Grand Central Station
The Joe Hehn Memorial Collection
Grand Central Station was an anthology series that ran from 1937 to 1954. It had one of the greatest show openings in radio. The sound of a railroad engine whistle, the locamotive's bell, the chugging sound of the engine, rushing to its destination... and into the station. After a short plug for the sponsor, the announcer continues, describing the route of the trains, and the people in them "...drawn by the magnetic force of the fantastic metropolis, day and night, great trains rush toward the Hudson river..." They reach their destination, "the crossroads of a million private lives, a gigantic stage on which are played a thousand dramas daily." One of the producers was Himan Brown, known most for Inner Sanctum . Despite the exciting opening, Grand Central Station was not all that exciting. It was light drama or comedy, designed mainly for the soap opera audience. It told sweet stories, always with happy endings. * * * These recordings are part of the Joe Hehn Memorial Collection. Mr. Hehn (1931-2020) was a pioneering collector of radio recordings when the hobby emerged in the 1960s. Digitizing his collection of reel tapes and discs is the effort of a wide range of North American volunteers, and includes assistance of some international collectors. The groups supporting this effort with their funds, time, technology and skills are the Old Time Radio Researchers and a small group of transcription disc preservationists who refer to themselves as the "The Knights of the Turning Table."
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.