Stars over Hollywood

Stars over Hollywood is a radio anthology in the United States. It was broadcast on CBS from May 31, 1941, to September 25, 1954, sponsored first by Dari-Rich, Carnation Milk and later by Armour and Company.[2] (Note: This program should not be confused with Stars over Hollywood, a 15-minute dramatic serial, produced via electrical transcription by C. P. MacGregor Electrical Transcriptions.)[3]

For the television program, see Stars Over Hollywood.
Stars over Hollywood
GenreAnthology
Running time30 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
SyndicatesCBS
StarringNumerous Hollywood stars
AnnouncerJim Bannon
Frank Goss
Art Gilmore
Marvin Miller
Scott Douglas
Directed byPaul Pierce
Les Mitchel
Don Clark
Produced byPaul Pierce
Les Mitchel
Don Clark
Original releaseMay 31, 1941 –
September 25, 1954
Opening themeChopin Etude No. 3[1]
Sponsored byDari-Rich Armour and Co.

Format

Comedies and light romances were typical episodes for Stars over Hollywood. The presentations were "casual and relaxed ... but the performances were very professional."[4] Each of the program's scripts was original.[5]

The show's success surprised many doubters, who thought that audiences would not listen to this type of broadcast on Saturday mornings, a time that has been described as "the ghetto of the schedule."[6] The program lasted 13 years at the same time (12:30 pm, Eastern Time).[2] Following the lead of Stars over Hollywood, other dramas, such as Armstrong Theater of Today and Grand Central Station, found success on Saturdays.[6]

Personnel

As the title implies, the program featured "major Hollywood stars."[4] As an anthology, Stars over Hollywood had no recurring cast. A 1943 newspaper ad promised, "Each week you'll find a Hollywood star in the leading role of a new story."[7]

Actors and actresses who appeared in leading roles during the program's run included Alan Ladd, Anita Louise, Mary Astor, Phil Harris, Merle Oberon, and Basil Rathbone. Supporting actors, most of whom were regulars on radio, included Lurene Tuttle, Janet Waldo, and Eve McVeagh.[2] A 1953 newspaper article commented: "The phenomenal success of the program is due largely to the stars themselves, who like the show's family appeal. More than 50 top name personalities have come back for a second and sometimes third performance."[5]

The program's host was Knox Manning.[8] Announcers were Jim Bannon,[2] Art Gilmore,[9] Frank Goss, Marvin Miller, Art Ballinger,[10] and Scott Douglas.[11] Producer-directors were Les Mitchel, Paul Pierce,[2] and Don Clark.[12] Music directors were Del Castillo,[9] Rex Koury,[13] and Ivan Ditmars.[2]

References
  1. Luther, Paul (May 6, 1947). "Inside Radio". Cumberland Evening Times. Cumberland Evening Times. p. 5. Retrieved March 27, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 634–635. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  3. "(list entry)". Radio Showmanship. September 1942. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. Reinehr, Robert C. and Swartz, Jon D. (2008). The A to Z of Old-Time Radio. Scarecrow Press, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8108-7616-3. p. 244.
  5. "The Week in Review". The Sherbrooke Telegram. May 7, 1953. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  6. Dunning, John. (1976). Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925–1976. Prentice-Hall, Inc. ISBN 0-13-932616-2. pp. 567–68.
  7. "WGAN ad". Lewiston Evening Journal. October 23, 1943. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  8. Terrace, Vincent (1981), Radio's Golden Years: The Encyclopedia of Radio Programs 1930–1960. A.S. Barnes & Company, Inc. ISBN 0-498-02393-1. p. 250.
  9. Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1949). The 1949 Radio Annual. Radio Daily Corp. pp. 897, 932.
  10. Buxton, Frank and Owen, Bill (1972). The Big Broadcast: 1920–1950. The Viking Press. ISBN 0-670-16240-X. pp. 224–225.
  11. Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1953). The 1953 Radio Annual. Radio Daily Corp. p. 1089.
  12. Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1954). The 1954 Radio Annual. Radio Daily Corp.
  13. Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1952). The 1952 Radio Annual. Radio Daily Corp. p. 958.

Logs

Stories

During Stars over Hollywood's time on the air, Radio Mirror magazine published a number of stories based on episodes from the program. The following are links to a few of those stories.

Streaming episodes
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