On This Day, August 28: Treasury Salute and The Frantics
Also featured: Bell Telephone Hour.
August 28 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 28 across American network radio, CBC Radio, BBC Radio 4, and syndication, Medal of Honor hero Captain Maurice Britt on Treasury Salute for War Bonds (1944), Canadian sketch comedy on The Frantics, Donald Voorhees conducting Turkey in the Straw on The Bell Telephone Hour, E.G. Marshall's CBS Radio Mystery Theater, Scotland Yard's Roger West on BBC, and the historical origin of Stephen Foster's Old Black Joe (1931–1998):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Captain Maurice Britt" | Syndicated Elec 1944-08-28 |
US Treasury Dept. War Finance / War Bonds |
Dramatic Military Cast | Treasury Staff | ["Docudrama", "Military", "Wartime", "Biography", "World War II"] |
A dramatic tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Captain Maurice Britt defending a critical hillside during intense combat at the Battle of Anzio. |
| "Chump Radio" | CBC Radio 1982-08-28 |
Sustaining CBC Sketch Comedy |
Rick Green, Dan Redican | Paul Chato & Wildman | ["Comedy", "Satire", "Sketch", "Canadian", "Parody"] |
The Canadian comedy troupe performs rapid-fire sketch satires spoofing sensationalist phone-in talk radio and commercial jingles. |
| "Turkey in the Straw" | NBC (WEAF) 1944-08-28 9:00 PM EWT |
Bell Telephone System Bell System Service |
Donald Voorhees | James Melton | ["Music", "Classical", "Folk", "Symphonic", "Americana"] |
Donald Voorhees conducts the orchestra in symphonic folk arrangements, featuring a virtuoso orchestral rendition of 'Turkey in the Straw'. |
| "The Eye of Death" | Syndicated Mystery 1998-08-28 |
Commercial Mystery Rebroadcast |
E.G. Marshall (Host) | Himan Brown (Producer) | ["Horror", "Mystery", "Occult", "Suspense", "Anthology"] |
A greedy art collector is cursed by visions of impending doom after purchasing an ancient gemstone carved in the shape of a cyclopean eye. |
| "Old Coppers Never Die" | BBC Radio 4 1971-08-28 |
Sustaining BBC Police Drama |
Patrick Barr, G. Matthews | John Creasey (Author) | ["Police Procedural", "Detective", "Mystery", "British", "Action"] |
Scotland Yard's Inspector Roger West races to protect a retired police detective targeted for assassination by an escaped convict. |
| "Old Black Joe" | Syndicated Elec 1931-08-28 |
Commercial Regional Sponsors |
Musical Narrator | Vocal Quartet | ["Music", "History", "Docudrama", "Americana", "Vocal"] |
A musical dramatization recounting Stephen Foster's inspiration and historical circumstances behind composing his 1860 parlor ballad 'Old Black Joe'. |