On This Day, August 29: The Black Mass and Young Widder Brown
Also featured: John Steele.
August 29 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 29 across American network radio, Pacifica Radio, and syndication, Erik Bauersfeld's chilling Ambrose Bierce adaptation A Bottomless Grave on KPFA's The Black Mass (1967), Frank & Anne Hummert's Young Widder Brown for Bayer Aspirin (1950), Don MacLaughlin tracking Cold War botanical spies on John Steele, Adventurer, Ziv's The Unexpected, and Two on a Clue for Post Bran Flakes (1945–1967):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Plot Thickens, Danger Looms" | Syndicated Daily 1947-08-29 |
Kroger Grocery Baking & Groceries |
Jone Allison (Penny) | Kroger Production Staff | ["Soap Opera", "Serial", "Drama", "Small Town", "Suspense"] |
Penny uncovers clandestine meetings behind the community music hall and suspects a deceitful investor is targeting her family's savings. |
| "The Tulip Garden" | Ziv Syndication 1948-08-29 |
Commercial Regional Sponsors |
Barry Sullivan, L. Tuttle | Ziv Production Staff | ["Suspense", "Thriller", "Psychological", "Twist Ending", "Anthology"] |
A retired horticulturist cultivates rare black tulips over his missing business partner's buried remains until an inquisitive inspector arrives. |
| "Ellen Confesses to Nadine That She Is No Longer in Love" | NBC (WNBC) 1950-08-29 4:45 PM EDT |
Sterling Drug, Inc. Bayer Aspirin / Phillips |
Wendy Drew, Bess Johnson | Frank & Anne Hummert | ["Soap Opera", "Serial", "Drama", "Romance", "Small Town"] |
Widow Ellen Brown confides her agonizing doubts about her engagement to Dr. Anthony Loring during an emotional visit with Nadine. |
| "The Case of the Juniper Bush" | Mutual (WOR) 1950-08-29 8:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Espionage Drama |
Don MacLaughlin (Steele) | Robert A. Arthur (Writer) | ["Adventure", "Espionage", "Mystery", "Cold War", "Action"] |
Government agent John Steele tracks foreign spies operating out of a secluded New England botanical nursery to retrieve stolen military schematics. |
| "A Bottomless Grave" | KPFA FM Berkeley 1967-08-29 |
Pacifica Radio Listener-Sponsored |
Erik Bauersfeld (Narrator) | Ambrose Bierce (Author) | ["Horror", "Macabre", "Gothic", "Literature", "Supernatural"] |
A macabre gothic tale of sibling rivalry, family murder, and gruesome revenge set around an unholy burial vault in the wilderness. |
| "The Case of the Noisy Corpse (Part 12)" | CBS (WABC) 1945-08-29 2:00 PM EWT |
General Foods Post's 40% Bran Flakes |
Ned Wever, Louise Fitch | Harry Ingram (Creator) | ["Mystery", "Detective", "Serial", "Comedy", "Suspense"] |
Husband-and-wife private detectives Jeff and Penny Spencer corner an eccentric suspect playing gramophone records to simulate ghostly sounds. |