On This Day, August 23: Eugene O'Neill and Loretta Lynn
Also featured: The Line-Up.
August 23 Exhaustive Update
This report documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 23 across American and public broadcasting history (1937–1985):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Eugene O'Neill's The Straw (Starring Peggy Wood & Frank Lovejoy)" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1937-08-23 9:30 PM EDST |
Sustaining NBC Cultural Drama |
Peggy Wood (Eileen Carmody), Frank Lovejoy, Joseph Bell | Eugene O'Neill (Author), Lester Vail, Frank Black | ["Drama", "Anthology", "Literature", "Tragedy"] |
In Eugene O'Neill's tragic medical romance The Straw, an impoverished young woman convalescing at a tuberculosis sanatorium falls deeply in love with an ambitious newspaperman whose hope gives her the courage to fight for life. |
| "The Fluffed Fraternal Fidelity Case (Starring Bill Johnstone & Wally Maher)" | CBS (WCBS) 1951-08-23 9:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining CBS Mystery Presentation |
Bill Johnstone (Lt. Guthrie), Wally Maher (Sgt. Grebb) | Blake Edwards & Morton Fine (Writers), Jaime del Valle | ["Detective", "Police Procedural", "Crime", "Mystery"] |
Lieutenant Ben Guthrie and Sergeant Matt Grebb of the San Francisco Police Department investigate the execution-style murder of a fraternal lodge treasurer whose safe deposit box was cleaned out during a midnight break-in. |
| "The Mind's Eye: Soundscapes of Consciousness (NPR Radio Drama)" | NPR 1983-08-23 8:00 PM |
CPB & NEA Public Broadcasting |
Bob Sessions, John Baddeley, Kerry Shale | Erik Bauersfeld (Producer), Bob Lewis (Announcer) | ["Drama", "Experimental", "Science Fiction", "Anthology"] |
A visionary radio soundscape exploring cognitive perception and human consciousness through experimental binaural audio sound design, internal monologue, and surreal acoustic dreamscapes. |
| "Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows (Bernard Cribbins & Michael Hordern)" | NPR 1985-08-23 8:00 PM |
CPB Public Broadcasting |
Bernard Cribbins (Toad), Michael Hordern, Ian Carmichael | Kenneth Grahame (Author), John Wells, Simon Brett | ["Fantasy", "Children's", "Literature", "British", "Adventure"] |
Adapted from Kenneth Grahame's riverbank classic The Wind in the Willows, Rat, Mole, and Badger attempt to cure the reckless, motorcar-obsessed Mr. Toad before his wild escapades lead to the loss of Toad Hall. |
| "Grand Ole Opry: Porter Wagoner & The Wagonmasters (Prince Albert Tobacco)" | WSM Nashville 1958-08-23 8:30 PM CST |
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco |
Porter Wagoner, Norma Jean, Wagonmasters, Minnie Pearl | WSM Opry, Grant Turner (Announcer), Live Ryman Auditorium | ["Country", "Music", "Live", "Variety", "Bluegrass"] |
The "Thin Man from West Plains" Porter Wagoner and his Wagonmasters headline the Prince Albert segment live from Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, performing 'A Satisfied Mind' and 'Dear Lonesome' alongside country comedy by Cousin Minnie Pearl. |
| "Grand Ole Opry: Loretta Lynn Performs 'Woman of the World' (Martha White)" | WSM Nashville 1969-08-23 9:00 PM CDT |
Martha White Mills Martha White Flour & Corn Meal |
Loretta Lynn, Ernest Tubb & Texas Troubadours | WSM Opry, Grant Turner (Announcer), Live Ryman Auditorium | ["Country", "Music", "Live", "Variety", "Bluegrass"] |
Country music superstar Loretta Lynn takes the Ryman Auditorium stage to perform her smash hit single 'Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone)' and 'Fist City', accompanied by Texas Troubadour Ernest Tubb for Martha White Flour. |