The Carnation Contented Hour
Encyclopedia
The Carnation Contented Hour was a long-running radio music series, sponsored by the Carnation Milk Company, which premiered April 26, 1931 on the regional NBC West Coast network. The full network series began January 4, 1932 and was heard for two decades until its final broadcast on December 30, 1951.
With its opening theme, "Contented," the musical variety show featured Josef Pasternack
conducting until he died of a heart attack during a rehearsal. Leroy Shield
and other conductors played four-week tryouts until the network settled on Percy Faith
and his orchestra.
Performers varied but usually included Buddy Clark
, vocalist; Reinhold Schmidt, bass; and Josephine Antoine
, soprano. The announcer was Vincent Pelletier. The program's producers were Harry K. Gilman and C. H. Cottington.
Until October 24, 1932, the program featured Gene Arnold
and Herman Larson, broadcast over NBC Blue
on Mondays at 8pm. Buddy Clark joined the cast on October 31, 1932. From October 2, 1949 until December 30, 1951 it was heard Sundays on the Columbia Broadcasting System with Dick Haymes
and Jo Stafford
co-hosting.
, the Armed Forces Radio Service obtained rights to rebroadcast the program to military personnel. Recordings were made on 16" electrical transcription discs for playback at 33 rpm over AFRS. Commercial messages were edited out, and the program was re-titled The Melody Hour
.
Ted Dale succeeded Percy Faith as musical director in 1949. Dale brought a dramatic and theatrical quality to the program with energetic, colorful arrangements.
Jay Hickerson's The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide to all Circulating Shows indicates the program aired on NBC at 8pm from October 31, 1932, moving to 10pm from November 21, 1932 until September 26, 1949. He reports that there are 43 recorded shows available, 36 bearing dates.
With its opening theme, "Contented," the musical variety show featured Josef Pasternack
Josef Pasternack
Josef Alexander Pasternack was a well-known conductor and composer in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
conducting until he died of a heart attack during a rehearsal. Leroy Shield
Leroy Shield
Leroy Shield was an American film score and radio composer.-Career:A native of Waseca, Minnesota, Shield was an employee of RCA Victor's National Broadcasting Company, for which he composed and conducted on-air musical pieces...
and other conductors played four-week tryouts until the network settled on Percy Faith
Percy Faith
Percy Faith was a Canadian-born American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of pop and Christmas standards. He is often credited with creating the "easy listening" or "mood music" format which became staples of American popular music in the 1950s and...
and his orchestra.
Performers varied but usually included Buddy Clark
Buddy Clark
Buddy Clark was a popular American singer in the 1930s and 1940s.-Life and career:Clark was born Samuel Goldberg to Jewish parents in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He made his Big Band singing debut in 1934 with Benny Goodman on the Let's Dance radio program. In 1936 he started to perform on the...
, vocalist; Reinhold Schmidt, bass; and Josephine Antoine
Josephine Antoine
Josephine Antoine, coloratura soprano, sang at the Metropolitan Opera from 1936 through 1948 in 76 appearances, and was well known in "Un ballo in maschera", "Il barbiere di Siviglia", "Les contes d'Hoffmann", "Le Coq d'Or", "Don Giovanni", "Lucia di Lammermoor", "Mignon", "Parsifal", "Rigoletto",...
, soprano. The announcer was Vincent Pelletier. The program's producers were Harry K. Gilman and C. H. Cottington.
Until October 24, 1932, the program featured Gene Arnold
Gene Arnold
Gene Arnold , nicknamed "Giant Gene" by his fans at record hops and dances, is a radio and television personality from Philadelphia.- Early career :...
and Herman Larson, broadcast over NBC Blue
Blue Network
The Blue Network, and its immediate predecessor, the NBC Blue Network, were the on-air names of an American radio production and distribution service from 1927 to 1945...
on Mondays at 8pm. Buddy Clark joined the cast on October 31, 1932. From October 2, 1949 until December 30, 1951 it was heard Sundays on the Columbia Broadcasting System with Dick Haymes
Dick Haymes
Richard Benjamin "Dick" Haymes was an Argentine actor and one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, who was an actor, television host, and songwriter....
and Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
co-hosting.
WWII
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Armed Forces Radio Service obtained rights to rebroadcast the program to military personnel. Recordings were made on 16" electrical transcription discs for playback at 33 rpm over AFRS. Commercial messages were edited out, and the program was re-titled The Melody Hour
The Melody Hour
"The Melody Hour" was the retitled name of NBC radio's "The Carnation Contented Hour" a 30 minute musical show re-recorded by the Armed Forces Radio Service without commercials. During World War II, particularly, this program was broadcast over AFRS by means of 16" electrical transcriptions or...
.
Ted Dale succeeded Percy Faith as musical director in 1949. Dale brought a dramatic and theatrical quality to the program with energetic, colorful arrangements.
Jay Hickerson's The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide to all Circulating Shows indicates the program aired on NBC at 8pm from October 31, 1932, moving to 10pm from November 21, 1932 until September 26, 1949. He reports that there are 43 recorded shows available, 36 bearing dates.