The Theatre of the Imagination

Before television there was radio, an entertainment medium that employed the Theatre of the Mind. This format involved utilizing the imagination, not the visual stimulus used today.

Radio shows were common during this time period and my favorite show was The Shadow. He was an invisible crimefighter who "knew what evil lurked in the hearts of men." He was compelled to fight evil with all the resources at his disposal.

The Shadow was written by Walter Gibson and initially portrayed by Orson Welles. One of my favorite episodes, The Silent Avenger, aired back in March of 1938. I remember it well sitting by the fireplace. It was the highlight of my evening.

I miss the radio shows of yesteryear. But eventually my radio nostalgia had to come to an end with the advent of television. 

At the Flowood Library we have an impressive collection of audiobooks to listen to. So while we do not have radio shows, we can check out an audiobook and pretend for a while. 

The Theatre of the Mind, the theatre of the imagination lives on.