On This Day, August 29: The Green Hornet and Dr. Christian
Also featured: Sonny Dunham.
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 and Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS), three thrilling vigilante cases across a decade of The Green Hornet starring Al Hodge and Jack McCarthy (1939–1949), Jean Hersholt healing troubled souls in River's End on Dr. Christian for Vaseline (1945–1951), and Sonny Dunham's live big band broadcast from the Hotel New Yorker on AFRS One Night Stand (1939–1951):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Puff" | CBS (WABC) 1945-08-29 8:30 PM EWT |
Chesebrough Mfg. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly |
Jean Hersholt, R. DeCamp | Jean Hersholt (Creator) | ["Drama", "Medical", "Small Town", "Domestic", "Americana"] |
Dr. Christian helps an insecure small-town baker who invents an extraordinary pastry recipe to win back his skeptical fiancee. |
| "Pain in the Region of the Heart" | CBS (WCBS) 1951-08-29 8:30 PM EDT |
Chesebrough Mfg. Vaseline Brand Products |
Jean Hersholt, R. DeCamp | CBS Drama Staff | ["Drama", "Medical", "Small Town", "Psychological", "Americana"] |
Dr. Christian discovers a hypochondriac businessman's severe chest pains are caused by suppressed guilt over an estranged daughter. |
| "Numbers Make a Racket" | Mutual (WXYZ) 1939-08-29 8:00 PM EDST |
Sustaining Vigilante Crime |
Al Hodge (The Green Hornet) | Fran Striker (Writer) | ["Superhero", "Crime", "Vigilante", "Hardboiled", "Action"] |
The Green Hornet smashes an illegal policy racket syndicate preying upon impoverished factory workers in the industrial district. |
| "Blackmail Spins the Prop" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1942-08-29 8:00 PM EWT |
General Mills Cheerioats / Wheaties |
Al Hodge, Michael Tolan | Fran Striker (Writer) | ["Superhero", "Crime", "Vigilante", "Wartime", "Espionage"] |
Britt Reid exposes an aviation plant saboteur attempting to blackmail defense contractors by tampering with airplane propeller hubs. |
| "Contracts to Murder" | ABC (WJZ) 1949-08-29 8:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Vigilante Crime |
Jack McCarthy, R. Parker | Fran Striker (Writer) | ["Superhero", "Crime", "Vigilante", "Hardboiled", "Action"] |
The Green Hornet exposes a corrupt municipal contracting ring assassinating honest city engineers to cover up defective bridge concrete. |
| "Sonny Dunham and His Orchestra from the Hotel New Yorker" | AFRS Military 1944-08-29 |
AFRS / Sustaining Military Broadcast |
Sonny Dunham (Bandleader) | Pete Candoli & Troupe | ["Music", "Big Band", "Swing", "Jazz", "Remote"] |
Virtuoso brass soloist Sonny Dunham leads his swing orchestra in a live dance broadcast from the Terrace Room of the Hotel New Yorker. |