''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air'' was a program broadcast on CBS Radio during the 1930s which attempted to bring the success of Florenz Ziegfeld's stage shows to the new medium of radio.

Eddie Dowling Eddie Dowling (born Joseph Nelson Goucher; December 11, 1889Date and year of birth as per baptismal records of Precious Blood church, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, where Dowling was christened — February 18, 1976) was an American actor, director, ...

hosted the musical variety format. Sponsored by

Chrysler Motors Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...

, the half-hour series aired Sunday evenings from April 3 to June 26, 1932, moving April 24 from 8:30 pm ET to 10:30 pm ET. With

Al Goodman Alfred Goodman (August 12, 1890 – January 10, 1972) was a conductor, songwriter, stage composer, musical director, arranger, and pianist. Early years Goodman was born in Nikopol, Ukraine, (another source says that he was born in Odessa, Ru ...

leading the orchestra, the line-up of guests included Fanny Brice,

Helen Morgan Helen Morgan may refer to: *Helen Morgan (singer) Helen Morgan (née Riggins; August 2, 1900 – October 9, 1941) was an American singer and actress who worked in films and on the stage. A quintessential torch singer, she made a big splash in ...

Jack Pearl Jack Pearl (born Jack Perlman; October 29, 1894 – December 25, 1982) was a vaudeville performer and a star of early radio. He was best known for his character Baron Munchausen. Vaudeville and early films Born in New York, Pearl debuted as a ...

, Will Rogers, and Ziegfeld himself. Pearl introduced his "Baron Munchausen" character. Ziegfeld died on July 22, 1932, but the series returned from February 22 to June 6, 1936, serving as a tribute to the showman. Goodman returned as orchestra leader, and Brice appeared in the sketch series that eventually expanded into ''

The Baby Snooks Show ''The Baby Snooks Show'' was an American radio program starring comedian and ''Ziegfeld Follies'' alumna Fanny Brice as a mischievous young girl who was 40 years younger than the actress who played her when she first went on the air. The series b ...

''. Other guests included Patty Chapin,

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 ...

, and

Benny Fields Benny Fields, occasionally billed as "Bennie Fields" (born Benjamin Geisenfeld; June 14, 1894 – August 16, 1959), was a popular singer of the early 20th century, best known as one-half of the Blossom Seeley-Benny Fields vaudeville team. ...

. Few episodes survive.

References

Listen to

Radio Journeys: ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air'' (April 3, 1932)Radio Journeys: ''The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air'' (April 10, 1932)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ziegfeld Follies of the Air, The American variety radio programs 1930s American radio programs 1932 radio programme debuts 1932 radio programme endings 1936 radio programme debuts 1936 radio programme endings CBS Radio programs