Radio Programs beginning with "y"
The man with the action packed expense account: "Yours truly, Johnny Dollar!"
The one... the only... GROUCHO!!!
You Bet Your Life
Stars: Groucho Marx,
George Fenneman
Sponsors: Elgin America, DeSoto automobiles, sustaining (no
sponsors)
Theme Song: "Hooray for Captain Spaulding"
from
Animal
Crackers (1930)
Networks: ABC, CBS, NBC (did not start on television until the
show moved to NBC, although CBS Television recorded the recording
of a radio show in 1949)
Aired: 1947-1956 (on NBC-TV October 1950-September 1961; reruns
still play in some markets!)
Type of Show: Game Show
NB: Also seen on TV. The late George Fenneman said, of
all the work he did in radio and television, working with Groucho Marx
on this show was his most rewarding. From the CBS video recording
I have from 1949, let me tell you, this show would have never worked live.
Groucho never used a script. Although I heard nothing profane, he
said a lot of things which didn't need to be said. This is not to
put the program down. By editing the 60-90 minutes it took to record
one show down to 27 minutes, the original spontaneity survived and so did
the show. The only thing that killed it was television. Luckily,
the show would remain a favorite on television for another five years.
Your Hit Parade
Stars: various
Sponsor: Cigarettes made by the American Tobacco Company
Network: NBC (Red), CBS, NBC (Blue)
Aired: 1935-1953 (was on television until April 1959)
Type of Show: Musical
Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (a few shows are listed merely,
"Johnny Dollar")
Star: Charles Russell, Edmund O'Brien, John Lund, Gerald Mohr (only
briefly), Bob Bailey, Bob Readick, or Mandell Kramer
Sponsors: Sustained (none), Wrigley's Gum,
Network: CBS
Aired: 1948-1962
Type of Show: Detective Drama (insurance investigator!)
NB: I don't remember much about what happened in my first days
of kindergarten, but I remember September 30, 1962. It was a Sunday
night. Since I started school at 1:00 in the afternoon, my parents
weren't so sticky about my bedtime (I would pay for this dearly later!)
Anyway, that last day of September was the last day CBS had first run,
regularly scheduled radio drama. I probably feel sadder now than
I did when I was five! First run, regularly scheduled radio drama
did not remain off the air for long, though. In a little more than
eleven years, first run radio returned with the CBS Radio Mystery Theater
premiering
January 6, 1974. I was a junior in high school then and the family
was all ears. Johnny Dollar was the most unique detective
show on radio. By the nature of his work (as an insurance investigator)
and his very name, you knew he was only in this for the money. But
he was an honest man and a good role model for anyone who wants to get
into the investigation end of insurance. I really like this program
(which has nothing to do with my feelings about insurance!) Out of
the seven actors who portrayed Johnny Dollar in its 12 year run, the one
who most epitomized what I thought of Johnny Dollar was Bob Bailey, who
starred earlier in another detective show, Let George Do It.
Charles Russell was pretty good, too.
Page updated November 23, 2001
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