On This Day, August 27: Lucille Ball and Ronald Reagan
Also featured: Death Valley Sheriff.
August 27 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 27 across American network radio and the BBC, live CBS war reporting on the Liberation of Paris, A.J. Alan's Dartmoor mystery on the BBC, Lucille Ball & Richard Denning in My Favorite Husband for Jell-O, space opera thrills on Captain Starr of Space, Ronald Reagan pitching in Stars Over Hollywood for Dial Soap, and Ruth Cornwall Woodman's desert mystery Death Valley Sheriff for 20 Mule Team Borax (1944–1975):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "World News Today (Liberation of Paris)" | CBS (WABC) 1944-08-27 2:00 PM EWT |
Sustaining World News Roundup |
Douglas Edwards, Charles Collingwood | Winston Burdett, CBS News | ["News", "Journalism", "Wartime", "Historical", "Live Broadcast"] |
Correspondents report on the enthusiastic street celebrations in liberated Paris and Allied armored divisions pursuing German forces to the Marne. |
| "A.J. Alan — My Adventure on Dartmoor" | BBC Radio 4 1975-08-27 8:45 AM |
Sustaining BBC Morning Story |
David Davis (Narrator) | A.J. Alan (Author) | ["Storytelling", "British", "Mystery", "Humor", "Short Story"] |
A classic, dryly humorous storytelling narrative about a bizarre motorist breakdown on foggy Dartmoor that leads to an uncanny country house encounter. |
| "Is Your Ship of Matrimony on the Rocks?" | CBS (WCBS) 1948-08-27 9:00 PM EDT |
General Foods Jell-O Puddings & Gelatin |
Lucille Ball, Richard Denning, Gale Gordon | Jess Oppenheimer & Team | ["Sitcom", "Comedy", "Domestic", "Marriage", "Americana"] |
Liz Cugat takes a magazine marriage compatibility quiz and convinces herself that her happy marriage to George is quietly falling apart. |
| "Perils of the Nebula" | ABC (WABC) 1953-08-27 5:30 PM |
Sustaining Space Adventure |
John Larch (Captain Starr), Tom Hubbard | Dick Carr (Writer) | ["Sci-Fi", "Space Opera", "Juvenile", "Adventure", "Action"] |
Captain Starr navigates his patrol spaceship through a magnetic cosmic dust cloud while dodging asteroid mines planted by interplanetary smugglers. |
| "Seventh Inning Stretch" | CBS (WCBS) 1949-08-27 1:00 PM EDT |
Armour and Co. Dial Soap & Chiffon |
Ronald Reagan, Mary Shipp | Paul Pierce (Director) | ["Drama", "Baseball", "Sports", "Hollywood", "Anthology"] |
A veteran minor league baseball pitcher nearing the end of his career gets one final, dramatic opportunity to pitch his team into the championship. |
| "Big Joe" | CBS (WCBS) 1948-08-27 9:30 PM EDT |
Pacific Coast Borax 20 Mule Team Borax |
Bob Valiant (Sheriff Chase), Arthur Allen | Ruth Cornwall Woodman | ["Western", "Mystery", "Crime", "Frontier", "Adventure"] |
Sheriff Mark Chase investigates when a gentle giant prospector nicknamed Big Joe is framed for the armed robbery of a desert mining exchange. |