The Adventures of Frank Merriwell

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The Adventures of Frank Merriwell is a juvenile adventure radio program that was broadcast on NBC March 26 - June 22, 1934, and again on NBC October 5, 1946 - June 4, 1949. [1] Episodes were adapted from books written by Burt L. Standish (pen name of Gilbert Patten). [2]

The Adventures of Frank Merriwell first ran on NBC radio from March 26 to June 22, 1934 as a 15-minute serial airing three times a week at 5:30 pm. Sponsored by Dr. West's Toothpaste, this program starred Donald Briggs as Frank Merriwell. Harlow Wilcox was the announcer. [1] Ed King and Fred Weihe were the directors. Bill Welch and Ruth and Gilbert Brann were the writers. [2] Patten was not involved in the program. [3]

After a 12-year gap, the series returned October 5, 1946 as a 30-minute NBC Saturday morning show, continuing until June 4, 1949.[ citation needed ] Lawson Zerbe (1914–1992) starred as Merriwell, Jean Gillespie and Elaine Rostas as Inza Burrage, Harold Studer as Bart Hodge and Patricia Hosley as Elsie Belwood. Announcers were Mel Brandt and Harlow Wilcox, and the Paul Taubman Orchestra supplied the background music. [4] In late October 1948, the program was moved from 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturdays to 12:30 p.m. E. T. on Saturdays. [5] Merriwell was a Yale University student at the turn of the 20th century who fought evil. The program's theme was "Boola Boola", the Yale song. [6]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Dunning, John (May 7, 1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, USA. pp. 9–10. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Lackmann, Ronald W. (1996). Same Time ... Same Station: An A - Z Guide to Radio from Jack Benny to Howard Stern (PDF). New York, NY: Facts On File. p. 5. ISBN   0816028621 . Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  3. ↑ Anderson, Ryan K. (September 9, 2015). Frank Merriwell and the Fiction of All-American Boyhood: The Progressive Era Creation of the Schoolboy Sports Story. University of Arkansas Press. p. 210. ISBN   978-1-55728-682-6 . Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  4. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (September 2, 2015). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland. p. 10. ISBN   978-1-4766-0528-9 . Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Radio and Television; George O'Hanlon and Wife to Bow in Comedy Show Over WOR on Nov. 14" . The New York Times. October 22, 1948. p. 50. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  6. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (June 8, 2015). Radio Program Openings and Closings, 1931-1972. McFarland. p. 8. ISBN   978-1-4766-1223-2 . Retrieved December 19, 2024.
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