On This Day, August 23: Gunsmoke and Broadway Is My Beat
Also featured: Gabriel Heatter's Good News.
August 23 Exhaustive Update
This report documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 23 across American network broadcasting history (1939–1959):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Gabriel Heatter: 'There's a New War in Europe Tonight' (Kreml & Forhan's)" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-08-23 9:00 PM EWT |
Forhan's & Kreml Forhan's Toothpaste & Kreml Hair |
Gabriel Heatter (News Analyst) | Mutual News Bureau, New York | ["News", "War", "Commentary", "Historical"] |
Commentator Gabriel Heatter opens with his famous signature phrase, breaking electrifying wartime bulletins on the uprising of the French Resistance inside Paris and Romania's dramatic surrender and declaration of war against Nazi Germany. |
| "The Dr. Lyle Murder Case (Starring Larry Thor as Danny Clover)" | CBS (WCBS) 1952-08-23 8:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining CBS Radio Noir |
Larry Thor (Danny Clover), Charles Calvert, Jack Kruschen | Morton Fine & David Friedkin (Writers), Elliott Lewis (Director) | ["Detective", "Hardboiled", "Mystery", "Noir", "Police"] |
Detective Danny Clover walks the neon-lit pavement of Times Square to investigate the fatal shooting of a society doctor in his Midtown examination clinic, uncovering an illicit prescription racket tied to an off-Broadway nightclub singer. |
| "Coke Time with Eddie Fisher: 'Make Love to Me' (Coca-Cola)" | Mutual & NBC 1954-08-23 8:00 PM EDT |
The Coca-Cola Co. Coca-Cola |
Eddie Fisher, Axel Stordahl and his Orchestra | Herb Moss (Director), Fred Robbins (Announcer) | ["Music", "Vocal", "Pop", "Variety"] |
Pop singing sensation Eddie Fisher performs live for Coca-Cola, serenading listeners with his smash hit arrangement of 'Make Love to Me' alongside romantic standards accompanied by Axel Stordahl and his Orchestra. |
| "Rep. Martin Dies: On the Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact & Un-American Activities" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1939-08-23 7:30 PM EDST |
Sustaining NBC Public Affairs Special |
Rep. Martin Dies Jr. (Chairman, HUAC) | NBC News Bureau, Washington | ["News", "Politics", "Public Affairs", "Speech"] |
House Un-American Activities Committee Chairman Martin Dies delivers a nationwide radio address in response to the newly signed Hitler-Stalin Non-Aggression Pact, declaring that Nazi fascism and Soviet communism have merged into a unified threat against American democratic institutions. |
| "The Reed Survives (Starring William Conrad as Matt Dillon)" | CBS (KNX) 1959-08-23 6:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Participating Advertisers |
William Conrad (Matt Dillon), Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis | John Meston & Norman Macdonnell (Creators), Les Crutchfield | ["Western", "Drama", "Action", "Historical"] |
United States Marshal Matt Dillon steps in when an arrogant, hot-headed young gunslinger rides into Dodge City determined to provoke a deadly showdown with an aging, peaceful homesteader who refuses to be drawn into gun violence. |
| "Grand Slam Musical Quiz with Irene Beasley (Wonder Bread)" | CBS (WCBS) 1949-08-23 11:30 AM EDT |
Continental Baking Wonder Bread & Hostess Cupcakes |
Irene Beasley (Hostess), Dwight Weist, Bob Hannon, Jesse Crawford | Irene Beasley (Creator), Herb Moss (Director) | ["Game Show", "Quiz", "Music", "Comedy"] |
Hostess Irene Beasley challenges radio listeners and studio contestants with musical trivia clues and bridge-themed five-question rounds to win the Grand Slam jackpot of U.S. Savings Bonds and kitchen appliances for Wonder Bread. |