Archival Dispatch: August 29 Calendar Walk — Counterspy, CBS News, and Let's Pretend

Date: 2026-08-29

Author: radio index

Reading: 3 min

Tags: August 29, Calendar Walk, Counterspy, Don MacLaughlin, Mandel Kramer, Phillips H Lord, Kentucky Club, Bit-O-Honey, CBS News, Battle of Britain, Bob Trout, Edward R Murrow, Lets Pretend, Nila Mack, Cream of Wheat, Stars Over Hollywood, Martha Scott, Dari-Rich, Radio Active, Angus Deayton, Alternate Titles, Original Filenames

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August 29 Archival Metadata Enrichment (Increment 363)

This archival dispatch documents the historical provenance, broadcast scheduling, commercial sponsorship, credited cast, production personnel, alternate circulating titles, and pure narrative synopses for broadcasts transmitting on August 29 across American network radio and the BBC, Don MacLaughlin & Mandel Kramer tackling wartime blueprint theft and industrial extortion on Counterspy (1945–1948), Bob Trout & Edward R. Murrow broadcasting live shortwave dispatches during the Battle of Britain (1940), Nila Mack's adaptation of The Little Mermaid on Let's Pretend for Cream of Wheat (1942), Martha Scott on Stars Over Hollywood, and BBC comedy Radio Active (1940–1987):

1. August 29 Archival Inventory (Increment 363)

Original Circulating Filename & Alternate Titles	Canonical Title	Network, Airdate & Showtime	Sponsor & Commercial Ads	Credited Cast & Performers	Director, Writers & Crew	Genres	Story Synopsis
`Radio_Active_1987.mp3` Alt: `Twenty Years Ago Tuesday`	"It Was Twenty Years Ago Last Tuesday"	BBC Radio 4 1987-08-29	Sustaining British Comedy	Angus Deayton, Perkins	Deayton & Perkins	`["Comedy", "British", "Satire", "Sketch", "Parody"]`	The Radio Active comedy team parodies BBC local radio broadcasting with satirical news reports, spoof commercials, and musical gags.
`Counterspy_1945.mp3` Alt: `Counterfeit Blueprints`	"The Case of the Counterfeit Blueprints"	ABC / Blue (WJZ) 1945-08-29 8:30 PM EWT	Mail Pouch Tobacco Kentucky Club Pipe Tob.	Don MacLaughlin, Kramer	Phillips H. Lord (Creator)	`["Espionage", "Detective", "Mystery", "Crime", "Thriller"]`	David Harding intercepts an undercover espionage ring attempting to smuggle classified naval aviation blueprints to foreign agents.
`Counterspy_1948.mp3` Alt: `TCOT Hatless Husband`	"The Case of the Hatless Husband"	ABC (WJZ) 1948-08-29 5:30 PM EDT	Schutter Candy Co. Bit-O-Honey / Old Nick	Don MacLaughlin, Kramer	Phillips H. Lord (Creator)	`["Espionage", "Detective", "Mystery", "Crime", "Thriller"]`	Counterspy Chief David Harding tracks a blackmailed chemist whose missing clothing provides the crucial clue in a sabotage plot.
`CBS_News_1940_Britain.mp3` Alt: `CBS The News From Europe`	"The News from Europe (Battle of Britain Day 50)"	CBS (WABC) 1940-08-29 6:45 PM EDST	Sustaining News Service	Bob Trout, Murrow	CBS Newsroom	`["News", "History", "World War II", "Journalism", "Live Broadcast"]`	CBS correspondents report live shortwave dispatches on nighttime Luftwaffe aerial raids over London and RAF defensive dogfights.
`Lets_Pretend_1942.mp3` Alt: `Little Mermaid Pretend`	"The Little Mermaid"	CBS (WABC) 1942-08-29 11:30 AM EWT	Cream of Wheat Cream of Wheat Cereal	Nila Mack, Players	Nila Mack (Director)	`["Children", "Fairy Tale", "Fantasy", "Adaptation", "Anthology"]`	A young sea princess rescues a shipwrecked prince from drowning and makes a sacrificial bargain with a sea witch to walk on land.
`Stars_Hollywood_1942.mp3` Alt: `Behind The Ball`	"Behind the Eight Ball with Martha Scott"	CBS (WABC) 1942-08-29 12:30 PM EWT	Bowey's Inc. Dari-Rich Chocolate	Martha Scott (Star)	Dramatic Repertory	`["Drama", "Comedy", "Hollywood", "Romance", "Anthology"]`	A resourceful young career woman inadvertently lands in financial peril when an uncashed bonus check gets mixed up in a company takeover.

2. Archival Verification Summary

Target Calendar Day: August 29
Broadcasts Resolved This Increment: 6
Cumulative Resolved on August 29: 246
Target Repositories Synchronized: radioindex.org-meta and radioindex.org-blog