On This Day, August 25: George Raft (Rocky Jordan Pilot) and Xavier Cugat
Also featured: Frank Muir.
August 25 Exhaustive Update
This report documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial multi-part narrative arcs, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 25 across American network, rare audition pilot recordings starring Hollywood icon George Raft, Waldorf-Astoria Latin big band showcases, British literary satire, psychological BBC dramas, and symphonic pop revues (1942–1990):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Frank Muir Goes Into Books (With Alfred Marks & John Wells — BBC)" | BBC Radio 4 1975-08-25 6:15 PM BST |
Sustaining Literary Comedy |
Frank Muir (Host/Writer), Alfred Marks, John Wells | BBC Radio Comedy, Simon Brett | ["Comedy", "Talk", "Literature", "British", "Satire"] |
Wit and raconteur Frank Muir delves into the humorous eccentricities of literature, book collectors, and catastrophic publishing errors with sketches featuring Alfred Marks and John Wells. |
| "Behind the Scenes at the Concert (Ted Dale & NBC Symphony Ensemble)" | NBC (WNBC) 1953-08-25 10:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Classical Orchestra |
Ted Dale and NBC Symphony Ensemble | NBC Music Division, Thomas L. Stix, George Putnam | ["Music", "Classical", "Concert", "Instrumental", "Symphonic"] |
Conductor Ted Dale leads the NBC Symphony Ensemble in exquisite chamber orchestra arrangements of Debussy, Ravel, and modern orchestral vignettes, providing behind-the-scenes insights into classical composition. |
| "The Spring of Moses (Audition Pilot 1 of 2 Starring George Raft — CBS)" | CBS (Audition) 1955-08-25 (Columbia Square) |
Audition Recording Proposed CBS Revival |
George Raft (Rocky Jordan), Jay Novello, Herb Vigran | Larry Roman & G.K. Thomas, Cliff Howell, Wilbur Hatch | ["Detective", "Hardboiled", "Noir", "Exotic", "Mystery"] |
"Rocky Jordan, owner of the Café Tambourine in Cairo..." In this rare 1955 CBS audition pilot starring Hollywood icon George Raft, an archaeologist seeks refuge in Jordan's café clutching an ancient papyrus map to the fabled 'Spring of Moses' while being hunted by Nile smugglers. |
| "The Last of Dr. Bronson (Starring Michael Kitchen — BBC Radio 4)" | BBC Radio 4 1990-08-25 10:15 PM BST |
Sustaining Psychological Drama |
Michael Kitchen, Ronald Pickup, Elizabeth Bell | BBC Drama Dept., Michael Bakewell | ["Drama", "Psychological", "Mystery", "British", "Audio Drama"] |
Michael Kitchen stars as an obsessive psychiatrist investigating the mysterious final days of Dr. Bronson, discovering a disturbing trail of altered hospital clinical files that threaten to unravel his own sanity. |
| "Live from the Waldorf-Astoria: Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra (Coca-Cola)" | Mutual (WOR) 1946-08-25 9:30 PM EDT |
The Coca-Cola Co. Coca-Cola — "Have a Coke!" |
Xavier Cugat Orchestra, Del Courtney, Lina Romay | D'Arcy Advertising, Ted Malone | ["Music", "Latin", "Big Band", "Rumba", "Concert"] |
"Coca-Cola presents the Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands!" The 'Rhumba King' Xavier Cugat ignites the Starlight Roof of the Waldorf-Astoria in New York with sizzling Latin rhythms including 'The Continental', 'Brazil', and 'Bim Bam Bum' for ice-cold Coca-Cola. |
| "Chiffon Swing & Symphonic-Pop (Meredith Willson — Post Toasties)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1942-08-25 9:30 PM EWT |
General Foods Corp. Post Toasties Corn Flakes |
Meredith Willson (Conductor), Music Room Chorus | Benton & Bowles, Walter Bunker, Frank Martin | ["Music", "Variety", "Orchestral", "Americana", "Comedy"] |
Maestro Meredith Willson leads his celebrated concert orchestra and vocal ensemble in sparkling symphonic-pop arrangements, witty musical commentary, and 'Chiffon Swing' novelties for Post Toasties Corn Flakes. |