Wednesday 23 April 2014

Today's (1947) Radio Quiz

Sam Berman was commissioned to draw caricatures of NBC’s top stars that could be used in the network’s advertising starting in the 1947-48 season. Below, you see an edited two-page ad crowing that 19 of the top 25 radio shows (according to the Hooper Report of November 15-21, 1947) were on NBC.

Can you name the stars of the 19 shows based on Berman’s drawings?



Remarkably, even though we’re talking about an aural medium, most of the stars should be easily recognisable to fans.

I’ll give you number 8 because I suspect the only people who will know are either those really familiar with Berman’s drawings or have memorised 67-year-old radio ratings. It’s Jay Jostyn in his role as “Mr. District Attorney.” Number 14 is a little confusing because he really should have dark hair. Number 9 is pretty clever.

5 comments:

  1. 1) Bob Hope {"THE PEPSODENT SHOW"}
    2) Jack Benny {"THE LUCKY STRIKE PROGRAM"}
    3) Jim & Marian Jordan {"THE JOHNSON'S WAX PROGRAM WITH FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY"}
    4) Edgar Bergen & "Charlie McCarthy"
    5) Freeman Gosden & Charles Correll {"THE AMOS 'N' ANDY SHOW"}
    6) Fred Allen
    7) Red Skelton
    8) Jay Jostyn {"MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY"}
    9) Ralph Edwards {"TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES"}
    10) Al Jolson {"THE KRAFT MUSIC HALL"}
    11) Phil Harris & Alice Faye {"THE FITCH BANDWAGON"}
    12) Ed "Archie" Gardner {'"DUFFY'S TAVERN"}
    13) George Burns & Gracie Allen {"MAXWELL HOUSE COFFEE TIME"}
    14) Hal Peary {"THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE"}
    15) William Bendix {"THE LIFE OF RILEY"}
    16) Frank Sinatra {"YOUR HIT PARADE"}
    17) Dennis Day {"A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DENNIS DAY"}
    18) Judy Canova
    19) Jack Carson and Joan Davis {"THE SEALTEST VILLAGE STORE"}

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  2. CORRECTION!
    19) Jack Carson and EVE ARDEN {"THE SEALTEST VILLAGE STORE"}
    [Joan Davis left the show to star in her own CBS series in the 1947-'48 season]

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  3. But not long afterward, they lost several of those shows.

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  4. Number 17 is Ezra Stone in "the Aldrich Family"

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  5. Sue, you are quite correct. No. 17 is Ezra Stone. Dennis' face was always drawn a little thinner and longer, if I recall.
    Barry has the remainder of the list correct.
    Thanks to all who commented.

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