On This Day, August 31: Fibber McGee and Pat Novak
Also featured: Twenty Questions.
August 31 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 31 across American domestic sitcom landmarks, hardboiled waterfront noir, parlor deduction games, child prodigy quizzes, and aviation customs dramas, Jim and Marian Jordan across two decades of Fibber McGee and Molly (1936, 1955), Jack Webb and Raymond Burr in Pat Novak, For Hire (1947), Twenty Questions (1946), The Quiz Kids for Alka-Seltzer (1947), and International Airport on ABC (1936–1955):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral Mystery Object with Bill Slater" | Mutual (WOR) 1946-08-31 8:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Parlor Game Show |
Bill Slater, Vandeventer | Herb Polesie (Panel) | ["Quiz", "Game Show", "Panel", "Twenty Questions", "Mutual"] |
The panel tests their deductive reasoning against listener-submitted subjects across history, science, and everyday household artifacts. |
| "Why Didn't the Words 'Armed Assault' Disturb Police? with Joe Kelly" | NBC (WMAQ) 1947-08-31 4:00 PM EDT |
Miles Laboratories Alka-Seltzer / One-A-Day |
Joe Kelly, Kupperman | Louis G. Cowan (Prod.) | ["Quiz", "Game Show", "Education", "The Quiz Kids", "Alka-Seltzer"] |
Child prodigies solve linguistic word puzzles, classical music identifying quizzes, and algebraic speed problems. |
| "Fleet Street Waterfront Murder with Jack Webb" | ABC West Coast (KGO) 1947-08-31 7:00 PM PDT |
Sustaining Hardboiled Waterfront Noir |
Jack Webb, Raymond Burr | Richard L. Breen (Writer) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Hardboiled", "Pat Novak For Hire", "Jack Webb"] |
Pat Novak is hired to rent a boat to an evasive stranger and finds himself framed when a murdered seaman is discovered floating beside the pier. |
| "The Smuggled Diamonds on Flight 402 with ABC Radio" | ABC (WJZ) 1949-08-31 9:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Aviation Crime Drama |
Dramatic Voice Ensemble | Robert Sloane (Writer) | ["Drama", "Aviation", "Mystery", "International Airport", "ABC"] |
Customs investigators and airport security race against departing transatlantic flights to intercept an international jewel smuggler. |
| "Eighteenth Wedding Anniversary with Jim and Marian Jordan" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1936-08-31 8:00 PM EDST |
S.C. Johnson & Son Johnson's Wax / Glo-Coat |
Jim & Marian Jordan | Don Quinn (Writer) | ["Comedy", "Domestic", "Sitcom", "Fibber McGee and Molly", "Johnsons Wax"] |
Fibber attempts to plan an anniversary surprise dinner for Molly while keeping the budget hidden from visiting neighbors. |
| "Molly's Birthday Gift Surprise with Jim and Marian Jordan" | NBC (WRCA) 1955-08-31 10:00 PM EDT |
Sustaining Domestic Comedy |
Jim & Marian Jordan, Bryan | Phil Leslie (Writer) | ["Comedy", "Domestic", "Sitcom", "Fibber McGee and Molly", "NBC"] |
Fibber hunts for a misplaced jewelry box hidden inside the hall closet ahead of Molly's birthday party. |