On This Day, August 31: Gang Busters and Green Hornet
Also featured: Moon Over Africa.
August 31 Update
This report documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, serial story metadata, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 31 across American network true-crime docudramas, superhero adventures, big band AFRS broadcasts, juvenile African expeditions, and late-night Americana, the historical series debut of Phillips H. Lord's Gang Busters (as G-Men) detailing the Charles Urschel kidnapping (1935), Robert Hall (1946) and Jack McCarthy (1952) in The Green Hornet, Hal McIntyre's big band swing for the Armed Forces (1944), The Orchids of Death in Moon Over Africa (1935), and Frank Crumit in Night Cap Yarns (1935–1952):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres & Serial Arc | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Death in the Dark with Robert Hall" | ABC (WJZ) 1946-08-31 7:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Superhero Crime Drama |
Robert Hall, Tolan | Dan Beattie (Writer) | ["Superhero", "Mystery", "Crime", "The Green Hornet", "ABC"] |
Britt Reid exposes an underground blackmail ring that orchestrates deliberate electrical blackouts to commit bank robberies. |
| "Sign of the Death's Head with Jack McCarthy" | Mutual (WOR) 1952-08-31 4:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Superhero Crime Drama |
Jack McCarthy, Tolan | Trendle & Striker | ["Superhero", "Mystery", "Crime", "The Green Hornet", "Mutual"] |
The Green Hornet investigates the mysterious skull insignia left at the scene of armed jewel warehouse heists. |
| "Hal McIntyre and His Orchestra - What a Difference a Day Made" | AFRS (Program 347) 1944-08-31 |
U.S. Armed Forces AFRS Military Morale |
Hal McIntyre, Gaylor | Hotel Commodore Staff | ["Big Band", "Swing", "Live Music", "Hal McIntyre", "AFRS"] |
Hal McIntyre and his orchestra broadcast live swing arrangements and romantic ballads for overseas military personnel. |
| "The Orchids of Death (Episode 21)" | Syndicated Adventure 1935-08-31 |
Sustaining Adventure Serial |
Dramatic Voice Cast | George F. Foley Jr. (Prod) | ["Adventure", "Jungle", "Serial", "Africa", "Pulp"]Arc: The Mystery of the Sunken City (Part 21) |
Adventurers searching for a lost civilization in the Congo jungle encounter a treacherous gorge lined with poisonous orchids. |
| "Quiet Glory with Frank Crumit" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1939-08-31 11:15 PM EDST |
Sustaining Late Night Storytelling |
Frank Crumit (Host) | NBC Storytelling Staff | ["Storytelling", "Folklore", "Americana", "Frank Crumit", "NBC Red"] |
Frank Crumit narrates a gentle folk yarn celebrating the quiet resilience and unheralded virtues of small-town heroes. |
| "The Urschel Kidnapping Case (Special G-Men Premiere)" | NBC Red (WEAF) 1935-08-31 8:00 PM EDST |
Colgate-Palmolive Palmolive Shave Cream |
Phillips H. Lord, FBI | Phillips H. Lord (Creator) | ["True Crime", "Police Procedural", "FBI", "Gang Busters", "Phillips Lord"] |
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents track down George 'Machine Gun' Kelly following the kidnapping of oil tycoon Charles Urschel. |