On This Day, August 28: Sherlock Holmes and The Sea Hound
Also featured: Kay Kyser.
August 28 Update
This report launches the August 28th day-by-day review! It documents historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 28 across American network radio and the BBC, three iconic Sherlock Holmes productions (1944 Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce for Petri Wine, and BBC productions in 1964 and 1967 starring Carleton Hobbs & Norman Shelley), Fran Striker's South Pacific naval adventure on The Sea Hound, Otto Kruger hosting Hollywood Preview, and Kay Kyser's musical comedy quiz for Lucky Strike (1940–1967):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The African Leopard Man" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-08-28 8:30 PM EWT |
Petri Wine Co. "Ah, Petri Wine!" |
Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce | Denis Green & Anthony Boucher | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Victorian", "Suspense", "Crime"] |
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate a series of gruesome murders in the London docks attributed to an African leopard cult. |
| "The Bruce-Partington Plans" | BBC Light Programme 1964-08-28 |
Sustaining BBC Radio Drama |
Carleton Hobbs, Norman Shelley | Arthur Conan Doyle, Michael Hardwick | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Espionage", "Victorian", "Classic Literature"] |
Mycroft Holmes calls upon his brother when a government clerk is found dead on the London Underground tracks with stolen top-secret submarine blueprints. |
| "The Problem of Thor Bridge" | BBC Light Programme 1967-08-28 |
Sustaining BBC Radio Drama |
Carleton Hobbs, Norman Shelley | Arthur Conan Doyle, Michael Hardwick | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Victorian", "Classic Literature", "Crime"] |
Sherlock Holmes investigates the fatal shooting of an American gold king's wife on a bridge, attempting to prove the innocence of the governess. |
| "The Secret of the Sunken Submarine" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-08-28 5:00 PM EWT |
Commercial Juvenile Sponsors |
Ken Daigneau, Bobby Hastings | Fran Striker (Creator) | ["Adventure", "Maritime", "Wartime", "Action", "Juvenile"] |
Captain Silver and his young crew aboard the Sea Hound dive into treacherous South Pacific waters to salvage enemy naval codebooks from a sunken U-boat. |
| "Manhattan at Midnight" | CBS (WABC) 1945-08-28 8:30 PM EWT |
Sustaining Hollywood Showcase |
Otto Kruger (Host), Dramatic Guests | CBS Dramatic Staff | ["Drama", "Mystery", "Noir", "Hollywood", "Anthology"] |
A cynical Broadway gossip columnist gets trapped in a high-society blackmail scheme when an aspiring actress is discovered murdered in his penthouse. |
| "Drums in My Heart" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1940-08-28 10:00 PM EDST |
American Tobacco Lucky Strike ("It's Toasted!") |
Kay Kyser, Ish Kabibble, Ginny Simms | Harry Babbitt, Sully Mason | ["Quiz", "Music", "Comedy", "Big Band", "Game Show"] |
Kay Kyser tests contestants with madcap musical trivia questions and leads his swinging dance band through the energetic rhythm standard 'Drums in My Heart'. |