On This Day, September 2: Joel McCrea and Lum
Also featured: Abner, Air Battle at Wewak.
September 2 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 September 2 across gritty Texas Ranger scientific crime investigations, classic Pine Ridge Arkansas humor, dramatic radio mysteries, authentic wartime aviation combat dramatizations, and syndicated detective thrillers, Joel McCrea as Ranger Jace Pearson in Tales of the Texas Rangers for Wheaties (1950), Chester Lauck and Norris Goff in Lum and Abner for Alka-Seltzer (1947, 1948), Philco Presents (1945), Wings to Victory (1943), and Crime Is My Pastime (1943–1950):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Play for Keeps with Joel McCrea as Jace Pearson" | NBC (KFI) 1950-09-02 8:30 PM EDT |
General Mills Wheaties Cereal |
Joel McCrea (Pearson) | Stacy Keach Sr. (Dir) | ["Western", "Police", "Texas Rangers", "Joel McCrea", "Wheaties"] |
Texas Ranger Jace Pearson uses ballistic ballistics matching and tire tread castings to corner a ruthless highway hijack crew. |
| "Beauty vs. Brains with Miss America Contestants" | ABC (WJZ) 1947-09-02 8:00 PM EDT |
Miles Laboratories Alka-Seltzer & Vitamins |
Chester Lauck (Lum) | Norris Goff (Abner) | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Lum And Abner", "Alka Seltzer", "ABC"] |
Lum and Abner debate the relative merits of beauty versus brains while preparing a Pine Ridge delegate for a regional pageant. |
| "Abner Returns Home with a Big Car with Alka-Seltzer" | CBS (WCBS) 1948-09-02 8:00 PM EDT |
Miles Laboratories Alka-Seltzer |
Chester Lauck (Lum) | Norris Goff (Abner) | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Lum And Abner", "Alka Seltzer", "CBS"] |
Abner drives into town behind the wheel of an enormous luxury touring automobile, prompting frantic speculation across Pine Ridge. |
| "Leona's Room with Dramatic Cast and Philco" | ABC (WJZ) 1945-09-02 6:00 PM EWT |
Philco Corp. Philco Radios & App. |
Dramatic Voice Cast | Paul Whiteman (Host) | ["Drama", "Mystery", "Philco Presents", "Philco", "ABC"] |
An introspective mystery unfolds when a young boarding house resident uncovers personal diaries left behind by a vanished tenant. |
| "The Great Air Battle at Wewak with USAAF" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1943-09-02 10:00 PM EWT |
USAAF Military Drama |
USAAF Flight Crews | Capt. Jerry Devine | ["Military", "Aviation", "WWII", "Wings To Victory", "USAAF"] |
Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchell bomber squadrons execute low-level strafing runs to destroy fortified enemy airfields in New Guinea. |
| "The Waterfront Warehouse Syndicate with Dramatic Cast" | Syndication 1945-09-02 |
Sustaining Detective Drama |
Dramatic Voice Cast | Harry S. Goodman (Prod) | ["Detective", "Mystery", "Crime Is My Pastime", "Syndicated", "Crime"] |
A wealthy gentleman criminologist infiltrates a dockside pier syndicate to expose a fencing operation dealing in stolen military surplus. |