The Voice of Firestone
The Voice of Firestone was a radio and television program of
Radio
Other names | The Firestone Hour |
---|---|
Genre | NBC Blue |
TV adaptations | The Voice of Firestone |
Announcer | Hugh James |
Original release | December 3, 1928 – June 10, 1957 |
Opening theme | "In My Garden" (1936–1941) "If I Could Tell You" (1941–1957) |
Ending theme | "In My Garden" |
Sponsored by | Firestone Tire and Rubber Company |
The program was sponsored by the
Regular performers on the series included
NBC dropped the program after the June 7, 1954, broadcast, but ABC immediately began to air it beginning with the following week's installment.[1]
Television
Firestone sponsored a related television series, The Voice of Firestone Televues, one of the first television series with programming other than news or sports coverage, and according to researchers of television history, may have been the first regularly scheduled series in U.S. television history broadcast beyond New York on a network of multiple stations. It began on November 29, 1943, on New York's
When The Voice of Firestone arrived on television in the fall of 1949, NBC simulcast the show on radio and TV, one of the first programs to use that technology.
The program continued to air at 8:30 on Mondays until 1959, when ABC insisted on moving the show to a later time period. Firestone refused, and the show was canceled entirely. Although the ratings were low at the time of its cancellation, the fan outcry was loud, with some writing their congressmen. ABC tried to appease the fans with Music for a Summer Night, a copy of the show minus Firestone, but the results were not favorable. The 30th anniversary show was telecast November 24, 1958.
In 1962, The Voice of Firestone returned, airing at 10pm on Sunday nights. The same relatively small number of viewers tuned in, and the show was permanently canceled in May 1963.
The Firestone Orchestra was conducted by Hugo Mariani (1928–31), William Daly (1931–36), Alfred Wallenstein (1936–43) and Howard Barlow (1943 on). Featured among the eight regular singers of the Firestone Chorus were Lorraine Donahue, William Toole (baritone), Russell Hammar (tenor), Donald Craig (bass), and Bill Metcalf. Hugh James was the announcer.
Cast
- Howard Barlow as Conductor
- Mary Costa as Marguerite
Theme songs
New England Conservatory holdings
The New England Conservatory houses documents and recordings related to The Voice of Firestone.[6]
Notes
- ^ John Dunning's reference book, On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, gives the date of the final radio broadcast as June 10, 1957.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-1950-7678-3. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
Voice of Firestone
- ISBN 978-0-7864-2047-6. Archived from the originalon 2007-11-06. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-3133-3230-2.
- ^ Classic themes.com
- ^ Fairfax, Arthur (February 8, 1941). "Mr. Fairfax Replies" (PDF). Movie-Radio Guide. 10 (18): 45. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
- ^ "Voice of Firestone". New England Conservatory. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.