On This Day, August 23: George Gershwin and Don Ameche
Also featured: Cesar Romero.
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 network and Chicago broadcasting history (1935–1972):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Story of George Gershwin (Mutual Benefit of Omaha)" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-08-23 8:30 PM EWT |
Mutual of Omaha Mutual Benefit Health & Accident |
Donald Cook (George Gershwin), Mercedes McCambridge | Walter Lurie (Director), Frank Waldecker (Announcer) | ["Docudrama", "Biographical", "Music", "Historical", "Drama"] |
The inspiring biographical dramatization of legendary American composer George Gershwin, tracing his rise from a self-taught Brooklyn piano song-plugger in Tin Pan Alley to the triumphant world premiere of 'Rhapsody in Blue' at Aeolian Hall. |
| "All Aboard for the Moon (Starring Don Ameche & June Meredith — Italian Balm)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1935-08-23 10:00 PM EDST |
Campana Sales Co. Campana Italian Balm & Dreskin |
Don Ameche, June Meredith, Charles P. Hughes | Anthony Wayne (Writer), Joe Ainley, Pierre Andre | ["Comedy", "Sci-Fi", "Romance", "Anthology", "Drama"] |
From the Little Theater Off Times Square, Don Ameche and June Meredith star in a delightful romantic sci-fi fantasy about an eccentric young inventor who builds a backyard rocket ship to the moon to impress his skeptical sweetheart. |
| "There Goes the Bridegroom (Starring Barbara Luddy & Olan Soule — Campana)" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-08-23 9:30 PM EWT |
Campana Sales Co. Campana Italian Balm & Solitair |
Barbara Luddy, Olan Soule, Marvin Miller | Virginia Safford (Writer), Joe Ainley, Vincent Pelletier | ["Comedy", "Romance", "Anthology", "Drama"] |
Barbara Luddy and Olan Soule star in a chaotic romantic comedy about a panicked young groom who accidentally locks himself inside a bank safe on the morning of his high-society wedding. |
| "Chuck Schaden Interviews Cesar Romero (WNIB Chicago)" | WNIB 97.1 FM 1972-08-23 (Those Were the Days) |
Sustaining WNIB Historical Archive |
Chuck Schaden (Host), Cesar Romero (Guest) | Chuck Schaden (Producer / Historian) | ["Interview", "History", "Oral History", "Hollywood", "Retrospective"] |
Radio historian Chuck Schaden interviews Hollywood debonair leading man Cesar Romero, discussing his memories of Golden Age radio guest appearances, film career at 20th Century Fox, and his iconic television portrayal of the Joker. |
| "The Case of the Missing Heiress (Starring William Gargan as Ross Dolan)" | ABC (WJZ) 1947-08-23 8:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining ABC Mystery Presentation |
William Gargan (Ross Dolan), Lurene Tuttle | Ted Hediger (Writer), Leonard Reeg, Dresser Dahlstead | ["Detective", "Hardboiled", "Mystery", "Crime", "Noir"] |
Tough ex-Navy private eye Ross Dolan is hired to locate an elusive socialite heiress who vanished from a Beverly Hills sanatorium, uncovering a ruthless blackmail and murder scheme orchestrated by her doctor. |
| "Ladies in Retirement (Starring Brenda Forbes & Cathleen Nesbitt — Best Plays)" | NBC (WNBC) 1953-08-23 8:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining NBC Theater Presentation |
John Chapman (Host), Brenda Forbes, Cathleen Nesbitt | Reginald Denham & Edward Percy, Kenneth MacGregor | ["Drama", "Suspense", "Thriller", "Psychological", "Theater"] |
In the Victorian psychological thriller Ladies in Retirement, a devoted companion murders her wealthy eccentric benefactress to secure a permanent country home for her two impoverished, deranged sisters, burying the corpse inside a brick oven. |