Saturday Afternoon Radio
The Saturday afternoon radio highlights, between noon and 5:00 PM, according to The New York Times were Cardinal Spellman's Easter message at noon, Secretary of War Patterson on "Veterans Adviser," the baseball games and the Wood Memorial from Jamaica Racetrack. The newspaper also singled out the live broadcast from Toronto of the premiere performance of the Canadian opera "Deirdre of the Sorrow," airing on the Times station WQXR, and the broadcast of the Harrisburg Symphony. Three dramatic anthologies, "Theatre of Today," "Stars Over Hollywood" and "Grand Central," were audience favorites as was the kid's show "Let's Pretend." Somewhat surprisingly, considering the makeup of the New York audience, several network shows aimed at rural audiences aired in the city on Saturday afternoon, as well as several country and western music shows.
Here are some notable items on the schedule:
12:00 Noon
House of Mystery on WOR. Scary tales of eerie happenings told to an audience of children by a ghost catcher who debunks the supernatural even as he elicits squeals and oohs from his studio audience. Post Toasties spomsored.
Chester Bowles Speaking From Washington on WJZ
Theatre of Today on WABC. Became the Armstrong Circle Theatre on TV. Dramatic anthology. Ratings leader.
Denver Darling on WNEW. Old time country music
12:15 PM
Consumer Time on WEAF
Teenagers Program on WJZ
12:30 PM
Cardinal Francis Spellman: Easter Message on WEAF and WINS-- "Christ or Chaos" was the topic. The Choir of St, Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, performed.
American Farmer on WJZ
Stars Over Hollywood on WABC. Dramatic anthology featuring movie stars broadcast live from Hollywood where it was 9:30 AM. Basil Rathbone was the guest star this week. A ratings leader.
News/Beauty Talk on WNEW
12:45 PM
The Answer Man on WOR
1:00 PM
The National Home and Farm Hour on WEAF -- The Department of Agriculture produced this show in cooperation with a number of farm organizations. Broadcast from Chicago, it included reports from county fairs and livestock expositions, music, dramatic sketches, practical advice and agricultural news. It aired on NBC from 1928 to 1958.
Man on the Farm on WOR. Quizzes and contests aimed at rural Midwest. Quaker Oats sponsored,
To Live in Peace on WJZ- Drama series.
Grand Central Station in WABC -- Anthology of dramas, romance and comedy. All of the stories began at Grand Central Station. A ratings leader.
1:30 PM
Veterans Adviser on WEAF-- Robert P. Patterson, Secretary of War, was the guest from Washington speaking on veterans programs.
Opry House on WOR
D'Amico Orchestra on WJZ
Country Fair on WABC
News/racing/Music on WHN
1:45 PM
Edward Tomlinson on WEAF. Talk
Carlton Fredericks on WHN. Fredericks was a longtime radio fixture in New York. He was a controversial authority on health and nutrition who created controversy with his attacks on the food industry and advocacy of vitamins as a cure and treatment of a long list of diseases, delivered in an authoritative voice. He had a PHD in Public Health from NYU and taught and lectured at various colleges but in 1945 pled guilty to practicing medicine without a license, which he later claimed was done only to avoid a trial that might jeopardize his radio career, In the '50s and '60s he had troubles with the FDA and FTC over his claims. He was born Harold Carlton Caplan in Brooklyn in 1910 and raised in Flatbush. He adopted the name Carlton Fredericks when he began his radio career. He died at 76 of a heart attack.
2:00 PM
Opera on WQXR-- Act One of the Premiere of the Canadian opera "Deirdre of the Sorrows" from Toronto. Ettore Mazzoleni, conductor
Baseball on WINS. Yankees vs. Washington
Norman Cloutier and Orchestra on WEAF-- Tenor Thomas Hayward of the New York City Opera and later the Met performed and Quentin Reynolds provided news commentary. Not sure how all this fit into the 15-minute time slot.
Easter Chick on WJZ--Story
Of Men and Books on WABC.-- John Mason Brown reviewed current books. Before the war he had written for the Post. After returning from the service in 1944, he became the drama critic for The Saturday Review. He had taken the radio show from Times book critic Orville Prescott and left the show in January 1947. He was a resident intellectual on radio and television in the '40s and '50s. which led the self-designated highbrows to dismiss him, as well as shows like this, as middlebrow.
Ray Smith on WMCA-- Country and western music.
2:15 PM
Radio Reporter on WEAF
Chicago Serenade on WJZ.
Adventures in Science on WABC.-- Long-running show that aired vignettes on scientific discoveries. It was aimed at a young audience.
2:20 PM
War Department Service Ribbon Presentation on WHN-- This ceremony preceded the Dodgers/Giants baseball game. The honorees were coloratura soprano Lily Pons, conductor Andre Kostelanetz, mode;/actress/radio personality Jinx Falkenberg and Dodger right fielder Dixie Walker.
2:30 PM
Baseball on WMCA and WHN- Giants vs Dodgers
The Baxters on WEAF--Drama series produced in cooperation with the National Congress of Parents and Teachers as a tool against juvenile delinquency, which was a major phobia of the day.
Lew Hahn on WJZ.-- The subject was "Practical Price Control."
2:45 PM
Nelson Olmstead on WEAF-- Radio adaptation of classic short stories told by Olmstead
3:00 PM
Harrisburg Symphony on WEAF--George King Raudenbush conductor
Piano Playhouse on WJZ--Featured performances from top names in a wide variety of genres- classical, pop and jazz
Assignment Home on WABC-- "Dream Kid." Dramatizations about the readjustment of returning veterans to civilian life. An award-winning series. Arthur Laurents was among those who wrote for the series,
3:30 PM
It's Up to Youth on WOR
Round-Up Time on WJZ.--Country/western music
How Much Can the Spirit Endure on WABC--S.C, Leung, Eugene E. Barnett. Barnett worked with the YMCA in China before the war,
3:45 PM
AFL Interviews on WABC
4:00 PM
Wood Memorial on WJZ (also delayed on WOR at 4:30)-- The running of the venerable Derby precusrsor from Jamaica Racetrack.
Doctors at Home on WEAF-- Short-lived drama series.
Better Half on WOR-- Quiz show
Music From Detroit on WABC
4:15 PM
Ellington Orchestra on WJZ-- Radio show of one of the all-time jazz greats.
4:30 PM
West A Capella Choir on WEAF
Dance Orchestra on WABC
4:45 PM
Barry Orchestra on WOR
Sports Talk on WHN