On This Day, September 3: Red Skelton and Camel Caravan
Also featured: Superman.
September 3 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial story metadata declarations, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on September 3 across juvenile superhero cliffhangers, high-energy clowning and character comedy, pop crooner orchestra broadcasts, South African police mobile unit calls, and early West Coast comedy serials, Clayton Collyer in The Mystery of the Silver Buffalo for Kellogg's Pep (1948), Red Skelton for Raleigh Cigarettes (1948), Vaughn Monroe on Camel Caravan (1952), Squad Cars on Springbok Radio (1971, 1976), and Frank Watanabe and the Honorable Archie (1934–1976):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Arc Metadata | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Mystery of the Silver Buffalo (Part 4) with Clayton Collyer" | Mutual (WOR) 1948-09-03 5:15 PM EDT |
Kellogg Company Kellogg's Pep Cereal |
Clayton Collyer (Superman) | Jackie Kelk & Lowther | ["Adventure", "Superhero", "Superman", "Clayton Collyer", "Kellogg"] |
{"title": "The Mystery of the Silver Buffalo", "part": 4, "total_parts": 15} |
Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen follow a stolen tribal silver talisman trail into the southwestern desert canyonlands. |
| "Red Returns After the Summer with Raleigh Cigarettes" | NBC (KFI) 1948-09-03 9:30 PM EDT |
Brown & Williamson Raleigh 903 Cigarettes |
Red Skelton (Host) | Verna Felton & Rose | ["Comedy", "Variety", "Red Skelton", "David Rose", "Raleigh"] |
null |
Red Skelton returns from summer vacation with comic sketches featuring Junior the Mean Widdle Kid and Clem Kadiddlehopper. |
| "Wish You Were Here with Vaughn Monroe and Camel Cigarettes" | CBS (WCBS) 1952-09-03 10:00 PM EDT |
R.J. Reynolds Camel Cigarettes |
Vaughn Monroe (Host) | The Moon Maids & Orch. | ["Music", "Pop", "Camel Caravan", "Vaughn Monroe", "Camel"] |
null |
Vaughn Monroe and his orchestra perform the Broadway title ballad Wish You Were Here and popular chart favorites. |
| "The House Painting Contract with Eddie Holden" | KNX Los Angeles 1934-09-03 |
Sustaining West Coast Comedy |
Eddie Holden (Watanabe) | Reginald Sharland (Archie) | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Frank Watanabe", "Eddie Holden", "KNX"] |
null |
Frank Watanabe and his English employer Archie take on a suburban house-painting contract that goes comically awry. |
| "The Problem Son with Springbok Radio" | Springbok / SABC 1971-09-03 |
Sustaining Police Procedural |
Colin Fish (Lead) | Hugh Rouse (Writer) | ["Police", "Procedural", "Squad Cars", "Springbok", "SABC"] |
null |
South African flying squad officers investigate an armed house burglary ring run by a wealthy family's delinquent son. |
| "The Men with the Lethal Boots with Springbok Radio" | Springbok / SABC 1976-09-03 |
Sustaining Police Procedural |
Colin Fish (Lead) | Hugh Rouse (Writer) | ["Police", "Procedural", "Squad Cars", "Springbok", "SABC"] |
null |
Johannesburg patrol officers track a ruthless gang of dockside muggers wielding steel-toed boots in warehouse ambushes. |