On This Day, August 25: The Whistler (2 Decades) and Dick Tracy
Also featured: You Are There (Pompeii).
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, psychological suspense noir starring Bill Forman as The Whistler, on-the-scene historical recreation of the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., classic juvenile adventure serials, and West Coast cool jazz (1946–1959):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story-First Plot Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Modern West Coast Cool Jazz (Bob Hardwick — KOMO Seattle)" | KOMO Seattle 1959-08-25 10:30 PM PST |
Sustaining Modern Jazz Showcase |
Bob Hardwick (Host / DJ) | KOMO Music Operations | ["Music", "Jazz", "Cool Jazz", "West Coast Jazz", "Disc Jockey"] |
"Jazz Today from the studios of KOMO Seattle!" Host Bob Hardwick spins progressive West Coast cool jazz recordings and spotlights the sophisticated modal innovations of Dave Brubeck's Time Out sessions and Stan Getz tenor solos. |
| "The Case of the Counterfeit Diamonds (Part 1 — Matt Crowley — Quaker Oats)" | ABC (WJZ) 1947-08-25 5:00 PM EDT |
The Quaker Oats Co. Quaker Puffed Wheat |
Matt Crowley (Dick Tracy), Walter Kinsella | Charles Powers (Dir.), Ed Herlihy | ["Detective", "Juvenile", "Action", "Adventure", "Police"] |
"Dick Tracy! Protector of law and order!" In Part 1 of The Case of the Counterfeit Diamonds, Dick Tracy and Pat Patton track a syndicate of jewel thieves who swapped synthetic diamonds for a priceless museum collection for Quaker Puffed Wheat. |
| "The Apache Gold Ambush (Part 1 — Johnny Thomas — Tip-Top Bread)" | ABC (WJZ) 1947-08-25 5:15 PM EDT |
Ward Baking Co. Tip-Top Bread & Cakes |
Johnny Thomas (Tennessee Jed) | Howard Carraway, Court Benson | ["Western", "Juvenile", "Adventure", "Frontier", "Action"] |
"Tennessee Jed! Scout of the frontier, with his deadly rifle 'Thunder'!" In Part 1 of The Apache Gold Ambush, frontier scout Tennessee Jed Sloan guards a government bullion wagon crossing treacherous canyon country against renegade bandits for Tip-Top Bread. |
| "Stolen Murder (Bill Forman as The Whistler — Signal Oil)" | CBS Pacific 1946-08-25 8:00 PM PST |
Signal Oil Co. Signal Gasoline & Oil |
Bill Forman (The Whistler), Gerald Mohr | George W. Allen (Dir.), Marvin Miller | ["Suspense", "Noir", "Psychological", "Crime", "Mystery"] |
"I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night..." A greedy nephew plots the cold-blooded poisoning of his wealthy uncle, only to discover that another family member has beaten him to the murder and framed him for the deed for Signal Oil. |
| "The Blackmailer's Little Red Book (Bill Forman — Signal Oil)" | CBS Pacific 1955-08-25 8:30 PM PDT |
Signal Oil Co. Signal Gasoline & Hancock |
Bill Forman (The Whistler), Jack Moyles | Sterling Tracy (Dir.), Bob Anderson | ["Suspense", "Noir", "Psychological", "Crime", "Mystery"] |
"I am the Whistler... and I know the strange tale of a man who believed a little red ledger held his fortune..." A corrupt accountant blackmails corporate executives using an incriminating red ledger, unaware that his own accomplice is maneuvering him into a fatal trap. |
| "The Last Day of Pompeii: August 25, 79 A.D. (John Daly — CBS)" | CBS (WCBS) 1947-08-25 9:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Historical Docudrama |
John Daly (Anchor), Don Hollenbeck | Irve Tunick, Robert Lewis Shayon | ["Historical", "Drama", "Docudrama", "Disaster", "Educational"] |
"August 25th, 79 A.D., and You Are There! The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii!" CBS news correspondents report live from the streets of ancient Pompeii as black volcanic ash rains down and citizens flee the doomed Roman city. |