Batch 92 Forensic Discoveries
Batch 92 recovers and dates 13 historical broadcasts spanning Songwriters Hall of Fame duets, famous Halloween broadcasting hoaxes, razor-sharp advertising satire, pre-code Marx Brothers cinema promotion, wartime Women's Army Corps musical recruiting, symphonic military dance bands, and Hollywood column journalism: Great American Songbook icons Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen singing their collaborative standards ('Blues in the Night', 'One for My Baby', 'That Old Black Magic') for The Heart Fund (1953), the complete recording of the infamous 1952 American Forces Network (AFN) Halloween radio hoax from Frankenstein Castle near Darmstadt, Germany, 3 classic commercial parodies from The Stan Freberg Show (CBS, 1957; including Contadina Tomato Paste on the Empire State Building and PPG Paints 'Moby Dick'), the original 1933 electrical transcription from The Paramount Movie Parade previewing the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup, composer-pianists Alec Templeton and Morton Gould on Something for the Girls (1944), US Air Force dance band on Serenade in Blue (1958), Erskine Johnson's Hollywood news (1944), Howard Barlow's Voice of Firestone orchestra (1950), and 2 vocal episodes from The Squibb Show (1944).
1. Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen & AFN Frankenstein Hoax (1952–1953)
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Performers & Historical Event |
Heart_Fund_Mercer_Arlen.mp3 |
"The Heart Fund: Johnny Mercer & Harold Arlen Sing Their Great American Songbook Standards" |
1953-02-14 |
Mercer & Arlen at the piano bantering and singing their timeless Tin Pan Alley standards. |
AFN_Frankenstein_Hoax_1952.mp3 |
"American Forces Network: The Legendary 1952 Frankenstein Castle Halloween Radio Hoax" |
1952-10-31 |
AFN reporter spoofing the monster's return from the castle ruins that panicked military listeners. |
2. The Stan Freberg Show & Marx Brothers 'Duck Soup' (1933–1957)
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Satire & Film Context |
Freberg_Contadina_Empire.mp3 |
"The Stan Freberg Show: Satirical Spot - 'Contadina Empire State Building'" |
1957-08-11 |
Freberg's brilliant eight-great-tomatoes-in-that-little-bitty-can commercial classic. |
Freberg_PPG_Moby_Dick.mp3 |
"The Stan Freberg Show: Satirical Spot - 'PPG Paints & Moby Dick'" |
1957-08-18 |
High-seas whale hunt spoof promoting industrial color coatings. |
Freberg_Dragnet_Christmas.mp3 |
"The Stan Freberg Show: Satirical Spot - 'Dragnet Christmas / St. George & The Dragonet'" |
1957-12-15 |
Deadpan Jack Webb parody set against department store holiday chaos. |
Paramount_Parade_Duck_Soup.mp3 |
"The Paramount Movie Parade: Marx Brothers 'Duck Soup' Special Preview" |
1933-11-15 |
Rare 1933 studio transcription promoting Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo in Freedonia. |
3. WAC Recruiting, Serenade in Blue, Erskine Johnson, & Howard Barlow
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Content & Stars |
Something_Girls_Templeton_Gould.mp3 |
"Something for the Girls: WAC Recruiting - Guests Alec Templeton & Morton Gould" |
1944-11-12 |
Virtuoso dual-piano arrangements supporting Women's Army Corps enlistment. |
Serenade_Blue_Thank_Heaven.mp3 |
"Serenade in Blue: 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls' (US Air Force Dance Band)" |
1958-09-14 |
Big band swing and ballads performed by Air Force active-duty musicians. |
Erskine_Johnson_Grace_McDonald.mp3 |
"Erskine Johnson's Hollywood Spotlight: Interview with Grace McDonald" |
1944-09-08 |
Universal Pictures musical starlet Grace McDonald discussing wartime studio schedules. |
Erskine_Johnson_Personals.mp3 |
"Erskine Johnson's Hollywood Spotlight: Studio Personals & Film News" |
1944-09-15 |
Daily insider news from the movie capital's sound stages and sets. |
Howard_Barlow_Automobile_Medley.mp3 |
"The Music of Howard Barlow: 'Automobile Medley' (Voice of Firestone Orchestra)" |
1950-03-20 |
Symphonic salute to classic automotive themes and motoring melodies. |
Squibb_Show_Dick_Byron.mp3 |
"The Squibb Show: Jimmy Carroll & David Broekman Orchestra Guest Dick Byron" |
1944-05-18 |
CBS network vocal showcase promoting pharmaceuticals and public health. |
Squibb_Show_Betty_Mulliner.mp3 |
"The Squibb Show: Jimmy Carroll & David Broekman Orchestra Guest Betty Mulliner" |
1944-05-25 |
Popular ballads and light classical orchestrations. |