RADIO SHOW SIMULCAST FOR FIRST TIME ON THIS DATE IN 1954

BREAKFAST CLUB   
                          Don McNeill

WCFL%20-%20Breakfast%20Club
The Breakfast Club was a long-run morning variety show on NBC Blue Network/ABC radio originating in Chicago, Illinois. Hosted by Don McNeill (shown above).The radio program ran from June 23, 1933 through December 27, 1968. McNeill’s 35½-year run
as host remains the longest tenure for an emcee of a network entertainment program, surpassing Johnny Carson (29½ years) on The Tonight Show and Bob Barker (34⅔ years) on The Price is Right. For one year, beginning on February 22, 1954, the show
was simulcast on ABC radio and television, ending on February 25, 1955. 

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Picture of Don McNeill (right) taken during a simulcast of The Breakfast Club

breakfast clug signed promo card

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“WHAT A REVOLTIN’ DEVELOPMENT THIS IS!”

LIFE OF RILEY ON RADIO MAIN

William Bendix was Chester A. Riley in one of radios
great situation comedies…The Life of Riley. The show
initially aired on the Blue Network, later known as ABC,
from Jan 16, 1944 to June 8, 1945. It then moved to NBC
where it was broadcast from September 8, 1945 until June
29, 1951. Riley and his co-worker Gilles were wing riveters
at the fictional Cunningham Aircraft plant in California.

Riley’s radio family included his wife Peg, played by 
Paula Winslowe and their two children, daughter Babs,
who was played by various actors, and a son named
Jr. played by Tommy Cook. The most memorable
character was Digby (Digger) O’Dell the “Friendly 
Undertaker” portrayed by actor John Brown who
also was Gilles. The series made the transition to
Television in 1949 on NBC.

 

PAULA WINSLOWE         RILEY AND JR.
             Paula Winslowe                                  Tommy Cook & William Bendix.
 
 

 

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IT WAS A NIGHT FOR RADIO

NBC_Blue_Network              
BlueNetworklogo          nbc radio
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Blue Network debuted on
this date in 1926 with 24 radio stations. It was officially launched at
8PM (ET) in New York.
 Carl Schlagel of The Metropolitan Opera
opened the inaugural broadcast which also featured Will Rogers.

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RADIO’S EARLY DAY’S

radio 
lone ranger radio actors 
brace beemer 1 BraceBeemer 

‘The Lone Ranger’ premiered January 30,1933 on WXYZ radio in Detroit. It then moved to the Mutual Broadcasting System and finally to NBC’s Blue Network, which became ABC. The last episode was  broadcast on September 3, 1954. The lead role was played by several actor’s, the most remembered was the shows announcer for a few years, Brace Beemer, pictured above. He played the role till the final show. Beemer
also protrayed “Sergeant Preston Of The Yukon” for a brief time.
posted by Bob Karm in RADIO and have No Comments