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Hollywood Spotlight

Syndicated musical variety program with comedy skits and famous guest appearances.

Hollywood Spotlight

36 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 8 hours, 2273 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
9 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from July 03, 1935:

"Keep Your Fingers Crossed"



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

Most of the great shows were products of the networks, but the syndication houses were doing some great stuff as well. Network radio was more expensive to produce, largely because they insisted on live broadcasts for almost everything, even late-night programming. The smaller stations could not afford such extravagance, and were unwilling or unable to gain network affiliation, even if the networks would have paid any attention to a station whose market was the fine folks of Podunk Springs or the United Farmers of Sheared Sheep Gulch.

Bob BurnsFor the stations in these small-town markets, syndication was a godsend, it would have been extremely difficult for such small stations to have found enough talent to fill an entire broadcast day. With syndicated programming, the small station had access to shows that were every bit as good as what the networks were producing.

The Hollywood Spotlight from Bruce Ells is a great example. This musical variety program from 1935 is a lot like The Chesterfield Supper Club, The Camel Caravan, or any of the dozens of similar programs. It featured a variety of musical numbers during its quarter hour, as well as a few comedy bits. The featured funnyman was Robert Burns, who would have been between his stint with Paul Whiteman and Rudy Vallee in New York, and co-starring with Bing Crosby in the Hollywood version of The Kraft Music Hall. Burns even plays his famous bazooka on an episode of Hollywood Spotlight.

Another familiar voice on Spotlight was bandleader Phil Harris. Hollywood Spotlight was recorded just a few months before Harris was picked up as the musical director for The Jack Benny Program. At this point, Harris does not quite have the comedy chops that he will display so ready with Jack's gang, but listening to Spotlight, you can tell the direction he is going.

About three dozen episodes of Spotlight were recorded in all, and unlike a network program, the work was probably done in a week or two. For a network program, the writers and producers got together and decided what was going to be on that week's show, wrote it down and then the actors and musicians would get together to rehearse, they would broadcast once or twice (once for each coast), and then repeat the process a week later. In syndication, several scripts would have been prepared, and multiple episodes could have been recorded in a single session. The local broadcaster may have received all of the disks in a single package, but would have spaced them out daily or weekly to get the most mileage out of the show.

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.



    36 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 8 hours, 2273 min
    36 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 8 hours, 2273 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 36 shows – total playtime 8 hours, 37 minutes
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 01 Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.mp3
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 02 Blue Skies.mp3
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 03 Aint Got That Swing.mp3
    5. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 04 Darkness on the Delta.mp3
    6. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 05 Underneath a Harlem Moon.mp3
    7. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 06 Cheek to Cheek.mp3
    8. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 07 Make Hay While the Sun Shines.mp3
    9. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 08 Chasing Shadows.mp3
    10. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 09 Under My Umbrella.mp3
    11. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 10 Honeysuckle Rose.mp3
    12. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 11 Pink Elephants.mp3
    13. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 12 My Melancholy Baby.mp3
    14. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 13 The Carioca.mp3
    15. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 14 Rocking Chair.mp3
    16. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 15 Lets Put Out the Lights.mp3
    17. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 20 Minnie the Mermaid.mp3
    18. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 21 Under a Shady Tree.mp3
    19. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 22 Got the South in My Soul.mp3
    20. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 23 Ive Got a Feelin Youre Foolin.mp3
    21. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 24 Its a Rainy Day.mp3
    22. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 25 You Have Taken My Heart.mp3
    23. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 26 When Times Get Better.mp3
    24. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 27 The Dixieland Band.mp3
    25. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 28 Keep Your Fingers Crossed.mp3
    26. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 29 You Have Taken My Heart.mp3
    27. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 30 Getting to Be a Habit With Me.mp3
    28. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 31 For All We Know.mp3
    29. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 32 Ridin Around in the Rain.mp3
    30. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 33 When Your Eyes Met Mine.mp3
    31. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 34 Longing for My River Home.mp3
    32. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 35 So at Last Its Come to This.mp3
    33. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 36 The Congo.mp3
    34. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 37 To Call You My Own.mp3
    35. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 38 You Hit the Spot.mp3
    36. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 39 Im Counting on You.mp3
    37. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 xx Riddle Me This.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    36 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 8 hours, 2273 min
    36 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    237 MB – total playtime 8 hours, 37 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 36 shows – 237 MB – total playtime 8 hours, 37 minutes
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 01 Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.mp3
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 02 Blue Skies.mp3
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 03 Aint Got That Swing.mp3
    5. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 04 Darkness on the Delta.mp3
    6. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 05 Underneath a Harlem Moon.mp3
    7. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 06 Cheek to Cheek.mp3
    8. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 07 Make Hay While the Sun Shines.mp3
    9. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 08 Chasing Shadows.mp3
    10. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 09 Under My Umbrella.mp3
    11. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 10 Honeysuckle Rose.mp3
    12. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 11 Pink Elephants.mp3
    13. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 12 My Melancholy Baby.mp3
    14. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 13 The Carioca.mp3
    15. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 14 Rocking Chair.mp3
    16. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 15 Lets Put Out the Lights.mp3
    17. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 20 Minnie the Mermaid.mp3
    18. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 21 Under a Shady Tree.mp3
    19. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 22 Got the South in My Soul.mp3
    20. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 23 Ive Got a Feelin Youre Foolin.mp3
    21. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 24 Its a Rainy Day.mp3
    22. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 25 You Have Taken My Heart.mp3
    23. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 26 When Times Get Better.mp3
    24. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 27 The Dixieland Band.mp3
    25. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 28 Keep Your Fingers Crossed.mp3
    26. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 29 You Have Taken My Heart.mp3
    27. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 30 Getting to Be a Habit With Me.mp3
    28. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 31 For All We Know.mp3
    29. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 32 Ridin Around in the Rain.mp3
    30. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 33 When Your Eyes Met Mine.mp3
    31. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 34 Longing for My River Home.mp3
    32. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 35 So at Last Its Come to This.mp3
    33. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 36 The Congo.mp3
    34. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 37 To Call You My Own.mp3
    35. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 38 You Hit the Spot.mp3
    36. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 39 Im Counting on You.mp3
    37. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 xx Riddle Me This.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



    36 recordings on 9 Audio CDs. Total playtime 8 hours, 37 min
    36 recordings on 9 Audio CDs
    total playtime 8 hours, 37 min

    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A001

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 01 Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 02 Blue Skies
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 03 Aint Got That Swing
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 04 Darkness on the Delta

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A002

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 05 Underneath a Harlem Moon
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 06 Cheek to Cheek
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 07 Make Hay While the Sun Shines
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 08 Chasing Shadows

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A003

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 09 Under My Umbrella
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 10 Honeysuckle Rose
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 11 Pink Elephants
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 12 My Melancholy Baby

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A004

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 13 The Carioca
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 14 Rocking Chair
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 15 Lets Put Out the Lights
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 20 Minnie the Mermaid

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A005

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 21 Under a Shady Tree
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 22 Got the South in My Soul
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 23 Ive Got a Feelin Youre Foolin
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 24 Its a Rainy Day

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A006

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 25 You Have Taken My Heart
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 26 When Times Get Better
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 27 The Dixieland Band
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 28 Keep Your Fingers Crossed

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A007

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 29 You Have Taken My Heart
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 30 Getting to Be a Habit With Me
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 31 For All We Know
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 32 Ridin Around in the Rain

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A008

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 33 When Your Eyes Met Mine
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 34 Longing for My River Home
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 35 So at Last Its Come to This
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 36 The Congo

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Hollywood Spotlight Disc A009

    1. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 37 To Call You My Own
    2. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 38 You Hit the Spot
    3. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 39 Im Counting on You
    4. Hollywood Spotlight 370000 xx Riddle Me This

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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