Victory Theater is a CBS Radio network series that aired during the summer of 1942. The series was created in collaboration with the U.S. government's Office of Facts and Figures, which was then in the process of being consolidated under the Office of War Information. During the summer a similar series, titled Victory Parade, was also created for NBC Radio. Both of these series were produced as part of the World War II war effort and were designed to unite American citizens in their support for the war and to persuade the public to buy war bonds.
Each week Victory Theater presented a special episode of one of CBS's popular nighttime programs. The actors and crew volunteered their services for free, and the programs ran under government sponsorship, instead of under the usual commercial sponsorship. For their efforts, artists on both shows received a silver "V-for-Victory" pin. Victory Theater aired in the Lux Radio Theatre's traditional timeslot (initially as a one-hour program, subsequently as a half-hour program followed by an unrelated music program). Lux's Cecil B. DeMille was the host of Victory Theater, speaking for the sponsoring United States government.
While eight episodes were initially planned, only seven were ultimately produced. The eighth program, originally intended for September 7th, was to have featured comedian Fred Allen.
List of episodes Broadcast date Participating program Length Citations and notes1942-07-20 Lux Radio Theatre 60 minutesOne-hour adaptation of the film The Philadelphia Story, featuring the original stars Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart and Cary Grant1942-07-27 Your Hit Parade 30 minutes Featuring Joan Edwards, Barry Wood, Martin Block, and Mark Warnow’s Orchestra 1942-08-03 Major Bowes' Amateurs 30 minutes Christina Carroll, coloratura soprano singer, joined by amateur sailors and soldiers1942-08-10 The First Nighter Program 30 minutes “Nest of Eagles”, starring Les Tremayne and Barbara Luddy1942-08-17 Big Town 30 minutes “What America Means to You”, starring Edward G. Robinson1942-08-24 Amos 'n' Andy 30 minutes"Love Comes to Andy Brown" starring Charles Correll and Freeman Gosden, with guests Victor Moore and Edward Arnold Note: This was the first time the program was presented in an expanded half-hour form. Initial plans for this date were for a presentation by musician and humorist Bob Burns1942-08-31 The Screen Guild Theater 30 minutes Thirty-minute adaptation of the film Joe Smith, American, featuring original star Robert Young, with Ruth Hussey Instead of the previously planned September 7th episode featuring comedian Fred Allen, CBS ran the final episode of Norman Corwin's summer series An American in England, moving it up one hour to fill the Victory Theater's timeslot. Some contemporary newspaper listings and other sources, however, incorrectly show Victory Theater as still airing an eighth episode on this date. Ironically, Corwin's shortwave broadcast ended up being badly compromised by atmospherics.
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