William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers

The Dodge Victory Hour, one of radio’s first variety shows, debuted on
NBC in January 1928. The show starred Will Rogers, Paul Whiteman
and his orchestra, Fred Stone and Al Jolson in a 47-station coast-to-
coast program with Jolson in New Orleans, Stone in Chicago and
Whiteman in New York. From his home in Beverly Hills, Will Rogers
did a Coolidge imitation, the first time a President was imitated on radio.

Sponsored by Dodge‘s new Victory Six automobile, the program reached
an audience estimated at 35 million, the largest since Charles Lindbergh‘s
return in 1927.

Little Jimmy Dickens (James Cecil Dickens)
(December 19, 1920 – January 2, 2015)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. AP) –  Little Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer-songwriter who
was the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died.

Dickens died Friday at a Nashville-area hospital of cardiac arrest after suffering a
stroke on Christmas Day, Opry spokeswoman Jessie Schmidt said.

Dickens, who stood 4-foot-11, had performed on the Opry almost continuously
since 1948. His last performance was Dec. 20 as part of his birthday celebration.

Billboard magazine, January 1955

Albert James "Alan" Freed (December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965)

Mr. and Mrs. North was a radio mystery series that aired on NBC and
CBS from 1942 to 1954. Alice Frost and Joseph Curtin had the original 
title roles. The program received the first Best Radio Drama Edgar Award
from the Mystery Writers of America. In 1953 Barbara Britton and Richard
Denning took over the roles of Mr. and Mrs. North.

Barbara Britton and Richard Denning

Sandy Kozel