On This Day, August 31: Superman and Gloria Grahame
Also featured: Squad Cars.
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 superhero radio serials, armed forces variety revues, and South African police procedurals, two serial installments of The Adventures of Superman starring Clayton "Bud" Collyer for Kellogg's Pep (1945, 1948), screen siren Gloria Grahame hosting Command Performance (1948), and three police procedural cases on Springbok Radio's Squad Cars (1945–1984):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres & Serial Arc | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Black Market (Part 6)" | Mutual (WOR) 1945-08-31 5:15 PM EWT |
Kellogg Company Kellogg's Pep Cereal |
Bud Collyer, Kelk | George Lowther (Writer) | ["Superhero", "Adventure", "Juvenile", "Superman", "Kellogg's"]Arc: The Black Market (Part 6) |
Superman and Jimmy Olsen trail meat-racketeering hijackers to a secluded cold storage warehouse outside Metropolis. |
| "The Mystery of the Silver Buffalo (Part 1)" | Mutual (WOR) 1948-08-31 5:15 PM EDT |
Kellogg Company Kellogg's Pep Cereal |
Bud Collyer, Alexander | George Lowther (Writer) | ["Superhero", "Adventure", "Juvenile", "Superman", "Kellogg's"]Arc: The Mystery of the Silver Buffalo (Part 1) |
Clark Kent investigates a sacred Native American silver amulet stolen during an archaeological exhibition. |
| "Host Gloria Grahame with Phil Baker (AFRS Program 343)" | AFRS Network 1948-08-31 |
War Department Armed Forces Morale |
Gloria Grahame, Baker | AFRS Hollywood Staff | ["Variety", "Comedy", "Music", "Gloria Grahame", "AFRS"] |
Screen actress Gloria Grahame hosts musical numbers, comedy routines, and armed forces soldier requests for overseas troops. |
| "The Clue with Colin Fish" | Springbok Radio (SA) 1973-08-31 8:00 PM SAST |
General Motors SA Chevrolet South Africa |
Colin Fish, Repertory Co. | Colin Fish (Director) | ["Police Procedural", "True Crime", "South Africa", "Springbok", "Squad Cars"] |
South African flying squad officers analyze a discarded matchbook to trace an armed jewelry warehouse robbery syndicate. |
| "Hazyview in the News" | Springbok Radio (SA) 1979-08-31 8:00 PM SAST |
Sustaining Police Procedural |
Springbok Voice Cast | Colin Fish (Director) | ["Police Procedural", "True Crime", "South Africa", "Springbok", "Squad Cars"] |
Police patrol cars respond to an isolated Lowveld farmstead where an armed burglary turns into a hostage standoff. |
| "Guilty Amnesia Conscience" | Springbok Radio (SA) 1984-08-31 8:00 PM SAST |
Sustaining Police Procedural |
Springbok Voice Cast | Colin Fish (Director) | ["Police Procedural", "True Crime", "South Africa", "Springbok", "Squad Cars"] |
Detectives interrogate an injured motorist claiming total amnesia following an intentional hit-and-run collision in Johannesburg. |