Monday, October 26, 2015

"NBC Nightly News," and the S.S. United States

There was a piece on Monday's "NBC Nightly News," by reporter Rehema Ellis, about the S.S. United States: 

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/keeping-hope-afloat-iconic-american-ship-n451626

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

The S.S. United States, in trouble

The ship--as has been the case before--is facing possible demise.  Here are two recent news stories:

http://www.history.com/news/ss-united-states-may-be-sold-for-scrap?cmpid=Social_Facebook_SiteShare

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/08/business/friends-of-the-ss-united-states-send-out-a-last-sos.html

Here, too, is the Facebook page of the S.S. United States Conservancy, the group which currently owns the ship, and which has for years been advocating on its behalf:

https://www.facebook.com/SSUSC?fref=ts

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Your Hit Parade

The radio show Your Hit Parade began airing in 1935.  In the summer of 1950, the show came to television; during the summer, there were four experimental telecasts of the program, on NBC.

The television show began airing regularly on NBC on October 7, 1950--65 years ago today.

The program starred singers Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson, and Dorothy Collins; the show's "Lucky Strike Orchestra" was led by musician, composer and bandleader Raymond Scott. Also prominently featured were the Hit Paraders, the show's choral group, and the Hit Parade dancers. Andre Baruch was the program's announcer.  The show aired each week following NBC's Your Show of Shows.

My mother, Sue Bennett, became a part of the cast in early 1951. At first, she performed with singer Russell Arms, and others, in the show's "extravaganza" commercials for Lucky Strike; the commercials featured singing and dancing. She later became a featured singer on the program, and remained with the show until the close of the 1951-1952 season.
















(Pictured:  Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson, and Dorothy Collins, the primary singing stars of Your Hit Parade from 1950 to 1952. Wilson left the program in 1952; Lanson and Collins remained until 1957. Collins also starred in a 1958-1959 version of the program, with singer Johnny Desmond.)