By the People: A Radio Drama About CONELRAD (1960)

A government produced radio drama about the Emergency Broadcasting System known as CONELRAD. It was originally broadcast on July7, 1960 according to the National Archives. The story concerns Key City Chronicle reporter Dan Taylor (played by Lon Clark) doing the "whole story" on CONELRAD. Three years after this broadcast, CONELRAD was replaced by the Emergency Broadcasting System (EBS).
By the People: A Radio Drama About CONELRAD (1959)
Produced by the Federal Civil Defense Administration
Distributed by the Armed Forces Radio & Television Service
Produced and Directed by Chick Vincent
Script by Judith S. Bubbly (sp.?)
CAST:
Lon Clark as Dan Taylor
Brett Morrison
Mason Adams
Louis Van Ruten

[@craterglass]

Thanks for this! I've always found stuff like this oddly fascinating.

[@tachyon8317]

Atompunk is a nice aesthetic, imo

[@TrueVaultEscapades]

OMG I love Lon Clark! This is probably the most late work I've heard him do!

[@OceanPatriot777]

One of those enemy pilots sounds like Bela Lugosi

[@Ronbo710]

Used to listen to these on my Grandparents old Telefunken Radio/record player as a kid and they were better than TV.

[@colettenasielski5830]

VERY GOOD RADIO BROADCAST

[@beenaplumber8379]

That closing version of Yankee Doodle should be used in every music composition class. It uses all the standard devices, and many not-so standard devices. I'm noticing nearly constant key modulations and even a few false modulations. I'm studying it. I'm a rocker, and rockers often neglect some of the tricks used by classical composers. They can really jazz up your music!

[@Wa3ypx]

I think Radio Free Europe or Voice of America used this as their "marker tone" before broadcasts.

[@ChicagoMel23]

lol Dan Taylor…hard for me to hear the name and not get a Forrest Gump vibe
Then: think of the cost if tv and radio went off the air
Today: The internet has entered the chat
That was actually why ARAPNET, the first proto internet, was created, as a backup in case the tv and radio went off.
A Time article actually said CONELRAD wasn’t adequate because it did need radio to be on, although they said here sirens were a thing.
EBS did start two years later and then in 1997 I think, EAS replaced EBS. CONELRAD was outdated by the 60s because of more likelihood that missles would’ve been used and not planes.
Still, it’s not good that they’re even reluctant to shoot a dang balloon down now
It was 1960. Why didn’t they say 50 states instead of 48? It was made in 59 and the last two joined that year so they should’ve said 50

[@maryjudithconklin8327]

Awesome

[@QuaaludeCharlie]

CONELRAD

[@bossbob]

I was right. I just had to listen to the credits at the end.

[@MrMenefrego1]

right about?

[@randydelaney7053]

The music at the end makes me think of Looney Tunes lol.

[@johnhamilton1493]

What is the name of music in the intro song many thanks

[@chrishenniker5944]

I thought official instructions would be to stay at home.

[@beenaplumber8379]

Super-late reply - this was when the Soviets were expected to use propeller-driven bomber planes, not ICBMs. There might have been time for evacuation in some areas. The instructions to evacuate differed by area and changed as the attack drew nearer.

[@BBC600]

23:30 is the children's song Bingo!

[@crystal646]

23:30

[@bossbob]

Sounds like actor Mason Adams doing some of the voices.

[@fromthesidelines]

That is indeed Mason Adams.

[@stephmaccormick3195]

8:28 😄 😁 😆 😅 😂 🤣