rand's esoteric otr

Canary Pet Show - Pgm E2

Now, my final episode of the Hartz Mountain pet products program, “The Canary Pet Show”.  Once again, the announcer is Mike Wallace, later famous for his work as a reporter for CBS News.  We heard another episode from the other side of the disc in our last post.

The first song on program E2 is the Gershwin classic, “S’Wonderful”.  Once again, we enjoy Ernie Neff on the console and David Baum “with his romantic violin”.  Mike pitches Master Canary Seed - strengthens throat muscles for brighter songs! - and there’s another little sketch commercial for Hartz Mountain Condition Food for Birds.  Mike also does the commercial for the full range of Hartz Mountain foods and Doggie Yummies with a special singing and yodeling jingle.

Our program was transferred from an original 16” bright red vinyl United Broadcasting Co., 301 East Erie St, Chicago, transcription.  In the runoff area, there’s a notation for “Hartz Mountain Canary - 4E” and the matrix number, UB-50-952-xx.  (Once again, the label has the wrong show number on it.)  The program was produced by George H. Hartman Co, Chicago.

Again, I want to express my deepest appreciate to Jerry Heandiges and David Lennick for their gift of these previously lost discs to my collection.

Original transcriptions of the “Canary Pet Show” have been a holy grail for me since I started collecting discs many years ago.  I guess I can stop collecting now, since there’s absolutely nothing that could top this!

Canary Pet Show - Pgm E1

This week, we hear two previously lost episodes of "The Canary Pet Show".  I mentioned they were special - you won’t believe your ears as you hear Mike Wallace hosting the program.

Yes, _that_ Mike Wallace - the CBS reporter that was a fixture on “60 Minutes” for so many years and who made a name for himself with the controversial “Mike Wallace Interview”.  I’m guessing this show dates from the mid to late 1940s when Mike Wallace was working in Chicago, since the program was recorded there.  Several radio shows survive from Wallace’s early radio work.  Now, we can add this previously lost episode to the list.

The first song on program E1 is “The Night is Young and You’re So Beautiful”.  We hear Ernie Neff on organ and David Baum “with his romantic violin”.  Mike introduces a little sketch commercial for Hartz Mountain Food for Birds and does a pitch for Hartz Dog Yummies.  They’re made without sugar!

In our next post, the next episode in the series, once again featuring Mike Wallace as host.

Our mp3 was transferred from an original 16” bright red vinyl United Broadcasting Co., 301 East Erie St, Chicago, transcription.  In the runoff area, there’s a notation for “Hartz Mountain Canary - 3E” and the matrix number, UB-50-951-xx.  (I guess they put the wrong show number on the label.)  The program was produced by George H. Hartman Co, Chicago.

Again, I want to give my deepest thanks to Jerry Heandiges and David Lennick for their gift of these previously lost shows to my collection.

 

 

Canary Pet Show - Pgm 10D

Back again on the blog this week are the charming singing birds in the “Canary Pet Show”, sponsored by Hartz Mountain pet foods.

The first song on episode 10D is “Shine On, Harvest Moon.”  The organ accompaniment is by Porter Heath and David Baum on violin.  We hear short dramatic commercials for the Hartz Mountain Balanced Diet for Birds and Doggie Yummies treats.  Your announcer is Harry Birch.

Our show was transferred from an original sixteen inch red vinyl United Broadcasting Company, Chicago, transcription.  The program appears to be previously lost.

I want to again give my deepest thanks to Jerry Heandiges and David Lennick for their gift of these previously lost discs to my collection.  I’ve been looking for original transcriptions of the “Canary Pet Show” ever since I started collecting.

Next week, we’ll hear two very special episodes of the series.  Stay tuned!

Canary Pet Show - Pgm 9D

Finally this week, we kick off a short run of four programs of this rare series sponsored by the Hartz Mountain Products Company.

I want to give my deepest thanks to Jerry Heandiges and David Lennick for gifting me the two discs you’ll be hearing on the blog - I’ve been looking for original transcriptions of the series ever since I started collecting.  They’re a kind of “holy grail” for me - you’ll be surprised by what you hear on them in a couple of weeks, so be patient.

The “Canary Pet Show”, also known as the “Master Radio Canaries”, was an unusual program that ran from the late 30s through the early 50s on Mutual.  The concept is simple - as we hear music performed on violin and organ, “live” canaries in the studio sing along.  Despite being on the air for so long, as far as I know, there’s only one episode of the Mutual version of the program circulating among collectors. Goldin lists a half-dozen that exist.

Records of the Hartz Mountain Canaries on 78 rpm and 45 rpm discs offered for sale at pet shops are fairly common and turn up often on eBay, but the original transcriptions of the show remain elusive.

Why wasn’t there more of an effort to preserve this important part of radio history?

Program number 9-B starts off with “Be True to Me” and “Love Nest”.  The commercials, done as little dramatic sketches, are for Hartz Mountain Balanced Diet for Birds and Dog Yummies treats.  They also plug the Master Radio Canaries phonograph records.  The program features announcer Harry Birch, Porter Heath on the organ, and, of course, the canaries. This appears to be a syndicated version of the program or one used for extension spotting by Hartz.  I think the disc dates from the early 1940s, based on the content of the other disc I obtained in the set.

Our show was transferred from an original sixteen inch red vinyl United Broadcasting Company, Chicago, transcription.

By the way, my cat hates this series and leaves the room whenever I play it.