Hour Of Charm

This morning I'll start out with the AFRS 42 that I have. Here is the label:



No date is etched on the disc but as you can see from the label, the matrix # is SS 1-30-10, the 1-30 in this instance being the Jan 30 date. Here is the somewhat rough sounding at the start file.

Hour Of Charm 1944-01-30 AFRS 042 Tribute to Victor Herbert (last 15 mins only) (SS 1-30-10) C
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

This one it seems came from tape as there is clear tape wobble at the start. AFRS # continues to be as received but the date is confirmed.

Hour Of Charm 1944-03-05 AFRS 048 Six Popular Composers - The Song of the Flame
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-03-05 Richmond Times

Even though only a few folks have commented in this thread, it appears that about 14 of you are downloading these regularly. I hope you are all checking your holdings as we go and that you will post any upgrades and fills that you have here. Many thanks.

Thanks CDM!

1944 proved to be an exceptional year for the group as their popularity spread. As the choir expanded and as members married or moved on, replacements needed to be found and auditions and new hirings were conducted on a fairly regular basis. Replacing soloists required a little more attention however and in 1944, in what might be called an early radio version of 'American Idol', a major search was conducted for 'The Undiscovered Voice Of America', a title which the media soon changed to 'Singing Cinderella Contest'. Local auditions were conducted for 10,000 contestants in over 90 cities across the US, from which 12 semi-finalists were chosen. These girls then appeared, one per week from March 19 through June 4, singing a solo on the broadcast show so the country could hear them and three finalists were chosen and appeared again on June 18. The winner was chosen by the name of Marie Rogndahl, given a contract with Spitalny, and became a regular performer from July 2.

This next show is supposed to feature the 2nd of these semi-finalists, but it doesn't and I have no idea why not. The show opens correctly with Besame Mucho, which Marilyn Grady is supposed to sing, and the rest of the show appears correct Reference is made to Rochester which is from where the show originated. With AFRS sometimes, who knows, it may be to do with the editing of some commercial ref or it maybe just because...

Hour Of Charm 1944-03-26 AFRS 051 Besame Mucho
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-03-26 Arizona Daily Star

This next one features the 10th semi-finalist - Alice Fore. Alice, complete with fanfare, sings the last number before the hymn, Carnival Of Venice.

Hour Of Charm 1944-05-21 AFRS 059 Southern Roses Waltz - Alice Fore Contestant
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-05-21 Shreveport Times

Today's first offering is mostly correct but once again is missing the Singing Cinderella contestant and her song.

Hour Of Charm 1944-05-28 AFRS 060 Dedication Day (Memorial Day) - Columbia The Gem Of The Ocean
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-05-28 Greenville News

This is the show that was supposed to announce the three contest finalists. Starts out looking OK then the AFRS engineers worked their magic once again. It had to be something to do with editing out the commercial references combined with the length of replacement numbers from other shows. Very frustrating!!

Hour Of Charm 1944-06-18 AFRS 063 Wedding March
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-06-18 Arizona Daily Star

No commentary today as I'm really pressed for time.

Hour Of Charm 1944-07-09 AFRS 066 Die Fledermaus
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-07-09 Greenville News

Hour of Charm 1944-07-23 AFRS 068 A Program of 'Songs' - Song Of The Vagabonds
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-07-23 Greenville News

Hour Of Charm 1944-08-06 AFRS 070 Tonight We Love
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-08-06 Shreveport Times

Hour Of Charm 1944-08-13 AFRS 071 Coronation March
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-08-13 Lincoln Star

Hour Of Charm 1944-08-27 AFRS 073 This Is The Army Mr Jones
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-08-27 Lincoln Star

Hour Of Charm 1944-09-03 AFRS 074 There's A Great Day Coming Manana
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-09-03 Lincoln Star

By autumn of 1944, the choir / orchestra had grown to 50 voices, which must have been a logistical nightmare to move around the country. A poll was organized with the radio stations comprising the NBC network to identify America's most popular songs and this program was the result.

Hour Of Charm 1944-09-24 AFRS 077 America's Favorite Songs - The Stars And Stripes Forever
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-09-24 Lincoln Star

On October 1 the Hour of Charm celebrated its 10th anniversary on the air. With this program, Marie Rogndahl's 13 week contest winning contract ran out and she returned to the University of Oregon to complete the final year of her degree. She had become a national sensation with her singing over those 13 weeks and the pressure to sign a new contract must have been intense. I wonder how many today would have done this. In any event Spitalny had to replace her and did so the following week with new voice Eileen.

My shows pick up again with the broadcast of the 15th.
Hour Of Charm 1944-10-15 AFRS 080 There's A Great Day Coming Tomorrow
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-10-15 Arizona Daily Star

CompleteDayMan wrote:Hour Of Charm 1944-09-03 AFRS 074 There's A Great Day Coming Manana
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-09-24 Lincoln Star

When I click on 1944-09-03 I get 1944-09-24. Do you have 1944-09-03?

Yes, it's all fixed now, sorry about that. I guess my finger twitched again. Have to stop taking these meds!!

Thanks, CDM.

Let's see if I can line these up correctly this morning.

Hour Of Charm 1944-10-29 AFRS 082 Outstanding Musical Comedies - March of The Musketeers
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-10-29 Shreveport Times

This next program originates from Hollywood's Radio City as the whole orchestra and chorus has gone to Hollywood for five weeks to take part in the movie 'The Co-eds Are Coming' featuring Abbott & Costello. Quite an undertaking I'm sure. New soprano Kathryn Fitzgerald makes her debut singing 'Brazil'.

Hour Of Charm 1944-11-05 AFRS 083 Salute To Hollywood - Temptation from 'Going Hollywood'
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-11-05 Greenville News

cdm

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The 10th Anniversary

Many thanks Hotmix. Once again, even though it starts OK, the AFRS engineers have edited the heck out of this show, evidenced by the lack of introduction of many of the numbers, no Marie Rogndahl song and no dedication at the end. There must have been a bunch of special stuff in the show which they either didn't want or it caused commercial editing problems. There also appears to be wholesale confusion throughout the newspapers as most of them show this or similar, although one paper does list Vivian's song as 'Lo, Hear The Gentle Lark'.

The date is also a bit of a mystery as the H of C started on May 14, 1934 but this date is Oct 1. Hmmm.



1944-10-01 Nebraska State Journal

This next show is again from the Hollywood Radio City.

Hour Of Charm 1944-11-12 AFRS 084 The Grand Waltz
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1944-11-12 Nebraska State Journal

3rd week from Hollywood Radio City. Apparently President Roosevelt made a 15 min radio address which took time away from the H of C broadcast that night. The result, at least as far as AFRS is concerned, is a show that does not match the newspapers and may have been specially recorded just for AFRS. Who knows. I don't actually have this disc so I can't confirm one way or another.

Hour Of Charm 1944-11-19 AFRS 085 Salute To Boys & Girls In Uniform Everywhere
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Before I post today's shows, a fill from 1943 has appeared, courtesy of St_Jack.

Hour Of Charm 1943-11-21 AFRS 032 Adapted From The Classics
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



1943-11-21 The Tennessean