On This Day, August 25: Bette Davis and Glenn Ford (Lux)
Also featured: Edward R. Murrow, Mr. District Attorney.
August 25 Exhaustive Update
This report documents the comprehensive provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial multi-part narrative arcs, and story synopses for historical broadcasts transmitting on August 25 across American network, Hollywood screen royalty starring Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, classic courtroom crime dramas, live shortwave Battle of Britain broadcasts by Edward R. Murrow, comedic husband-and-wife detective mysteries, and wartime commentary (1940–1947):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Case of the Floating Corpse (Jay Jostyn as Mr. D.A. — Vitalis)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1943-08-25 9:30 PM EWT |
Bristol-Myers Vitalis Hair & Ipana |
Jay Jostyn (Mr. D.A.), Vicki Vola, Len Doyle | Edward Byron (Director), Fred Cole | ["Detective", "Courtroom", "Crime", "Procedural", "Legal"] |
"Mr. District Attorney! Champion of the people, defender of truth and justice!" Paul Garrett and investigator Harrington trace a corpse fished out of the East River to an underworld dockside smuggling racket and life insurance scam for Vitalis. |
| "The Case of the Burnt Copper Powder (Les Tremayne & Alice Reinheart — Helbros)" | Mutual (WOR) 1946-08-25 5:30 PM EDT |
Helbros Watch Co. Helbros Watches |
Les Tremayne (Pat), Alice Reinheart (Jean) | Frances Crane, Harry Ingram, Frank Gallup | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Comedy", "Romantic Comedy", "Crime"] |
"The Abbott Mysteries, presented by Helbros Watches!" Sleuthing husband-and-wife team Pat and Jean Abbott investigate the puzzling murder of an eccentric metallurgist found poisoned in his chemical laboratory beside a pile of scorched copper powder. |
| "The Baron's Dilemma (Starring Adolphe Menjou & Lurene Tuttle — Skippy)" | NBC Pacific 1945-08-25 9:30 PM EWT |
Rosefield Packing Skippy Peanut Butter |
Adolphe Menjou, Lurene Tuttle, Elliott Lewis | Les Mitchel (Producer/Dir.), Ken Niles | ["Drama", "Anthology", "Hollywood", "Comedy", "Romance"] |
"Skippy Hollywood Theatre, America's favorite dramatic half-hour!" Dapper Hollywood star Adolphe Menjou plays an impoverished European aristocrat who attempts to marry a wealthy American heiress, only to fall hopelessly in love with her clever companion for Skippy Peanut Butter. |
| "Lord Mountbatten Named Supreme Commander of SEAC (Gabriel Heatter — Barbasol)" | Mutual (WOR) 1943-08-25 9:00 PM EWT |
Barbasol Co. Barbasol Shaving Cream |
Gabriel Heatter (Host & Commentator) | Mutual News Operations, Frank Singiser | ["News", "Commentary", "World War II", "Military", "Analysis"] |
"Ah, there's good news tonight!" Gabriel Heatter delivers dramatic wartime commentary on the appointment of Lord Louis Mountbatten as Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command (SEAC) to spearhead Allied offensives against Imperial Japan for Barbasol. |
| "A Stolen Life (Starring Bette Davis & Glenn Ford — Lux Radio Theatre)" | CBS (KNX) 1947-08-25 9:00 PM EDT |
Lever Brothers Co. Lux Toilet Soap & Flakes |
Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, William Keighley | William Keighley (Dir.), John M. Kennedy | ["Drama", "Hollywood", "Romance", "Psychological", "Adaptation"] |
"Lux presents Hollywood!" Bette Davis recreates her tour-de-force film role as twin sisters Kate and Patricia Bosworth opposite Glenn Ford, portraying a woman who assumes the identity of her drowned twin sister to win back the man she loves for Lux Soap. |
| "Live from London: The Battle of Britain Blitz (Edward R. Murrow — CBS)" | CBS (WABC) 1940-08-25 6:45 PM EDST |
Sustaining CBS News Operations |
Edward R. Murrow (London), Bob Trout (NY) | Paul White (News Director), CBS News | ["News", "World War II", "Historical", "Live", "Journalism"] |
"This is London..." Edward R. Murrow broadcasts live from London during the Battle of Britain, describing the psychological toll and resilience of British civilians following nighttime German air raids and incendiary bombs. |