The Aldrich Family – (RS) Henry Goes Ice Skating aka The Fruitcake

The Aldrich Family, a popular radio teenage situation comedy (1939-1953), was also presented in films, television and comic books. In the radio series’ well-remembered weekly opening exchange, awkward teen Henry’s mother called, “Hen-reeeeeeeeeeeee! Hen-ree Al-drich!”, and he responded with a breaking adolescent voice, “Com-ing, Mother!”. Henry Aldrich was an endearingly bumbling kid growing awkwardly into adolescence, and The Aldrich Family often revolved around Henry’s misadventures with the girls and with his friends.

Henry Aldrich was the creation of playwright Clifford Goldsmith. Aldrich began on Broadway as a minor character in Goldsmith’s play What a Life. Produced and directed by George Abbott, The actor who brought Henry to life on stage was 20-year-old Ezra Stone, who was billed near the bottom as the 20th actor in the cast. Stone was also employed as the play’s production assistant.

When Rudy Vallee saw the play, he asked Goldsmith to adapt it into some sketches for his radio program, and this was followed in 1938 by a 39-week run of a sketch comedy series on The Kate Smith Hour with Stone continuing in the role of Henry. Kate Smith’s director, Bob Welsh, is credited with the creation of the “Hen-reeeeeeeeeeeee! Hen-ree Al-drich!” opening, which eventually became one of the most famous signature sounds in radio.

After finding an audience with Kate Smith’s listeners, The Aldrich Family was launched in its own series as a summer replacement program for Jack Benny in 1939 on NBC. The Aldriches survived its replacement status and ran from 1939 to 1944. After a brief hiatus, the show moved to CBS, running on Fridays from 1944 until 1946 with sponsors Grape Nuts and Jell-O before moving back to NBC from 1946 to 1951 on Thursdays and, then, as a sustaining program in its final run of September 21, 1952 to April 19, 1953 on Sundays.

Afrs 049 – Heres To Romance – Jim Ameche – Robert Ripley – Marion Hutton 05-10-45

The biggest names in Hollywood and Broadway recorded for AFRS during the war years, The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26, 1942, when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). The U.S. Army began broadcasting from London during World War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The first transmission to U.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1943, and included less than five hours of recorded shows, a BBC news and sports broadcast. That day, Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U.S. Military broadcasters heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitters to reach U.S. troops in the United Kingdom as they prepared for the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain (transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe (shortly after D-Day) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe (including Britain) after dark. As D-Day approached, the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment, and a record library were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in London.
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Entertainment Radio Stations Live 24/7 Sherlock Holmes/CBS Radio Mystery Theater
https://live365.com/station/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Radio–a91441
https://live365.com/station/CBS-Radio-Mystery-Theater-a57491
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Afrs 001 – Spike Jones – Frances Langford – Charlie Ruggles 06-03-45

The biggest names in Hollywood and Broadway recorded for AFRS during the war years, The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26, 1942, when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). The U.S. Army began broadcasting from London during World War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The first transmission to U.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1943, and included less than five hours of recorded shows, a BBC news and sports broadcast. That day, Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U.S. Military broadcasters heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitters to reach U.S. troops in the United Kingdom as they prepared for the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain (transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe (shortly after D-Day) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe (including Britain) after dark. As D-Day approached, the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment, and a record library were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in London.
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Entertainment Radio Stations Live 24/7 Sherlock Holmes/CBS Radio Mystery Theater
https://live365.com/station/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Radio–a91441
https://live365.com/station/CBS-Radio-Mystery-Theater-a57491
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Afrs 001 – Date With The Duke – First Song The Mood To Be Wooed 04-21-45

The biggest names in Hollywood and Broadway recorded for AFRS during the war years, The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26, 1942, when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). The U.S. Army began broadcasting from London during World War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The first transmission to U.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1943, and included less than five hours of recorded shows, a BBC news and sports broadcast. That day, Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U.S. Military broadcasters heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitters to reach U.S. troops in the United Kingdom as they prepared for the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain (transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe (shortly after D-Day) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe (including Britain) after dark. As D-Day approached, the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment, and a record library were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in London.
—————————————————————————
Entertainment Radio Stations Live 24/7 Sherlock Holmes/CBS Radio Mystery Theater
https://live365.com/station/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Radio–a91441
https://live365.com/station/CBS-Radio-Mystery-Theater-a57491
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Afrs 062 – Concert Hall – host Lionel Barrymore – Bartlett and Robertson – First Selection – Jesus Joy of Mans Desirebach

The biggest names in Hollywood and Broadway recorded for AFRS during the war years, The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26, 1942, when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). The U.S. Army began broadcasting from London during World War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The first transmission to U.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1943, and included less than five hours of recorded shows, a BBC news and sports broadcast. That day, Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U.S. Military broadcasters heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitters to reach U.S. troops in the United Kingdom as they prepared for the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain (transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe (shortly after D-Day) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe (including Britain) after dark. As D-Day approached, the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment, and a record library were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in London.
—————————————————————————
Entertainment Radio Stations Live 24/7 Sherlock Holmes/CBS Radio Mystery Theater
https://live365.com/station/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Radio–a91441
https://live365.com/station/CBS-Radio-Mystery-Theater-a57491
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My Favorite Husband – 30 – 1949-02-04 #030 Speech for Civic Organization

My Favorite Husband was first broadcast as a one-time special on CBS Radio on July 5, 1948. CBS’s new series Our Miss Brooks had been delayed coming to the air, so to fill in the gap that week CBS aired the audition program (the radio equivalent of a television pilot) for My Favorite Husband.[1] Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch My Favorite Husband as a series. Bowman was not available to do the series, so when it debuted later that month it starred Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as the leads. The couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the fictitious city of Sheridan Falls, and were billed as, “two people who live together and like it.”

The episode would progress into a minor crisis or problem, typically caused by one of Liz’s funny ideas. Each episode would end with the problem solved and Liz saying, “Thanks, George. You’re my favorite husband.”

My Favorite Husband – 29 – 1949-01-28 #029 The Absolute Truth

My Favorite Husband was first broadcast as a one-time special on CBS Radio on July 5, 1948. CBS’s new series Our Miss Brooks had been delayed coming to the air, so to fill in the gap that week CBS aired the audition program (the radio equivalent of a television pilot) for My Favorite Husband.[1] Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch My Favorite Husband as a series. Bowman was not available to do the series, so when it debuted later that month it starred Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as the leads. The couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the fictitious city of Sheridan Falls, and were billed as, “two people who live together and like it.”

The episode would progress into a minor crisis or problem, typically caused by one of Liz’s funny ideas. Each episode would end with the problem solved and Liz saying, “Thanks, George. You’re my favorite husband.”

My Favorite Husband – 28 – 1949-01-21 #028 (AFRTS) Marriage License Error

My Favorite Husband was first broadcast as a one-time special on CBS Radio on July 5, 1948. CBS’s new series Our Miss Brooks had been delayed coming to the air, so to fill in the gap that week CBS aired the audition program (the radio equivalent of a television pilot) for My Favorite Husband.[1] Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch My Favorite Husband as a series. Bowman was not available to do the series, so when it debuted later that month it starred Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as the leads. The couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the fictitious city of Sheridan Falls, and were billed as, “two people who live together and like it.”

The episode would progress into a minor crisis or problem, typically caused by one of Liz’s funny ideas. Each episode would end with the problem solved and Liz saying, “Thanks, George. You’re my favorite husband.”

My Favorite Husband – 27 – 1949-01-14 #027 (AFRTS) Piano & Violin Lessons

My Favorite Husband was first broadcast as a one-time special on CBS Radio on July 5, 1948. CBS’s new series Our Miss Brooks had been delayed coming to the air, so to fill in the gap that week CBS aired the audition program (the radio equivalent of a television pilot) for My Favorite Husband.[1] Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch My Favorite Husband as a series. Bowman was not available to do the series, so when it debuted later that month it starred Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as the leads. The couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the fictitious city of Sheridan Falls, and were billed as, “two people who live together and like it.”

The episode would progress into a minor crisis or problem, typically caused by one of Liz’s funny ideas. Each episode would end with the problem solved and Liz saying, “Thanks, George. You’re my favorite husband.”

My Favorite Husband – 26 – 1949-01-07 #026 Over Budget – Beans

My Favorite Husband was first broadcast as a one-time special on CBS Radio on July 5, 1948. CBS’s new series Our Miss Brooks had been delayed coming to the air, so to fill in the gap that week CBS aired the audition program (the radio equivalent of a television pilot) for My Favorite Husband.[1] Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch My Favorite Husband as a series. Bowman was not available to do the series, so when it debuted later that month it starred Lucille Ball and Richard Denning as the leads. The couple lived at 321 Bundy Drive in the fictitious city of Sheridan Falls, and were billed as, “two people who live together and like it.”

The episode would progress into a minor crisis or problem, typically caused by one of Liz’s funny ideas. Each episode would end with the problem solved and Liz saying, “Thanks, George. You’re my favorite husband.”