PETE KELLY'S BLUES

Broadcast History

NBC July 4-Sept. 19, 1951 30m.

Cast:

Jack Webb as Pete Kelly Meredith Howard as Maggie Jackson, singer. Supporting players: William Conrad, Stacy Harris Jack Kruschen, Whitfield Connor, Vic Perrin etc. Jazz players: Dick Cathcart, cornet; Matty Matlock, clarinet Elmer Schneider, trombone; Bill Newman guitar, Nick Fatool, drums. Announcer: George Fenneman

Pete Kelly's Blues took listeners to a smoke filled Kansas City speakeasy of the 1920's. Most of the shows worked the same theme: Kelly would run afoul of some hood or mob boss, and his main work over the half hour was in trying to get out of a bad situation with his skin intact. Much of the show's appeal is in the music which was hot jazz; two full jazz numbers were featured on each broadcast giving it an unusual sound.

Reference: On the Air by John Dunning