Music · Syndicated
Hollywood Spotlight
· 39 broadcasts
Hollywood Spotlight is a quarter-hour syndicated musical-variety program from the mid-1930s, made in Los Angeles by Transco (the Transcription Company of America) and leased to local stations on disc. Each show runs about fifteen minutes of dance-band music with a few comedy bits, opening and closing on the standard "Rose Room" so a station could drop in its own advertising.
The chief draw is an early, pre-stardom Phil Harris, who leads the band several years before he joined Jack Benny -- here still a working dance-band leader with a strong southern drawl rather than the brash character Benny's writers later built. Vocals come from a young Leah Ray (a few years ahead of her Fox musicals) and tenor Larry Burke, with comedy from Bob Burns and his homemade "bazooka," all tied together by emcee Cliff Howell under the air name "Tom Jeffrey." Guest turns bring in actor-singer Clarence Muse, film star Leo Carrillo, the impressionist Radio Rogues, and the harmony acts the Five Jones Boys and the Three Ambassadors.
The Haendiges log documents 39 programs; 35 survive on the OTRR set, all undated and catalogued by their opening song. A listener's note: a few of the period songs carry dated, racially insensitive lyrics of their era.
Collection status:
35 of 39 held (90% complete)
◆ ◆ ◆
Episode Spine
undated
date unknown
First Song Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Listen
(FLAC)
Opening on "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea," the quarter-hour features the impressionist trio the Radio Rogues.
date unknown
First Song Blue Skies
Listen
(FLAC)
A music program led off by "Blue Skies," with a guest turn from the harmony group the Five Jones Boys.
date unknown
First Song It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Darkness on the Delta
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Underneath a Harlem Moon
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Cheek to Cheek
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines
Listen
(FLAC)
The band opens with "We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines," and emcee Tom Post sits down for a chat with comedian Bob Burns.
date unknown
First Song Chasing Shadows
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Under My Umbrella
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Honeysuckle Rose
Listen
(FLAC)
"Honeysuckle Rose" opens the program, which again features the Five Jones Boys.
date unknown
First Song Pink Elephants
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song My Melancholy Baby
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song The Carioca
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Rocking Chair
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Let's Put Out the Lights (and Go to Sleep
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
Nobody's Sweetheart Now
date unknown
The Very Thought of You
date unknown
When I Grow Too Old to Dream
date unknown
In the Valley of the Moon
date unknown
First Song Minnie the Mermaid
Listen
(FLAC)
Phil Harris steps out front for his novelty number "Minnie the Mermaid" -- a crowd-pleaser he would keep in his act for the next twenty years.
date unknown
First Song Under a Shady Tree
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Got the South in My Soul
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song It's a Rainy Day
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song You Have Taken My Heart
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song When Times Get Better
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song The Dixieland Band
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Keep Your Fingers Crossed
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song You Have Taken My Heart
Listen
(FLAC)
A music quarter-hour built around a guest appearance by the actor-singer Clarence Muse.
date unknown
First Song You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me
Listen
(FLAC)
The vocal trio the Three Ambassadors guest on this program.
date unknown
First Song For All We Know
Listen
(FLAC)
date unknown
First Song Ridin' Around in the Rain
Listen
(FLAC)
The Three Roberts Boys provide the guest vocals.
date unknown
First Song When Your Eyes Met Mine
Listen
(FLAC)
Another appearance by the vocal trio the Three Ambassadors.
date unknown
First Song Longing for My River Home
Listen
(FLAC)
Film actor Leo Carrillo is the guest on this program.
date unknown
First Song So at Last It's Come to This
Listen
(FLAC)
The Three Roberts Boys return as guest vocalists.
date unknown
First Song The Congo
Listen
(FLAC)
Clarence Muse guests alongside the comic character "Tizzie Lish."
date unknown
First Song To Call You My Own
Listen
(FLAC)
The Three Ambassadors guest again.
date unknown
First Song You Hit the Spot
Listen
(FLAC)
Another guest turn from the Three Ambassadors.
date unknown
First Song I'm Counting on You
Listen
(FLAC)
The series' surviving run closes out with the vocal trio the Three Ambassadors.
The Story
Hollywood Spotlight is a quarter-hour syndicated musical-variety program from the mid-1930s, made in Los Angeles by Transco (the Transcription Company of America) and leased to local stations on disc. Each show runs about fifteen minutes of dance-band music with a few comedy bits, opening and closing on the standard "Rose Room" so a station could drop in its own advertising.
The chief draw is an early, pre-stardom Phil Harris, who leads the band several years before he joined Jack Benny -- here still a working dance-band leader with a strong southern drawl rather than the brash character Benny's writers later built. Vocals come from a young Leah Ray (a few years ahead of her Fox musicals) and tenor Larry Burke, with comedy from Bob Burns and his homemade "bazooka," all tied together by emcee Cliff Howell under the air name "Tom Jeffrey." Guest turns bring in actor-singer Clarence Muse, film star Leo Carrillo, the impressionist Radio Rogues, and the harmony acts the Five Jones Boys and the Three Ambassadors.
The Haendiges log documents 39 programs; 35 survive on the OTRR set, all undated and catalogued by their opening song. A listener's note: a few of the period songs carry dated, racially insensitive lyrics of their era.
Full story — coming soon while it's being curated.
Gallery