The Judy Canova Show

The Judy Canova Show is an American old-time radio comedy-variety program. It was broadcast on CBS July 6, 1943 – June 27, 1944, and on NBC January 13, 1945 – June 30, 1951, and December 29, 1951 – May 28, 1953.[1] Each version differed from the others to some extent, although comedy and music remained the focal points.[2] The program is notable for being the medium in which Judy Canova found her greatest success.[3]

The Judy Canova Show
Other namesRancho Canova
GenreComedy-variety
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
SyndicatesCBS
NBC
StarringJudy Canova
AnnouncerKen Niles
Howard Petrie
Verne Smith
Created byJ. Donald Wilson
Produced byDiana Bourbon
Carlton Alsop
Joe Rines
Original releaseJuly 6, 1943 (1943-07-06) – May 28, 1953 (1953-05-28)
Sponsored byColgate-Palmolive-Peet

CBS version

Background

Originally titled Rancho Canova,[4] the program began as a summer replacement for a show that starred Al Jolson.[5] The sponsor later decided to not bring The Al Jolson Show back but to continue the Canova program instead.[6] When Canova's program went off the air, it was replaced by Colgate Theater of Romance, which dramatized famous love stories.[7]

Premise

The program's premise was that the fictional version of Judy Canova moved from a rural area to California in hopes that her Aunt Aggie could help her to become more sophisticated. Episodes included situation-comedy segments related to Canova's interactions with family and friends, one of whom was Benchley Botsford, her love interest. Canova usually sang three songs in each episode, including one just after the show came on and one just before it went off.[2]

Characters and cast

Besides Canova, characters and the actors who portrayed them are shown in the table below:

CharacterActor or Actress
Aunt AggieRuth Perrott[2]
Verna Felton[2]
Benchley BotsfordGeorge Dietz[2]
GeraniumRuby Dandridge[2]
PedroMel Blanc[2]
Mr. SimpsonGale Gordon
Joseph Kearns[2]
Monroe SimpsonTommy Bernard[2]
Baby BubakinsJerry Hausner[2]

Elvia Allman and Hans Conried were also heard regularly in a variety of roles, and the Sportsmen Quartet sang. Announcers were Ken Niles, Howard Petrie, and Verne Smith; Orchestra leaders were Opie Cates, Charles Dant, and Gordon Jenkins.[2]

The program was created by J. Donald Wilson[8] and produced initially by Diana Bourbon, who was succeeded by Carlton Alsop.[9] The sponsor was Colgate-Palmolive-Peet.[10]

NBC version

In the NBC version, the fictional Canova was a film actress who lived in California with her maid and had a weekly radio program. As in the previous version, Canova sang in the show, usually between acts.[2]

Besides Canova, characters and the actors who portrayed them are shown in the table below:

CharacterActor or Actress
Aunt AggieRuth Perrott[11]
Gordon MansfieldGale Gordon[2]
Patsy PierceVerna Felton[2]
GeraniumRuby Dandridge[2]
PedroMel Blanc[2]
Roscoe WortleMel Blanc[11]
Hubert UpdykeJim Backus[2]
Joe CrunchmillerSheldon Leonard[2]
Benchley BotsfordJoseph Kearns[11]
MailmanJoseph Kearns[11]
BrendaSharon Douglas[11]
Mr. HemingwayHans Conreid[12]
William BoswellHans Conreid[12]

George Neise was also heard regularly in a variety of roles, and the Sportsmen Quartet and The Southerners sang. Howard Petrie was the announcer, and Charles Dant led the orchestra. Joe Rines produced and directed, with Fred Fox, Henry Hoople, John Ward,[2] Bill Demling.[13] and Arthur Phillips as writers.[12]

Unfulfilled plans

In April 1954, the trade publication Variety reported that CBS planned to have a 90-minute program that would have Canova as star and feature stars of both films and recordings.[14] Apparently that plan never reached fruition.

References
  1. Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 377-378. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3.
  2. Terrace, Vincent (2015). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland. pp. 182–183. ISBN 9781476605289. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  3. Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. p. 189. ISBN 9780415938532. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  4. Doran, Dorothy (June 4, 1943). "Denny Stages Town Meeting Here". The Akron Beacon Journal. Ohio, Akron. p. 13. Retrieved 24 May 2019.|via = Newspapers.com
  5. "Buck in Bag". Broadcasting. July 5, 1943. p. 20. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  6. "C-P-P Changes Plans". Broadcasting. September 6, 1943. p. 42. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  7. "Colgate Change". Broadcasting. June 19, 1944. p. 32. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  8. "Wilson Named Head of blue Western Division Production" (PDF). Billboard. March 31, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  9. "From the Production Centres". Variety. August 4, 1943. p. 34. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  10. "'Judy Canova Show'" (PDF). Billboard. July 31, 1943. p. 13. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  11. "The Pride of Unadilla". Radio Mirror. 27 (4): 38–39. March 1947. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  12. "Your ticket to". Radio and Television Mirror. 31 (6): 58–59. May 1949. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  13. "New C-P-P Series". Broadcasting. January 16, 1945. p. 72. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  14. "Canova, Edw. Arnold Among Flock Of New CBS Radio Entries for Fall". Variety. April 21, 1954. p. 23. Retrieved 24 April 2019.

Logs

Streaming
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