The First Nighter Program was a long-running radio anthology comedy-drama series broadcast from November 27, 1930, to September 27, 1953.[1] The host was Mr. First Nighter (Charles P. Hughes, Macdonald Carey, Bret Morrison, Marvin Miller, Don Briggs and Rye Billsbury (later known as Michael Rye).
Charles P. Hughes and June Meredith in a publicity photo (taken March 1933) for The First Nighter Program.
An article in a 1939 newspaper observed, "First Nighter was the first show to present complete and separate original plays each week."[2]
The show's opening recreated the aural atmosphere of a Broadway opening. Before each week's drama began, Mr. First Nighter was first heard walking on Broadway, emerging from the noise of people and street traffic into the crowded lobby of "the Little Theater Off Times Square" and then taking his seat in the third row center, where he gave the whispered introduction:
The house lights have dimmed, and the curtain is about to go up on tonight's production.
Romantic comedies were the specialty of the series, and the principal roles were played by the teams of Don Ameche and June Meredith (1930–36), Ameche and Betty Lou Gerson[3] (1935–36), Les Tremayne and Barbara Luddy (1936–43) and Olan Soule and Luddy (1943 and after). Joseph T. Ainley produced and directed the series. The announcers were Larry Keating and Vincent Pelletier. Music was provided by "The Famous First Nighter Orchestra", under the direction of Eric Sagerquist (1930–44), Caesar Petrillo (1945–46) and Frank Worth (1947–53).
The most popular episode may have been the annual Christmas episode, "Little Town of Bethlehem," which was first performed in 1937 and every year afterwards at the request of the listening audience.[4]
Performing before a studio audience, the actors wore formal attire, with Luddy in a gown and Tremayne clad in evening clothes and top hat. Commercial breaks were signalled with the usher's cry "Smoking downstairs and in the outer lobby only, please!", with the action resuming with a buzzer and the usher's curtain call.
The series ran on four radio networks in the following timeline:
CBS: 10/20/45 to 04/13/46 and 10/04/47 to 10/20/49
NBC (reruns): 04/27/52 to 09/27/53
The show was sponsored by The Campana Company and solely featured commercials for their products. Due largely in part to this exposure, their Italian Balm became the best-selling hand lotion in the United States in the 1930s.
References
^Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. pp. 252–254. ISBN978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
^Fizdale, Tom (February 2, 1939). "Listen to This". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Illinois, Edwardsville. p. 5. Retrieved July 17, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
^Mason, Mildred (May 12, 1936). "Betty Lou Gerson Is Married". Xenia Daily Gazette. p. 6. Retrieved March 7, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^"a,b...." Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part I (Part I, Group 3--Dramatic Compositions & Motion Pictures) Library of Congress Copyright Office. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1933. p. 333, No. 11, 1934 6788 Little Town of Bethlehem:a Christmas play in 3 acts by Anthony Wayne. Batavia, Ill., Author's Publishing Company (1934) 24 p. 12mo Copyright Oct. 22, 1934; 2c. Nov 12; D 32053; I. Willard Crull c/o Campana sales co., Batavia, IL. (Anthony Wayne was the pseudonym for I. Willard Crull who wrote over a hundred radio plays for The First Nighter Program while serving as Campana's treasurer which was then headed by his uncle Ernest Morgan Oswalt. Crull would serve as Campana's president from 1942 through 1974
Listen to
NPR: First Nighter opening in "Radio Legend Les Tremayne Dies" (December 26, 2003)
OTR Network Library: The First Nighter Program 16 1944-53 episode
An interview with Barbara Luddy and Olan Soule
External links
Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: The First Nighter Program
"They Shall Be Free" – A First Nighter story from Movie-Radio Guide, April 1943
Scripts of two First Nighter programs from The Generic Radio Workshop Script Library
March 08, 2023
first, nighter, program, long, running, radio, anthology, comedy, drama, series, broadcast, from, november, 1930, september, 1953, host, first, nighter, charles, hughes, macdonald, carey, bret, morrison, marvin, miller, briggs, billsbury, later, known, michael. The First Nighter Program was a long running radio anthology comedy drama series broadcast from November 27 1930 to September 27 1953 1 The host was Mr First Nighter Charles P Hughes Macdonald Carey Bret Morrison Marvin Miller Don Briggs and Rye Billsbury later known as Michael Rye Charles P Hughes and June Meredith in a publicity photo taken March 1933 for The First Nighter Program An article in a 1939 newspaper observed First Nighter was the first show to present complete and separate original plays each week 2 The show s opening recreated the aural atmosphere of a Broadway opening Before each week s drama began Mr First Nighter was first heard walking on Broadway emerging from the noise of people and street traffic into the crowded lobby of the Little Theater Off Times Square and then taking his seat in the third row center where he gave the whispered introduction The house lights have dimmed and the curtain is about to go up on tonight s production Romantic comedies were the specialty of the series and the principal roles were played by the teams of Don Ameche and June Meredith 1930 36 Ameche and Betty Lou Gerson 3 1935 36 Les Tremayne and Barbara Luddy 1936 43 and Olan Soule and Luddy 1943 and after Joseph T Ainley produced and directed the series The announcers were Larry Keating and Vincent Pelletier Music was provided by The Famous First Nighter Orchestra under the direction of Eric Sagerquist 1930 44 Caesar Petrillo 1945 46 and Frank Worth 1947 53 The most popular episode may have been the annual Christmas episode Little Town of Bethlehem which was first performed in 1937 and every year afterwards at the request of the listening audience 4 Performing before a studio audience the actors wore formal attire with Luddy in a gown and Tremayne clad in evening clothes and top hat Commercial breaks were signalled with the usher s cry Smoking downstairs and in the outer lobby only please with the action resuming with a buzzer and the usher s curtain call The series ran on four radio networks in the following timeline NBC Blue Network 11 27 30 to 09 29 33 NBC Red Network 10 06 33 to 02 12 37 CBS 02 19 37 to 12 21 37 NBC Red Network 01 07 38 to 08 26 38 CBS 09 02 38 to 05 29 42 Mutual 10 04 42 to 10 25 44 CBS 10 20 45 to 04 13 46 and 10 04 47 to 10 20 49 NBC reruns 04 27 52 to 09 27 53The show was sponsored by The Campana Company and solely featured commercials for their products Due largely in part to this exposure their Italian Balm became the best selling hand lotion in the United States in the 1930s References Edit Dunning John 1998 On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio Oxford University Press pp 252 254 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 Retrieved 28 April 2017 Fizdale Tom February 2 1939 Listen to This The Edwardsville Intelligencer Illinois Edwardsville p 5 Retrieved July 17 2016 via Newspapers com Mason Mildred May 12 1936 Betty Lou Gerson Is Married Xenia Daily Gazette p 6 Retrieved March 7 2015 via Newspapers com a b Catalog of Copyright Entries Part I Part I Group 3 Dramatic Compositions amp Motion Pictures Library of Congress Copyright Office Washington D C U S Government Printing Office 1933 p 333 No 11 1934 6788 Little Town of Bethlehem a Christmas play in 3 acts by Anthony Wayne Batavia Ill Author s Publishing Company 1934 24 p 12mo Copyright Oct 22 1934 2c Nov 12 D 32053 I Willard Crull c o Campana sales co Batavia IL Anthony Wayne was the pseudonym for I Willard Crull who wrote over a hundred radio plays for The First Nighter Program while serving as Campana s treasurer which was then headed by his uncle Ernest Morgan Oswalt Crull would serve as Campana s president from 1942 through 1974Listen to EditNPR First Nighter opening in Radio Legend Les Tremayne Dies December 26 2003 OTR Network Library The First Nighter Program 16 1944 53 episode An interview with Barbara Luddy and Olan SouleExternal links EditJerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs The First Nighter Program They Shall Be Free A First Nighter story from Movie Radio Guide April 1943 Scripts of two First Nighter programs from The Generic Radio Workshop Script Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The First Nighter Program amp oldid 1104424758, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
