Victory Parade (radio series)

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Victory Parade
Genre Radio programs
Running time30 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Home station NBC Radio
Hosted by Lionel Barrymore
Original releaseJune 7 (1942-06-07) 
August 23, 1942 (1942-08-23)
No. of series1
No. of episodes12
Audio formatmono

Victory Parade is a radio series that was broadcast through the summer of 1942 by NBC Radio. [1] It was developed in cooperation with the U.S. government's Office of Facts and Figures, [2] an agency which at the time was in the process of being consolidated under the Office of War Information. [3] A similar series, airing on CBS Radio and titled Victory Theater , was also developed at the same time. Both series were the networks' contribution to the World War II war effort. The shows encouraged the American public to support the war effort and to buy war bonds.

Each week Victory Parade aired a special version of one of NBC's well-known prime time series. The facilities and the services of the actors and crew were supplied at no charge to the government. The usual commercials were replaced by government messaging. The artists who participated on these shows received "V-for-Victory" silver pins. [4]

Initially Victory Parade served as the summer replacement for The Jack Benny Program . In July, it began airing a half-hour earlier, in The Great Gildersleeve's usual timeslot. This move made room for the new summer series The Remarkable Miss Tuttle, starring Edna May Oliver. Lionel Barrymore was the host of Victory Parade, serving as the "Voice of the Government". [5] [6] The series ran for twelve weeks.

List of episodes

Broadcast dateParticipamts / programsLengthDetails / citations
1942-06-07 Baby Snooks [7] 30 minutesCast of Maxwell House Coffee Time. Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks, with Frank Morgan, John Conte and Meredith Willson's Orchestra
1942-06-14 Red Skelton [8] 30 minutesRed Skelton with the cast of his The Raleigh Cigarette Program .

Note: This substituted for the previously planned episode of Mr. District Attorney , [9] which would eventually air July 19th

1942-06-21 The Rudy Vallée Show [5] 30 minutes Rudy Vallée, joined by Charles Laughton. Groucho Marx, Gloria Warren and Joan Davis. Songs Included "We're Taking Off" and "Song of the Vagabonds"
1942-06-28 George Burns and Gracie Allen [10] 30 minutes George Burns, Gracie Allen, and the cast of The Burns and Allen Show , including Clarence Nash as Herman the Duck, with Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
1942-07-05 Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy [6] 30 minutes Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy, with the cast of The Chase and Sanborn Program , including Don Ameche, Janet Blair and Ray Noble's orchestra

Note: Victory Parade was now airing a half-hour earlier, making way for the summer series The Remarkable Mrs. Tuttle [6] [11]

1942-07-12 Fibber McGee and Molly [12] 30 minutes Jim Jordan and Marian Jordan, with Gale Gordon as Mayor LaTrivia, Bill Thompson as The Old Timer, Isabel Randolph as Mrs. Uppington, the Billy Mills Orchestra and the singing group, the King's Men
1942-07-19 Mr. District Attorney [13] 30 minutes Jay Jostyn and Vicki Vola in "The Case of the Whispered Word"
1942-07-26 The Great Gildersleeve [14] 30 minutes Harold Peary starring as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, and cast.
1942-08-02 Bob Hope [15] 30 minutes Bob Hope at March Field air force base in California. The cast of The Pepsodent Show , including Jerry Colonna, Barbara Jo Allen as Vera Vague, Frances Langford, the singing group Six Hits and a Miss and the John Scott Trotter Orchestra
1942-08-09 Kollege of Musical Knowledge [16] 30 minutes"The Ol' Professor" Kay Kyser and his musical "students".
1942-08-16 Truth or Consequences [17] 30 minutesGame show host Ralph Edwards at Mitchel Field air force base in Long Island, New York. Cadets were selected as the participants
1942-08-23 The Jack Benny Program [18] 30 minutes Jack Benny and his cast, including Dennis Day, Mary Livingstone, Don Wilson and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson. Meredith Willson and his orchestra substituting for the touring Phil Harris

Note: A special episode of The Aldrich Family was reportedly also planned, but did not get produced. [19]

References

  1. Dunning, John (1998). "The Victory Parade and The Victory Theater". On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 703. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  2. "Set Show Lineup for NBC, CBS Victory Series". Billboard. June 13, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  3. "Weekly News Analysis". Lafayette Ledger (Minnesota). Western Newspaper Union. June 26, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  4. "Radio Day By Day". The Reading Eagle. July 15, 1942. p. 16. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Walt Disney Interview,"Bambi" Music to Feature "Show of Yesterday and Today"". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). June 21, 1942. p. C-8. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Local Newspapermen Are Scheduled to Broadcast". Berkeley Daily Gazette (California). July 4, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  7. "Victory Parade To Be Launched". The Pittsburgh Press. June 7, 1942. p. 3 (Section 4). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  8. "Variety". Toledo Blade (Ohio). June 13, 1942. p. 4 (Peach Section). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  9. "President Heard By Transcription". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 13, 1942. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  10. "Sunday's Selections". Toledo Blade (Ohio). June 27, 1942. p. 4 (Peach Section). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  11. Dunning, John. "The Remarkable Miss Tuttle". On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). p. 574. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  12. ""Quiz Kids" Begin Sunday Blue Network Program over WFMJ at 7:30 Tonight". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). June 12, 1942. p. C-6. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  13. "Toscanini to Direct North American Premiere of Shostakovich's 7th Symphony". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). June 19, 1942. p. A-14. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  14. "Sunday's Selections". Toledo Blade (Ohio). June 25, 1942. p. 4 (Peach Section). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  15. "New Operetta Tells American History Incident". Berkeley Daily Gazette (California). August 1, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  16. "British Actors to Perform In Sunday Radio Feature". Berkeley Daily Gazette (California). August 8, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  17. "Don McNeill Will Call the Questions Tonight for Quiz Kids' Weekly Session". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). August 16, 1942. p. C-8. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  18. "Pierre Van Paassen Will Replace Walter Winchell on Weekly Journal Program". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). August 23, 1942. p. C-8. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  19. Vincent Johnson (June 5, 1942). "New Program Series to Aid U.S. War Effort Will Begin Sunday". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved August 15, 2025.