1941-1942 Season with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra

1941-1942 Season with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra

Audience share for the season is 21.1, which puts the show in twelfth place in the Hooper ratings. Edgar Bergen is top with 35.2.

No. 232 30th October 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Connie Boswell, Rise Stevens, William Frawley and Warner Baxter .

*You Are My Sunshine with The Music Maids

*Humpty Dumpty Heart

*Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay (a) with The Music Maids

*Yes, Indeed! with Connie Boswell

*The Anniversary Waltz

*You And I

*The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi

Note:

(a) CP1 - “Bouncing With Bing”

“Bing Crosby, returning to the Kraft Music Hall programme on NBC Red WEAF, last Thursday night (30th), immediately spotlighted a flaw in the show’s present set-up - that is, there isn’t enough use of Crosby. One of the greatest pop singers of this era, he sang too infrequently on the stanza - particularly as ASCAP tunes have just returned to the networks. He set the kilocycles pulsating with such ballads as, ‘The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi’ but the dearth of his vocalising was especially, disappointing. Otherwise, the show was, unmistakably, improved by his return. The continuity was uneven, however, particularly regarding some laboured puns and gags, as well as that threadbare by-play about the half-hour chain-break, signal chime. John Scott Trotter’s orchestral contribution was lush and varied”

(“Variety” 5th November 1941)

“Connie Boswell is pulling out of the Kraft Music Hall within the next few weeks to make a personal tour of theatres where the pickings are more luscious than on the solo kilocycle job”

“Mary Martin is expected to land the singing assignment after Connie Boswell pulls out for a long theatre tour”

(“Variety” 22nd & 29th October 1941) (But see note for Programme No. 241!)

No. 233 6th November 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Connie Boswell, Salvatore Bacaloni, Michelle Morgan and Brian Donlevy.

*Chattanooga Choo-Choo (a) with The Music Maids

*Do You Care?

*I Wonder What’s Become Of Sally?

*Tea For Two with Connie Boswell

*Shepherd Serenade with The Music Maids

*Lone Star Trail with The Music Maids

Note:

(a) CP1 - “Bouncing With Bing”

No. 234 13th November 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Connie Boswell, The Milt Herth Trio, Ruth Hussey and Joe DiMaggio.

*B-I-Bi (a) with The Music Maids

*Why Don’t We Do This More Often with The Music Maids

*It Must Be True with The Music Maids

*Basin Street Blues with Connie Boswell

*I See A Million People (But All I Can See Is You) with The Music Maids

*Who Calls?

Note:

(a) CP1 - “Bouncing With Bing”

No. 235 20th November 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Connie Boswell, The Hall Johnson Choir, Jinx Falkenburg and Donald Crisp.

*Chattanooga Choo-Choo with The Music Maids

*Be Honest With Me with The Music Maids

*Any Bonds Today? with The Music Maids & Donald Crisp

Nobody’s Sweetheart Connie Boswell

*Rose O’Day (a) with Connie Boswell

*When I Lost You

*Humpty Dumpty Heart

*The Anniversary Waltz

Note:

(a) Spokane 18 - “Bing & Connee - On The Air”

No. 236 27th November 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Jerry Lester, Wendy Barrie, Hank Bauer, Humphrey Bogart and Wingy Manone.

*B-I-Bi with The Music Maids

*Shepherd Serenade with The Music Maids

*Blues In The Night with The Music Maids

*I Want A Girl, Just Like The Girl

(That Married Dear Old Dad) with The Music Maids

*I See A Million People (But All I Can See Is You)

“Humphrey Bogart, Wendy Barrie and Wingy Manone guested on Thursday night (27th) at the Kraft Music Hall. They all seemed to have fun but most of the entertainment remained in the studio. Bogart first teamed with Bing Crosby and Jerry Lester in a rather laboured comedy skit and then Miss Barrie and Ken Carpenter joined them for another sketch that had them all giggling but failed to project laughs across the ozone. Manone played one sizzling trumpet ‘bit’ but became badly tangled, trying to read lines. John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra supplied excellent musical accompaniment and of course, Crosby’s vocals were ‘sock’ though too infrequent”

(“Variety” 3rd December 1941)

No. 237 4th December 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Connie Boswell, Victor Borge, Carole Landis and Walter Huston.

*The Whistler’s Mother-In-Law with The Music Maids

*The Magic Of Magnolias

*Be Honest With Me with The Music Maids

*Rose O’Day with Connie Boswell

*Mary’s A Grand Old Name

“Kraft Music Hall has bolstered its personnel with the addition of Victor Borge, Danish pianist and comedian who has been tagged to a five-year contract”

(“Variety” 17th December 1941)

No. 238 11th December 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Connie Boswell, Victor Borge, Veronica Lake, Jerry Lester, Robert Coote and Paul Robeson.

*Any Bonds Today? with Connie Boswell & The Music Maids

*Who Calls? with The Music Maids

*Goodbye, Little Darlin’, Goodbye

*The Sweetheart Of Sigma Chi

*Humpty Dumpty Heart

No. 239 18th December 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Jerry Lester, Connie Boswell, Victor Borge, The Kraft Choral Club and George Murphy.

*Anchors Aweigh

*The Magic Of Magnolias

*The Whistler’s Mother-In-Law with The Music Maids

*Santa Claus Is Coming To Town with George Murphy

*When I Grow Too Old To Dream

*Don’t Let Julia Fool Ya with Connie Boswell

Gee, But I Hate To Go Home Alone Connie Boswell

*’Tis Autumn with The Music Maids

Mary’s Lullaby The Kraft Choral Club

*Angels Of Mercy

*The Anniversary Waltz

No. 240 25th December 1941

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Jerry Lester, Connie Boswell, Victor Borge, Fay Bainter and Frank McHugh.

*Adeste Fideles with The Music Maids

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love Connie Boswell

*Chattanooga Choo-Choo with The Music Maids

*Oh! How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning with The Music Maids

*Rose O’Day with Connie Boswell

*White Christmas with The Music Maids

When Christmas Is Gone Connie Boswell

*Shepherd Serenade

*Silent Night

(There have always been varying opinions regarding the identities of the songs used on this particular show. It has now been established, beyond reasonable doubt, that the details shown above represent the correct content and running order ot the programme. The early appearance of “White Christmas” would seem slightly suspect, if it were not for the fact that “Let’s Start The New Year Right” is known to have been featured on the next programme (No. 241). Irving Berlin left New York for Los Angeles on the 5th November and shooting on ‘Holiday Inn’ began later in the same month. But it is now considered, that he may have been ‘tinkering’ with the song or an idea for the song some time before this. There is little doubt that this would have been the first airing for this historic song. Apart from the previously mentioned, “Let’s Start The New Year Right”, no other songs from the film appeared in Kraft programmes until late June 1942 (a month before the premiere) although the picture was sneak previewed in March.)

No. 241 1st January 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, Dusolina Glannini and Wingy Manone.

*Let’s Start The New Year Right (a) with The Music Maids

*The Whistler’s Mother-In-Law with The Music Maids

*The Magic Of Magnolias

*Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie with Mary Martin

*Shepherd Serenade with The Music Maids

*The White Cliffs Of Dover (b) with The Music Maids

It’s A Lovely Day, Tomorrow Mary Martin

Notes:

(a) Spokane 6 - “Bing Crosby - Happy Holiday” (See also Programme No. 240 - Note (a))

Vintage Jazz Classics VJC1017-2 (CD) - “Bing Crosby - The Christmas Songs”

(b) Spokane 5 - “Der Bingle - Those Great World War II Songs” (Date shewn as

December 1 1942)

Double Gold DBG53042 (CD) - “Bing Crosby - Those Great World War II Songs”

(Mary Martin came into the programme as a “regular”, replacing Connie Boswell who had not departed from “The Hall” without some apparent rancour!)

(Headline) “I Was Fired, So Why All The Bunk? Asks Miss Boswell”

“Connie Boswell’s frankness in newspaper interviews during her current theatre tour has disconcerted the advertising executives of the Kraft Cheese Company. When interviewed on her various stands, Miss Boswell has tagged as ‘silly’, announcements put out by the account that she was on leave of absence from its Bing Crosby programme. ‘I don’t know’, she has retorted, ‘why they put out such stuff. To put it plainly, I was fired. They wanted Mary Martin in my place, so they hired her’”

(“Variety” 18th March 1942)

“Victor Borge and Mary Martin, newcomers to the Kraft Music Hall show, already mesh well with Bing Crosby, Jerry Lester and John Trotter. Presumably, the team play will become even smoother with more broadcasts. Debuting on the series, last week (1st), Miss Martin paired admirably with Crosby in several dialogue comedy ‘bits’ but wasn’t too becomingly presented in her musical numbers. For instance, her vocal of Irving Berlin’s, ‘Tomorrow Is A Lovely Day’(sic) failed to take advantage of one of the best tunes of the past couple of seasons. It was given only a single chorus and that too slow for Miss Martin’s style of singing or for the song’s best effect. In a single, lengthy comedy spot, Borge had clicked with some highly original, colourful material. It consisted of his explanation and demonstration of his audible punctuation”

(“Variety” 7th January 1942)

No. 242 8th January 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, Major John S. Winch and Cesar Romero.

*You’re A Grand Old Flag with The Music Maids

*Goodbye, Little Darlin’, Goodbye

*My Melancholy Baby

*The Waiter And The Porter And The Upstairs Maid with Mary Martin & Jerry Lester

*’Tis Autumn with The Music Maids

*Day Dreaming

No. 243 15th January 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester and Robert Young.

*The US Field Artillery March

(The Caissons Go Rolling Along)

*Blues In The Night with The Music Maids

*I Know Why (And So Do You)

*Stop Throwing Stones At Nell with Mary Martin and The Music Maids

*Clementine with The Music Maids

*The White Cliffs Of Dover

No. 244 22nd January 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, Major Thomas Power and Lucille Ball.

*The Army Air Corps Song (a) with Chorus

It’s Delovely Mary Martin

*Dreamsville, Ohio with The Music Maids

*Day Dreaming

*Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie with Mary Martin

*MacNamara’s Band with The Music Maids

Ma Curly Headed Baby Mary Martin

Farewell Blues John Scott Trotter & the Orchestra

*The Anniversary Waltz

Note:

(a) Spokane 5 - “Der Bingle - Those Great World War II Songs”

Double Gold DBG53042 (CD) - “Bing Crosby - Those Great World War II Songs”

No. 245 29th January 1942 (a)

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, Igor Gorin, Sam Snead and Madeleine Carroll.

*The US Field Artillery March

(The Caissons Go Rolling Along) with Chorus

*Chattanooga Choo-Choo with The Music Maids & Hal

*Got A Date With An Angel (b)

You Made Me Love You Mary Martin

*Deep In The Heart of Texas (c) with The Music Maids & Hal

The Blue Danube (Strauss) Victor Borge (Piano)

*Blues In The Night with The Music Maids & Hal

*Rose O’Day with Mary Martin

Gypsy Airs Igor Gorin (Violin)

The Pledge To The Flag Igor Gorin (Violin)

*Home On The Range

*Who Calls? with The Music Maids & Hal

Notes:

(a) The complete programme was issued on Spokane 11 - “Bing Crosby - Kraft Music Hall –

29th January 1942”

(b) A few lines only, by way of introduction to a sketch.

Radio Shows”

“General Douglas MacArthur’s fighting men asked today for a radio broadcast of ‘Bing Crosby songs’ to divert their thoughts from the pressures of battle. Colonel William J. Donovan, co-ordinator of information, informed Crosby’s agents that the office of President Roosevelt had received the request from General MacArthur in behalf of his soldiers. Mr. Crosby said that arrangements would be made to broadcast his regular Thursday night radio programme to Luzon Island. He would dedicate ‘The Caissons Go Rolling Along’ to the Philippine defenders”

(“New York Times” 25th January 1942)

No. 246 5th February 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Lieutenant Harold B. Roberts, Wingy Manone and John Garfield.

*The Yankee Doodle Boy (a) with The Music Maids & Hal

*Dreamsville, Ohio with The Music Maids & Hal

*I Don’t Want To Walk Without You (a)

*Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine (b)

* My Sunday Gal with Wingy Manone

*Jealous with The Music Maids & Hal

*The Anniversary Waltz

Note:

(a) Spokane 5 - Der Bingle - Those Great World War II Songs”

Double Gold DBG53042 (CD) - “Bing Crosby - Those Great World War II Songs”

(Both shew “The Yankee Doodle Boy” as “Yankee Doodle Dandy”)

(b) Bing totally loses his place whilst singing this song.

12th February 1942}

19th February 1942} Bing did not appear in either of these two programmes.

No. 247 26th February 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Hank Luisetti, Allen Jenkins and Paul Robeson.

*The Army Air Corps Song

Listen To The Mocking Bird Mary Martin

*Deep In The Heart Of Texas (a) with The Music Maids & Hal

*The Whistler’s Mother-In-Law with The Music Maids & Hal

*Rose O’Day with Mary Martin

Balm In Gilead Paul Robeson

It Ain’t Necessarily So Paul Robeson

*Miss You with The Music Maids & Hal

Unidentified song Mary Martin

Maple Leaf Rag Orchestra

*My Melancholy Baby

Note:

(a) Jasmine CD JASMCD 3558 - “Bing Crosby – Another Ride in Cowboy Country”

No. 248 5th March 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Jack Teagarden, Cornelius Warmerdam and Donald Crisp.

*Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine with The Music Maids & Hal

*Blues In The Night with The Music Maids & Hal

*Day Dreaming

*The Waiter And The Porter And The Upstairs Maid with Mary Martin & Jack Teagarden

*The White Cliffs Of Dover with The Music Maids & Hal

*Someday Sweetheart with The Music Maids & Hal

No. 249 12th March 1942 (a)

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, Mary I. Barber, Wingy Manone and Pat O’Brien.

*How About You? with The Music Maids & Hal

*Dear Old Donegal with Pat O’Brien

*I Don’t Want To Walk Without You

Excerpts: Paderewski - Minuet; Rossini - }

William Tell Overture; Strauss - Blue Danube; } Victor Borge (Piano)

Liszt - 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody }

The Saga Of Jenny Mary Martin

*Darling Nellie Gray

*We’re The Couple In The Castle (b) with Mary Martin

That’s A-Plenty Wingy Manone (Trumpet)

Les Filles De Cadiz (The Three Young Fillies) Mary Martin

*The Song Of The Quartermaster Corps

The Anvil Chorus (Verdi) The John Scott Trotter Orchestra

*Miss You with The Music Maids & Hal

My Country, ‘Tis Of Thee We Sing Pat O’Brien (Poetry Reading with Orchestral

Accompaniment)

Notes:

(a) A slightly edited version of the programme was issued on Spokane 2 - “Bing Crosby - Kraft Music Hall - 12th March 1942” (“How About You?” shewn as “I Like It, How About You”; “Dear Old Donegal” shewn as “MacNamara’s Band” and “The Song Of The Quartermaster Corps” shewn as “We’re The Gang That Feeds The Army”).

(b) This item is omitted from the above-mentioned issue.

No. 250 19th March 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, Lester V. Barrie, Allen Jenkins and Nigel Bruce.

*Deep In The Heart Of Texas (a) with The Music Maids & Hal

Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In A Hurry Mary Martin

*Somebody Else Is Taking My Place with The Music Maids & Hal

*Did Your Mother Come From Ireland?

*Rose O’Day with Mary Martin

Summertime Mary Martin

Barcarolle (Offenbach) Victor Borge (Piano)

*You Tell Me Your Dream (b) with The Music Maids & Hal

Triumphal March from ‘Peter And The Wolf’(Prokofiev) The John Scott Trotter Orchestra

*The Anniversary Waltz

Notes:

(a) The arrangement includes a vocal by an unidentified male chorus of “The Eyes Of Texas”

(b) The comedy introduction includes Bing singing snatches of “Button Up Your Overcoat” and

“Marie”.

No. 251 26th March 1942 (a)

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, Jerry Lester, John E. ‘Deems’ Reardon, The Ink Spots, Jack Mayhew and Robert Preston.

*How About You? with The Music Maids & Hal

Pound The Tables Polka Mary Martin

*Blues In The Night with The Music Maids & Hal

Excerpts: Herbert - Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life; }

Where The Blue Of The Night; Mendelssohn - }

Spring Song and Wedding March; Cuckoo Song; }

Little Gray Home In The West; Beethoven - Minuet } Victor Borge (Piano)

In G; Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair; When }

Irish Eyes Are Smiling }

Do I Worry The Ink Spots

*I Remember You

*We’re The Couple In The Castle with Mary Martin

*K-K-K-Katy (b) with The Music Maids & Hal

You Made Me Love You Mary Martin

Loose Ends (Mayhew) Jack Mayhew (Saxophone)

A String Of Pearls (Gray) The John Scott Trotter Orchestra

*Miss You

Notes:

(a) An excerpt from the show featuring dialogue only by Bing was issued on Sandy Hook SH2084 and CDSH2084 (CD) - “The Ink Spots On The Air”

(b) The comedy introduction includes Bing singing snatches of, “Somebody Stole My Gal”, “Mickey”, “Oui, Oui, Marie” and “Good Morning, Mr. Zip, Zip, Zip”.

“Jerry Lester concluding a year on Kraft and going on tour of theatres.....Mary Martin picked up another 13 weeks on Kraft Music Hall....Victor Borge got an option lift on Kraft”

(“Variety” 25th March 1942)

No. 252 2nd April 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Victor Borge, The Kraft Choral Club, Claude Thornhill and Walter Huston.

*The Army Air Corps Song with Chorus

Indian Love Call Mary Martin

*She’ll Always Remember

Autumn Nocturne (Myrow) Claude Thornhill (Piano)

Stealin’Apples (Razaf/Waller) Claude Thornhill (Piano)

*Moonlight Cocktail

*Easter Parade (a)

Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag

(And Smile, Smile, Smile) (b) Mary Martin with The Music Maids & Hal

Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? The Kraft Choral Club

As It Began To Dawn (Mason) The Kraft Choral Club

Espana Rhapsody (Chabrier) The John Scott Trotter Orchestra

*Sing Me A Song Of The Islands with The Music Maids & Hal

Notes:

(a) The comedy introduction includes Bing singing snatches of, “Love Is The Sweetest Thing”, “Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf?” and “The Last Round-Up”

(a) The comedy introduction includes Bing singing snatches of, “I’ve Been Floating Down The Old Green River”, and “M-O-T-H-E-R”

No. 253 9th April 1942

With Ken Carpenter, The Music Maids & Hal, Mary Martin, Major John L. DeWitt, June Havoc and Walter Pidgeon.

*The US Field Artillery March

(The Caissons Go Rolling Along) with The Music Maids & Hal

Isn’t That Just Like Love Mary Martin

I Haven’t A Thing To Wear June Havoc

*Skylark

*I Don’t Want To Walk Without You

*Honey with male quartet

*Sweetly She Sleeps, My Alice Fair<