On This Day, August 26: Death Valley Days and Claudia
Also featured: David, Hop Harrigan.
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 and syndicated radio, The Old Ranger recounting two historical frontier dramas on Death Valley Days for 20 Mule Team Borax (prospectors in The Rainbow Chasers and Jeanette Nolan in Comanche Captive), Patricia Ryan and Richard Kollmar on Claudia and David for Coca-Cola, Chester Stratton in Hop Harrigan for Grape-Nuts Flakes, Jerry of the Circus, and The Cisco Kid (1937–1958):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Devil's Highway (Jack Mather & Harry Lang as Cisco & Pancho — Program #640)" | Syndicated 1958-08-26 (Ziv Program #640) |
Local Merchants Western Adventure Series |
Jack Mather (Cisco), Harry Lang (Pancho) | O. Henry, Jeanne Yantis, Pierre Andre | ["Western", "Juvenile", "Action", "Adventure", "Americana"] |
"Here's adventure! Here's romance! Here's that famous Robin Hood of the Old West, The Cisco Kid!" Cisco and Pancho follow a trail of deception through the blistering desert wastes of 'The Devil's Highway' to rescue hostages from a ruthless band of stagecoach bandits. |
| "The Lion Is Finally Cornered (Part 44 — Jerry of the Circus — Sawmill Trap)" | Syndicated 1937-08-26 (Big Top Serial #44) |
Local Merchants Circus Adventure Series |
Jerry of the Circus, Loren Powell | Hollywood Radio Attractions | ["Juvenile", "Adventure", "Circus", "Family", "Short Form"] |
"Jerry of the Circus, under the Big Top with the greatest show on earth!" In Part 44, young Jerry and head trainer Loren corner an escaped man-eating Bengal lion in an abandoned sawmill outside town, using a ring of torches and meat to trap the beast safely. Note: Multi-part serial narrative arc (Jerry of the Circus — Part 44). |
| "Claudia Gets Offered a Broadway Part (Patricia Ryan & Richard Kollmar — Coca-Cola)" | CBS (WCBS) 1948-08-26 8:00 PM EDT |
The Coca-Cola Co. Coca-Cola & Sprite |
Patricia Ryan (Claudia), Richard Kollmar | Rose Franken, Anton M. Leader, Frank Waldecker | ["Drama", "Comedy", "Domestic", "Romance", "Americana"] |
"The Coca-Cola Company presents Claudia and David, starring Patricia Ryan and Richard Kollmar!" Claudia is thrilled and overwhelmed when an eccentric Broadway director offers her a prominent acting role in a new stage comedy, leading architect husband David to gently help her weigh Broadway ambitions against Connecticut country life for Coca-Cola. |
| "The Riddle of the Ghostly Avengers (Part 19 — Chester Stratton as Hop Harrigan — Grape-Nuts Flakes)" | Mutual (WOR) 1947-08-26 5:00 PM EDT |
General Foods Grape-Nuts Flakes |
Chester Stratton (Hop), Glenn Riggs | Jon L. Blummer, Jessica Maxwell, Al Scott | ["Aviation", "Juvenile", "Adventure", "Action", "Mystery"] |
"CX-4 to control tower, CX-4 to control tower, this is Hop Harrigan, coming in! Brought to you by Grape-Nuts Flakes! In Part 19 of 'The Riddle of the Ghostly Avengers', ace pilot Hop Harrigan and mechanic Tank Tinker navigate zero-visibility stormy fog over the Rockies while trailing a mysterious phantom airplane broadcasting ominous radio static. Note: Multi-part serial narrative arc (The Riddle of the Ghostly Avengers — Part 19). |
| "The Rainbow Chasers (The Old Ranger — 20 Mule Team Borax)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1938-08-26 8:30 PM EDST |
Pacific Coast Borax 20 Mule Team Borax & Boraxo |
John White (The Old Ranger), Tim Frawley | Ruth Cornwall Woodman, Edwin M. Whitney, George Hicks | ["Western", "Historical", "Anthology", "Americana", "Adventure"] |
"True stories of the romantic Old West, brought to you by the makers of 20 Mule Team Borax and Boraxo!" The Old Ranger recounts the saga of 'The Rainbow Chasers', two hopeful 1870s California prospectors who pursue rumors of a legendary mother lode hidden in the burning alkali flats of Death Valley, testing their lifelong friendship against desert perils for 20 Mule Team Borax. |
| "Comanche Captive (Jeanette Nolan & John McIntire — 20 Mule Team Borax)" | CBS (WABC) 1943-08-26 8:30 PM EWT |
Pacific Coast Borax 20 Mule Team Borax & Boraxo |
John White, Jeanette Nolan, John McIntire | Ruth Cornwall Woodman, Edwin M. Whitney, Art Millett | ["Western", "Historical", "Anthology", "Americana", "Adventure"] |
"From the high peaks of the Sierra to the lowest depths of Death Valley, the Old Ranger brings you true tales of the American frontier for 20 Mule Team Borax! In 'Comanche Captive', a brave young frontier settler abducted during a Texas raid uses frontier ingenuity and herbal medicine to earn the respect of her captors and orchestrate her daring escape back to her family." |