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Rare Summer Replacement Shows

This collection includes rare but wonderful seasonal shows that held the timeslot for some of America's best loved radio shows.

Rare Summer Replacement Shows

13 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 7 hours, 12 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
8 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from August 24, 1945:

"Ray Bolger Show"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Jack Carson

Old Time Radio was mostly performed live. Part of this had to do with network integrity; NBC had a long time policy of not broadcasting recorded material. Another factor was the relative scarcity and expense of recording media; magnetic tape would not come into vogue until the 1950s.

Live broadcasting had a few obvious problems. The potential for an on-air goof from the actors or crew was ever present, and many shows in the prime time hours had to be broadcast twice so they could cover time zones on both coasts. Broadcasting a live show every week meant there was plenty of steady work, but it also meant that broadcasters had to find something to fill the airtime when the cast went on vacation.

The networks and the sponsors sometimes considered the summer replacement show as place holders, but in many cases, they were exceptionally high quality programming. More than a few summer replacement shows would go on to become part of the network's regular lineup. This collection includes some Rare Summer Replacement Shows that did become regularly scheduled programs.

Ray Bolger

Jack Carson got his radio start in Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall and was able to land his own show in 1943. When Carson took his summer vacation in 1944, Bing's old friend Mildred Bailey was called in as a replacement. Mildred had grown up in Eastern Washington State, like Der Bingle. Her brother, Al Rinker, was Bing's partner in the Rhythm Boys, in 1925. Supposedly, Bing discovered jazz by listening to Mildred's record collection. The Mildred Bailey Show from the summer of 1944 featured Mildred and her ex-husband Red Norvo. Called "Mr and Mrs Swing", the couple continued to record together after the marriage broke up.

Playing the Scarecrow in The Wizard Of Oz immortalized Ray Bolger, but he spent the rest of his career as a hard working song and dance man. He got his shot at radio stardom when The Ray Bolger Show became the 1945 summer replacement for Jimmy Durante and Gary Moore on the Comedy Caravan. In the episode included in this collection, Ray is hoping that Frank Sinatra can help him to get a girl, or even better, a lot of girls!

Frank Sinatra had a similar appearance on the Phil Silvers Show, the 1947 summer replacement for Philco Radio Time with Bing Crosby. The twist in this appearance revolves around Frankie singing his hit "Nancy With The Smiling Face". More than a decade before Sgt. Bilko, Silvers wrote the lyrics to the piece with songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen, for Van Heusen's partner's wife, Bessie. The song was performed at Nancy Sinatra's birthday party, substituting Sinatra's daughter's name into the lyric. The surprise delighted Sinatra so much that the song became a staple of his live performances.

Jimmy Stewat

Not every summer series let the cast get out of town. In the summer of 1942, Victory Theater replaced Lux Radio Theater, under the sponsorship of the Office Of War Information. The program kept the same format as Radio Theater. In the opening program's adaptation of "Philadelphia Story", much is made of the fact that Lt. James Stewart was "assigned" to reprise his film role. Producer/host Cecil B.DeMille stayed with the program, pitching War Bonds and Patriotism. The last program of the summer run featured Amos 'n' Andy in "Love Finds Andy Brown".

In 1950 the radio broadcast Somebody Knows was the summer replacement for Suspense! and was almost as chilling as the regular show. Somebody Knows retold the true stories of actual unsolved murder cases. The inspiration for the program came from Chicago Sun-Times reporter William Finstead, who had studied unsolved murders for twenty years. The idea was that someone in the listening audience would be able to provide the authorities with a vital clue that will lead to closing the case. One hook for the program was to offer a $5,000 reward for the information, but because there was no sponsor for Somebody Knows, producer Jimmy Saphier put up the reward money himself. The final installment of the series recounts the story of the Black Dahlia case.

Enjoy these recordings and more in this collection of Rare Summer Broadcasts with radio shows that were heard only once during the golden age of radio!

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    13 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 7 hours, 12 min
    13 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 7 hours, 12 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 13 shows - total playtime 7 hours 12 minutes
    2. Frank Fontaine Show Audition.mp3
    3. Mildred Bailey Show 441020 Teddy Wilson Red Norve.mp3
    4. Mr Aladdin 510519 Miracle Of 4 Legged Husband.mp3
    5. New Theatre 510605 After Many A Summer Dies Swan.mp3
    6. Phil Silvers Show 420209 Guest Frank Sinatra.mp3
    7. Ray Bolger Show 450824 Frank Sinatra.mp3
    8. Somebody Knows 500720 03 Unsolved Murder Of Joseph P Bohanek.mp3
    9. Somebody Knows 500824 08 Unsolved Murder Of Elizabeth Short.mp3
    10. The Cobbs My Hero.mp3
    11. Too Many Cooks 500710 002 Summer Camp.mp3
    12. Treasury Hour 411021 Robert Montgomery.mp3
    13. Victory Theater 420720 Ep 1 Philadelphia Story.mp3
    14. Victory Theater 420824 Ep 6 Love Comes To Andy Brown.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    13 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 7 hours, 12 min
    13 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 7 hours, 12 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 13 shows - total playtime 7 hours 12 minutes
    2. Frank Fontaine Show Audition.mp3
    3. Mildred Bailey Show 441020 Teddy Wilson Red Norve.mp3
    4. Mr Aladdin 510519 Miracle Of 4 Legged Husband.mp3
    5. New Theatre 510605 After Many A Summer Dies Swan.mp3
    6. Phil Silvers Show 420209 Guest Frank Sinatra.mp3
    7. Ray Bolger Show 450824 Frank Sinatra.mp3
    8. Somebody Knows 500720 03 Unsolved Murder Of Joseph P Bohanek.mp3
    9. Somebody Knows 500824 08 Unsolved Murder Of Elizabeth Short.mp3
    10. The Cobbs My Hero.mp3
    11. Too Many Cooks 500710 002 Summer Camp.mp3
    12. Treasury Hour 411021 Robert Montgomery.mp3
    13. Victory Theater 420720 Ep 1 Philadelphia Story.mp3
    14. Victory Theater 420824 Ep 6 Love Comes To Andy Brown.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    13 recordings on 8 Audio CDs. Total playtime 7 hours, 12 min
    13 recordings on 8 Audio CDs
    total playtime 7 hours, 12 min

    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A001

    1. Frank Fontaine Show Audition
    2. The Cobbs My Hero

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A002

    1. Treasury Hour 411021 Robert Montgomery
    2. Phil Silvers Show 420209 Guest Frank Sinatra

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A003

    1. Victory Theater 420720 Ep 1 Philadelphia Story

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A004

    1. Victory Theater 420824 Ep 6 Love Comes To Andy Brown
    2. Mildred Bailey Show 441020 Teddy Wilson Red Norve

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A005

    1. Ray Bolger Show 450824 Frank Sinatra
    2. Too Many Cooks 500710 002 Summer Camp

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A006

    1. Somebody Knows 500720 03 Unsolved Murder Of Joseph P Bohanek
    2. Somebody Knows 500824 08 Unsolved Murder Of Elizabeth Short

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A007

    1. Mr Aladdin 510519 Miracle Of 4 Legged Husband

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Rare Summer Replacement Shows Disc A008

    1. New Theatre 510605 After Many A Summer Dies Swan

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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