Cavalcade of America

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Cavalcade of America
Musical director Donald Voorhees (1935–41, 1949–53)
GenreAnthology drama
Running time25 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
Home stationCBS (10/09/35–05/29/39)
NBC (01/02/40–03/31/53)
TV adaptationsNBC (10/01/52–09/02/53)
ABC (09/29/53–06/21/55)
ABC (09/06/55–06/04/57)
Hosted byWalter Huston (09/18/44–02/12/45)
StarringNumerous Broadway and Hollywood stars
Created byRoy S. Durstine
Written byArthur Miller
Norman Rosten
Robert Tallman
Peter Lyon
Robert Richards
Stuart Hawkins
Arthur Arent
Edith Sommer
Halsted Welles
Henry Denker
Priscilla Kent
Virginia Radcliffe
Frank Gabrielson
Margaret Lewerth
Morton Wishengrad
George Faulkner
Irve Tunick
Directed byRobert Stevenson (director)
Laslo Benedek
Peter Godfrey (director)
John Brahm
William A. Seiter
Harry Horner
Kenneth Webb
Homer Fickett
Bill Sweet
Homer Fickett
Jack Zoller
Produced byArthur Pryor
Louis Mason
Larry Harding
Homer Fickett
Jack Zoller
Roger Pryor
H.L. Blackburn
Original releaseOctober 9, 1935 –
March 31, 1953
No. of series18
No. of episodes781
Audio formatMonaural sound
Opening theme"March Theme"
"Glory of America"

Cavalcade of America is an anthology drama series that was sponsored by the DuPont Company, although it occasionally presented musicals, such as an adaptation of Show Boat,[1] and condensed biographies of popular composers. It was initially broadcast on radio from 1935 to 1953, and on television from 1952 to 1957. Originally on CBS, the series pioneered the use of anthology drama for company audio advertising.

Cavalcade of America documented historical events using stories of individual courage, initiative and achievement, often with feel-good dramatizations of the human spirit's triumph against all odds. The series was intended to improve DuPont's public image after World War I. The company's motto, "Maker of better things for better living through chemistry," was read at the beginning of each program, and the dramas emphasized humanitarian progress, particularly improvements in the lives of women, often through technological innovation.

Background[edit]

The show started as part of a successful campaign to reinvigorate DuPont. In the early 1930s, the Nye Committee investigations concluded that DuPont had made a fortune profiteering in World War I. The company stood accused of encouraging an arms race between World War I enemies, after being heavily subsidized by the Allies to increase black powder production. The negative effects of the investigation left the company demoralized, directionless and with a tarnished corporate image in the middle of the Great Depression.

DuPont's products were primarily not for public consumption, so there was no purpose in promoting them through advertising. As a solution to DuPont's troubles, Roy S. Durstine, then creative director of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, proposed the creation of Cavalcade of America using the company motto. This was to be an important element in the successful re-branding of DuPont as an American legacy engaged in making products for the well-being of Americans and humanity in general.

Content[edit]

DuPont's image problems led the company to promote some pacifist and socialist ideals. DuPont stipulated several topics would be taboo on the show, such as gunfire of any kind, which attracted writers such as Norman Rosten and Arthur Miller, who had signed the Oxford Pledge while at University of Michigan. For scripts, the program was also able to attract such prominent writers as Maxwell Anderson, Stephen Vincent Benét, Carl Sandburg and Robert Sherwood. Although Yale University historian Frank Monaghan signed on as an advisor to ensure historically accuracy of the scripts, listeners were quick to point out anachronisms; trains did not use air brakes in 1860 and Washington's troops could not have sung "Tannenbaum" while crossing the Delaware since it was written two months after that event.

Notable cast[edit]

This is the cast listing according to The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio.[2]

Narrator Walter Huston

Actors:

Advertising[edit]

Cavalcade of America made a major impact in radio advertising during its run on the air.[citation needed] DuPont, a chemical corporation that did not sell public goods, sponsored Cavalcade of America and integrated their company slogan and agenda into the inspirational and pro-American achievement themes of each episode.[3]

After DuPont's war profits were revealed to be in the billions and the company's stock nearly quadrupled, the American public saw DuPont negatively as one of the “merchants of death” after World War I. This forced Cavalcade of America to fall in line with avoiding the use of many radio cliches of the day, including gunfire and depicting blacks on the radio. The writers of Cavalcade of America supported this move by DuPont, as the staff was made up of mainly young academics that were either pacifists or signed an anti-war pledge in college. With new writers[citation needed] and a world-class PR firm, DuPont was able to shake the “merchant of death” label and remained a sponsor for a top radio program.[4]

Cavalcade of America was an early exercise in corporate image-building. DuPont promoted itself as a hero for America. This type of propaganda was shrewd but effective; it put a corporate image behind the real-life heroes that lived a century before. One way DuPont was able to emphasize its own products in episodes of Cavalcade of America was by having health-related episodes that promoted the use of chemical-compound products manufactured by DuPont. This was not necessarily advertising, since individuals could not go to the store and purchase these chemical items.[3]

According to DuPont public relations executives, the goal was not to directly sell their products, but rather to explain the company's goals and foster the confidence, respect and goodwill of the public. By recreating little-known events in the lives of historically-respected Americans through dramatizations, Cavalcade of America caused listeners to associate DuPont's products with patriotism and self-reliance. The series also gave history and chemistry more prestige than it would have otherwise had. By making the show thrilling, but not over-sensationalized, DuPont was able to better its own branding and get away from being perceived as a military-only company.[5]

Nylon show[edit]

On May 15, 1940 DuPont made nylon women's hosiery available to the public and began an advertising blitz. The day was designated "N-day" by DuPont's marketeers, and an entire episode of Cavalcade of America was markedly different: DuPont selected a "typical" housewife to interview G.P. Hoff, Director of Research of DuPont's Nylon Division. In the rigged interview, Hoff expounded at length on the virtues of nylon. Eager to purchase nylon hose, thousands of women waited in lines for department stores to open the following morning. 750,000 nylons had been manufactured for N-Day, but all were sold on the first day they went on sale.

Television[edit]

Francis L. Sullivan and Richard Avonde in "Margin for Victory", 1954

In the 1950s, DuPont switched its advertising strategy from radio to television, and Cavalcade of America became a television series mainly produced by Jack Chertok. One hundred and thirty-three episodes were aired over five seasons between 1952 and 1957. During a six-month period, the television and radio series overlapped. The show was telecast on both NBC (1952–53) and ABC (1953–57). It was renamed DuPont Cavalcade Theater in August 1955, and it was known as DuPont Theater during its last year. In the 1957 fall season, it was replaced by The DuPont Show of the Month, a 90-minute live dramatization of popular novels and short stories or abridged versions of films and plays. That series ran until 1961.

Many kinescopes of Cavalcade of America survive at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.

Season 1 (1952–53)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"Poor Richard"Peter GodfreyTeleplay by : Frederick Jackson & Arthur RipleyOctober 1, 1952 (1952-10-01)
22"All's Well with Lydia"Arthur RipleyTeleplay by : Frederick JacksonOctober 15, 1952 (1952-10-15)
33"The Man Who Took a Chance"Jules BrickenCatherine TurneyOctober 29, 1952 (1952-10-29)
44"A Romance to Remember"Jules BrickenDavid DortortNovember 12, 1952 (1952-11-12)
55"What God Hath Wrought"Jules BrickenTeleplay by : Richard BlakeNovember 26, 1952 (1952-11-26)
66"No Greater Love"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Tom SellerDecember 10, 1952 (1952-12-10)
77"In This Crisis"Robert StevensonTeleplay by : David DortortDecember 24, 1952 (1952-12-24)
88"The Arrow and the Bow"Arthur RipleyTeleplay by : Frederick JacksonJanuary 7, 1953 (1953-01-07)
99"What Might Have Been"John EnglishTeleplay by : Warner LawJanuary 21, 1953 (1953-01-21)
1010"New Salem Story"Jules BrickenTeleplay by : DeWitt BodeenFebruary 4, 1953 (1953-02-04)
1111"A Matter of Honor"Arthur HiltonTeleplay by : Van NorcrossFebruary 18, 1953 (1953-02-18)
1212"Experiment at Monticello"Jules BrickenTeleplay by : Brown HolmesMarch 4, 1953 (1953-03-04)
1313"Mightier Than the Sword"William J. ThieleTom SellerMarch 18, 1953 (1953-03-18)
1414"The Indomitable Blacksmith"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Warner LawApril 1, 1953 (1953-04-01)
1515"The Gingerbread Man"Robert StevensonTeleplay by : Robert StevensonApril 15, 1953 (1953-04-15)
1616"Night Strike"Robert StevensonRobert StevensonApril 29, 1953 (1953-04-29)
1717"Slater's Dream"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : John Thiele, William Thiele, and Charles LarsonMay 13, 1953 (1953-05-13)
1818"The Pirate's Choice"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Curtis Kenyon and David P. SheppardMay 27, 1953 (1953-05-27)
1919"John Yankee"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Charles LarsonJune 10, 1953 (1953-06-10)
2020"The Tenderfoot"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Tom SellerJune 24, 1953 (1953-06-24)

Season 2 (1953–54)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
211"Sam and the Whale"Tim WhelanGeorge H. FaulknerSeptember 29, 1953 (1953-09-29)
222"The Stolen General"Robert StevensonArthur RipleyOctober 6, 1953 (1953-10-06)
233"Breakfast at Nancy's"Sidney SalkowTeleplay by : George H. FaulknerOctober 13, 1953 (1953-10-13)
244"Sunset at Appomattox"Robert StevensonTeleplay by : Robert StevensonOctober 20, 1953 (1953-10-20)
255"And to Fame Unknown"John M. Barnwell Jr.E.R. MurklandOctober 27, 1953 (1953-10-27)
266"A Time to Grow"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Bill BrucknerNovember 3, 1953 (1953-11-03)
277"The Tiger's Tail"Robert StevensonN. Richard NashNovember 17, 1953 (1953-11-17)
288"The Last Will of Daniel Webster"Robert StevensonN. Richard NashNovember 24, 1953 (1953-11-24)
299"Major Pauline"Robert StevensonRobert StevensonDecember 1, 1953 (1953-12-01)
3010"The Betrayal"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Curtis KenyonDecember 8, 1953 (1953-12-08)
3111"The Riders of the Pony Express"Robert StevensonRobert StevensonDecember 15, 1953 (1953-12-15)
3212"One Nation Indivisible"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Warner LawDecember 22, 1953 (1953-12-22)
3313"Mr. Peale's Dinosaur"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Bill Buckner and Charles LarsonDecember 29, 1953 (1953-12-29)
3414"G for Goldberger"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Warner LawJanuary 12, 1954 (1954-01-12)
3515"Smyrna Incident"Robert StevensonTeleplay by : Robert StevensonJanuary 19, 1954 (1954-01-19)
3616"Man of Glass"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Tom SellerJanuary 26, 1954 (1954-01-26)
3717"The Plume of Honor"George ArchainbaudPaul GangelinFebruary 9, 1954 (1954-02-09)
3818"Margin for Victory"Arthur RipleyTeleplay by : Arthur RipleyFebruary 16, 1954 (1954-02-16)
3919"The Absent Host"Sidney SalkowRussell S. HughesMarch 2, 1954 (1954-03-02)
4020"Duel at the O.K. Corral"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Bill BrucknerMarch 9, 1954 (1954-03-09)
4121"The Splendid Dream"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Charles LarsonMarch 16, 1954 (1954-03-16)
4222"Young Andy Jackson"Robert StevensonRobert StevensonMarch 23, 1954 (1954-03-23)
4323"Escape"George ArchainbaudTeleplay by : Paul GangelinMarch 30, 1954 (1954-03-30)
4424"Riddle of the Seas"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : William BrucknerApril 6, 1954 (1954-04-06)
4525"Crazy Judah"Lewis R. FosterTeleplay by : Lewis R. FosterApril 13, 1954 (1954-04-13)
4626"A Strange Journey"Robert StevensonRobert StevensonApril 20, 1954 (1954-04-20)
4727"The Paper Sword"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Curtis Kenyon and Charles LarsonApril 27, 1954 (1954-04-27)
4828"Saturday Story"Francis D. LyonJoel Murcott & Merwin GerardMay 4, 1954 (1954-05-04)
4929"Spindletop"Robert G. WalkerWinston MillerMay 11, 1954 (1954-05-11)
5030"Moonlight School"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Louella MacFarlaneMay 18, 1954 (1954-05-18)
5131"The Skipper's Lady"William J. ThieleWilliam SackheimJune 8, 1954 (1954-06-08)
5232"Courage in Connecticut"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : Warner LawJune 22, 1954 (1954-06-22)

Season 3 (1954–55)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
531"The Great Gamble"William J. ThieleWarner LawOctober 12, 1954 (1954-10-12)
542"The Forge"William J. ThieleWarner LawOctober 26, 1954 (1954-10-26)
553"Moonlight Witness"Maurice GeraghtyMaurice GeraghtyNovember 2, 1954 (1954-11-02)
564"The Gentle Conqueror"William J. ThieleStory by : William Sackheim
Teleplay by : Tom Seller
November 9, 1954 (1954-11-09)
575"Mountain Man"Robert G. WalkerPaul FranklinNovember 16, 1954 (1954-11-16)
586"American Thanksgiving"Robert StevensonGeorge Faulkner and Robert StevensonNovember 23, 1954 (1954-11-23)
597"Ordeal In Burma"William J. ThieleCharles LarsonNovember 30, 1954 (1954-11-30)
608"Night Call"Robert StevensonLarry MarcusDecember 7, 1954 (1954-12-07)
619"A Medal For Miss Walker"William J. ThieleTeleplay by : William SackheimDecember 14, 1954 (1954-12-14)
6210"A Man's Home"Harry HornerEugene ValeDecember 28, 1954 (1954-12-28)
6311"The Marine Who Was 200 Years Old"Robert StevensonRobert Mason PollockJanuary 4, 1955 (1955-01-04)
6412"A Message From Garcia"William J. ThieleCharles LarsonJanuary 18, 1955 (1955-01-18)
6513"Petticoat Doctor"William J. ThieleStory by : William Sackheim, Charles Larson, & Jack Bennett
Teleplay by : Jack Bennett
January 25, 1955 (1955-01-25)
6614"Take Off Zero"Charles BennettHarold ShumateFebruary 1, 1955 (1955-02-01)
6715"Decision For Justice"William J. ThieleStory by : Samuel Rice
Teleplay by : Charles Larson
February 15, 1955 (1955-02-15)
6816"The Hostage"Charles BennettHarold ShumateFebruary 22, 1955 (1955-02-22)
6917"That They Might Live"Robert StevensonGwen BagniMarch 8, 1955 (1955-03-08)
7018"Man On The Beat"William J. ThieleCharles LarsonMarch 15, 1955 (1955-03-15)
7119"The Ship That Shook The World"Robert StevensonRobert StevensonMarch 29, 1955 (1955-03-29)
7220"The Gift Of Dr. Minot"Charles BennettLarry MarcusApril 12, 1955 (1955-04-12)
7321"How To Raise A Boy"Lewis FosterEdith Sommer & Robert SoderbergApril 26, 1955 (1955-04-26)
7422"Stay On, Stranger!"William J. ThieleJack BennettMay 3, 1955 (1955-05-03)
7523"Sunrise On A Dirty Face"William J. ThieleJack LairdMay 10, 1955 (1955-05-10)
7624"Six Hours To Deadline"Jack DenoveLarry MarcusMay 24, 1955 (1955-05-24)
7725"The Palmetto Conspiracy"Charles BennettCharles BennettJune 7, 1955 (1955-06-07)
7826"The Rescue Of Dr.Beanes"Sobey MartinHarold ShumateJune 21, 1955 (1955-06-21)

Season 4 (1955–56)[edit]

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Books[edit]

Martin Grams, Jr.'s history of Cavalcade of America was published in 1998.

During the late 1930s, Dixon Ryan Fox and Arthur Meier Schlesinger edited a series of books based on the series published by Milton Bradley. In 1956, the series was adapted into a book, Cavalcade of America: The Deeds and Achievements of the Men and Women Who Made Our Country Great, published by Crown. Chapters covered such historical figures as Abraham Lincoln, telegraph organizer Hiram Sibley, engineer James Eads, John Quincy Adams fighting the gag rule and Clara Barton's career that led her to head the American Red Cross. Martin Grams, Jr.'s The History of the Cavalcade of America (Morris Publishing, 1998) features episode guides for both the radio and TV series.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ "Cavalcade of America Part 4 of 8". Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  2. ^ Christopher H. Sterling; Cary O'Dell, eds. (2011). "Cavalcade of America". The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio. p. 135.
  3. ^ a b Cavalcade of America. Newspaper Heroes on the Air.
  4. ^ The Cavalcade of America: Examining the Myth and Reality of Hero Worship in American Radio.
  5. ^ Marchand, R. (2001). Creating the Corporate Soul: The Rise of Public Relations and Corporate Imagery in Big Business. pp. 220–223.

References[edit]

  • Blue, Howard (2002). Words at War: World War II Era Radio and the Postwar Broadcasting Industry Blacklist. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0810844133
  • Godfrey, Donald G.; Leigh, Frederic A. (1998). Historical Dictionary of American Radio. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313296367.
  • Grams, Martin (1998). The History of the Cavalcade of America. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing. ISBN 0739201387.
  • Gregory, James R.; Wiechmann, Jack G. (1999). Marketing Corporate Image. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC Business Books. ISBN 0844233072.
  • Horten, Gerd (2003). Radio Goes to War: The Cultural Politics of Propaganda During World War II. Berkeley, CA; London: University of California Press. ISBN 0520240618.
  • "Radio Broadcast Log: Cavalcade Of America". Audio Classics Archive. Retrieved 2007-03-10.

Further reading[edit]

  • William L. Bird, Jr. "Better Living": Advertising, Media, and the New Vocabulary of Business Leadership, 1935–1955. Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press, 1999.[ISBN missing]

External links[edit]

Listen to[edit]

Watch[edit]