''Constance Bennett Calls on You'' is an American

old-time radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the early ...

talk show. It was broadcast on

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 ...

May 21, 1945 - March 15, 1946. Beginning November 20, 1945, it was also carried on CJBC in Toronto, Canada. The program was also known as ''The Constance Bennett Show''.

Format

''Constance Bennett Calls on You'' featured discussion of topics in which women were interested — from new hats to families to world events. A preview article in the trade publication ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' said, "She'll tell about the people she meets, the places she goes and the things she does." Fridays on the program were devoted to answering letters mailed in by listeners. The show also had a "woman of the week" feature. In conjunction with the weekly recognition, the

Gruen Watch Co. The Gruen Watch Company was formerly one of the largest watch manufacturers in the United States. It was in business from about 1894 to 1958 and was based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1894 by German-born watchmaker Dietrich Grün, who ...

designed a new model watch named after Bennett and awarded one of them to each "woman of the week".

Sponsorship

As one of ABC's "co-operative programs", ''Constance Bennett Calls on You'' was part of a plan under which advertisers paid only for sponsorship in their own listening areas. The live broadcasts had commercials inserted by local announcers. Broadcasts were sponsored by various businesses (mainly department stores and specialty stores) in the markets in which the program was heard. By late October 1945, the number of sponsors had reached 26. Bennett often integrated advertising into her comments. Advertisers were notified in advance what items of clothing or accessories she planned to talk about in a particular day's broadcast. Sponsors who had those items for sale could then advertise in newspapers and in-store promotions that Bennett would be talking about them on that day's program.

Personnel

Actress

Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...

was the hostess for the program. She and the announcer discussed whatever topics were on each day's agenda. Announcers were

George Ansbro George Ansbro (January 14, 1915 – November 5, 2011) was a radio announcer for NBC and ABC for six decades, working with soap operas, big bands, quiz shows and other programs. Early years Ansbro was born January 14, 1915, in Brooklyn, New ...

and Robert Latting. Bennett sometimes interviewed prominent guests, such as

Elsa Maxwell Elsa Maxwell (May 24, 1883 – November 1, 1963) was an American gossip columnist and author, songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality and professional hostess renowned for her parties for royalty and high society figures of her day. Maxw ...

References

{{Reflist 1945 radio programme debuts 1946 radio programme endings 1940s American radio programs ABC radio programs American talk radio programs