RADIO IN 1937 – 70 YEARS AGO

Originally broadcast on WDCB
Saturday, May 5, 2007

HINDENBURG AIRSHIP DISASTER (5-6-37, almost exactly 70 years ago) Announcer Herb Morrison, at Lakehurst, New Jersey to record the arrival of the airship Hindenburg from Friedrichschafen, Germany, ends up covering one of the great aviation disasters when the ship exploded and crashed. Recording engineer Charles Nehlsen captured the dramatic event on discs which were broadcast the next day on the full NBC net-work, the first recordings broadcast on the network in its ten year history. This is a complete presentation of the original recording. WLS/NBC. (16 min & 8 min & 25 min)

TRUE DETECTIVE MYSTERIES (8-19-37) “Murder in the Horror House.” A farmer with a bad temper falls for a waitress and wants to marry her, but soon she and two of his partners are missing. True Detective Magazine, MBS. (24 min)

FIBBER McGEE AND MOLLY (9-13-37) Jim and Marian Jordan star as the McGees. As the theatrical season opens in Wistful Vista, Fibber — “as author, director, producer and actor” — hopes to present a drama set in ancient Rome. Cast includes Harold Peary, Bill Thompson, Hugh Studebaker, Isabel Randolph, Harlow Wilcox, Ted Weems and the orchestra with vocalist Perry Como. Johnson’s Wax, NBC. (30 min)

DEATH VALLEY DAYS (10-29-37) An unusual show in the series as the program offers a preview of the new Mount Whitney “Death Valley Highway” which will be dedicat-ed on November 1, 1937. The Old Ranger (Jack McBride) narrates a drama about the California territory where the highway links the highest and lowest parts of the United States. Announcer is Dressar Dahlstead. Mule Team Borax, NBC. (29 min)

DR. CHRISTIAN (11-7-37) First program in the long-running series stars Jean Hersholt as Dr. Paul Christian, who has planned a fishing trip vacation but has difficulties leaving the small town of River’s End. Rosemary DeCamp as Nurse Judy Price. Vaseline Products, CBS. (30 min)

HEINZ MAGAZINE OF THE AIR (11-24-37) Excerpt. Bill Adams hosts a daytime program featuring singers Frank Crumit and Julia Sanderson, B.A. Rolfe Orchestra. Guest is Greta Palmer, known as Madame Manhattan, with newsy notes for women. Heinz Products, CBS. (15 min)