Skip to main content

November 27, 1930: The First Nighter's First Debut

November 27, 1930: This day marked the debut of First Nighter. The show's introduction said it was broadcasting from "the little theater off Times Square." The show came from Chicago, then was broadcast from Hollywood for 23 years with dramas and comedies as its main features.

The First Nighter was a long-running radio anthology comedy-drama series. It was broadcast from 1930 to 1953. The host was Mr. First Nighter (Charles P. Hughes, Macdonald Carey, Bret Morrison, Marvin Miller, Don Briggs, and Rye Billsbury).

The atmosphere of a Broadway opening was recreated for the opening night. The drama was a weekly program.

Romantic comedies became the theme of the drama. Main roles were played by the teams of Don Ameche and June Meredith (1930-36), Ameche and Betty Lou Gerson (1935-36), Les Tremayne and Barbara Luddy (1936-43), and Olan Soule and Luddy (1943 and after).
The drama was produced and directed by Joseph T. Ainley. The announcers were Larry Keating and Vincent Pelletier. Music was provided by Eric Sagerquist (1930-44), Caesar Petrillo (1945-46), and Frank Worth (1947-53).
The actors wore formal attire, with Luddy in a gown and Tremayne clad in evening clothes and a top hat when performing at the studio.
Labels:

Comments

  1. JohnDecember 6, 2012 at 2:20 PM

    Otr is one of the best places ever to buy Old Time Radio shows I am and have been a long time old time radio show buff and I bought some of the best old time radio shows available from Jon the owner the service and selections he provides to customers like me is the best on the market I recommend this company to anyone who is interested in Old Time Radio they are the BEST!

    ReplyDelete
  2. JackDecember 6, 2012 at 2:20 PM

    I know I have well over 1,000 radio programs from OTRCat. Many of their shows are free, and I have bought hundreds of others.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LindaDecember 6, 2012 at 2:20 PM

    I'll second that. I've spent many happy hours listening. Great selection, great price, great product.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

1946 Great Crepitation Fart Contest

Not for the faint of heart, here is the remarkable 1946 Crepitation (Fart) Contest (part of the 1946 News Broadcasts Collection ). You'll enjoy the fart-off between champion Englishman Lord Windsmear, and  challenger, Australian Paul Boomer who had stowed aboard a cabbage freighter. The hilarious comedy recording was apparently created a spoof by two Canadian radio sportscasters in 1946, but this 15 minute recording definitely has some gems in it.  Apparently they made several copies, but it was not for distribution. The recording was copied again and again on disc and reel to reel tape. It was distributed underground and played in dark rooms and back alleys around the world. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element This recording is available with many other delightful treats on Random Rarities #7 available on   MP3 CD ,  Audio CD , and  instant download .
18 comments
Read more

April 27, 1932: The First Performance of Ed Wynn on Texaco Fire Chief Show

April 27, 1932:  Ed Wynn , the Texaco fire chief, graced the airwaves for the first time on Texaco Star Theater. Wynn, who enjoyed popularity as a vaudeville performer, gave as a condition to his switch to radio, that a live audience react to his humor.His condition was granted by the network and so began Wynn's career as the first true superstar of radio. Ed Wynn was hosted a popular radio show  on Tuesday nights for most of the 1930s. The radio show was heard in North America and sponsored by Texaco gasoline. On the show Wynn played  as the " Texaco Fire Chief ". He was often seen wearing a fireman's helmet. For this show, Wynn would turned down the offer form The Wizard in MGM's adaptation of The Wizard of Oz , to play a role on that show.
Post a Comment
Read more

Fast Fun Facts about Jack Webb

Jack Webb was an American actor, television producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the 1950s TV series "Dragnet." Here's twelve FUN FACTS for you to know: Jack Webb was born on April 2, 1920 in Santa Monica, California. He served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, where he was a bomber pilot. In 1949, Webb created and starred in the radio series " Pat Novak for Hire ," which was the basis for the later " Dragnet " TV series. " Dragnet " was one of the first police procedural dramas on television, and it ran for eight seasons from 1951 to 1959. In addition to his work on " Dragnet ," Jack Webb also directed and produced several other TV shows, including "Adam-12," "Emergency!" and "Mark VII Limited." He was known for his distinctive style as a director, which involved using close-ups and quick cuts to convey a sense of immediacy. J...
Post a Comment
Read more