The first documented Bergen-McCarthy show on which Stewart appeared was broadcast on January 18, 1942. At this point the program was being broadcast by NBC on Sunday between 8 and 8:30 p.m. It was sponsored by Chase and Sanborn Coffee. The show’s announcer was Buddy Twiss and Ray Noble and His Orchestra supplied the music. Janet Blair was also on the program this evening.
So far, no copies of this show have been located and it appears that it has not survived. This is unfortunate because from everything we know, it would be a great show to hear.
On earlier shows that season, Charlie McCarthy had joined the Army Air Corps, but then also tried to join the Marines. So, on this show Charlie was being court-martialed at the Stockton Army Air Corps Advanced Flying School in Stockton, CA. Lt. James Stewart was brought in to defend him.
The newspapers had a field day with the concept of the program. This article appeared in the Kingsport Times, Kingsport, TN, on the day of the broadcast.
Many publicity photos of the events were also taken and appeared in many magazines and newspapers both before and after the broadcast. Here are a few examples.
Stewart and Bergen even staged this photo to look as if Charlie was being sworn-in:
Most of what is known about this show comes from a review by Glen Anderson which appeared in the Movie-Radio Guide (Vol. 11, No. 18, February 7-13, 1942):
According to the review, Charlie was found guilty by the judge, Major Linn S. Chaplin, and sentenced to receive only half pay for three months. Not happy with the sentence, Charlie matched the judge double or nothing and won. So now he would be receiving double pay for those three months.
In addition, Lt. Francis C. Healy, Training Center Publicity Officer, arranged for McCarthy to become a flying cadet.
Recently found this new photo of Stewart and some of the other military men involved with the program. It is from the February 2, 1942, edition of Broadcasting magazine.
When we were researching Jimmy Stewart on the Air, we naturally concentrated only on his radio and disc appearances and ignored much of the information about his films. But recently, we came across this item in the March 18, 1942, edition of Variety:
It turns out that Columbia Pictures made a short film based on this program. A quick check of the Internet Movie Database shows that the full title of the film is Screen Snapshots Series 21, No. 7. As mention above, it was directed by Ralph Staub, who also helped write the additional material with Edgar Bergen. The Internet Movie Database also lists Straub as the producer and film editor, and George Meehan as the cinematographer. Besides Stewart, Bergen and McCarthy, Mortimer Snerd, Janet Blair, who is seen singing Nothing Can Stop the Army, Now and Lynn S. Chapman are listed as cast members.
It is not known if the filming took place during the broadcast, during a rehearsal, or, if the scenes were especially staged for the camera. Unfortunately, like the radio show, the film does not appear to be in general circulation.
