On This Day, August 26: Paul Whiteman and Dana Andrews
Also featured: Burns, Allen.
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, Paul Whiteman celebrating Georgia Gibbs' birthday on Philco Radio Hall of Fame, Dana Andrews in Ziv's Cold War thriller I Was a Communist for the FBI, Lou Merrill examining Chinese political reform on The Pacific Story, Shirley Temple starring in Sally Benson's Junior Miss for Campbell's, and two classic George Burns and Gracie Allen comedies (1936–1953):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Georgia Gibbs' Birthday Party (Paul Whiteman & The Merry Macs — Philco)" | ABC (WJZ) 1945-08-26 6:00 PM EWT |
Philco Corporation Philco Radios & Phonographs |
Paul Whiteman, Georgia Gibbs, The Merry Macs | Tom Harrington, Jimmy Wallington | ["Variety", "Music", "Big Band", "Vocal", "Comedy"] |
"Philco brings you the Radio Hall of Fame, starring the King of Jazz, Paul Whiteman!" Maestro Paul Whiteman leads a gala musical birthday celebration for popular vocalist Georgia Gibbs ('Her Nibs'), featuring showstopping swing arrangements, close-harmony vocal numbers from The Merry Macs, and comedy skits for Philco Radios. |
| "Kangaroo Court (Dana Andrews as Matt Cvetic — Ziv Cold War Drama)" | Syndicated 1953-08-26 (Ziv Transcription) |
Local Merchants Cold War Espionage Drama |
Dana Andrews (Matt Cvetic), Byron Kane | Matt Cvetic, Henry Hayward, Pierre Andre | ["Espionage", "Docudrama", "Cold War", "Action", "Political"] |
"I Was a Communist for the FBI, starring Hollywood's Dana Andrews as Matt Cvetic, the man who lived for nine years in the twilight zone of the Communist Party underground!" When an idealistic Party member expresses doubt over Moscow directives, Matt Cvetic is forced to participate in a brutal midnight communist 'kangaroo court' in a deserted warehouse, secretly scheming to help the targeted comrade escape. |
| "Liberals in Chiang Kai-shek's Camp (Lou Merrill — NBC Pacific Story)" | NBC (WEAF) 1945-08-26 11:30 PM EWT |
Sustaining Far East Docudrama |
Lou Merrill (Narrator), Jane Morgan, Hans Conried | Arnold Marquis, Thomas Peluso | ["Historical", "Docudrama", "Public Affairs", "Political", "Asian History"] |
"The Pacific Story! Bringing you the background of the great forces at work in the Pacific and the Far East!" Narrator Lou Merrill analyzes the complex political dynamics within Nationalist China at the close of World War II, dramatizing the struggle of Chinese intellectual liberals within Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang government to achieve constitutional democratic reform. |
| "Judy's High School Crush (Shirley Temple & Gale Gordon — Campbell's Soup)" | CBS (WABC) 1942-08-26 9:00 PM EWT |
Campbell Soup Co. Campbell's Tomato Soup |
Shirley Temple (Judy), Gale Gordon (Harry) | Sally Benson, Gordon T. Hughes, Dick Joy | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Teen", "Family", "Juvenile"] |
"Campbell's Soup presents Junior Miss, starring Shirley Temple as Judy Graves!" 13-year-old Judy Graves convinces herself that her elder sister Lois's handsome college beau is secretly infatuated with her, staging elaborate mature airs and parlor theatrics that throw the entire Graves household into hilarious turmoil for Campbell's Soups. |
| "George Hires a Fake Duke (George Burns & Gracie Allen — Campbell's)" | CBS (WABC) 1936-08-26 8:30 PM EDST |
Campbell Soup Co. Campbell's Tomato Juice |
George Burns, Gracie Allen, Tony Martin | George Burns, Harvey Helm, Ted Husing | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Vaudeville", "Variety", "Music"] |
"Campbell's Tomato Juice presents George Burns and Gracie Allen!" George hires an unemployed actor to impersonate European royalty to impress Gracie's society-minded mother, but Gracie takes the fake Duke literally and attempts to crown him emperor of the Burns living room for Campbell's. |
| "Elsie Trellafas Is Suing George (George Burns & Gracie Allen — Hinds Cream)" | CBS (WABC) 1940-08-26 7:30 PM EDST |
Lehn & Fink Hinds Honey & Almond Cream |
George Burns, Gracie Allen, Artie Shaw | Keith Fowler, Paul Henning, Jimmy Wallington | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Vaudeville", "Variety", "Music"] |
"Hinds Honey and Almond Cream presents The Burns and Allen Show, with Artie Shaw and his Orchestra!" When eccentric neighbor Elsie Trellafas threatens to sue George for alienating the affections of her champion Persian cat, Gracie takes the witness stand to defend George with her trademark dizzy logic for Hinds Cream. |