On This Day, August 27: Harvest of Stars and James Melton
Also featured: Glenn Miller.
August 27 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 27 across American, British, and South African radio, operatic concert standards on Harvest of Stars and The James Melton Show (James Melton, Nadine Conner, Jarmila Novotna), Big George Miller on Gold Coast Rhythm, Michael Fisher's South African diamond thriller The Kranesburg Matter, Jeremy Clyde in Raffles: The Knees of the Gods, and Glenn Miller's legendary Chesterfield Moonlight Serenade (1940–1992):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Concert Standards with James Melton & Nadine Conner" | NBC (WEAF) 1950-08-27 5:30 PM EDT |
Intl Harvester Trucks & Farmall Tractors |
James Melton, Nadine Conner | Frank Black, Don Wilson | ["Music", "Classical", "Operetta", "Vocal", "Concert"] |
James Melton and soprano Nadine Conner perform operatic duets and American concert standards, accompanied by Frank Black conducting the symphony orchestra. |
| "Helping Junior with Piano Lessons" | AFRS (KFI) 1957-08-27 |
AFRS Armed Forces Radio |
Big George Miller, The Rhythm Kings | AFRS Los Angeles Staff | ["Music", "Jazz", "Rhythm & Blues", "Jump Blues", "Talk"] |
Big George Miller shares humorous domestic anecdotes about coaching his young son through piano practice while spinning swinging jazz and rhythm-and-blues sides. |
| "Guest Jarmila Novotna & Operatic Arias" | CBS (WABC) 1944-08-27 9:30 PM EWT |
Texaco Sky Chief & Havoline Oil |
James Melton, Jarmila Novotna | Al Goodman, Jimmy Wallington | ["Music", "Classical", "Operetta", "Vocal", "Pop Standards"] |
James Melton welcomes Metropolitan Opera soprano Jarmila Novotna to perform arias from Carmen and popular romantic standards with the concert orchestra. |
| "The Diamond Syndicate Infiltration" | Springbok Radio 1956-08-27 8:30 PM |
Commercial Mystery Sponsors |
Michael Fisher, Colin Fish | Michael Fisher | ["Detective", "Noir", "Thriller", "Crime", "Espionage"] |
An undercover insurance investigator travels to the remote mining town of Kranesburg to track a network of illicit diamond buyers smuggling uncut stones. |
| "The Knees of the Gods (Part 6)" | BBC Radio 4 1992-08-27 10:00 PM |
Sustaining BBC Radio Drama |
Jeremy Clyde (Raffles), Michael Cochrane (Bunny) | David Buck, Gordon House | ["Detective", "Mystery", "British", "Classics", "Historical"] |
Raffles and Bunny enlist in the British Army during the Second Boer War under assumed names, finding redemption on the South African veld during a dangerous scouting mission. |
| "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair & Pennsylvania 6-5000" | CBS (WABC) 1940-08-27 10:00 PM EDST |
Liggett & Myers Chesterfield ("They Satisfy!") |
Glenn Miller, Ray Eberle, Marion Hutton | Newell-Emmett, Paul Douglas | ["Music", "Big Band", "Swing", "Jazz", "Pop Standards"] |
Glenn Miller leads the orchestra in Stephen Foster's 'Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair', 'Pennsylvania 6-5000', and swing arrangements featuring vocalists Ray Eberle and Marion Hutton. |