Here’s another entry from the book that we are updating to include the audio.
This is a 12-inch record, playing at 33 1/3 RPM. There is a different show from the syndicated series The Stars Review the Hits on each side of the disc. In this case, it is Charlton Heston who reviews several new recordings. As you can see from the label, the show was hosted by Wayne Howell and was produced and directed by Leonard Raphael. It could have been broadcast anytime between February 16 and February 27, 1953.
Despite the fact that Stewart is listed as a “Special Guest” on the disc, he actually only appears for a few seconds at the end of the program to deliver this message for the American Heart Association. The segment begins with Howell and Heston talking about Stewart’s role as “Buttons” the clown in the film, The Greatest Show on Earth.
Stewart’s message: “This is Jimmy Stewart. The other day I learned something from my Heart Association that just stopped me in my tracks, and it’s this. More than 10 million Americans suffer from diseases of the heart and circulation. Ten million! You know how many of them are kids in their teens and even younger; five hundred thousand. But, there’s a bright side to
this story. These kids have a far better chance to live normal, useful lives than ever before. And this is due to the marvelous work being done by medical science. The Heart Fund, with our dollars, can speed up that work. We’ve got to find out what causes hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure and rheumatic fever. Research has already created new drugs and perfected miraculous new heart operations that have made us all sit up and take notice. Well, it’s time now to take notice of a need for money. The Heart Fund is America’s investment in its own heart. Now, send your share to your Heart Association or simply to Heart, care of your local post office” except at the very end he adds, “Remember, when you help the Heart Fund, you help your heart.”
