Radio Program Openings and Closings, 1931-1972

285 Pages·2010·9.164 MB·English

by  Terrace, Vincent

Radio Program Openings
and Closings, ¡93¡–¡972
ALSOBYVINCENTTERRACE
ANDFROMMCFARLAND
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Over 9,800 Details from 301Programs, 1937–2003(2003)
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Over 10,000 Facts from 151Shows, 1949–2001(2002)
Sitcom Factfinder, 1948–1984:
Over 9,700 Details from 168 Television Shows(2002)
Television Sitcom Factbook:
Over 8,700 Details from 130 Shows, 1985–2000(2000)
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A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows(¡999; softcover 2010)
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Seven Decades of Small Screen Almosts(¡997; softcover 2009)
Television Specials: 3,201Entertainment Spectaculars,
1939 through 1993 (¡995; softcover 2008)
Television Character and Story Facts: Over 110,000 Details
from 1,008 Shows, 1945–1992 (¡993)
Radio Program
Openings and Closings,
¡93¡–¡972
V T
INCENT ERRACE
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
The present work is a reprint of the illustrated case bound edition of
Radio Program Openings and Closings, ¡93¡–¡972, first published
in 2003 by McFarland.
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Terrace, Vincent, ¡948–
Radio program openings and closings, ¡93¡–¡972 / Vincent Terrace.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4925-5
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
¡. Radio programs—United States—Dictionaries. 2. Prologues and
epilogues. 3. Credit titles (Motion pictures, television, etc.) I. Title.
PN¡99¡.3.U6 T44 20¡¡
79¡.44'75'03 22
20030¡7207
British Library cataloguing data are available
© 2003 Vincent Terrace. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, i ncluding photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without p ermission in writing from the publisher.
Cover photograph © 20¡¡ Photodisc
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 6¡¡, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
Contents
Preface 1
Author’s Notes 3
The 444 Radio Programs 5
Appendix A: Sponsors and Programs 259
Appendix B: Product Slogans and Jingles 263
Appendix C: World War II Announcements 267
Index 269
v

Preface
Do you remember the immortal words of gram type, story line, sponsors, networks, years
The Shadow(“Who knows what evil lurks in the of broadcast and principal cast. There are a total
hearts of men”) or those spoken by the title char- of 5¡6 opening and closing themes represented
acter in The Whistler (“I am the Whistler and I by 444 numbered entries (many shows contain
know many things for I walk by night”)? Do you multiple openings and closings to represent the
recall the closing words of Blackstone, the Magi- changes that occurred in a series during its run).
cian (“Good magic and goodbye”) or of Orson Each theme is reproduced with music, an-
Welles (“As always, I remain obediently yours”)? nouncer and sound e›ect indications just as they
Do you remember the great radio commercial would occur if you were listening to the actual
jingles like “Pepsi-Cola hits the spot. Twelve full program. Songs and jingles have also been re-
ounces, that’s a lot” or “Smoke dreams from produced in this manner. Commercials have
smoke rings while a Chesterfield burns?” Do you been included with sponsored programs where
remember drinking your Ovaltine with Little possible. When a commercial announcement
Orphan Annie or wishing you had sent for that was heard during an opening theme or right
radio premium (like the Good Luck Swastika after, or before a closing theme (or during and
from The Majestic Master of Mystery)? after it), the commercial has been included.
This is the kind of information you will Commercials broadcast during the middle of a
find in this one of a kind book, the first ever at- program have been excluded. Several problems
tempt to document the opening and closing sig- exist regarding sponsored programs.
natures of the programs from the golden age of Not all circulating shows (programs avail-
radio. All types of programs have been in- able to the public) are complete. Some are miss-
cluded—from the most popular to the most ob- ing openings (and/or closings) and some are
scure, and everything in between; from comedy missing commercials. (For example, when
and drama to western and sci-fi. All the memo- AFRS—The Armed Forces Radio Service—re-
rable (and not so memorable) opening and clos- broadcast programs to servicemen overseas, it
ing themes have been reproduced here, for you cut all commercials as well as the closing theme.
to enjoy in printed form. Many shows in circulation are AFRS programs
Each alphabetically listed entry contains a and, in many cases, are the only known existing
brief introductory paragraph that lists the pro- copies of some programs.) Like people with
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Preface 2
VCR’s today, who cut out commercials from the grams that appears in this book, three appen-
shows they are recording, people with disk, wire dices have been included. Appendix A lists all
and open-reel audio recorders back then cut out the products mentioned with the programs they
commercials from the radio programs they were sponsored. Appendix B is a brief history of radio
recording. These programs eventually became jingles and slogans. Appendix C is a listing of
circulating shows and the only indication of World War II announcements and where to find
sponsorship may be what the announcer says in them.
the opening theme. Radio, as it was so many yesterdays ago, is
Syndicated series are also a problem in gone. You can relive that past through tapes of
more ways than one. Based on my experiences the actual programs or by reading the various
with the syndicated series used in this book, reference books on radio. This is a di›erent type
most appear to be copies of the actual disks or of old-time radio reference book. It covers the
tapes sent to stations. While meant to be spon- programs of our past in a di›erent way and ex-
sored, they have no commercial messages; in- plores, for the first time, advertising during that
stead a musical selection is played for a minute era. It took many hours to transcribe this infor-
or so for local stations to insert a commercial or mation and, if you were to purchase the shows
do a voice-over announcement. The opening that appear in this book, the price would be close
and closings are also brief (as they were meant to $¡,600. If you are a new fan of old-time radio
to be supplemented by the local station an- I hope this book whets your appetite to explore
nouncer) and some syndicated series have only it further; if you are already a fan of old-time
a musical opening and closing (providing for radio, I hope some pleasant memories will be
voice-overs by local station announcers). rekindled for you. You can’t go back, but with
In addition to an index of names and pro- old-time radio, you can relive it.
Author’s Notes
ABC: The American Broadcasting Com- Circulating Shows by Jay Hickerson (Box 432¡,
pany. Hamden, Ct., 065¡4; telephone: 203-248-
AFRS: Armed Forces Radio Service. 2887). Valuable reference book for anyone in-
Blue: One of two NBC networks; it even- terested in old-time radio. The book lists over
tually became ABC. 6,000 radio programs with information regard-
CBS: The Columbia Broadcasting System. ing networks, dates, programs and number of
Mutual: The Mutual Broadcasting System. episodes that are in circulation (shows available
Also known as MBS, the Mutual-Don Lee Net- to the public). The book also lists program
work and WOR/Mutual. lengths, days and times broadcast and whether
NBC: The National Broadcasting Com- a series was network or local. There is also a sec-
pany. Formed in ¡926 and the owner of two net- tion on radio societies and sources for acquiring
works: Blue and Red. NBC Red became known programs.
simply as NBC when NBC Blue became ABC All the openings and closings used in this
in late ¡944. book are based on circulating shows. Two
Sustaining: This term is listed on shows sources of such shows are: Radio Spirits(¡-800-
that were not meant to be sponsored. 723-4648) for well-known programs. Vintage
Syndicated: Listed as Syn., it indicates pro- Broadcasts (¡-866-783-¡923) for both well
grams that were sold to individual radio stations known as well as obscure programs.
and broadcast according to the station’s needs. The dates listed for the title of this book,
Various Sponsors: This term indicates pro- ¡93¡–¡972, indicate the date of the earliest theme
grams that had numerous sponsors (much like that could be found (The Vaughn DeLeath Show)
how TV programs are broadcast today). In most and the date of the last broadcast of The Devil
cases, sponsors varied from week to week. and Mr. O. Information prior to ¡93¡ appears in
Recommended Book: The Ultimate History the book, but no signatures could be found.
of Network Radio Programming and Guide to All
3