On This Day, August 29: Jack Benny and Rudy Vallee
Also featured: Presenting Charles Boyer.
August 29 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 29 across American network radio, armed forces syndication, and Australian drama, Jack Benny & Mary Livingstone on The Jell-O Program with George Olsen's orchestra (1932), Rudy Vallee welcoming dialect comedian Alan Reed & Xavier Cugat for Sealtest (1940), Charles Boyer as an international courier in postwar Venice (1950), Brian Aherne in The Saint, the USAF Band's Serenade in Blue, and Australian stage drama on WCRS Radio Stage (1932–2000):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Black Market on the Range" | CBS (WABC) 1945-08-29 8:00 PM EWT |
Campbell Soup Co. Campbell's Soups |
Brian Aherne, Arthur | Leslie Charteris (Author) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Action", "Adventure", "Crime"] |
Simon Templar travels to a Nevada cattle ranch to expose an illegal black-market slaughterhouse operation supplying stolen wartime beef. |
| "Guest Alan Reed and Peg LaCentra" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1940-08-29 9:30 PM EDST |
National Dairy Sealtest Milk & Ice Cream |
Rudy Vallee, Reed | Xavier Cugat Orchestra | ["Variety", "Comedy", "Music", "Vocal", "Big Band"] |
Rudy Vallee welcomes comedic dialect actor Alan Reed for satirical skits and presents vocal ballads backed by Xavier Cugat's orchestra. |
| "The Watch (Story 8)" | WCRS Australia 2000-08-29 |
Sustaining Australian Audio Drama |
Dramatic Repertory | WCRS Drama Staff | ["Drama", "Australian", "Family", "Mystery", "Anthology"] |
An antique pocket watch passed down through three generations of an Australian family reveals a forgotten wartime secret. |
| "Strange World Monologue with Jack Benny" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1932-08-29 9:30 PM EDST |
General Foods Jell-O Gelatin |
Jack Benny, Livingstone | George Olsen and His Music | ["Comedy", "Variety", "Standup", "Music", "Vaudeville"] |
Jack Benny delivers satirical standup comedy on modern aviation fads and bickers with Mary Livingstone over fan mail. |
| "The U.S. Air Force Band and The Singing Sergeants (Program 16)" | USAF Recruiting 1954-08-29 |
US Air Force Recruiting Service |
Col. George S. Howard | Singing Sergeants | ["Music", "Military", "Big Band", "Choral", "Patriotic"] |
The official United States Air Force Band and The Singing Sergeants perform patriotic marches and popular symphonic medleys. |
| "The Venice Courier" | NBC (WNBC) 1950-08-29 8:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Dramatic Series |
Charles Boyer (Lead) | Dramatic Repertory | ["Drama", "Suspense", "Espionage", "European", "Romance"] |
A debonair international courier in postwar Venice becomes entangled with an escaped political refugee carrying confidential diplomatic documents. |