On This Day, August 23: Superman Serials and Ray Bradbury 90th Special
Also featured: Son of Cliché.
August 23 Exhaustive Update
This report documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, serial multi-part narrative arcs, alternate circulating titles, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 23 across American and British broadcasting history (1940–2010):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Tomorrow's Child (Ray Bradbury 90th Birthday Special)" | PRI / BYU Radio 2010-08-23 (Birthday Special) |
Non-commercial Corporation for Public Broadcasting |
Ray Bradbury (Birthday Intro), Paul Frees, Ron Frederickson | Mike McDonough (Adapter & Producer), BYU Radio | ["Science Fiction", "Drama", "Speculative", "Anthology"] |
In a special 90th birthday broadcast honoring Ray Bradbury, the author introduces the dramatic adaptation of Tomorrow's Child, exploring the emotional struggle of parents whose newborn infant is born into an incomprehensible fourth dimension. |
| "Son of Cliché (Series 1, Episode 1) — Rob Grant & Doug Naylor" | BBC Radio 4 1983-08-23 10:30 PM |
Non-commercial BBC Public Service |
Chris Barrie, Nick Maloney, Nick Wilton, Amanda Swift | Rob Grant & Doug Naylor (Writers), Mike Craig (Producer) | ["Comedy", "Satire", "Sketch", "Parody", "British"] |
Future Red Dwarf creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor launch their groundbreaking sketch comedy series, lampooning bureaucratic council ceremonies with a disastrous public park dedication and featuring Chris Barrie's razor-sharp vocal impressions. |
| "The Kingsmen Quartet with Special Guest Dorothy Kirsten" | NBC (WNBC) 1949-08-23 7:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining NBC Music Presentation |
The Kingsmen Quartet (Ken Darby), Dorothy Kirsten (Soprano) | Ken Darby (Music Director), Frank Gallop (Announcer) | ["Music", "Vocal", "Barbershop", "Easy Listening"] |
Ken Darby and The Kingsmen vocal quartet harmonize with Metropolitan Opera soprano Dorothy Kirsten, performing Broadway show tunes and traditional Americana ballads including 'Summertime' and 'Stars in My Eyes'. |
| "The Mayan Treasure (Part 6 of 6) — The Fiery Lava Climax" | Mutual (WOR) 1940-08-23 5:15 PM EDST |
Sustaining Mutual Youth Serial |
Bud Collyer (Superman), Joan Alexander (Lois), Julian Noa | Siegel & Shuster (Creators), George Lowther (Director) | ["Superhero", "Action", "Adventure", "Children", "Serial"] |
In Part 6 and the thrilling serial climax of The Mayan Treasure, Superman flies deep into the crumbling subterranean ruins of a Yucatan pyramid to rescue Lois Lane and Professor Henderson from a fiery underground lava trap, capturing the treasure-hunting bandits. |
| "The Civil Air Patrol (Part 4) — Kellogg's Pep Cereal" | Mutual (WOR) 1943-08-23 5:15 PM EWT |
Kellogg Company Kellogg's Pep Cereal |
Bud Collyer (Superman), Jackie Kelk (Jimmy Olsen), Julian Noa | Robert & Jessica Maxwell (Writers), Jackson Beck (Announcer) | ["Superhero", "Action", "Adventure", "War", "Serial"] |
In Part 4 of The Civil Air Patrol, Clark Kent and cub reporter Jimmy Olsen investigate suspected enemy saboteurs signaling Axis submarines off the Atlantic coast, flying with the youth patrol as Superman intercepts a rogue seaplane. |
| "Ghosts of the Air (Part 7) — The Invisible Plane (Kellogg's Pep)" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-08-23 5:15 PM EWT |
Kellogg Company Kellogg's Pep Cereal |
Bud Collyer (Superman), Joan Alexander (Lois), Jackie Kelk | B.P. Freeman (Writer), George Lowther (Director) | ["Superhero", "Action", "Adventure", "Science Fiction", "Serial"] |
In Part 7 of Ghosts of the Air, Superman battles an invisible high-altitude aircraft piloted by an international criminal syndicate that has been vanishing commercial passenger planes mid-flight over the Midwest. |