rand's esoteric otr

Music Hall - Pgm 134

If you like Bing Crosby, here's another broadcast you might enjoy. Originally broadcast June 28, 1945 on NBC, it's program 135 of the AFRS series "Music Hall".  Crosby is joined on the show by   John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, Ken Carpenter, Eugenie Baird, Florence Alba, Carmen Cavallaro, and the Charioteers.  First song up on the show is  "The Atcheson, Topeka, and The Santa Fe," a song popularized by the Judy Garland film, "The Harvey Girls".

Our show, which I think might not be widely circulated in otr circles, was transferred from an original AFRS vinyl transcription.  The date is from the transcription matrix. And speaking of Bing Crosby, I recently picked up an 8 track (remember those?) of Bing's classic(?) album, "Hey Jude/Hey Bing".  You can hear the crooner's attempt at tackling Lennon-McCartney at YouTube.

Music Hall - Pgm 92

Now for a bit of music and comedy with "Music Hall" aka the "Kraft Music Hall".

In this post, program number 92 as broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Service, originally heard on NBC on September 7, 1944.  The host of the show is George Murphy, the first program in the series where he took over the hosting duties.  The opening song is "By the Beautiful Sea" and we hear a sketch about football.  Heard in the show are John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, Ken Carpenter, Marilyn Maxwell, Sonny Tufts, and the Sons Of The Pioneers. The program was transferred from an original AFRS Navy Department vinyl transcription; the date is from the transcription matrix.

Music Hall - Pgm 155

Note:  The following program contains racial stereotyping themes that may be offensive to some listeners. Last week we heard a previously lost episode of the "Kraft Music Hall" featuring Lum N' Abner.  In this post, another episode in the series that appears to be not in circulation.

Broadcast as "Music Hall" on the Armed Forces Radio Network as program 155 in the series and originally heard as "Kraft Music Hall" on November 22, 1945 on NBC, the program features host Frank Morgan.  The first song on the show is "Tampico" and Frank Morgan appears in a comedy sketch about pirates.  The show features John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, the Charioteers, Lina Romay, Vera Vague,  Carmen Cavallaro and announcer Ken Carpenter. The show was transferred from an original AFRS vinyl transcription.  There's some heavy grove damage and scratches on the disc; the file has been run through some noise reduction software to clean up the sound a bit.

Music Hall, Pgm 93

Here's another episode of the long running musical variety showcase, "Kraft Music Hall".  This episode was originally broadcast September 14, 1944 and rebroadcast as program 93 in the "Music Hall" series on the Armed Forces Radio Service.

The program features host George Murphy, Marilyn Maxwell, Eukie, John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra along with guests the Kingsmen and Lum N' Abner.  Murphy and Maxwell kick off the show with "It Had to Be You" and we hear a parody of soaps called "The Cross Family".  A highlight of the episode, and something that fits with this week's blog theme of the end of World War II, is a routine by Lum N' Abner about updating to modern post-War conveniences in the home. The show appears to be a lost/uncirculated program in the series and was transferred from an original AFRS War Department vinyl transcription.  Date of the program is from the transcription matrix.

Music Hall - Pgm 108

Bing Crosby returns to the blog this week in a rare episode of "Kraft Music Hall".

AFRS, ever vigilant in eliminating advertising from programs, broadcast the series as "Music Hall".  Heard as program 108 in the series on AFRS and originally broadcast December 28, 1944, Bing is joined by John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, announcer Ken Carpenter, Eugnie Baird, Beatrice Kay, the Les Paul Trio, and the Charioteers.  First song up is "Accentuate the Positive" with some fine harmony and vocal jive work by Bing and the Charioteers, Les Paul shows off his guitar chops on "Dark Eyes", and there's much more fun in store in this smooth, fast-paced half-hour. According to Goldin, the show exists in a network version, but doesn't appear to be in circulation.  The program was transferred from an original AFRS transcription; program date is from the disc matrix. Hats off to blog listener Michael Utz for his donation of the disc to the collection!

Kraft Music Hall - August 28, 1947

Here's another one of those original line checks from 1947-48 I keep running into.  In this one, the August 28, 1947 edition of the "Kraft Music Hall" featuring Nelson Eddy with Nadine Carter, pianist Leonard Pennario and announcer Ken Carpenter.  Nelson kicks off the show with "The Ranger Song", and we hear "Smiling Through", "The Floral Dance" and other tunes.  All that great music makes you want to go out and stock up on Kraft Cheese Spreads and Kraft Prepared Mustard, doesn't it? Transferred from an original lacquer line check recorded at an unknown local NBC station.  My apologies for the skip I couldn't work around in "I'll See You Again" in the second half of the show.

Kraft Music Hall - July 3, 1947

We turn now to one of the great musical variety programs of the OTR era, "Kraft Music Hall". During the show's long run, it featured stars like Al Jolson and Bing Crosby.  This program, originally broadcast on NBC July 3, 1947, is headlined by Nelson Eddy and features Met opera star Nadine Conner, announcer Ken Carpenter, and Robert Armbruster and His Orchestra.  Eddy kicks off the show with "Listen to the Band" and performs "Beautiful Dreamer" and "The Owl and Bobcat" (from "Naughty Marietta") among other tunes.  Of course, we get to enjoy Carpenter's wonderful commercials for Kraft Miracle Whip and Cheese Spreads. Can you pass up the chance to hear Nelson Eddy operatically "meow" in "The Owl and the Bobcat"? The program was transferred from an original lacquer line-check recorded at an unknown NBC affiliate and includes the NBC chimes.  It appears to be not in common circulation among old time radio collectors.