On This Day, September 3: Frank Sinatra and Burns
Also featured: Allen, Fred Allen.
September 3 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 3 across iconic American popular vocal programs, witty husband-and-wife domestic sitcoms with British movie guest stars, sharp radio comedy rivalries on V-J Day, eccentric academic whodunits, historical presidential biopics, and satiric hot-jazz chamber music, Frank Sinatra on To Be Perfectly Frank (1954), James Mason on Burns and Allen (1948), Fred Allen and Portland Hoffa on The Charlie McCarthy Show (1945), Walter Hampden as Leonidas Witherall (1944), Edward Arnold as James A. Garfield in Mr. President (1950), and Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street (1944–1954):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter with Frank Sinatra" | NBC (WNBC) 1954-09-03 8:15 PM EDT |
Sustaining Musical Showcase |
Frank Sinatra (Host) | Graham Forbes Trio | ["Music", "Pop", "Frank Sinatra", "To Be Perfectly Frank", "NBC"] |
Frank Sinatra spins classic discs and performs intimate live vocal arrangements including I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter. |
| "Guest James Mason with George Burns and Gracie Allen" | NBC (KFI) 1948-09-03 8:30 PM EDT |
General Foods Maxwell House Coffee |
Burns & Allen, Mason | Bill Goodwin & Staff | ["Comedy", "Sitcom", "Burns And Allen", "James Mason", "Maxwell House"] |
Gracie attempts to cure visiting British screen actor James Mason of his trademark cinematic villainy through eccentric psychoanalysis. |
| "Guest Fred Allen and Portland Hoffa on V-J Day" | NBC (WEAF) 1945-09-03 8:00 PM EWT |
Standard Brands Chase & Sanborn Coffee |
Fred Allen, Bergen | Portland Hoffa & Staff | ["Comedy", "Variety", "Fred Allen", "Charlie McCarthy", "Chase And Sanborn"] |
Fred Allen trades rapid-fire comedic insults with Charlie McCarthy while celebrating the official signing of the Pacific peace treaty. |
| "The Case of the Fatal Flamingo with Walter Hampden" | Mutual (WOR) 1944-09-03 6:30 PM EWT |
Sustaining Mystery Comedy |
Walter Hampden (Witherall) | Agnes Moorehead & Taylor | ["Detective", "Comedy", "Leonidas Witherall", "Walter Hampden", "Mutual"] |
Academy headmaster Leonidas Witherall investigates the poisoning of an eccentric bird collector inside an aviary. |
| "A Different Kind of Loneliness with Edward Arnold as James A. Garfield" | ABC (WJZ) 1950-09-03 2:30 PM EDT |
Sustaining Presidential Drama |
Edward Arnold (Garfield) | Jean Holloway (Writer) | ["Drama", "History", "Mr President", "Edward Arnold", "James A Garfield"] |
President James A. Garfield faces grueling political patronage demands and factional party strife during his first summer in the White House. |
| "Little Girl with Milton Cross and Paul Lavalle" | Blue Network 1944-09-03 9:15 PM EWT |
Sustaining Mock-Jazz Symphony |
Milton Cross (Host) | Paul Lavalle & Woodwindy Ten | ["Music", "Jazz", "Lower Basin Street", "Milton Cross", "Paul Lavalle"] |
Milton Cross presents mock-serious programmatic analysis of hot jazz and blues selections featuring Little Girl. |