On This Day, August 25: Sherlock Holmes (Carleton Hobbs) and Eternal Light (Wishengrad)
Also featured: Much Binding.
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, British, and Canadian networks, Carleton Hobbs & Norman Shelley in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place on BBC, Morton Wishengrad's Eternal Light masterpiece starring Alexander Scourby, Dr. Ralph W. Sockman analyzing biblical wisdom literature on NBC, Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne on Much Binding in the Marsh, and aviation sabotage on CBC's The Sounds of Darkness (1946–1970):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Flameout: The Aviation Sabotage Ring (Chris Wiggins — CBC Sounds of Darkness)" | CBC Radio 1970-08-25 10:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Espionage Thriller |
Bernard Cowan (Host), Chris Wiggins (Agent Vance) | James Bancroft, CBC Drama Dept. | ["Espionage", "Suspense", "Psychological", "Mystery", "Drama"] |
"The Sounds of Darkness!" An undercover FBI operative infiltrating an international aviation sabotage ring operating out of Montreal faces psychological terror when an experimental jet turbine catches fire during a covert test flight. |
| "I Believe, I Believe (Morton Wishengrad & Alexander Scourby — Eternal Light)" | NBC (WEAF) 1946-08-25 12:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Jewish Theological Sem. |
Alexander Scourby, Roger De Koven | Morton Wishengrad, Frank Papp, Mel Brandt | ["Drama", "Religion", "History", "Human Interest", "Inspirational"] |
"The Eternal Light, presented by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with The Jewish Theological Seminary of America!" In 'I Believe, I Believe' (Ani Ma'amin), Morton Wishengrad's moving radio play dramatizes the indomitable courage and spiritual endurance of European ghetto refugees who found renewal and hope through faith after liberation. |
| "The Wisdom Books of the Bible (Part 8 — Dr. Ralph W. Sockman — NBC)" | NBC (WRCA) 1957-08-25 10:30 AM EDT |
Sustaining Biblical Literature Series |
Dr. Ralph W. Sockman (Host), Norman Rose | NBC Public Affairs Department | ["Educational", "Religion", "Literature", "Philosophy", "Documentary"] |
"NBC presents The Words We Live By!" In Part 8 of this educational seminar on world literature, scholars analyze the poetic structure and timeless ethical wisdom found in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Book of Job. |
| "Unsung Heroes of History (Part 8 — Alexander Scourby — NBC Religious Drama)" | NBC (WNBC) 1963-08-25 10:30 AM EDT |
Sustaining National Council of Churches |
Alexander Scourby (Narrator), Leon Janney | NBC Public Affairs & NCC | ["Drama", "Religion", "History", "Educational", "Anthology"] |
"NBC presents The Supporting Cast of the Bible!" In Part 8, dramatic vignettes explore the unsung, lesser-known figures of biblical history whose quiet acts of hospitality and moral courage shaped pivotal historical moments. |
| "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place (Carleton Hobbs & Norman Shelley — BBC Holmes)" | BBC Light 1959-08-25 7:30 PM BST |
Sustaining Arthur Conan Doyle Drama |
Carleton Hobbs (Holmes), Norman Shelley (Watson) | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Michael Hardwick, Robin Browne | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Victorian", "Classics", "British"] |
"From the memoirs of Dr. John H. Watson! Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, starring Carleton Hobbs as Sherlock Holmes and Norman Shelley as Dr. Watson!" Holmes and Watson travel to Berkshire to investigate the erratic behavior of racehorse owner Sir Robert Norberton and discover a hidden human skeleton in the crypt beneath the ancient Saxon church of Shoscombe Old Place. |
| "The Seaside Variety Gala (Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne — Much Binding)" | BBC Light 1953-08-25 8:00 PM BST |
Sustaining British Radio Sitcom |
Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Sam Costa | Richard Murdoch, Kenneth Horne, Charles Maxwell | ["Comedy", "British", "Sitcom", "Military", "Satire"] |
"Much Binding in the Marsh, written by and starring Richard Murdoch and Kenneth Horne!" At their country country-club estate, Murdoch, Horne, and the bungling Sam Costa attempt to organize a seaside summer variety gala, only for Dudley Davenport's chaotic amateur stage illusions to set off the fire alarms. |