On This Day, August 24: Ellery Queen and Louis Prima
Also featured: Bunny Berigan.
August 24 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 24 across American network and military morale tour history (1937–1947):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Rats Who Walked Like Men (Starring Lawrence Dobkin as Ellery Queen)" | NBC (WNBC) 1947-08-24 6:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Mystery Presentation |
Lawrence Dobkin (Ellery Queen), Santos Ortega, Charlotte Keane | Frederic Dannay & Manfred B. Lee, George Zachary, Ernest Chappell | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Whodunit", "Hardboiled", "Procedural"] |
Master sleuth Ellery Queen, Nikki Porter, and Inspector Queen investigate a series of brazen waterfront warehouse heists accompanied by the eerie scurrying sounds of human prowlers dressed in rodent fur masquerade costumes. |
| "Sometimes I'm Happy & Caravan (Bunny Berigan and his Orchestra — CBS)" | CBS (WABC) 1937-08-24 8:00 PM EDST |
Sustaining CBS Swing & Jazz |
Bunny Berigan and his Orchestra, Gail Reese | Phil Cohan (Producer), Paul Douglas (Announcer) | ["Music", "Jazz", "Swing", "Big Band", "Trumpet"] |
Legendary jazz trumpeter Bunny Berigan leads his roaring swing orchestra through blazing hot arrangements of 'Sometimes I'm Happy', 'I Can't Get Started', and 'Caravan' live from CBS New York. |
| "Spotlight Bands #601: Bobby Sherwood from Fort MacArthur (Coca-Cola)" | Blue Network (WJZ) 1944-08-24 9:30 PM EWT |
The Coca-Cola Co. "Have a Coke" / Base Tour |
Bobby Sherwood and his Orchestra, Kitty Crawford | D'Arcy Advertising, Gil Martyn (Announcer) | ["Music", "Big Band", "Swing", "Jazz", "Morale"] |
Broadcast live before thousands of soldiers at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, California, multi-instrumentalist Bobby Sherwood and his Orchestra electrify the troops with swing renditions of 'Softly as in a Morning Sunrise' and 'The Elks' Parade' for Coca-Cola. |
| "Spotlight Bands: Louis Prima from Camp Kilmer (Coca-Cola)" | ABC (WJZ) 1945-08-24 9:30 PM EWT |
The Coca-Cola Co. Coca-Cola Bottlers |
Louis Prima and his Orchestra, Lily Ann Carol | D'Arcy Advertising, Gil Martyn (Announcer) | ["Music", "Big Band", "Swing", "Jazz", "Morale"] |
Direct from the Camp Kilmer staging area in New Jersey, King of the Swingers Louis Prima and vocalist Lily Ann Carol rock returning military servicemen with high-octane jump-blues and swing versions of 'Robin Hood' and 'Angelina' for Coca-Cola. |
| "Here's to Romance: Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest (Evening in Paris)" | Blue Network (WJZ) 1944-08-24 10:30 PM EWT |
Bourjois, Inc. Evening in Paris Perfume |
Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, Ray Bloch Orchestra | Foote, Cone & Belding, Jim Ameche (Announcer) | ["Music", "Vocal", "Romance", "Easy Listening", "Big Band"] |
Velvety baritone Dick Haymes headlines a romantic musical showcase for Evening in Paris Perfume, teaming up with popular vocalist Helen Forrest for soaring renditions of 'The Dolly with a Hole in Her Stocking' and 'Long Ago and Far Away'. |
| "Dr. I.Q. Jr.: The Mental Banker Live from St. Louis (Milky Way)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1941-08-24 5:00 PM EDST |
Mars, Incorporated Milky Way & Snickers |
Lew Valentine (Dr. I.Q. Jr.), Bob Bence, Allan Anthony | Grant Advertising, Stanley Faulkner | ["Quiz", "Game Show", "Audience Participation", "Comedy", "Youth"] |
"I have a boy in the balcony, Doctor!" Mental Banker Lew Valentine tests the quick wits and trivia knowledge of young theatergoers from the stage of the St. Louis Theatre, showering clever kids with silver dimes and boxes of Milky Way candy bars. |