On This Day, August 25: Jungle Jim Serials and Texaco Star Theater
Also featured: Radio Playhouse.
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, two jungle adventure serial episodes of Jungle Jim with Matt Crowley, two musical eras of The Texaco Star Theater starring James Melton and Gordon MacRae, criminal psychology on Danger, Dr. Danfield for Bayer Aspirin, and train suspense on Radio Playhouse (1945–1975):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Stranger on the 5:15 (Mandel Kramer & Bob Dryden — Mutual)" | Mutual (WOR) 1975-08-25 10:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Drama Revival |
Mandel Kramer, Bob Dryden, Teri Keane | Himan Brown (Producer), Fred Foy | ["Drama", "Suspense", "Mystery", "Psychological", "Anthology"] |
"Radio Playhouse, bringing you classic full-cast drama!" A commuter on a late-night suburban train strikes up an innocent conversation with an enigmatic fellow passenger who reveals intimate knowledge of a planned bank heist scheduled for the very next morning. |
| "The Temple of the Golden Cobra (Part 1 — Matt Crowley as Jungle Jim)" | King Features Synd. 1945-08-25 (Hearst) |
Sustaining Comic Adventure Serial |
Matt Crowley (Jungle Jim), Juano Hernandez | Alex Raymond, Jay Clark, Glenn Riggs | ["Adventure", "Action", "Jungle", "Exotic", "Hero"] |
"Jungle Jim! King Features Syndicate brings you the thrilling adventures of the famous explorer, Jim Bradley!" In Part 1 of The Temple of the Golden Cobra, Jungle Jim and Koloo trek into uncharted Malayan rainforests to rescue an expedition captured by fanatical temple guardians. |
| "The Tiger of Sumatra (Part 12 — Matt Crowley as Jungle Jim)" | King Features Synd. 1951-08-25 (WOR New York) |
Sustaining Comic Adventure Serial |
Matt Crowley (Jungle Jim), Juano Hernandez | Alex Raymond, Jay Clark | ["Adventure", "Action", "Jungle", "Exotic", "Hero"] |
"Jungle Jim!" In Part 12 of The Tiger of Sumatra, Jungle Jim confronts a treacherous black-market animal smuggler who has set a deadly pit trap in the dense Sumatran highlands. |
| "The Manuel Abello Murder (Michael Dunne as Dr. Danfield — Bayer Aspirin)" | ABC (WJZ) 1946-08-25 3:00 PM EDT |
Sterling Drug Inc. Genuine Bayer Aspirin |
Michael Dunne (Dr. Danfield), Jo Anne Johnson | Carl Bixby (Writer), Gene Baker | ["Detective", "Psychological", "Mystery", "Medical", "Crime"] |
"Danger, Dr. Danfield, brought to you by Bayer Aspirin!" Brilliant criminal psychologist Dr. Daniel Danfield and his intrepid secretary Rusty Fairfax investigate the suspicious rooftop poisoning of wealthy export merchant Manuel Abello, unmasking a deadly familial blackmail plot for Bayer Aspirin. |
| "Guest Soprano Jane Wilson (James Melton — Texaco Star Theater)" | CBS (WABC) 1946-08-25 9:30 PM EDT |
The Texas Co. Texaco Fire-Chief Gas |
James Melton (Tenor), Jane Wilson (Soprano) | Al Goodman Orchestra, Jimmy Wallington | ["Music", "Classical", "Operetta", "Vocal", "Variety"] |
"The Texaco Star Theater, starring Metropolitan Opera tenor James Melton, brought to you by your friendly Texaco Dealer!" James Melton welcomes acclaimed guest soprano Jane Wilson for duets of Broadway and operetta masterpieces, backed by Al Goodman's Orchestra for Texaco. |
| "You Call Everybody Darling (Gordon MacRae & Evelyn Knight — Texaco)" | CBS (WCBS) 1948-08-25 9:00 PM EDT |
The Texas Co. Texaco Fire-Chief Gas |
Gordon MacRae, Evelyn Knight, Modernaires | Victor Young Orchestra, Jimmy Wallington | ["Music", "Pop", "Vocal", "Big Band", "Variety"] |
"The Texaco Star Theater, starring Gordon MacRae, presented by Texaco Dealers everywhere!" Baritone Gordon MacRae and Evelyn Knight perform summer hit songs including 'You Call Everybody Darling' and 'Underneath the Arches' with Victor Young's Orchestra for Texaco. |