03 January, 1944

No letter today.    Just this:

* TIDBIT *

Christmas Day Show
Armed Forces Radio Service
1943 Recording

In the letter dated 25 December, 1943, Greg described the Armed Forces Radio Service Christmas Day Show as not particularly funny but, next to a letter, "the best thing to cheer up a guy" because it was a piece of "home". It was recorded before a live audience on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California as part of the "Command Performance" series. These shows were not broadcast over domestic U.S. radio stations, but were sent directly overseas by shortwave. Some of the programming responded to requests from soldiers for particular performers or musicians.

The Christmas show recording below was opened and closed by Ken Carpenter (leftmost, below), and Bob Hope (rightmost, below) was the Master of Ceremonies. It includes a speech by then Secertary of War, Henry L. Stimpson, and a rendition of "Summertime" by Dinah Shore (two to the left of Bob Hope, below). Also on the recording are Kaye Keyser as well as Jack Benny with Fred Allen. It is not the recording heard by Greg, but one that was recorded the same day.  Likewise, the picture below is not from this show, but one imagined to be similar to this...

CLICK TO ENLARGE PICTURE

Command Performance c. 1944, CBS Studio, Hollywood
with the Armed Forces Radio Military Orchestra
conducted by Major Meredith Willson, on the podium

[*TIDBIT* within a *TIDBIT*: Major Meredith Willson, who conducted the Armed Forces Radio Military Orchestra, is best known for writing the book, lyrics and music for "The Music Man", 1958 Tony Award winner for Best Musical.]

Here is a recording of that Christmas Day Program on 25 December, 1943.