Archival Dispatch: August 31 Calendar Walk — Groucho Marx, Dad's Army, and Gene Autry
Date:
Author: radio index
Reading: 3 min
Tags: August 31, Calendar Walk, You Bet Your Life, Groucho Marx, George Fenneman, NBC, Dads Army, Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, BBC Radio 4, Jimmy Perry, Gene Autrys Melody Ranch, Gene Autry, Pat Buttram, Wrigley Doublemint, The Quiz Kids, Joe Kelly, Alka-Seltzer, Uncle Don, Puck Comic Weekly, Alternate Titles, Original Filenames
August 31 Archival Metadata Enrichment (Increment 475)
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 31 across American network quiz comedy, British Home Guard sitcoms, Western musical variety, child prodigy trivia contests, and classic Sunday funnies readings, Groucho Marx waiting for the secret word book on You Bet Your Life (1959), Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army on BBC Radio 4 (1976), Gene Autry and Pat Buttram on Melody Ranch for Wrigley Gum (1947), The Quiz Kids (1947), and Uncle Don reading Puck The Comic Weekly (1947, 1952):
1. August 31 Archival Inventory (Increment 475)
| Original Circulating Filename & Alternate Titles | Canonical Title | Network, Airdate & Showtime | Sponsor & Commercial Ads | Credited Cast & Performers | Director, Writers & Crew | Genres | Story Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dads_Army_1976_HoneyTea.mp3 Alt: Is There Honey Still For The Tea |
"Is There Honey Still for the Tea? with Arthur Lowe" | BBC Radio 4 1976-08-31 12:27 PM BST |
Sustaining British Sitcom |
Arthur Lowe, Le Mesurier | Perry & Croft (Writers) | ["Comedy", "British", "Sitcom", "Dads Army", "BBC Radio 4"] |
Captain Mainwaring and the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon fight to save Godfrey's cottage from demolition to make way for an aerodrome runway. |
Autry_1947_Stagecoach.mp3 Alt: Gene Autry Melody Ranch 1947 |
"The Stagecoach Gold Shipment with Pat Buttram" | CBS (WCBS) 1947-08-31 7:00 PM EDT |
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. Doublemint Gum |
Gene Autry, Pat Buttram | Carl Cotner Orchestra | ["Western", "Music", "Variety", "Gene Autry", "Wrigley"] |
Gene Autry foils an ambush on a mountain stagecoach transporting mine payroll gold before performing western cowboy songs. |
Groucho_1959_Book.mp3 Alt: Secret Word Book Groucho |
"Secret Word 'Book' with Groucho Marx" | NBC (WEAF) 1959-08-31 8:00 PM EDT |
Toni Home Perms DeSoto-Plymouth |
Groucho Marx, Fenneman | Bernie Smith (Producer) | ["Comedy", "Quiz", "Game Show", "Groucho Marx", "NBC"] |
Groucho Marx interviews eccentric contestants, aiming ad-lib barbs at their professions while waiting for someone to say the secret word book. |
Quiz_Kids_1947_Assault.mp3 Alt: Why Didn't Words Armed Assault |
"Why Didn't the Words 'Armed Assault' Disturb Police? with Joe Kelly" | NBC (WEAF) 1947-08-31 4:00 PM EDT |
Miles Laboratories Alka-Seltzer / One-A-Day |
Joe Kelly (Quizmaster) | Louis G. Cowan (Producer) | ["Quiz", "Game Show", "Education", "Quiz Kids", "Alka-Seltzer"] |
Quizmaster Joe Kelly challenges child prodigies with rapid-fire questions covering astronomy, world geography, history, and word puzzles. |
Uncle_Don_1947_Funnies.mp3 Alt: Comic Weekly Man 1947 Episode |
"Reading the Sunday Funnies with Uncle Don (1947)" | WOR New York 1947-08-31 8:30 AM EDT |
Hearst Newspapers Puck The Comic Weekly |
Don Carney ("Uncle Don") | WOR Studio Staff | ["Children", "Comics", "Early Radio", "Uncle Don", "WOR"] |
Uncle Don acts out color comic strips from the Sunday newspaper funnies with sound effects and character voices for young listeners. |
Uncle_Don_1952_Funnies.mp3 Alt: Comic Weekly Man 1952 Episode |
"Reading the Sunday Funnies with Uncle Don (1952)" | WOR New York 1952-08-31 8:30 AM EDT |
Puck The Comic Weekly Hearst Comics |
Don Carney ("Uncle Don") | WOR Studio Staff | ["Children", "Comics", "Early Radio", "Uncle Don", "WOR"] |
Uncle Don narrates Blondie, Popeye, and Flash Gordon Sunday comic pages with whimsical sound effects and club announcements. |
2. Archival Verification Summary
- Target Calendar Day: August 31
- Broadcasts Resolved This Increment: 6
- Cumulative Resolved on August 31: 150 / 376
- Target Repositories Synchronized:
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