions that September 16 was the week before, making this a September 19th broadcast (assuming this is still 1939.)
Endearing listen
John Spagnolo
I love hearing the names of the towns and cities of those submitting questions. Great banter. Sound is a bit rough at points but we're lucky to have so many to enjoy.
#7 is all messed up
Myles_Lobdell
Thank you for putting these up here! However, #7 with Quincy Howe and George Kaufman is all messed up. Myles Lobdell