PHILCO RADIO TIME

OLD TIME RADIO - 2 mp3 CD - 108 Shows - Total Playtime: 53:49:33

Philco Radio Time was an historic marker in the history of Broadcast Radio. Premiering on October 16th 1946 to great fanfare, Philco launched an all-out campaign to promote the new series. Bing Crosby had ended a ten-year association with Kraft Foods in 1945, the better to provide him more independence in producing any further Radio programs. The sweetener that sealed the deal with Philco was their agreement to allow Crosby to pre-record his programs; initially via E.T. and later via magnetic tape transcription.

Philco was of course no novice in Radio promotion by any measure. Philco's extensive campaign throughout the run of Philco Radio Time not only built on Philco's previous prestige production, Radio Hall of Fame, but also promoted all of Philco's newest developments in both Radio and early affordable Television. The Billboard trade magazine reported that Philco's production budget for Philco RadioTime was $2,000,000, with another $500,000 devoted to Print promotion of the series and Philco's product line. Put in context, the same budget in today's dollars would be in excess of $25 million; a very generous budget to be sure. And indeed, a glance at the the Print ads Philco commisioned to promote Philco Radio Time (sidebar left) underscores the extraordinary good taste and exceptional quality of the campaign.

Even more ironic, Philco Radio Time not only promoted Philco's Radio and Television lines but--from October 1947 forward--was also implicitly promoting Bing Crosby Enterprises' Ampex line of broadcast quality magnetic tape recorders and equipment. Clearly none of the parties to the various promotions had any reason to complain.

On the talent side of the production ABC, Philco and Crosby pulled out all the stops for the era. Philco Radio Time's music directors were Skitch Henderson and John Scott Trotter. Bill Morrow and Murdo McKenzie handled production of both the initial electrical transcription (E.T.) disc recordings as well as the later Ampex tape-transcribed recordings. Regular cast members throughout the series were songstress Lina Romay, The Charioteers, The Rhythmaires, and Gail Robbins. From about the tape-transcribed programs forward, songbirds Dinah Shore and Peggy Lee and jazz violinist Joe Venuti became series regulars as well. Bing and Philco's announcer of choice, Ken Carpenter, also complimented every broadcast as both a comedic foil for Crosby and Philco's spokesman. All told, a solid supporting ensemble to Bing Crosby throughout the series.

SHOWS LIST

Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-10-16 (001) Bob Hope
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-10-23 (002) Spike Jones
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-10-30 (003) Les Paul Trio
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-11-06 (004) Skitch Henderson and Ralph Mendez
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-11-13 (005) Ezio Pinza
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-11-20 (006) Burl Ives
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-11-27 (007) Judy Garland
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-12-04 (008) Jimmy Durante
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-12-11 (009) Jerry Colonna
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-12-18 (010) Skitch Henderson and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 46-12-25 (011) Skitch Henderson and the Charioteers
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-01-01 (012) Joe Frisco and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-01-08 (013) Mickey Rooney and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-01-15 (014) Al Jolson
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-01-22 (015) George Jessel and Lina Romay
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-01-29 (016) Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-02-05 (017) Beatrice Lilly
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-02-12 (018) Groucho Marx and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-02-19 (019) Leo McCarey, William Frawley and Judy Garland
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-02-26 (020) Andrews Sisters and Joe Frisco
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-03-05 (021) Al Jolson
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-03-12 (022) Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-03-19 (023) Danny Kaye and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-03-26 (024) Jack Benny and Mary Livingston
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-04-02 (025) Al Jolson and John Charles Thomas (Minstrel Show)
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-04-09 (026) Alec Templeton and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-04-16 (027) Jimmy Durante
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-04-23 (028) Les Paul and Burl Ives
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-04-30 (029) Groucho Marx and Dorothy Shay
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-05-07 (030) Al Jolson and Irving Berlin
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-05-14 (031) Groucho Marx and Hank Greenberg
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-05-21 (032) Maurice Chevalier
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-05-28 (033) Margaret O'Brien
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-06-04 (034) Fred Allen and Connie Boswell
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-06-11 (035) Alec Templeton and Ethel Merman
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-06-18 (036) Bob Hope and Jimmy Demaret
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-10-01 (037) Gary Cooper
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-10-08 (038) Jimmy Durante
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-10-15 (039) Dinah Shore
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-10-22 (040) Clifton Webb and Burl Ives
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-10-29 (041) Boris Karloff and Victor Moore
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-11-05 (042) Ozzie and Harriet Nelson
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-11-12 (043) Peter Lorre and Williams Bros
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-11-19 (044) Barry Fitzgerald and Dorothy Kirsten
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-11-26 (045) Frankie Laine
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-12-03 (046) Al Jolson
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-12-10 (047) Walter O'Keefe
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-12-17 (048) Joe Frisco, Eileen Woods and Rudolph Schmohoffer
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-12-24 (049) Christmas Show
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 47-12-31 (050) Danny Thomas
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-01-07 (051) Lone Ranger and Walter O'Keefe
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-01-14 (052) George Burns
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-01-21 (053) Burns and Allen
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-01-28 (054) Esther Williams
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-02-04 (055) Jimmy Durante and Dick Haymes
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-02-11 (056) Oscar Levant
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-02-18 (057) Robert Taylor
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-02-25 (058) Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-03-03 (059) Jack Benny
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-03-10 (060) Jimmy Stewart
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-03-17 (061) Margaret O'Brien
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-03-24 (062) Wild Bill Elliott
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-03-31 (063) Dick Powell
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-04-07 (064) Fred Astaire
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-04-14 (065) Fibber McGee and Molly
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-04-21 (066) Clifton Webb and Crosby Boys
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-04-28 (067) Claudette Colbert
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-05-05 (068) Barry Fitzgerald
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-05-12 (069) Henry Fonda
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-05-19 (070) Ethel Merman
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-05-26 (071) Beatrice Lilly and Alec Templeton
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-06-02 (072) Fred Allen and Joe Venuti
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-09-29 (073) Claudette Colbert and Crosby Boys
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-10-06 (074) Judy Garland
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-10-13 (075) Ray Milland and Bill Gargan (Vancouver)
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-10-20 (076) Dan Dailey and Marilyn Maxwell
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-10-27 (077) William Powell and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-11-03 (078) Edgar Bergen
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-11-10 (079) Oscar Levant
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-11-17 (080) Kay Starr
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-11-24 (081) Bert Lahr and Dorothy Kirsten
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-12-01 (082) Bob Crosby and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-12-08 (083) Morton Downey and Kay Starr
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-12-15 (084) Bob Hope
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-12-22 (085) Bob Mitchell Boys Choir
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 48-12-29 (086) Mills Bros, Peggy Lee and Joe Venuti
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-01-05 (087) Harry James and Betty Grable
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-01-12 (088) Johnny Mercer
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-01-19 (089) Hattie McDaniel and Cast of Beulah
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-01-26 (090) Abe Burrows and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-02-02 (091) Jimmy Durante and Gertrude Nielson
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-02-09 (092) Groucho Marx and Connie Haines
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-02-16 (093) Bob Burns and Kay Starr
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-02-23 (094) Peggy Lee and Abe Burrows
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-03-02 (095) Burl Ives and Dinah Shore
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-03-09 (096) Phil Harris
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-03-16 (097) Louis Armstrong
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-03-23 (098) Ethel Merman
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-03-30 (099) Dennis Day
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-04-06 (100) Jimmy Stewart and Kay Starr
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-04-13 (101) Peggy Lee and Gonzaga Glee Club
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-04-20 (102) Rudy Vallee and Walter O'Keefe
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-04-27 (103) Abe Burrows and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-05-04 (104) Carole Richards and Alec Templeton
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-05-11 (105) Alec Templeton and Peggy Lee
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-05-18 (106) Johnny Mercer and Rhonda Fleming
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-05-25 (107) Dorothy Kirsten
Philco Radio Time(46-49) 49-06-01 (108) Top 15 Songs Of The Year (Last Episode)