On This Day, August 25: Fitch Bandwagon (Ted Fio Rito) and OWI Wartime Fats
Also featured: Kalimán.
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 and Latin American networks, Ted Fio Rito & Candy Candido on The Fitch Bandwagon, Harlow Wilcox delivering an urgent wartime salvage bulletin for the Office of War Information, country legend Eddy Arnold on The Howard Miller Show for Wrigley's Gum, Kalimán facing Mayan fire traps in Los Misterios de Bonampak (Capítulo 45), and Johnny Olsen hosting NBC's Second Chance (1940–1967):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Ted Fio Rito & Candy Candido (The Fitch Bandwagon — NBC Red)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1940-08-25 7:30 PM EDST |
F.W. Fitch Co. Fitch Shampoo & Hair Tonic |
Ted Fio Rito Orchestra, Candy Candido | L.W. Ramsey Agency, Toby Reed | ["Music", "Big Band", "Swing", "Variety", "Comedy"] |
"The Fitch Bandwagon, brought to you by the F.W. Fitch Company, makers of Fitch Dandruff Remover Shampoo!" Maestro Ted Fio Rito and his Orchestra take the Bandwagon stage featuring novelty bassist Candy Candido singing 'I'm Feeling Mighty Low' in his trademark gravelly voice, alongside swinging dance numbers and hair tonic commercials. |
| "Save Used Kitchen Fats for Munitions (Harlow Wilcox — OWI Wartime Bulletin)" | All Networks 1943-08-25 (Network Relay) |
U.S. Govt / OWI War Production Board |
Harlow Wilcox (OWI Announcer) | OWI Radio Bureau, War Ad Council | ["Documentary", "Historical", "Public Affairs", "Educational", "World War II"] |
"An urgent wartime message from your Government's Office of War Information!" American homemakers are urged to pour every tablespoon of used kitchen frying grease into clean tin cans and bring them to local meat markets, explaining how waste fat produces vital glycerin needed to manufacture gunpowder, high-explosive artillery shells, and battlefield medicines. |
| "Guest Eddy Arnold (Part 1: 10:45 AM — Howard Miller — Wrigley's Gum)" | CBS (WBBM) 1955-08-25 10:45 AM EDT |
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. Wrigley's Spearmint Gum |
Howard Miller (DJ/Host), Eddy Arnold | CBS Radio Chicago | ["Talk", "Music", "Country", "Interview", "Americana"] |
"The Howard Miller Show, brought to you by Wrigley's Spearmint Gum!" Chicago's top radio disc jockey Howard Miller welcomes country music legend Eddy Arnold (The Tennessee Plowboy) for an in-studio interview discussing his latest RCA Victor recordings and singing 'Cattle Call' for Wrigley's Gum. |
| "Guest Eddy Arnold (Part 2: 11:00 AM — Howard Miller — Wrigley's Gum)" | CBS (WBBM) 1955-08-25 11:00 AM EDT |
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. Wrigley's Spearmint & Juicy Fruit |
Howard Miller (DJ/Host), Eddy Arnold | CBS Radio Chicago | ["Talk", "Music", "Country", "Interview", "Americana"] |
"The Howard Miller Show on CBS Radio!" In the second half of this morning broadcast, host Howard Miller chats with Eddy Arnold about his national touring schedule, his transition to television, and spins his hit ballad 'I Really Don't Want to Know' for Wrigley's Spearmint Gum. |
| "Los Misterios de Bonampak (Capítulo 45 — Luis Manuel Pelayo como Kalimán)" | XEW / RCN 1967-08-25 (Syndicated) |
Sustaining Superhero Adventure Serial |
Luis Manuel Pelayo (Kalimán), Luis de Alba | Modesto Vázquez, Manuel Canseco | ["Adventure", "Superheroes", "Latin American", "Action", "Mystery"] |
"¡Kalimán, el hombre increíble! Caballero con los hombres, galante con las mujeres, tierno con los niños, implacable con los malvados... En el Capítulo 45 de 'Los Misterios de Bonampak', Kalimán y su fiel discípulo Solín descienden a las catacumbas secretas de la selva maya para rescatar a la expedición arqueológica antes de que la trampa de fuego sagrado se active." |
| "Mike Morgan's Second Chance (Johnny Olsen — NBC Human Interest)" | NBC (WNBC) 1953-08-25 11:45 AM EDT |
Sustaining Human Interest Drama |
Johnny Olsen (Host), Mike Morgan | John Loviton, Joseph Mansfield, Jack Costello | ["Human Interest", "Biography", "Drama", "Docudrama", "Inspirational"] |
"NBC presents Second Chance! The radio program that proves that in America, every man and woman deserves another opportunity to rebuild their life!" Host Johnny Olsen interviews Mike Morgan, a former factory worker whose life was derailed by financial hardship, presenting his inspiring true story of redemption and community support to start a new livelihood. |