Meredith Willson

Show Information based on John Dunning's book "On The Air"

Musical variety (1935-1954).

Meredith Willson, composer, conductor, and radio personality, was prominently featured on such major shows as Good News, Maxwell House Coffee Time, Burns and Allen, and The Big Show, in addition to those bearing his own name. His specialty was lush sounds - "chiffon swing," it was called at one time. His association with General Foods was strong: in addition to his shows for Maxwell House, he created a campaign for Jell-O known as "the Talking People." Five actors (Betty Allen, Maxwell Smith, Norma Zimmer, John Rarig, and Bob Hanlon) spoke the commercials in unison, "shimmering" their voices in a vocal impression of the product's texture. Willson's greatest fame, however, was as author of The Music Man, the biggest hit of the 1957-58 theatrical season.

BROADCAST HISTORY:

April 22, 1935--Feb. 12, 1954. Many 30m timeslots on various networks, including:

April 22-June 3, 1935, Blue Network. Mondays at 8:30.

June 16, 1936-Aug. 4, 1937. NBC, Tuesdays at 9;
Wednesdays at 10:30, Blue Network, beginning in Jan.

June 6-Aug. 29, 1946, NBC. Thursdays at 8:30. Substitute for Burns and Allen. Maxwell House.

Oct. 4, 1946-March 28. 1947, CBS. Fridays at 7:30. Sparkle Time. Canada Dry.

June 18-Sept. 24, 1947, CBS. Wednesdays at 9:30. Ford.

Oct. 6, 1948-March 30, 1949, ABC. Wednesdays at 10:30. General Foods for Jell-O.

Aug. 25-Sept. 29, 1949, NBC. Thursdays at 8. General Foods.

Aug. 8, 1951-May 28, 1952, NBC, Wednesdays at 10:30. RCA through Dec. 1951, then sustained.

June I-Sept. 28, 1952, NBC. Sundays at 8. RCA.

Jan. 3-June 6, 1953, NBC. Saturdays at 10:30.

Dec. 16, 1953-Feb. 12, 1954, NBC. Various 15m weekday slots. Florida Citrus.