''Breakfast in Hollywood'' is a morning radio show created and hosted by

Tom Breneman Thomas Breneman Smith (June 18, 1900 – April 28, 1948) was an American radio personality. For most of his career, he was based in Southern California, in Los Angeles and Hollywood. His radio program was such a success that he established the ep ...

broadcast from 1941 to 1948 on three different radio networks: NBC,

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

and Mutual. These unscripted shows were spontaneous and involved much audience participation. Breneman's many guests included such stars as

Jimmy Durante James Francis Durante ( , ; February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) was an American comedian, actor, singer, vaudevillian, and pianist. His distinctive gravelly speech, Lower East Side accent, comic language-butchery, jazz-influenced song ...

, Andy Devine and Orson Welles. Radio personality Breneman was in Hollywood having lunch in 1940 with friends at Sardi's Restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard when he realized the location's potential for a radio program. He quickly found an audience when he began broadcasting his ''Breakfast on the Boulevard'' January 13, 1941, on KFWB Los Angeles. Newspaper radio schedules indicate that West Coast stations were broadcasting the program as "''Breakfast at Sardi's''" as early as September 1941. The program was limited to radio stations in California, Oregon, and Washington State until ''Breakfast at Sardi's'' aired on the

Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American Commercial broadcasting, radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the N ...

from August 3, 1942. One source claims that on February 26, 1943 the title was changed to avoid confusion with Sardi's in New York. However, newspaper radio schedules for the New York listening area began changing from "Breakfast at Sardi's" to "Breakfast in Hollywood" only in early 1945 while other newspapers referred to Breneman's program as "Breakfast at Sardi's" until mid-1945. The program had numerous sponsors, including

Kellogg's cereals The Kellogg Company, doing business as Kellogg's, is an American multinational food manufacturing company headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. Kellogg's produces cereal and convenience foods, including crackers and toaste ...

, Ivory Flakes, Planters Peanuts, Aunt Jemima Flour, Minute Man Soups and Alpine Coffee. By the mid-1940s, Breneman had ten million listeners. The popularity of the radio program was such that he created his own magazine, and in 1945 he opened his own establishment, Tom Breneman's Restaurant, located on Vine Street off Sunset Boulevard.Tom Breneman's "Breakfast in Hollywood" - Dear Old Hollywood
"Breneman originally hosted Breakfast in Hollywood from the former Tropics nightclub on Vine but later bought the Hollywood Recreation Center next door, converting the bowling alley into a restaurant and radio studio." Organist

Korla Pandit Korla Pandit (September 16, 1921 – October 2, 1998), born John Roland Redd, was an American musician, composer, pianist, and organist. After moving to California in the late 1940s and getting involved in show business, Redd became known as "Kor ...

was only one of the musical talents who performed at the restaurant.

Film

In 1945, flush with success, Breneman promoted the production of a 90-minute feature film, ''Breakfast in Hollywood'' (1946) starring Breneman,

Bonita Granville Bonita Gloria Granville Wrather (February 2, 1923 – October 11, 1988) was an American actress and producer. The daughter of vaudevillians, Granville began her career on the stage at age three. She initially began as a child actress, making h ...

, Beulah Bondi, Raymond Walburn,

ZaSu Pitts Zasu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas, including Erich von Stroheim's epic 1924 silent film ''Greed'', and comedies, transitioning successfully to mostly comedy films with the ...

, Billie Burke and Hedda Hopper, featuring musical numbers by Spike Jones, the Nat King Cole Trio and Andy Russell. Songs include "It Is Better to Be Yourself" by Nat King Cole and "If I Had a Wishing Ring" by Marla Shelton and Louis Alter. "Magic is the Moonlight," "

Amor Amor ("love" in Latin, Spanish and Portuguese) may refer to: Music Albums * ''Amor'' (Julio Iglesias album), 1982 * ''Amor'' (Andrea Bocelli album), 2006 Songs * "Amor" (Los Auténticos Decadentes song), 2000 * "Amor" (Cristian Castro song), 199 ...

", and "If I had a Wishing Ring" are sung by crooner Andy Russell. The film is available on DVD from Mill Creek Entertainment in the Classic Musicals 50 movie pack.

Other

At the age of 47, Breneman died April 28, 1948, in Encino, California, and other hosts, including Garry Moore, stepped in as replacements, but without Breneman, the ratings dropped, and the program came to an end in January 1949.

Show Format

Intro from MC Johnny Masterson. Hearty "Good Morning Ladies" from Tom. Ivory flakes portion of show starts with visiting patrons: "Who are you?" Ivory flakes commercial. "Going for a hat". Drawing for the wishing ring. 2nd half of show-Kellogs' Pep. Good Good neighbor letter. Uncle Corny joke and confirming he will send out orchid. Pep commercial. Taking bids for oldest lady in attendance. Lovely Armroy orchid & kiss to oldest patron. Signoff with Tom leading the ladies in song. Typical daily audience size was 400-500 people, who started lining up at 5am. Tickets to the broadcast had to be secured in advance. Tom was also honorary mayor of Encino, CA.

References

Watch

*{{Internet Archive film, id=breakfast_in_hollywood

Listen to

Zoot Radio, free ''Breakfast In Hollywood'' old time radio shows

External links

''Breakfast in Hollywood'' at IMDB''Breakfast in Hollywood'' at YouTube
American variety radio programs 1940s American radio programs Radio programs adapted into films Mutual Broadcasting System programs NBC radio programs ABC radio programs