On This Day, August 30: Death Valley Days and Vic and Sade
Also featured: 10-2-4 Ranch.
August 30 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 30 across American network radio and wartime news history, two classic frontier tales on Death Valley Days written by Ruth Cornwall Woodman for 20 Mule Team Borax (Yankee Jim in 1934 and Bill Stewart's Courtship in 1940), Paul Rhymer's Vic and Sade for Crisco (1939), The Cass County Boys on 10-2-4 Ranch for Dr Pepper (1945), Mortimer Meek trying to marry off Uncle Louie on Meet the Meeks (1947), and a special network pre-emption on Arch Oboler's Plays for General MacArthur's landing in Japan (1934–1947):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Yankee Jim" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1934-08-30 9:00 PM EDST |
Pacific Coast Borax 20 Mule Team Borax |
Tim Frawley (Old Ranger) | Ruth Cornwall Woodman | ["Western", "Historical", "Anthology", "Frontier", "Gold Rush"] |
The Old Ranger recounts how an eccentric Australian immigrant prospector outwits claim jumpers in the California gold fields. |
| "Bill Stewart's Courtship" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1940-08-30 8:30 PM EDST |
Pacific Coast Borax 20 Mule Team Borax |
John White (Old Ranger) | Ruth Cornwall Woodman | ["Western", "Historical", "Romance", "Anthology", "Frontier"] |
A frontier attorney navigates comedic obstacles and rival suitors to win the hand of an independent Nevada pioneer woman. |
| "The Texas Polka with The Cass County Boys" | Syndicated Western 1945-08-30 |
Dr Pepper Company 10-2-4 Carbonated Soda |
The Cass County Boys, Mears | 10-2-4 Ranch Staff | ["Western", "Country", "Music", "Vocal", "Dr Pepper"] |
The Cass County Boys perform country swing tunes including Texas Polka and harmony ballads for Dr Pepper. |
| "Rush Is Mad Over Preselected School Clothes" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1939-08-30 4:30 PM EDST |
Procter & Gamble Crisco Shortening |
Art Van Harvey, Flynn, Idelson | Paul Rhymer (Writer) | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Domestic", "Americana", "Paul Rhymer"] |
Rush protests furiously when Sade purchases an embarrassing set of stiff autumn school clothes without consulting him. |
| "Should Uncle Louie Get Married?" | NBC (WNBC) 1947-08-30 11:00 AM EDT |
Swift & Company Swift's Cleanser |
Frank Dane, Soubier | Donald B. MacKey (Writer) | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Domestic", "Family", "Swift"] |
Mortimer and Agatha attempt to play matchmakers for freeloading Uncle Louie with disastrous and comedic consequences. |
| "Special Network Pre-emption and Wartime Commentary" | Mutual (WOR) 1945-08-30 10:00 PM EWT |
Sustaining News Bulletin |
Arch Oboler, Mutual News | Mutual Newsroom Staff | ["News", "World War II", "Historical", "Bulletin", "Arch Oboler"] |
Mutual broadcasts a special news bulletin pre-emption regarding General MacArthur's arrival at Atsugi airfield in Japan. |