Surviving 1920s Radio Broadcasts: Dempsey-Tunney Long Count and Don Lee New Year 1930
Also featured: Lights Golden Jubilee, GE Hour.
Surviving 1920s Update & Historical Discoveries
This report durably records the historical discoveries, technical anomalies, verified cast roles, commercial integrity audits, and contemporary newspaper radio logs for old-time radio broadcasts surviving from the 1920s decade.
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis & Discovered Historical Insights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Gene Tunney vs. Jack Dempsey (The Long Count Fight)" | NBC Radio Network 1927-09-22 10:00 PM CST |
Sustaining Network Sports Remote | Graham McNamee (Announcer / Ringside Blow-by-Blow) Gene Tunney (Heavyweight Champion), Jack Dempsey (Former Champion), Dave Barry (Referee) |
NBC Remote Engineering Unit at Soldier Field | ["Sports", "Live Event"] |
Synopsis: Graham McNamee broadcasts live from Soldier Field in Chicago as Gene Tunney survives the controversial seventh-round knockdown to defeat Jack Dempsey by decision. Background: Legendary broadcast capturing the iconic 7th-round knockdown where referee Dave Barry delayed the count while Dempsey was escorted to a neutral corner, affording Tunney approximately 14 seconds to restore. Reached an estimated 30–40 million listeners across 73 stations. Newspaper listing: Chicago Daily Tribune, Sep 22, 1927, Sports Section, p. 1; The New York Times, Sep 23, 1927, p. 1. |
| "Wishing You A Happy New Year 1930" | KHJ Los Angeles / Don Lee Broadcasting System 1929-12-31 11:57 PM PST |
Don Lee Broadcasting System (Commercial Sponsor) | Studio Company Singers & Novelty Orchestra | KHJ Station Staff & Don Lee Remote Production Unit | ["Variety", "Holiday"] |
Synopsis: Singers and orchestra welcome the arrival of 1930 with novelty songs, chimes, and Auld Lang Syne during the Don Lee New Year's party over station KHJ. Background: Rare surviving Pacific Coast New Year's Eve broadcast capturing standard time announcements ("just 3 minutes before 12 midnight and 1930"), novelty tunes ("Green Lantern of Mystery", "American Pep Time"), and celebratory midnight countdown chimes on the eve of the Great Depression. Newspaper listing: Los Angeles Times, Dec 31, 1929, Radio Listings, p. A8. |
| "Lights Golden Jubilee" | NBC Red Network / WGY Relay 1929-10-21 7:30 PM EST |
General Electric (Commercial Sponsor) | Graham McNamee (Announcer) Thomas A. Edison, Herbert Hoover (31st U.S. President), Henry Ford, Albert Einstein (Berlin Relay) |
NBC Remote Production Desk at Greenfield Village | ["Variety", "Historical"] |
Synopsis: President Herbert Hoover, Henry Ford, and Albert Einstein honor Thomas Edison at Greenfield Village celebrating the golden jubilee of the electric incandescent lamp. Background: Historic international network remote celebrating the 50th anniversary of Edison's light bulb. Features live speeches by President Hoover, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein speaking live from Berlin via transatlantic shortwave relay. Newspaper listing: The New York Times, Oct 21, 1929, Front Page & Radio Listings, p. 1. |
| "The General Electric Hour" | NBC Red Network / WGY Relay 1929-03-29 8:00 PM EST |
General Electric Refrigerator ("The Monitor Top") | Walter Damrosch (Conductor) General Electric Orchestra (70 Pieces), T. K. Quinn (Speaker) |
NBC Studio Production Staff | ["Variety", "Classical"] |
Synopsis: Walter Damrosch conducts the General Electric Orchestra in a classical concert honoring Marshal Foch as T. K. Quinn introduces the all-steel refrigerator. Background: Memorial symphonic broadcast dedicated to French Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Features a live commercial address by General Electric executive T. K. Quinn detailing the hermetically sealed monitor top all-steel refrigerator unit. Newspaper listing: The New York Times, Mar 29, 1929, Radio Programs, p. 28. |
| "Edison Transcription Test" | Thomas A. Edison Studios 1928-04-12 Daytime Session |
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. (Studio Test) | Arthur Fields (Vocalist) Edison Dance Orchestra |
Edison Laboratory Sound Engineers, West Orange, NJ | ["Variety", "Music"] |
Synopsis: Arthur Fields sings novelty and popular numbers with the Edison Dance Orchestra during experimental electrical transcription sessions at Edison Studios. Background: Rare experimental lateral electrical disc recording documenting Edison's late transition from acoustic recording to electrical transcription disc production prior to shutting down disc manufacture in 1929. Newspaper listing: Edison Phonograph Monthly Lab Records, Apr 1928; Radio Broadcast, Vol. 13. |
| "Brunswick Brevities: With Red Nichols" | NBC Red Network / WEAF New York 1929-08-27 9:30 PM EST |
Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company (Brunswick Panatrope Radios & Records) | Red Nichols (Cornet / Bandleader) His Five Pennies, Scrappy Lambert (Vocalist) |
Brunswick Radio Production Unit | ["Variety", "Music"] |
Synopsis: Cornetist Red Nichols and His Five Pennies perform jazz arrangements with vocalist Scrappy Lambert on an electrical transcription for Brunswick Panatrope. Background: Early electrical transcription disc syndication broadcast pairing jazz cornetist Red Nichols with popular radio tenor Scrappy Lambert to showcase Brunswick's Panatrope electrical playback technology. Newspaper listing: The Washington Post, Aug 27, 1929, Radio Listings, p. 14. |