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''The Palmolive Hour'' is an American radio concert-variety program, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and broadcast on
''Echo'' (Fall 2003): "Music and Advertising in Early Radio" by Timothy D. Taylor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmolive Hour, The 1920s American radio programs 1930s American radio programs American music radio programs NBC radio programs 1927 radio programme debuts 1931 radio programme endings
''The Palmolive Hour'' is an American radio concert-variety program, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and broadcast on NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
from December 1927, to July 29, 1931. The Palmolive Musical Stock Company (aka the Palmolivers) offered a mix of jazz, show tunes and opera selections.
Format and performers
The program usually opened with a duet by Frank Munn and soprano Virginia Rea. To call attention to the sponsor's product, they did not appear on the program under their own names but instead were introduced each week as Paul Oliver and Olive Palmer. Contralto Elizabeth Lennox was featured in duets with Rea.Gus Haenschen Walter Gustave Haenschen ( - March 27, 1980) was an arranger and composer of music and an orchestra conductor, primarily on old-time radio programs.
Early years
Haenschen was born in St. Louis to parents who had come from Germany and settled in th ...
led the orchestra, with Frank Black at the piano. Other regular members of the cast were Wilfred Glenn, Lewis James, James Melton
James Melton (January 2, 1904 – April 21, 1961), a popular singer in the 1920s and early 1930s, later began a career as an operatic singer when tenor voices went out of style in popular music around 1932–35. His singing talent was similar to ...
, Elliot Shaw, and the Revelers Quartet.
Guest appearances
Fanny Brice was a guest on the program, and other broadcasts featured such guests asVaughn De Leath
Vaughn De Leath (September 26, 1894 – May 28, 1943) was an American female singer who gained popularity in the 1920s, earning the sobriquets "The Original Radio Girl" and the "First Lady of Radio." Although very popular in the 1920s, De Leath is ...
, Gene Tunney
James Joseph Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1 ...
, the Duncan Sisters
The Duncan Sisters (Rosetta and Vivian Duncan) were an American vaudeville duo who became popular in the 1920s with their act ''Topsy and Eva''.
Biography
Early career
Rosetta (November 23, 1894Sources differ on their birth dates. These are ta ...
, Cliff Edwards
Clifton Avon "Cliff" Edwards (June 14, 1895 – July 17, 1971), nicknamed "Ukulele Ike", was an American singer, musician and actor. He enjoyed considerable popularity in the 1920s and early 1930s, specializing in jazzy renditions of pop standar ...
(aka Ukulele Ike), Cecil Lean, Cleo Mayfield, The Revelers
The Revelers were an American quintet (four close harmony singers and a pianist) popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Revelers' recordings of "Dinah (song), Dinah", "Ol' Man River, Old Man River", "Valencia (song), Valencia", "Baby Fa ...
and international operatic sopranos Claudia Muzio
Claudia Muzio (7 February 1889 – 24 May 1936) was an Italian operatic soprano who enjoyed an international career during the early 20th century.
Early years
Claudina Emilia Maria Muzzio was born in Pavia, the daughter of Carlo Muzio, an operat ...
, of the Metropolitan Opera Company, and Edith Mason, of the Chicago Civic Opera Company. The announcers were Phillips Carlin and Alois Havrilla.
When the series came to an end during mid-summer 1931, only a few months lapsed before many associated with ''The Palmolive Hour'' were reunited on a new series that fall. Munn, Rea, Lennox, The Revelers and Haenschen all continued in the similar format of ''The American Album of Familiar Music
''The American Album of Familiar Music'' is a radio program of popular music broadcast from October 11, 1931, to June 20, 1954, first on NBC, then on ABC and then on local stations. Directed by James Haupt, the show was produced by Frank and Anne ...
''. Munn stayed with that series until his retirement in 1945.
See also
*'' Palmolive Beauty Box Theater'' (1934-1937)References
External links
''Echo'' (Fall 2003): "Music and Advertising in Early Radio" by Timothy D. Taylor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmolive Hour, The 1920s American radio programs 1930s American radio programs American music radio programs NBC radio programs 1927 radio programme debuts 1931 radio programme endings