On This Day, August 26: First Nighter and Your Hit Parade
Also featured: Allied Fleet in Sagami Bay.
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 regional radio, Barbara Luddy and Les Tremayne starring in two First Nighter Program romantic comedies for Campana's Italian Balm, Robert Trout anchoring historic live coverage of the Allied Third Fleet anchoring in Sagami Bay, Chuck Schaden interviewing Lurene Tuttle, and two countdown editions of Lucky Strike's Your Hit Parade (1936–1975):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Publicity Enemy Number One (Barbara Luddy & Les Tremayne — Campana)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1938-08-26 10:00 PM EDST |
Campana Corp. Campana's Italian Balm & Dreskin |
Barbara Luddy, Les Tremayne, Morrison | George V. Denny, Vincent Pelletier | ["Comedy", "Romance", "Theatrical", "Americana", "Anthology"] |
"From the Little Theater off Times Square, Campana's Italian Balm presents The First Nighter Program, starring Barbara Luddy and Les Tremayne!" In 'Publicity Enemy Number One', a flamboyant Hollywood press agent concocts an outrageous fake jewel theft stunt for a reclusive movie starlet, only for real jewel thieves to hijack the publicity stunt for Campana. |
| "Early to Bed (Barbara Luddy & Les Tremayne — Campana Italian Balm)" | CBS (WABC/WBBM) 1941-08-26 8:30 PM EDST |
Campana Corp. Campana's Italian Balm & Coolies |
Barbara Luddy, Les Tremayne, Miller | Arch Oboler, Vincent Pelletier | ["Comedy", "Romance", "Domestic", "Theatrical", "Americana"] |
"Campana's Italian Balm presents The First Nighter Program, starring Barbara Luddy and Les Tremayne!" In 'Early to Bed', an exhausted efficiency expert implements a strict 9:00 PM curfew regime in his household, leading to a hilarious sequence of nocturnal crises, mistaken burglars, and romantic reconciliation for Campana. |
| "Allied Fleet Enters Sagami Bay (Robert Trout & Bill Downs — CBS World News)" | CBS (WABC) 1945-08-26 2:00 PM EWT |
Sustaining CBS News Special Report |
Robert Trout (Anchor), Bill Downs | Paul White, Hugh Conover | ["News", "Historical", "Wartime", "Military", "Live"] |
"CBS World News Today! Reporting live from the CBS newsroom in New York and aboard Allied warships anchored in Japanese waters!" Robert Trout anchors historic live eyewitness coverage as the United States Third Fleet and British Pacific Fleet drop anchor inside Sagami Bay under Mount Fuji in preparation for the formal Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri. |
| "Lurene Tuttle: First Lady of Radio & Sam Spade (Chuck Schaden Interview)" | WNIB Chicago 1975-08-26 (Historical Radio) |
Sustaining Preservation Series |
Chuck Schaden (Host), Lurene Tuttle | Chuck Schaden | ["Interview", "History", "Biography", "Americana", "Retrospective"] |
"Speaking of Radio with Chuck Schaden, dedicated to the preservation of Old-Time Radio!" Veteran broadcast actress Lurene Tuttle ('The First Lady of Radio') reflects on her iconic roles as Effie Perrine on Sam Spade, Daisy Bingham on The Great Gildersleeve, and her memories working with Orson Welles on The Mercury Theatre on the Air. |
| "Bye Bye Baby & These Foolish Things (Freddie Rich — Lucky Strike Hit Parade)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1936-08-26 10:00 PM EDST |
American Tobacco Lucky Strike ("It's Toasted!") |
Freddie Rich Orchestra, Buddy Clark | Lord & Thomas, Martin Block | ["Music", "Pop Standards", "Big Band", "Vocal", "Chart"] |
"Lucky Strike presents Your Hit Parade! Surveying the nation's favorite songs from coast to coast!" Freddie Rich leads the Lucky Strike Orchestra through America's top melodies, opening with 'Bye Bye Baby' (#12) and counting down to the week's #1 hit 'These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)' for Lucky Strike. |
| "The Man with the Mandolin & Moon Love (Mark Warnow & Bea Wain — Lucky Strike)" | CBS (WABC) 1939-08-26 10:00 PM EDST |
American Tobacco Lucky Strike ("L.S./M.F.T.") |
Mark Warnow Orchestra, Bea Wain | Lord & Thomas, Basil Ruysdael | ["Music", "Pop Standards", "Big Band", "Vocal", "Chart"] |
"Lucky Strike presents Your Hit Parade! The tunes that America is humming, whistling, and singing!" Mark Warnow conducts the Hit Parade Orchestra featuring Bea Wain and Lanny Ross performing 'The Man with the Mandolin' (#10) and counting down to #1 'Moon Love' for Lucky Strike. |