Batch 94 Forensic Discoveries
Batch 94 recovers and dates 16 extraordinary historical broadcasts spanning legendary one-man stage performances, dramatic radio masterworks, Holocaust survivor eyewitness accounts, post-war European reportage, presidential archive recordings, aviation tragedy ceremonies, voice acting virtuosity, linguistic etymology, and swing broadcasts: 3 hilarious stories from Groucho Marx's sold-out Carnegie Hall tour An Evening with Groucho (1972; including Uncle Herman the chiropodist, W.C. Fields spiking Baby LeRoy's bottle, and World War I vaudeville tours in Toronto), Orson Welles starring in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness alongside Robert Young on This Is My Best (1945), British Channel Islands schoolteacher Harold Osmond Le Druillenec's harrowing first-person BBC testimony following his liberation from Bergen-Belsen concentration camp (June 1945), Edward R. Murrow's classic CBS report on occupied Germany ('Delayed Action War'), the live German and American funeral service broadcast from Lakehurst Naval Air Station following the 1937 Hindenburg disaster, Mel Blanc doing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig for the Veterans Administration on Here's to Veterans (1948), Basil Rathbone explaining the origins of 'Saxophone' and 'Stoic' on Word Detective (1959), Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1920 vice-presidential acceptance address, Frank Sinatra on To Be Perfectly Frank (1953), Bobby Hammack's quartet (1955), and 2 big band broadcasts from AFRS Swingtime featuring Bob Crosby, Harry James, Mel Tormé, and Duke Ellington (1944).
1. An Evening with Groucho & Orson Welles 'Heart of Darkness' (1945–1972)
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Performers & Content |
Groucho_Uncle_Herman.mp3 |
"An Evening with Groucho: 'Uncle Herman Chiropodist & Marx Family Vaudeville'" |
1972-05-06 |
Groucho recounting the early days of the Marx Brothers on the road. |
Groucho_WC_Fields_Baby_LeRoy.mp3 |
"An Evening with Groucho: 'W.C. Fields & Baby LeRoy Anecdotes'" |
1972-05-13 |
Hilarious backstage recollections of W.C. Fields on Paramount sound stages. |
Groucho_Toronto_Vaudeville.mp3 |
"An Evening with Groucho: 'World War I Vaudeville in Toronto'" |
1972-05-20 |
Performing dialect comedy during wartime and changing acts overnight. |
This_Is_My_Best_Orson_Welles.mp3 |
"This Is My Best: Orson Welles in Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'" |
1945-03-13 |
Welles' dramatic radio adaptation of Marlow's journey into the Congo. |
This_Is_My_Best_Robert_Young.mp3 |
"This Is My Best: Robert Young & Louise Allbritton in 'Happily Ever After'" |
1945-02-20 |
Romantic comedy adaptation sponsored by Cresta Blanca Wines. |
2. Holocaust Eyewitness, Edward R. Murrow, & Hindenburg Funeral (1937–1945)
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Historical Reality |
BBC_Belsen_Survivor_Druillenec.mp3 |
"BBC War Report: Harold Osmond Le Druillenec - Eyewitness Testimony of the Belsen Concentration Camp" |
1945-06-15 |
The only British survivor of Belsen describing the horrors and liberation. |
CBS_Murrow_Delayed_Action_War.mp3 |
"CBS News: Edward R. Murrow Reporting from Postwar Germany - 'Delayed Action War'" |
1945-07-22 |
Murrow analyzing the psychological and physical devastation of fallen Germany. |
Hindenburg_Memorial_Lakehurst.mp3 |
"1937 Hindenburg Disaster: Lakehurst Naval Air Station Funeral & Memorial Service" |
1937-05-11 |
Solemn ceremonies at the naval hangar for victims of the zeppelin explosion. |
Churchill_Hour_Armistice.mp3 |
"Winston Churchill: 'The Hour of Armistice' Address" |
1945-05-08 |
Prime Minister Churchill announcing the unconditional surrender of Germany. |
FDR_1920_Acceptance_Speech.mp3 |
"Franklin D. Roosevelt: 1920 Vice Presidential Acceptance Speech ('Peace by Fear vs. Peace by Law')" |
1920-08-09 |
Early audio of young FDR advocating international law over militarism. |
3. Mel Blanc, Basil Rathbone, Sinatra, & Swingtime
| Original Circulating Filename |
Canonical Title |
Verified Airdate |
Cast / Genre |
Mel_Blanc_Heres_To_Vets.mp3 |
"Here's to Veterans: Mel Blanc with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Porky Pig" |
1948-06-18 |
The Man of a Thousand Voices entertaining returning soldiers. |
Basil_Rathbone_Saxophone.mp3 |
"Basil Rathbone, Word Detective: 'The Saxophone & Adolphe Sax'" |
1959-04-12 |
Sherlock Holmes star exploring the history of words and musical instruments. |
Basil_Rathbone_Stoic.mp3 |
"Basil Rathbone, Word Detective: 'Stoic & Ancient Greek Philosophy'" |
1959-04-19 |
Etymological breakdown of ancient stoicism and modern usage. |
Sinatra_To_Be_Perfectly_Frank.mp3 |
"To Be Perfectly Frank: Frank Sinatra 'You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To'" |
1953-11-03 |
Sinatra hosting 15 transcribed minutes with live jazz quintet backing. |
Bobby_Hammack_Caravan.mp3 |
"The Bobby Hammack Quartet: 'Caravan' with Jerry Friedman & Vibes" |
1955-08-14 |
Cool jazz quartet arrangement of Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington's classic. |
Swingtime_Bob_Crosby_James.mp3 |
"Swingtime: Bob Crosby & Harry James and His Orchestra" |
1944-04-14 |
Armed Forces Radio Service big band remote broadcast. |
Swingtime_Mel_Torme_Ellington.mp3 |
"Swingtime: Mel Tormé, Frances Langford, Tony Romano & Duke Ellington" |
1944-04-21 |
The Velvet Fog and Frances Langford singing swing standards. |