Dancing with the Stars with Jimmy Stewart – The 30’s

This was a two hour radio special put together by the Mutual Broadcasting System and Westwood One. Jimmy Stewart was the host and took the listeners on an imaginary tour of Hollywood’s top night spots of the 1930’s.

It was delivered to stations on four 12-inch, 33 1/3 RPM discs. Except for the side numbers, all the labels were the same and carried the JS-30’s designation. It was set for broadcast during the week of June 27, 1988.

The 30's

The show was written and produced by Marsha Richardson, Fred Lindgren handled the production and engineering and Norm Pattiz was the executive producer.

Radio Station WEOL – AM 930, advertised the fact that they were airing the program in the July 2, 1988, edition of the Chronicle-Telegram, Elyria, OH:

Chronicle- Telegram, Elyria, OH7-2-88

This nice story on Stewart and the program appeared in The Living Sun, San Bernardino, CA, on July 1, 1988:

The Living Sun, San Berbardino, CA 7-1-88

A complete transcript of the show was included in Jimmy Stewart on the Air, but here we will be presenting all of Stewart’s vocal breaks. Let’s begin with the 44-second promo for the program which was included on one of the discs. Stewart is heard over a music bed of Thanks for the Memories.

If you’d like to know what music was played in each segment of the show, here are scans of the cue sheets provided with the program.

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Segment 1:

The first time we hear Stewart’s voice in the program, it is to say the same words that were used for the promo, but without Thanks for the Memories as the background music.

In the next two audio segments, Jimmy tells great stories about meeting Greta Garbo.

Segment 2:

Next, Jimmy talks about the “studio system” of film making in the 1930’s.

The next time we hear Jimmy, it is simply to say one name…

Segment 3:

Segment 4:

In this segment, Alice Faye is also a guest and Stewart asks her several questions.

Segment 5:

The party moves to the Palomar Club. Jimmy also talks to Jack Leonard, vocalist with the Tommy Dorsey Band.

Segment 6:

Segment 7:

Next, Stewart tells a story about making the film, Ice Follies of 1939.

Segment 8:

Jimmy talks about his film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, in this segment.

Segment 9:

When Jimmy Stewart on the Air was published, we thought that this was the only Dancing with the Stars show that Stewart made. We have since discovered that there were actually three programs in this series. Besides Dancing with the Stars – The 30’s, there was also Dancing with the Stars – The 40’s and Dancing with the Stars – The 50’s. We are still searching for a copy of “The 40’s,” but we do have “The 50’s” and that will appear in a new blog soon.

The availability of all three shows was advertised in the Radio & Records Program Suppliers Guide ’88:

Radio & Records Program Suppliers Guide '88