265:, one of the first television series with programming other than news or sports coverage, and according to researchers of television history, may have been the first regularly scheduled series in U.S. television history broadcast beyond New York on a network of multiple stations. It began on November 29, 1943, on New York's
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The program continued to air at 8:30 on
Mondays until 1959, when ABC insisted on moving the show to a later time period. Firestone refused, and the show was canceled entirely. Although the ratings were low at the time of its cancellation, the fan outcry was loud, with some writing their congressmen.
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typically only had three million viewers, a comparatively small number for what was rapidly becoming the nation's most influential mass medium. In 1954, NBC asked
Firestone's permission to move the program to a different night or time period. Firestone refused and NBC canceled the program which then
331:(1936–43) and Howard Barlow (1943 on). Featured among the eight regular singers of the Firestone Chorus were Lorraine Donahue, William Toole (baritone), Russell Hammar (tenor), Donald Craig (bass), and Bill Metcalf. Hugh James was the announcer.
362:) was the composer and lyricist of the program's opening and closing theme songs. She wrote "In My Garden" in 1933 which became the Firestone Hour's opening theme until 1940. In that year "In My Garden" was banned from use by
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was the first commercial radio program to be carried simultaneously on both AM and FM radio stations. Firestone's 25th anniversary program was broadcast
November 30, 1953, and it continued to be heard on radio until 1957.
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arrived on television in the fall of 1949, NBC simulcast the show on radio and TV, one of the first programs to use that technology. Thanks to the appearance on the show of famous classical-music soloists, some from the
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stars, the show was considered quite prestigious, but the ratings always remained low. In an era when successful programs were capable of garnering as many as half the viewers available in a given time slot,
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370:" which became the show's opening theme song for all its remaining years. "In My Garden" became the closing theme later when the dispute was resolved. Tenor
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returned, airing at 10pm on Sunday nights. The same relatively small number of viewers tuned in, and the show was permanently canceled in May 1963.
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in April 1944 (New York, Schenectady and
Philadelphia), it continued until January 1947 with special interest topics in a documentary film format.
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network on
December 3, 1928 and was later also shown on television starting in 1949. The program was last broadcast in 1963.
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radio-TV programs were known not only for classical music, but for their support of organizations such as
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374:, the longtime host of the radio broadcasts (from 1928 to 1945), recorded "If I Could Tell You" for
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382:, a frequent Firestone host following Crooks, also recorded both of Idabelle Firestone's songs.
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The
Firestone Orchestra was conducted by Hugo Mariani (1928–31), William Daly (1931–36),
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Music Radio: The Great
Performers and Programs of the 1920s Through Early 1960s
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immediately began to air it beginning with the following week's installment.
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due to a composers' dispute. Mrs. Firestone then introduced the popular "
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NBC dropped the program after the June 7, 1954, broadcast, but
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28:. The show featured leading singers in selections from
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244:, among many others. Hugh James was the announcer.
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259:Firestone sponsored a related television series,
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452:On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio
416:On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio
530:Young, William H.; Young, Nancy K. (2005).
394:houses documents and recordings related to
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204:Regular performers on the series included
779:Peabody Award-winning television programs
759:Black-and-white American television shows
16:American classical music show (1928–1957)
456:. Oxford University Press, USA. p.
754:American classical music radio programs
744:1963 American television series endings
734:1947 American television series endings
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739:1949 American television series debuts
729:1943 American television series debuts
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24:was a radio and television program of
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774:Peabody Award-winning radio programs
676:Museum of Broadcast Communications:
568:Fairfax, Arthur (February 8, 1941).
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311:ABC tried to appease the fans with
192:on Monday nights at 8:30 p.m.
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196:from its 1928 inception. In 1948,
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386:New England Conservatory holdings
182:Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
180:The program was sponsored by the
173:Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
724:1950s American television series
42:, it was first broadcast on the
497:. McFarland. pp. 307–315.
414:John Dunning's reference book,
262:The Voice of Firestone Televues
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719:1950s American radio programs
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666:The Voice of Firestone (1962)
655:The Voice of Firestone (1949)
533:Music of the Great Depression
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789:1957 radio programme endings
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784:1928 radio programme debuts
644:Voice of Firestone Televues
295:New York Metropolitan Opera
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536:. Greenwood. p. 176.
340:Howard Barlow as Conductor
150:"In My Garden" (1936–1941)
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583:(18): 45. Archived from
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392:New England Conservatory
314:Music for a Summer Night
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140:December 3, 1928 –
684:The Voice of Firestone
678:The Voice of Firestone
448:Dunning, John (1998).
396:The Voice of Firestone
322:The Voice of Firestone
304:The Voice of Firestone
290:The Voice of Firestone
275:The Voice of Firestone
271:NBC television network
198:The Voice of Firestone
123:The Voice of Firestone
59:The Voice of Firestone
21:The Voice of Firestone
570:"Mr. Fairfax Replies"
194:Eastern Standard Time
620:on 30 September 2017
610:"Voice of Firestone"
36:. Originally titled
368:If I Could Tell You
360:Harvey S. Firestone
238:Dorothy Warenskjold
154:If I Could Tell You
61:
799:ABC radio programs
794:NBC radio programs
590:on 20 January 2015
557:Classic themes.com
479:Voice of Firestone
356:Idabelle Firestone
329:Alfred Wallenstein
184:and aired on the "
69:The Firestone Hour
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39:The Firestone Hour
577:Movie-Radio Guide
543:978-0-3133-3230-2
504:978-0-7864-2047-6
491:Cox, Jim (2005).
467:978-0-1950-7678-3
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93:Country of origin
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161:Ending theme
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85:Running time
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764:Bridgestone
351:Theme songs
101:Language(s)
65:Other names
698:Categories
594:20 January
426:References
378:. Soprano
376:RCA Victor
344:Mary Costa
255:Television
230:Igor Gorin
132:Hugh James
109:Syndicates
88:30 minutes
54:Radio show
320:In 1962,
190:NBC Radio
129:Announcer
44:NBC Radio
281:and the
113:NBC Blue
34:operetta
686:at the
104:English
540:
501:
464:
358:(Mrs.
240:, and
588:(PDF)
573:(PDF)
402:Notes
364:ASCAP
288:When
188:" of
75:Genre
50:Radio
30:opera
671:IMDb
660:IMDb
649:IMDb
626:2017
596:2015
538:ISBN
517:2022
499:ISBN
475:2017
462:ISBN
390:The
335:Cast
267:WNBT
32:and
669:at
658:at
647:at
458:705
279:4-H
249:ABC
700::
612:.
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434:^
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