Thursday, December 10, 2009

Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod - The Raleigh Cigarette Program Starring Red Skelton "Christmas Show" (12-25-45)


Christmas Show (Aired December 25, 1945)


The Red Skelton Show, which premiered on 30 September 1951, was not only one of the longest running variety series on television, but also one of the first variety shows to make the successful transition from radio to television. Despite his popularity as an entertainer in nightclubs, vaudeville, radio and 26 feature films, Skelton was unsure of the new medium. Consequently, he continued his weekly radio broadcasts while simultaneously working on the first two season of his television show. The series originally aired in a half-hour format on NBC. Despite an outstanding first year in which his show was ranked fourth in the Nielsens and won two Emmy awards, the series' ratings toppled in its second season. When NBC canceled the show, it was immediately picked up by CBS, and The Red Skelton Show became a Tuesday night staple from 1954 to 1970.


THIS EPISODE:

The Raleigh Cigarette Program Starring Red Skelton. December 25, 1945. NBC network, Hollywood origination. Sponsored by: Raleigh Cigarettes, Sir Walter Raleigh Tobacco. "The Skelton Scrapbook Of Satire, Chapter 35: Christmas Trees." With Clem Kadiddlehopper, The Mean Widdle Kid. Red Skelton, Rod O'Connor (announcer), David Forrester and His Orchestra, Anita Ellis, Pat McGeehan, GeGe Pearson, Verna Felton, Arthur Q. Bryan (guest). 29:28.

FOR THIS EPISODE AND HUNDREDS MORE, FOLLOW THIS LINK TO BOXCARS711

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