On This Day, September 5: Rudy Vallee and Johnny Mercer
Also featured: The Witch's Tale.
September 5 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 September 5 across Rudy Vallee hosting tap-dancing legend Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson & Robert Ripley for Fleischmann's Yeast (1935) and Shirley Ross & harmonica star Larry Adler for Sealtest (1940), wartime pop swing with Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers for Pepsodent, supernatural horror on Alonzo Deen Cole's The Witch's Tale and South African terror on Beyond Midnight, and newspaper drama on The Night Editor, Alonzo Deen Cole (1932), Bill Robinson (1935), and Rudy Vallee (1935, 1940):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Waterfront Rendezvous with Hal Burdick" | NBC Pacific 1937-09-05 8:45 PM PST |
Dwight Edwards Co. Edwards Dependable Coffee |
Hal Burdick (Narrator) | Hal Burdick (Writer) | ["Drama", "Anthology", "Night Editor", "Hal Burdick", "Edwards Coffee"] |
The night editor relates the story of a young harbor patrol officer who unmasks an undercover diamond-smuggling ring operated by a tugboat captain. |
| "Don Juan with Nancy Kelly and Alonzo Deen Cole" | WOR / Mutual 1932-09-05 9:30 PM EDST |
Sustaining Pioneering Radio Horror |
Nancy Kelly & Cole | Alonzo Deen Cole (Dir.) | ["Horror", "Occult", "The Witchs Tale", "Nancy Kelly", "Mutual"] |
Old Nancy and Satan the cat introduce the supernatural tale of a decadent Spanish nobleman who enters an unholy pact to cheat physical death. |
| "The Werewolf with Michael McCabe" | Springbok Radio 1969-09-05 10:30 PM |
Sustaining South African Horror |
Michael McCabe & Cast | Michael McCabe (Director) | ["Horror", "Suspense", "Beyond Midnight", "Michael McCabe", "Springbok Radio"] |
A vacationing zoologist investigates gruesome livestock killings in a remote mountain village and discovers a centuries-old lupine curse. |
| "I Don't Want to Love You with Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers" | NBC (WEAF) 1944-09-05 10:00 PM EWT |
Pepsodent Company Pepsodent Toothpaste |
Mercer, Pied Pipers & Stafford | Paul Weston Orchestra | ["Music", "Variety", "Johnny Mercer", "The Pied Pipers", "Pepsodent"] |
Johnny Mercer sings popular radio melodies and harmonizes with The Pied Pipers on 'I Don't Want to Love You' and current wartime hits. |
| "Bill Robinson and Robert Ripley with Rudy Vallee" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1935-09-05 8:00 PM EDST |
Standard Brands Inc. Fleischmann's Yeast |
Vallee, Robinson & Ripley | Connecticut Yankees | ["Variety", "Comedy", "Rudy Vallee", "Bill Robinson", "Fleischmanns"] |
Rudy Vallee welcomes tap dancing legend Bill Bojangles Robinson and oddities chronicler Robert Ripley for a star-studded variety revue. |
| "Shirley Ross and Larry Adler with Rudy Vallee" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1940-09-05 9:30 PM EDST |
National Dairy Products Sealtest Dairy & Ice Cream |
Vallee, Ross & Adler | Xavier Cugat Orchestra | ["Variety", "Comedy", "Rudy Vallee", "Shirley Ross", "Sealtest"] |
Rudy Vallee hosts singer Shirley Ross and harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler for witty comedy banter and rhythmic musical selections. |