The Song Shop (radio series)

Last updated

The Song Shop is an American radio musical variety program that was broadcast on CBS from September 10, 1937, through June 3, 1938. [1] Episodes featured old and new songs, with the highlight each week being a skit that combined music and dialogue to relate the story of a song. [2]

The Song Shop featured soprano Kitty Carlisle and baritone Reed Kennedy, and Frank Crumit was the host. The soloists were backed by a 22-person male glee club, and Gustave Haenschen directed a 47-piece orchestra to accompany them. [3] Alice Cornett was a "rhythm singer" [4] (or "swing singer"), and the Song Shop Quartette also performed. [5] In January 1938, Carlisle left the show because of the time demands of the program and the Broadway show in which she was starring. A series of guest singers succeeded her, beginning with Virginia Rea. [6] Also in 1938, Nadine Conner was added as mistress of ceremonies. [1] Guests who appeared on the show included Arthur Schwartz, [7] James Melton, [8] Nino Martini, [9] and Singin' Sam. [4]

The 45-minute show was initially broadcast at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Fridays. In January 1938 it was moved to 9 p.m. E. T. Coca-Cola was the sponsor. [1]

Critical response

A review in the trade publication Motion Picture Daily said that The Song Shop "should be marked a 'must' program." [10] The reviewer acknowledged never having been a fan of the individual perfomers on the program but added that after hearing the premiere broadcast, "we are compelled to revise our estimation of their worth. Each was more than excellent." [10]

Another trade publication, Radio Daily, said in October 1937 that the show "has improved itself here and there", with the reviewed episode being "one of the most memorable in the series to date. [11] The review cited Carlisle's performance as having "particular sparkle in her warbling and patter". [11] It also complimented the rest of the cast for good work and said that the "whole program moved along at a nice clip." [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgar Bergen</span> American ventriloquist, comedian and actor (1903–1978)

Edgar John Bergen was an American ventriloquist, comedian, actor, vaudevillian and radio performer. He was best known for his characters Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. Bergen pioneered modern-day ventriloquism and has been described by puppetry organization UNIMA as the “quintessential ventriloquist of the 20th century”. He was the father of actress Candice Bergen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)</span> 1971 single by The New Seekers

"I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" is a pop song that originated as "True Love and Apple Pie", by British hit songwriters Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, and sung by Susan Shirley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allan Jones (actor)</span> American actor and tenor

Allan Jones was an American tenor and actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kitty Carlisle</span> American actress and singer (1910–2007)

Kitty Carlisle Hart was an American stage and screen actress, opera singer, television personality and spokesperson for the arts. She was the leading lady in the Marx Brothers movie A Night at the Opera (1935) and was a regular panelist on the television game show To Tell the Truth (1956–1978). She served 20 years on the New York State Council on the Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axel Stordahl</span> Musical artist

Axel Stordahl was an American arranger and composer who was active from the late 1930s through the 1950s. He is perhaps best known for his work with Frank Sinatra in the 1940s at Columbia Records. With his sophisticated orchestrations, Stordahl is credited with helping to bring pop arranging into the modern age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fresca</span> Branded diet citrus soft drink

Fresca is a grapefruit-flavored citrus soft drink created by The Coca-Cola Company. Borrowing the word Fresca from Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, it was introduced in the United States in 1966. Originally a bottled sugar-free diet soda, sugar sweetened versions were introduced in some markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Hagen</span> American actress (1923–1977)

Jean Hagen was an American actress best known for her role as Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain (1952), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Hagen was also nominated three times for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Margaret Williams on the first three seasons (1953–56) of the television series The Danny Thomas Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Dragonette</span> Popular American radio singer (1900-1980)

Jessica Valentina Dragonette was a singer who became popular on American radio and was active in the World War II effort.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rita Johnson</span> American film, TV, and radio actress (1913–1965)

Rita Ann Johnson was an American actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wendy Barrie</span> British-American actress (1912–1978)

Wendy Barrie was a British-American film and television actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Froman</span> American actress (1907–1980)

Ellen Jane Froman was an American actress and singer. During her thirty-year career, she performed on stage, radio, and television despite chronic health problems due to injuries sustained in a 1943 plane crash.

<i>Coke Time with Eddie Fisher</i> American musical variety TV series

Coke Time with Eddie Fisher is an American musical variety television series starring singer Eddie Fisher which was broadcast by NBC on Wednesday and Friday nights from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays and Fridays, from April 29, 1953, to February 22, 1957. It was not seen during the summer months.. The opening theme was "May I Sing to You".

<i>The Chase and Sanborn Hour</i> A series of American comedy and variety radio shows

The Chase and Sanborn Hour is the umbrella title for a series of American comedy and variety radio shows sponsored by Standard Brands' Chase and Sanborn Coffee, usually airing Sundays on NBC from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the years 1929 to 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singin' Sam</span> American singer and actor

Singin' Sam aka Harry Frankel was a minstrel performer, vaudevillian and popular personality during the early days of radio. He was best known as "Singin' Sam, the Barbasol Man" for his long association with that company.

<i>Coke Studio</i> (Indian TV program) Indian music series

Coke Studio is an Indian music series featuring live musical performances by various artists, recorded in the studio. It showcases classical musical genres of the Indian subcontinent such as Hindustani, Carnatic, Indian folk, as well as contemporary hip hop, rock, and pop music. The program's concept originated in Brazil and has subsequently expanded its reach worldwide.

Joan Murray was the first African-American woman to report the news on a major network show. She was employed by CBS in 1965 after writing a letter to CBS-TV requesting they hire her as a news broadcaster.

Hollywood Hotel is an American radio program that was broadcast in the 1930s. It featured Hollywood stars in dramatized versions of then-current movies and "helped to make Hollywood an origination point for major radio programs." Radio historian John Dunning called the program, sponsored by Campbell Soup Company, "the most glamorous show of its time." The program was the inspiration for the 1937 Warner Brothers movie of the same title, which featured Louella Parsons as herself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joan Blaine</span> American actress (1900–1949)

Joan Blaine was an American actress best known for her work in soap operas on old-time radio.

Avalon Time is an American old-time radio comedy/variety program that ran from 1938 to 1940 on NBC's Red Network. The program was named after its sponsor, Avalon cigarettes. Over the course of its run, Avalon Time was also sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh Pipe Tobacco and the Bulova Watch Company.

Loretta Lee was an American singer in the first half of the 20th century.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dunning, John (May 7, 1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 624. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Kitty Carlisle Heads Stars in 'The Song Shop'". The St. Louis Star and Times. August 21, 1937. p. 16. Retrieved April 8, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "New Shows Ahead: Old Favorites Called Back to the Studios As Autumn Gives the Cue" . The New York Times. August 22, 1937. p. X 10. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Singin' Sam Sings". The Shreveport Journal. October 15, 1937. p. 6. Retrieved April 8, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Barrows, Nancy (December 1937). "Starting at the Top". Radio Stars. pp. 26–27, 62–65. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Kitty Carlisle Off 'Song Shop,' Virginia Rea Appears as Guest". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. January 14, 1938. p. 22. Retrieved April 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Orchestras - Music". Radio Daily. March 14, 1938. p. 5. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Main Street". Radio Daily. January 28, 1938. p. 4. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Radio Personals". Motion Picture Daily. September 21, 1937. p. 15. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Song Shop". Motion Picture Daily. September 13, 1957. p. 6. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 "'Coca Cola Song Shop'". Radio Daily. October 18, 1937. p. 7. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.