On This Day, August 26: Abie's Irish Rose and Tennessee Ernie Ford
Also featured: Joe E. Brown.
August 26 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 26 across American network, syndicated, and armed forces radio, Anne Nichols' classic Abie's Irish Rose for Drene Shampoo, Tennessee Ernie Ford on The Ford Road Show, Joe E. Brown and Mel Blanc entertaining troops on AFRS G.I. Journal, Don MacLaughlin on Salvation Army's Heartbeat Theatre, Jimmy Scribner's 22-voice tour de force on The Johnson Family, and Betty and Bob (1944–1958):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Twins' Birthday Celebration (Sydney Smith & Julie Bourke — Drene Shampoo)" | NBC (WEAF) 1944-08-26 8:00 PM EWT |
Procter & Gamble Drene Shampoo ("Special Drene") |
Sydney Smith (Abie), Julie Bourke (Rosemary) | Anne Nichols, Rip Van Ronkel, Howard Petrie | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Domestic", "Family", "Americana"] |
"Drene Shampoo presents Anne Nichols' beloved American comedy, Abie's Irish Rose!" Solomon Levy and Patrick Murphy engage in uproarious grandfatherly rivalry while shopping for competing extravagant birthday gifts for the twins, Patrick Joseph and Rebecca, for Drene Shampoo. |
| "Of Men and Angels (Don MacLaughlin — The Salvation Army Heartbeat Theatre)" | Syndicated 1956-08-26 (Salvation Army #18) |
The Salvation Army Spiritual Public Service |
Don MacLaughlin, Joy Geffen, Lawson Zerbe | Henry Hayward, Don Morrow | ["Drama", "Religious", "Inspirational", "Moral", "Anthology"] |
"The Salvation Army presents Heartbeat Theatre! Inspiring stories of human struggle and faith!" In 'Of Men and Angels', an embittered, cynical surgeon facing malpractice accusations rediscovers spiritual purpose and compassion through a dedicated Salvation Army mission nurse treating inner-city tenement families. |
| "Command Performance G.I. Journal #57 (Joe E. Brown & Mel Blanc — AFRS)" | AFRS (Shortwave) 1944-08-26 (AFRS Program #57) |
U.S. War Dept. Allied Forces Service |
Joe E. Brown, Mel Blanc (Sad Sack), Linda Darnell | Capt. Austin Peterson, Kay Kyser | ["Variety", "Comedy", "Wartime", "Military", "Big Band"] |
"G.I. Journal! The overseas soldiers' own newspaper of the air, brought to you by Armed Forces Radio!" Big-mouthed Hollywood comic Joe E. Brown serves as Editor-in-Chief, trading wartime gags with Mel Blanc as Private Sad Sack, featuring pin-up girl Linda Darnell, swing tunes from Kay Kyser's band, and vocal numbers from The King Sisters. |
| "What Is This Thing Called Love? (Tennessee Ernie Ford — Ford Motor Co.)" | CBS (WCBS) 1958-08-26 7:00 PM EDT |
Ford Motor Co. 1958 Fairlane & Thunderbird |
Tennessee Ernie Ford, Jack Fascinato Orch. | Bud Cole, Frank Goss | ["Music", "Country", "Americana", "Vocal", "Variety"] |
"The Ford Road Show, starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, brought to you by Ford Motor Company!" Ol' Ern welcomes listeners with 'Bless your pea-pickin' hearts!', performing Cole Porter's 'What Is This Thing Called Love?', country gospel hymns, and folksy humor backed by Jack Fascinato's Orchestra for Ford. |
| "Brother Johnson Interviews the Counterfeiter (Jimmy Scribner — Mutual Johnson Family)" | Mutual (WOR) 1949-08-26 11:15 AM EDT |
Sustaining Solo Voice Folk Serial |
Jimmy Scribner (Solo Voice / All 22 Roles) | Jimmy Scribner, Ken Powell | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Domestic", "Americana", "Short Form"] |
"The Johnson Family, with all characters created and played by Jimmy Scribner!" In Chickawaukee, Brother Johnson and Lawyer Jenkins interrogate a smooth-talking itinerant stranger passing counterfeit twenty-dollar bills at the general store, only to have the suspect attempt to pay his legal retainer with bogus banknotes. |
| "Bob's Mining Venture Crisis (Episode #42 — Alice Frost & Spencer Bentley — Betty and Bob)" | Syndicated 1947-08-26 (Hummert Drama #42) |
Local Merchants Daytime Romance Serial |
Alice Frost (Betty), Spencer Bentley (Bob) | Frank & Anne Hummert, Don Lowe | ["Drama", "Soap Opera", "Domestic", "Romance", "Short Form"] |
"Betty and Bob, the dramatic story of a young married couple facing life together!" Bob Drake's new mining partnership is threatened when an unscrupulous syndicate attempts to seize his mineral rights, prompting Betty to rally their loyal friends to preserve the family's financial future. Note: Multi-part serial narrative arc (Bob's Mining Venture Crisis — Episode 42). |