On This Day, August 31: Jack Paar and John Cleese ISIRTA
Also featured: Sky Blazers.
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 satirical summer variety, Cambridge Footlights sketch comedy, aviation speed docudramas, Irish literature memoirs, Chicago record interviews, and newspaper murder mysteries, Jack Paar for Lucky Strike (1947), John Cleese and Tim Brooke-Taylor in I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (1975), Roscoe Turner presenting Sky Blazers (1940), Twenty Years A-Growing on BBC Radio 4 (1977), Howard Miller with Archie Bleyer (1955), and Deadline Mystery on Mutual (1940–1977):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Waterfront Warehouse Murder with Mutual Radio" | Mutual (WOR) 1947-08-31 4:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Newspaper Mystery |
Dramatic Voice Ensemble | Mutual Production Staff | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Journalism", "Deadline Mystery", "Mutual"] |
A newspaper crime reporter investigates a nighttime homicide at an abandoned waterfront shipping wharf to prove a dockworker's innocence. |
| "An Irish Blasket Islands Youth with BBC Radio" | BBC Radio 4 1977-08-31 |
Sustaining Irish Literature |
Irish Voice Ensemble | Maurice O'Sullivan (Author) | ["Drama", "Biography", "Irish", "Twenty Years A-Growing", "BBC Radio 4"] |
A lyrical autobiographical narrative recounts childhood, island traditions, and Atlantic folklore on the remote Great Blasket Island. |
| "Guest Archie Bleyer with CBS Radio" | CBS (WBBM) 1955-08-31 10:45 AM EDT |
Sustaining Morning Music & Talk |
Howard Miller, Bleyer | CBS Radio Network | ["Music", "Interview", "Howard Miller", "Archie Bleyer", "CBS"] |
Chicago disc jockey Howard Miller interviews Cadence Records founder Archie Bleyer about emerging rock and roll pop trends. |
| "The Bison of the Pampas with John Cleese and Tim Brooke-Taylor" | BBC Radio 4 1975-08-31 2:00 PM BST |
Sustaining Cambridge Footlights |
John Cleese, Brooke-Taylor | Bill Oddie, Garden (Writers) | ["Comedy", "Satire", "Sketch", "John Cleese", "ISIRTA", "BBC Radio 4"] |
The Cambridge Footlights comedy troupe performs chaotic sound effect sketches, musical parodies, and an Argentine bison expedition spoof. |
| "Al Williams' Research in Speed Flying with Roscoe Turner (Rehearsal)" | CBS (WABC) 1940-08-31 8:00 PM EDST |
Continental Baking Wonder Bread |
Roscoe Turner, Ensemble | Phillips H. Lord (Creator) | ["Aviation", "Docudrama", "Adventure", "Sky Blazers", "Wonder Bread"] |
A docudrama chronicles test pilot Al Williams pushing experimental aircraft to terminal diving velocity to develop dive-bombing techniques. |
| "Daytime Radio Soap Opera Parody with Jack Paar" | NBC (WEAF) 1947-08-31 7:00 PM EDT |
American Tobacco Lucky Strike |
Jack Paar, Conried | Jerry Fielding Orchestra | ["Comedy", "Variety", "Parody", "Jack Paar", "Lucky Strike"] |
Jack Paar skewers melodramatic daytime organ soap operas and answers satirical audience advice letters for Lucky Strike. |