RADIO AND WORLD WAR II IN THE AUTUMN OF 1944

Originally broadcast on WDCB
Saturday, November 6, 2004

* WORLD NEWS TODAY (10-15-44) Dou­glas Edwards and CBS reporters world wide keep listeners up-to-date. “The last 18 hours have brought the greatest air attacks of all time against Germany. Thousands of Allied heavy bombers attacked military targets in the Cologne area within 40 miles of the battle­ground at Aachen, where American ground troops continue to make some progress…. The German News Agency has announced the death of Field Marshal Rommel, ‘the Desert Fox’.” Admiral Radios, CBS. (25 min)

EDDIE CANTOR SHOW (10-18-44) Eddie introduces guest Esther Williams on this show for stateside U.S. Navy personnel at Roosevelt Field. Esther plays a college principal as Eddie and Harry enroll for classes. AFRS rebroad­cast. (25 min)

* HOP HARRIGAN (11-7-44) Isolated episode. Hop and Tank Tinker, in disguise as Nazi of­ficers, steal an enemy plane from the “Death’s Hero Squadron.” Grape Nuts, BLUE Network. (14 min)

* PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (11­-10-44) FDR returns to the nation’s capitol from Hyde Park following his election to a fourth term. Kenneth Banghart reports from Union Station in Washington, D.C. “Washington has turned out this morning to greet the first fourth-term president of the United States.Special Report, NBC. (16 min)

WORDS AT WAR (11-14-44) “One Damn Thing After Another,” the story of Tom Traynor, a war correspondent for the Los An­geles Times and the National Broadcasting Company, and his adventures during the war. William Janney as Traynor. Sustaining, NBC. (29 min)

THE WEHRMACHT HOUR (11-22-44) Ex­ A propaganda broadcast to German troops featuring Major Glenn Miller and the American band of the AEF. Hosted by “Ilse” Weinberger, most of the program’s dialog is in German. Sgt. Johnny Desmond sings “My Heart Tells Me” in German. American broad­casting Station in Europe. (11 min)

MYSTERY CHEF (1944) This chef helps listeners cope with wartime food rationing and In this program, he gives a recipe for “stretch-butter” and cinnamon crumb cof­fee cake. Sustaining, BLUE Network. (14 min)

FIBBER McGEE AND MOLLY (11-28-44) Jim and Marian Jordan as the McGees, broad­casting for the Sixth War Bond Drive from Navy Pier in Chicago. Cast includes special guest Navy Specialist Third Class Bill Thompson in his roles as the Old Timer and Wallace Wimple. Johnson’s Wax, NBC. (30 min).