On This Day, August 29: The Hobbit and Crime Doctor
Also featured: Al Jolson.
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 and British BBC broadcasting, the premiere episode of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit on BBC Radio 4 starring Paul Daneman & Heron Carvic (1968), Everett Sloane as psychological sleuth Crime Doctor for Philip Morris (1943), Al Jolson hosting Dolores Costello Barrymore & Martha Raye for Colgate (1936), Morton Wishengrad's The Woman Rich in Time on The Eternal Light (1948), BBC courtroom drama on Saturday Night Theatre (1953), and NBC's Faith and Thought (1936–1971):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Ethical Values in Modern Society" | NBC (WNBC) 1971-08-29 8:30 AM EDT |
Sustaining Philosophical Forum |
Dr. Robert Moss | Scholars Panel Staff | ["Educational", "Philosophy", "Religion", "Ethics", "Talk"] |
Philosophers and educators discuss human dignity, spiritual resilience, and ethical responsibility in technological society. |
| "The Woman Rich in Time" | NBC (WNBC) 1948-08-29 12:30 PM EDT |
Jewish Seminary Theological Seminary |
Adelaide Bean, Repertory | Morton Wishengrad (Writer) | ["Drama", "Historical", "Judaica", "Family", "Anthology"] |
A devoted matriarch imparts wisdom and moral courage to her children while navigating family hardships during early twentieth-century immigration. |
| "Guest Dolores Costello Barrymore" | CBS (WABC) 1936-08-29 9:30 PM EDST |
Colgate-Palmolive Colgate Dental Cream |
Al Jolson, Barrymore | Martha Raye & Victor Young | ["Comedy", "Variety", "Music", "Vocal", "Vaudeville"] |
Al Jolson trades comedic banter with actress Dolores Costello Barrymore and performs minstrel standards backed by Victor Young's orchestra. |
| "An Unexpected Party (Episode 1)" | BBC Radio 4 1968-08-29 |
Sustaining BBC Radio Drama |
Paul Daneman, Carvic | J.R.R. Tolkien & Kilgarriff | ["Fantasy", "Adventure", "Serial", "Classic", "Adaptation"] |
Comfort-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins is visited by the wizard Gandalf and thirteen hungry dwarves seeking a burglar to reclaim their lost mountain kingdom. |
| "The Case of the Ambitious Nephew" | CBS (WABC) 1943-08-29 8:30 PM EWT |
Philip Morris & Co. Philip Morris Cigarettes |
Everett Sloane (Ordway) | Max Marcin (Creator) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Psychological", "Crime", "Medical Sleuth"] |
Criminal psychologist Dr. Benjamin Ordway analyzes forensic clues to determine whether a wealthy industrialist's death was suicide or murder by an eager heir. |
| "The Witness for the Defence" | BBC Home Service 1953-08-29 9:15 PM BST |
Sustaining BBC Drama |
BBC Repertory Co. | A.E.W. Mason & Cynthia Pughe | ["Drama", "Courtroom", "Legal", "Mystery", "Adaptation"] |
A barrister defending a woman accused of poisoning her abusive husband in colonial India unravels hidden motives and perjury in the courtroom. |