Victory Theater (radio series)

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Victory Theater
Genre Radio programs
Running time1 hour or 30 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Home station CBS Radio
Hosted by Cecil B. DeMille
Original releaseJuly 20 (1942-07-20) 
August 31, 1942 (1942-08-31)
No. of series1
No. of episodes7
Audio formatmono

Victory Theater is a CBS Radio network series that aired during the summer of 1942. [1] The series was created in collaboration with the U.S. government's Office of Facts and Figures, [2] which was then in the process of being consolidated under the Office of War Information. [3] During the summer a similar series, titled Victory Parade , was also created for NBC Radio. Both of these series were produced as part of the World War II war effort and were designed to unite American citizens in their support for the war and to persuade the public to buy war bonds.

Each week Victory Theater presented a special episode of one of CBS's popular nighttime programs. The actors and crew volunteered their services for free, and the programs ran under government sponsorship, instead of under the usual commercial sponsorship. For their efforts, artists on both shows received a silver "V-for-Victory" pin. [4] Victory Theater aired in the Lux Radio Theatre's traditional timeslot (initially as a one-hour program, subsequently as a half-hour program followed by an unrelated music program). Lux's Cecil B. DeMille was the host of Victory Theater, speaking for the sponsoring United States government.

While eight episodes were initially planned, [5] only seven were ultimately produced. The eighth program, originally intended for September 7th, was to have featured comedian Fred Allen. [6]

List of episodes

Broadcast dateParticipating programLengthCitations and notes
1942-07-20 Lux Radio Theatre [5] 60 minutesOne-hour adaptation of the film The Philadelphia Story , featuring the original stars Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart and Cary Grant
1942-07-27 Your Hit Parade [7] 30 minutesFeaturing Joan Edwards, Barry Wood, Martin Block, and Mark Warnow’s Orchestra
1942-08-03 Major Bowes' Amateurs [8] 30 minutesChristina Carroll, coloratura soprano singer, joined by amateur sailors and soldiers
1942-08-10 The First Nighter Program [9] 30 minutes“Nest of Eagles”, starring Les Tremayne and Barbara Luddy
1942-08-17 Big Town [10] 30 minutes“What America Means to You”, starring Edward G. Robinson
1942-08-24 Amos 'n' Andy [11] 30 minutes"Love Comes to Andy Brown" starring Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden, with guests Victor Moore and Edward Arnold

Note: This was the first time the program was presented in an expanded half-hour form. Initial plans for this date were for a presentation by musician and humorist Bob Burns [6]

1942-08-31 The Screen Guild Theater [12] 30 minutesThirty-minute adaptation of the film Joe Smith, American , featuring original star Robert Young, with Ruth Hussey

Instead of the previously planned September 7th episode featuring comedian Fred Allen, CBS ran the final episode of Norman Corwin's summer series An American in England, moving it up one hour to fill the Victory Theater's timeslot. Some contemporary newspaper listings and other sources, however, incorrectly show Victory Theater as still airing an eighth episode on this date. Ironically, Corwin's shortwave broadcast ended up being badly compromised by atmospherics. [13]

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 "Victory Theater Premiere Stars Hepburn, Stewart, Grant Tonight". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 20, 1942. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Si Steinhauser (July 14, 1942). "Radio Stations Seek Records For Soldiers". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 27. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  7. "Features Today". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 27, 1942. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  8. "Heifetz Will Present All-Russian Concert". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). August 3, 1942. p. 19. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  9. ""Great Artists Series" To Star James Melton". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). August 10, 1942. p. 11. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  10. "Edward Arnold to Play Lead on 'Cavalcade' Drama". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). August 17, 1942. p. 17. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  11. "Amos 'n' Andy to Be Featured in War Show". Berkeley Daily Gazette. August 24, 1942. p. 14. Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  12. "Features Today". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 31, 1942. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved August 15, 2025.
  13. Dunning, John (1998). "An American in England". On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 26–27. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved August 15, 2025.