Alert: Jack and Cast Members in Broadcasts/Webcasts in July

[Maxwell]

The broadcasts of these shows can be heard in the Chicago area on WDCB-FM, 90.5 MHz on July 9, 16, and 30 from 1:00-5:00 p.m. CDT. They are simulcast on the web at http://www.wdcb.org using RealAudio. They can also be heard for a week the following Tuesdays at www.nostalgiadigest.com.

July 9: "Walgreen's Birthday Party" 6/20/45) Cast includes Eddie Anderson and announcer Don Wilson. The special celebrates the 44th anniversary of the drug store chain. Besides the Benny cast members stars include Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, Rise Stevens, Paulette Goddard, Bud Abbott and Sidney Fields (doing "Whose on First?" Lou Costello became ill before the show went on the air), and the orchestra conducted by Carl Hoff. (I'd expect the air time for this would be somewhere around 2:15 or so CDT). Other shows include Fibber McGee and Molly (9/23/45), two consecutive episodes of a Chicago show Breakfast with the Johnsons (4/24-25/52), and Ben Bernie (9/24/35).

All of the shows have a Chicago connection. Walgreen's is a Chicago-based chain, but I don't know if any of the program was actually broadcast from a Chicago studio. I've mentioned the Johnsons. The Fibber and Ben Bernie shows were broadcast from the same studio in the WMAQ Merchandise Mart studios on consecutive nights with Harlow Wilcox as the announcer on both.

July 16: The Jack Benny Program (5/24/53): Jack goes for a physical for an insurance policy his sponsor takes out on him.

My guess is that this show will air sometime around 4:15 CDT. Other programs in this broadcast will be Mr. District Attorney (4/11/51), My Friend Irma (2/24/52), Suspense (9/1/51) ("Man from Tomorrow" with Frank Lovejoy and Joan Banks), and a Roy Rogers Show from 1955.

A couple of authors will also be discussing a book they've written about life in Chicago in the 1950s.

July 30: The Mel Blanc Show (1/28/47). My best guess for the time of this show would be about 1:30-1:45 p.m. CDT.

Other shows in this broadcast: Inner Sanctum (5/15/45) ("The Black Art" with Simone Simone), Screen Guild Players (3/22/43) ("For Me and My Gal" with Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and Dick Powell), Vic and Sade (3/12/42), The Whistler (8/21/46) ("The Broken Chain" with Elliot Lewis and Bea Benaderett), and Life with Luigi (3/27/49).