April 30, 1945: two radio shows that will become
staples of daytime television debut.
Arthur Godfrey Time begins a run of exactly 27
years on CBS radio. Godfrey has already enjoyed
great popularity with his "Sundial" morning show
on WJSV (now WTOP), the CBS o&o in Washington,
in the late '30s/early '40s, so much so that he records
a second show to be played the following morning on
CBS's New York station, WABC (now WCBS). He has
been hounding Frank Stanton to find him a network
slot, and he gets it, a summer replacement for the
network's morning show, School Of The Air. Godfrey's
show begins unsponsored, but with his unbeatable way
with a commercial, that's not going to last for long.
Godfrey adds a television simulacast in 1952, although
it doesn't always air the full 90 minutes of the radio show.
Thus there's some difference of opinion (expressed in past
threads on this board) as to whether his firing of Julius
La Rosa on October 19, 1953, was seen or merely heard.
Godfrey continued the television version until 1959, when
he underwent surgery for lung cancer, saying he didn't
want the public to see him waste away. Far from it. The
radio show continued until 1972, while he lived on until 1983.
The other new show to debut that day was Queen For A Day,
on the Mutual network. Those of you who don't remember it
wouldn't believe it: four or five women would describe some
misfortune in their lives; the audience voted (by applause) for
the one they felt should be crowned "queen" and have her
miseries assuaged--usually with prizes, prizes, prizes. The
more tear-jerking the story, the better the woman's chances
of winning. A man named Dud Williamson was the first host;
he died sometime in the mid-'40s in an automobile accident,
and he was replaced by the host most closely associated with
the show, Jack Bailey (also the voice of Goofy).
Queen was seen on six West Coast ABC affiliates in the early
1950s, with the national television version on NBC from 1956
to 1960 (at one point, running for an unprecedented 45 minutes
a day), then on ABC from 1960 to 1964. A syndicated version
in 1969, with a different host (Dick Curtis), was a dismal failure.
staples of daytime television debut.
Arthur Godfrey Time begins a run of exactly 27
years on CBS radio. Godfrey has already enjoyed
great popularity with his "Sundial" morning show
on WJSV (now WTOP), the CBS o&o in Washington,
in the late '30s/early '40s, so much so that he records
a second show to be played the following morning on
CBS's New York station, WABC (now WCBS). He has
been hounding Frank Stanton to find him a network
slot, and he gets it, a summer replacement for the
network's morning show, School Of The Air. Godfrey's
show begins unsponsored, but with his unbeatable way
with a commercial, that's not going to last for long.
Godfrey adds a television simulacast in 1952, although
it doesn't always air the full 90 minutes of the radio show.
Thus there's some difference of opinion (expressed in past
threads on this board) as to whether his firing of Julius
La Rosa on October 19, 1953, was seen or merely heard.
Godfrey continued the television version until 1959, when
he underwent surgery for lung cancer, saying he didn't
want the public to see him waste away. Far from it. The
radio show continued until 1972, while he lived on until 1983.
The other new show to debut that day was Queen For A Day,
on the Mutual network. Those of you who don't remember it
wouldn't believe it: four or five women would describe some
misfortune in their lives; the audience voted (by applause) for
the one they felt should be crowned "queen" and have her
miseries assuaged--usually with prizes, prizes, prizes. The
more tear-jerking the story, the better the woman's chances
of winning. A man named Dud Williamson was the first host;
he died sometime in the mid-'40s in an automobile accident,
and he was replaced by the host most closely associated with
the show, Jack Bailey (also the voice of Goofy).
Queen was seen on six West Coast ABC affiliates in the early
1950s, with the national television version on NBC from 1956
to 1960 (at one point, running for an unprecedented 45 minutes
a day), then on ABC from 1960 to 1964. A syndicated version
in 1969, with a different host (Dick Curtis), was a dismal failure.