On This Day, September 4: Groucho Marx and Gene Autry
Also featured: The Quiz Kids.
September 4 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 4 across Groucho Marx and pianist Oscar Levant trading insults on Blue Ribbon Town for Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, Gene Autry and Pat Buttram solving stagecoach gold bullion ambushes on Melody Ranch for Wrigley's Spearmint, two distinct eras of Joe Kelly testing child prodigies on The Quiz Kids (Alka-Seltzer in 1940 and Swift in 1949), Sunday morning newspaper readings with Puck on The Comic Weekly Man, and cowboy harmonies from The Plainsmen, Groucho Marx (1943), Gene Autry (1955), Joe Kelly (1940, 1949), and Oscar Levant (1940–1955):
1. Broadcasts
| Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Guest Oscar Levant with Groucho Marx" | CBS (KNX) 1943-09-04 8:00 PM EWT |
Pabst Brewing Co. Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer |
Groucho Marx & Levant | Virginia O'Brien & Dickson | ["Comedy", "Variety", "Blue Ribbon Town", "Groucho Marx", "Pabst"] |
Groucho Marx trades caustic one-liners and rapid banter with pianist Oscar Levant between deadpan vocal serenades by Virginia O'Brien. |
| "The Stagecoach Gold Ambush with Gene Autry and Pat Buttram" | CBS (KNX) 1955-09-04 7:00 PM EDT |
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. Wrigley's Spearmint Gum |
Gene Autry & Buttram | Carl Cotner & Cass County | ["Western", "Music", "Melody Ranch", "Gene Autry", "Wrigley"] |
Gene Autry and comic sidekick Pat Buttram investigate an armed masked gang ambushing mountain pass gold bullion shipments. |
| "Child Prodigy Knowledge Contest with Joe Kelly" | NBC Blue (WJZ) 1940-09-04 8:00 PM EDST |
Miles Laboratories Alka-Seltzer & One-A-Day |
Joe Kelly (Quizmaster) | Gerard Darrow & Cline | ["Quiz", "Panel", "Quiz Kids", "Joe Kelly", "Alka-Seltzer"] |
Quizmaster Joe Kelly poses challenging listener-submitted questions in geography, zoology, and world history to a panel of gifted school children. |
| "Back to School Panel with Joe Kelly" | NBC (WNBC) 1949-09-04 3:30 PM EDT |
Swift & Company Swift's Peanut Butter |
Joe Kelly (Quizmaster) | Patrick Conlon & Lunde | ["Quiz", "Panel", "Quiz Kids", "Joe Kelly", "Swift"] |
Gifted child panelists tackle mathematical riddles, Shakespearean literature trivia, and scientific inquiries sent in by listeners. |
| "Reading Sunday Funnies with Comic Weekly Man" | WOR New York 1949-09-04 |
Hearst / King Features Puck — The Comic Weekly |
Comic Weekly Man | WOR Audio Engineers | ["Children", "Comics", "Comic Weekly Man", "Puck", "Hearst"] |
A dramatic character voice reading and lively sound-effect accompaniment bringing the Sunday newspaper color comic strips to life. |
| "Wait for the Wagon with The Plainsmen" | AFRS Transcription 1946-09-04 |
Armed Forces Radio Troop Entertainment |
The Plainsmen Trio | AFRS Music Producers | ["Western", "Music", "The Western Stars", "The Plainsmen", "AFRS"] |
The Plainsmen perform rhythmic western harmony standards, acoustic fiddle breakdowns, and vocal campfire arrangements led by Wait for the Wagon. |