On This Day, August 23: Inner Sanctum and Dr. Christian
Also featured: The Green Hornet Serial.
August 23 Exhaustive Update
This report documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, serial multi-part narrative arcs, alternate circulating titles, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 23 across American network broadcasting history (1936–1950):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Dead Man's Magic (Carter's Little Liver Pills)" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1942-08-23 8:30 PM EWT |
Carter Products, Inc. Carter's Little Liver Pills & Arrid |
Raymond Edward Johnson (Host), Paul McGrath, Lesley Woods | Himan Brown (Creator & Director), Milton Lewis (Writer), Ed Herlihy (Announcer) | ["Horror", "Mystery", "Psychological Thriller", "Supernatural"] |
Host Raymond opens the squeaking door for a chilling tale of an ambitious stage magician who murders his mentor to steal an ancient Egyptian occult illusion, only to find himself terrorized on stage when the deceased master's spirit manipulates the deadly guillotine apparatus. |
| "Only the Dead Will Know (Bromo-Seltzer)" | CBS (WCBS) 1948-08-23 8:00 PM EDT |
The Emerson Drug Co. Bromo-Seltzer ("Fight headache 3 ways") |
Paul McGrath (Host), Everett Sloane, Mercedes McCambridge, Karl Swenson | Himan Brown (Director), John Roeburt (Writer), Dwight Weist (Announcer) | ["Horror", "Mystery", "Psychological Thriller", "Crime"] |
A panicked amnesiac awakens in a blood-spattered hotel suite with a smoking revolver in his coat pocket, desperately retracing his lost steps through midnight streets to prove whether he was framed or if he truly murdered his wealthy business partner. |
| "Live from the Quaker Oats Experimental Farm (Ful-O-Pep Feeds)" | Mutual / Syndication 1947-08-23 12:00 PM CST |
Quaker Oats Company Ful-O-Pep Livestock & Poultry Feeds |
Chuck Acree (MC), Dr. O.B. Kent, Ray Ferris | Quaker Oats Radio Division, Don Wilson (Sound Engineer) | ["Agriculture", "Educational", "Talk", "Variety"] |
Master of Ceremonies Chuck Acree broadcasts live from the Quaker Oats Experimental Farm in Libertyville, Illinois, interviewing Midwestern livestock farmers, conducting agricultural quiz contests, and sharing scientific poultry-raising advice for Ful-O-Pep Feeds. |
| "Cupid Is the Villain (Vaseline Brand Products)" | CBS (WABC) 1944-08-23 8:30 PM EWT |
Chesebrough Mfg. Co. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly & Hair Tonic |
Jean Hersholt (Dr. Christian), Rosemary DeCamp (Judy), Art Gilmore | Ruth Adams Knight (Writer), Dorothy McCann (Director) | ["Drama", "Medical", "Comedy", "Small Town"] |
Beloved country physician Dr. Paul Christian and loyal nurse Judy Price intervene when a well-meaning but meddlesome River's End town matchmaker nearly destroys the engagement of a returning wounded soldier and his high-school sweetheart. |
| "Top Dog (The River's End Dog Show)" | CBS (WCBS) 1950-08-23 8:30 PM EDT |
Chesebrough Mfg. Co. Vaseline Brand Products |
Jean Hersholt (Dr. Christian), Rosemary DeCamp (Judy), Parley Baer | Ruth Adams Knight (Writer), Dorothy McCann (Director) | ["Drama", "Medical", "Comedy", "Small Town"] |
Dr. Paul Christian helps an eccentric local kennel owner enter his champion terrier into the county fair dog show, overcoming a wealthy rival's underhanded scheme to disqualify the beloved community pup. |
| "The Political Protection Racket (Part 1)" | WXYZ / Mutual 1936-08-23 7:30 PM EST |
Sustaining Selected Regional Advertisers |
Al Hodge (Britt Reid / Green Hornet), Raymond Hayashi (Kato), Lenore Allman | George W. Trendle & Fran Striker (Creators), James Jewell (Director) | ["Superhero", "Crime", "Action", "Adventure", "Serial"] |
In Part 1 of a three-part serial adventure, crusading Daily Sentinel publisher Britt Reid and his confidant Kato don their masks and board the Black Beauty to infiltrate a ruthless municipal protection racket shaking down waterfront merchants. |