On This Day, August 29: The Hall of Fantasy and Nightfall
Also featured: Nick Carter.
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, Canadian CBC broadcasting, and syndication, Richard Thorne's sci-fi fungal horror The Brown Plague on The Hall of Fantasy (1952), Robert Louis Stevenson's The Body Snatchers on CBC's Nightfall (1980), Lon Clark solving The Case of the Crimson Clue on Nick Carter, Master Detective (1954), Douglas Edwards reporting on Nazi martial law in Denmark on CBS World News Today (1943), Freddie Rich leading Your Hit Parade for Lucky Strike (1936), and wartime investigative journalism on Troman Harper, Rumor Detective (1936–1980):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Case of the Crimson Clue" | Mutual (WOR) 1954-08-29 6:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Detective Drama |
Lon Clark, Manson | Jock MacGregor (Director) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Crime", "Pulp", "Investigation"] |
Nick Carter follows a trail of scarlet silk handkerchiefs left behind by a jewel burglar targeting Manhattan socialites. |
| "The Brown Plague" | Mutual / WGN 1952-08-29 8:00 PM CDT |
Sustaining Supernatural Thriller |
Richard Thorne (Host) | Richard Thorne (Director) | ["Horror", "Supernatural", "Sci-Fi", "Suspense", "Thriller"] |
A biologist in a remote mountain laboratory discovers an aggressive fungal swarm that consumes organic material and begins spreading toward the valley. |
| "The Wartime Gas Rationing Hoax" | Mutual (WOR) 1943-08-29 5:45 PM EWT |
Sustaining Wartime Morale |
Troman Harper (Host) | Rumor Detective Staff | ["Docudrama", "World War II", "Homefront", "Investigation", "Educational"] |
Troman Harper investigates the origin of subversive black-market rumors alleging illegal petroleum hoarding by military supply depots. |
| "The Body Snatchers" | CBC Radio Canada 1980-08-29 |
Sustaining CBC Drama |
Colin Fox, Knapp | RL Stevenson & Arthur Samuels | ["Horror", "Gothic", "Suspense", "Medical", "Adaptation"] |
Two nineteenth-century medical students become complicit in grave robbing and murder when an anatomy professor demands fresh cadavers. |
| "Denmark Placed Under Nazi Martial Law" | CBS (WABC) 1943-08-29 2:30 PM EWT |
Sustaining CBS News |
Douglas Edwards (Anchor) | CBS European Correspondents | ["News", "World War II", "History", "Journalism", "Live Broadcast"] |
CBS correspondents report on the German military declaring martial law across Denmark as Danish naval crews scuttle their own fleet. |
| "Top Ten Tunes of the Week with Freddie Rich" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1936-08-29 10:00 PM EDST |
American Tobacco Lucky Strike Cigarettes |
Freddie Rich Orchestra | Buddy Clark & Gogo DeLys | ["Music", "Hit Parade", "Chart", "Big Band", "Pop"] |
Freddie Rich conducts the orchestra through America's top-rated sheet music and record hits including 'Bye Bye Baby'. |