SOFT SOAP & HARD SELL (Audio)

MARY JANE HIGBY OF "WHEN A GIRL MARRIES" FROM 1939 TO 1957.

SOFT SOAP & HARD SELL
Soap Operas were unique as Network Radio itself. Like most broadcast programming innovations, 15 minute weekday dramatic serials started at single stations. In this case it was WGN/Chicago with Irna Phillips’ Painted Dreams in 1930 which graduated to CBS for a short run in 1933 and WLW/Cincinnati which gave birth to Procter & Gamble’s Ma Perkins in August 1933, and readied her for graduation to NBC four months later in December, beginning a multi-network run that would endure seven years beyond Network Radio‘s Golden Age, until November, 1960.

Consumer products companies, (particularly those selling cleaning products to housewives in the Depression-strapped 1930’s), were quick to pick up on the low cost to reach such a huge new audience at a relatively low cost for two and a half minutes of uninterrupted time to pitch their wares per program.

As the table below illustrates, total Network Radio daytime serials increased in number per day from nine in 1934 to 48 in 1938 - in other words, from 2 hours, 15 minutes per day to 12 hours per day. Historian J. Fred McDonald in his 1979 text, Don’t Touch That Dial, adds that Network Revenues from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. more than doubled from 1935 to 1939 from $11.3 Million to $26.7 Million.

WEEKDAY SERIALS FREQUENCY PER DAY

   Oct, 1934    Oct, 1938 Oct, 1942 Oct, 1946 Oct, 1950 Oct, 1954

Blue/ABC 3 5 1 0 0 2
CBS 2 14 18 14 15 14
Mutual 0 8 3 1 0 0
NBC 4 21 20 20 12 10
Totals 9 48 42 35 27 26

Nevertheless, like many commercial successes, weekday serials were magnets for critics from the literary and educational fields. Humorist James Thurber was kindest of them in the May 15, 1948, issue of New Yorker magazine:

“Between thick slices of advertising, spread twelve minutes of dialogue, add predicament, villainy and female suffering in equal measure, throw in a dash of nobility, sprinkle with tears, season with organ music, cover with rich announcer sauce, and serve five times a week.”

New York psychiatrist Dr. Louis Berg took a more hard line approach as quoted in Variety on May 25, 1942:

“Pandering to perversity and playing out destructive conflicts, these serials furnish the same release for the emotionally distorted that is supplied to those who desire satisfaction from a lynching bee, lick their lips at salacious scandals, who in the unregretted past cry out in ecstasy at a witch burning."

Really?  A 1944 Foote, Coone & Beding agency survey indicated that 70% of American housewives were available as audiences for soap operas every weekday. There’s no word about their opionion of witch burning. Neither is that of listeners in the 4,250,000 homes that C.E. Hooper estimated Ma Perkins attracted in its two network exposures per day in 1946. CBS released a study the same year which estimated that 54% of American women at home listened to soap operas for an average of 90 minutes a day.

There was little goodwill offered daytime drama in the press during the newspaper industry’s struggling Depression years and World War II when paper was rationed when radio welcomed new advertisers. The underlying positive message of hope conveyed by the soaps in the 30’s and the patriotic drumbeat of home front patriotism backed by special programs endorsing government conservation campaigns during World War II were easily ignored.

Regardless, the pseudo psychoanalysis of soap operas continued well beyond Network Radio’s Golden Age because the 15 minute snippits of heartbreak and happiness produced the one thing advertisers were seeking - results.

As early as 1934, over 300,000 responses resulted when Pillsbury offered a fan booklet from NBC’s serial, Today’s Children, in return for a label from its flour. Through the 1940’s Procter & Gamble used an annual garden seed premium offer to check the network coverage of the stations carrying Ma Perkins - as well as sell more Oxydol by the hundreds of thousands of boxes.

A review of the 89 daytime serials below turns up dozens of familiar sponsor names that were on shoppers’ lists every week. Their presence in daytime radio was insurance against being forgotten - and just to make sure, brand names were often spelled out. In the episode of Big Sister posted below, announcer Jim Ameche spells out sponsor, “R…I…N…S…O," in an agonizingly slow five seconds.

How vauable were those five seconds? On the face of it, Big Sister’s production cost was a mere $2,000 a week in 1946, quite in keeping with most daytime dramas. But adding in the line costs to reach the CBS network of stations and the costs to broadcast the 15 minutes each weekday on those stations, the price zoomed to $800,000 annually, enough to force Lever Brothers to drop the program after ten years in June, 1946. Nevertheless, Big Sister, with its price tag nearing a million dollars, was picked up immediately by Procter & Gamble for the next six seasons.

Incidentally, Big Sister was one of the 51 programs of the 89 in our review, (57%), that referred to a woman in the title.  As a matter of fact, of those ten that reached 1,000 or more broadcast weeks, five were titled after women:

Weeks Broadcast Approx. Programs Broadcast
Ma Perkins    1,408 9,390*
The Romance of Helen Trent 1,391 6,955
Backstage Wife   1.221 6,105
Pepper Young’s Family 1,201 7,545*
Just Plain Bill 1,172 5,860
Our Gal Sunday 1,136    5,680
The Road of Life 1,112 7,595*
The Right To Happiness 1,102 5,510
Young Doctor Malone 1,097 5,485
Aunt Jenny’s Real Life Stories    1,035 5,175

*Multiple Network broadcasts per day were invovlved. See Program Details below.

It should be noted that five of these Top Ten - Ma Perkins, The Romance of Helen Trent, Backstage Wife, Just Plain Bill and Our Gal Sunday - plus another 19 series of the 89 on our list were controlled by the production team of Frank & Anne Hummert. As historian Jim Cox described them in his 2003 text, Frank & Anne Hummert's Radio Factory:

"So firm was Frank & Anne Hummert's grip on matinee programming that the duo literally instituted an agenda for network radio during the sunshine hours. ... By the 1940's this twosome controlled four and a half hours of national weekday broadcast schedules. Their features reportedly spawned more than five million pieces of correspondence annually from steadfast fans. Simultaneously they brought in more than half of the national radio chains' revenue in the daylight hours."

What’s of additional interest is that three of the ten longest running daytime serials - Ma Perkins, The Right To Happiness and Young Doctor Malone - remained until the final day when CBS wiped its schedule clean of daytime drama, November 25, 1960.

But where could radio audiences go for the involvement and companionship offered by “their stories” over the past many years?

Television, of course, which began its infringement into radio’s territory on December 4, 1950, when CBS-TV introduced television’s first ongoing 15-minute weekday soap opera, The First Hundred Years, at an annual time and production cost to sponsor Procter & Gamble of $1.5 Million. By 1960, CBS and NBC were offering a combined four hours a day of daytime serials, a total that would grow to nine hours by 1970. The genre didn’t die, it simply moved.

Before it did, however, it had a great ride on Network Radio. Here are a few of the details, some excludive to GOld Time Radio:

WEEKDAY SERIALS BY THE NETWORKS - 1933 to 1960

CBS - 65 programs exclusively broadcast, (17,966 Weeks, Approx 89,830 Episodes). CBS shared nine programs with NBC, (1,232 Weeks, 6,160 Episodes) and two with Mutual, (51 Weeks, 255 Episodes.)
CBS Totals: 76 Programs, 19,453 Weeks, Approx 97,265 Episodes.

NBC - 50 programs exclusively broadcast, (15,843 Weeks, 79,215 Episodes). NBC shared five programs with ABC/Blue, (578 Weeks, 2890 Episodes), nine with CBS, (1,232 Weeks, 6,160 Episodes), one with Mutual (30 Weeks, 150 Episodes) and one with ABC & Mutual (17 Weeks, 85 Episodes).
  NBC Totals: 66 Programs, 17,700 Weeks, Approx 88,500 Episodes.

Blue/ABC - 20 programs, exclusively broadcast, (1,951 Weeks, 9,755 Episodes). Blue/ABC shared five programs with NBC, (578 Weeks, 2,890 Episodes) and one with NBC and Mutual, (17 Weeks, 85 Episodes).
Blue/ABC Totals: 26 Programs, 2,546 Weeks, Approx 12,730 Episodes.

Mutual - Four programs, (176 Weeks, 880 Episodes) exclusively broadcast. Mutual shared two programs with CBS, (51 Weeks, 255 Episodes), one with NBC, (30 Weeks, 150 Episodes) and one with ABC & NBC, (17 Weeks, 85 Episodes).
Mutual Totals: Eight Programs, 274 Weeks, 1,370 Episodes.

THE PROGRAMS

This look at weekday serials popular during Network Radio’s Golden Age required some boundaries of definition. These limits excluded regional network favorites, (Kitty Keene, Linda’s First Love, etc.) and late afternoon adventure programs directed to juvenile audiences, (See Serials, Cereals & Premiums.) We also excluded programs that were intended for prime time, (One Man’s Familly,The Goldbergs, Those We Love, Family Skeleton, etc.) Finally, we excluded two popular sitcoms that appeared in both daytime and nighttime network schedules during their long runs: Easy Aces, (See Easy Aces) and Vic & Sade, (See Vic & Sade).

Against The Storm:   NBC: Oct 16, 1939 to Dec 25, 1942.(167 Weeks)
Against Storm 6-02-41    Mutual: Apr 25, 1949 to Oct 21, 1949. (26 Weeks)
Ivory Flakes ABC: Oct 1, 1951 to June 27, 1952. (39 Weeks)
Totals: 232 Weeks - 1,160 Episodes Broadcast

Amanda of Honeymoon Hill: Blue: Feb 5, 1940 to July 31, 1942. (130 Weeks)
Amanda undated CBS: Aug 3, 1942 to Apr 26, 1946. (195 Weeks).
Cal-Aspirin Totals: 325 Consecutive Weeks - 1,625 Episodes Broadcast

Arnold Grimm’s Daughter:    CBS: July 5. 1937 to May 27, 1938. (47 Weeks)
Arnold Grimm 8-31-38. NBC: May 30, 1938 to June 26, 1942. (213 Weeks).
Softasilk Cake Flour   Totals: 260 Consecutive Weeks - 1,300 Episodes Broadcast
Aunt Jenny’s Real Life Stories: CBS: Jan 18, 1937 to Nov 16, 1956. (1,035 Weeks)
Aunt Jenny 5-06-46. Totals: 1,035 Consecutive Weeks - 5,175 Episodes Broadcast
Spry Shortening 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.4
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Lever Bros.

Bachelor’s Children: CBS: Sep 28, 1936 to Mar 21, 1941. (235 Weeks)
Bachelors 7-11-38 NBC: Mar 24, 1941 to Sep 25, 1942. (79 Weeks)
Old Dutch Cleanser CBS: Sep 28, 1942 to Sep 27, 1946. (209 Weeks)
Totals: 523 Consecutive Weeks - 2,615 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.7
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $3,500 - Wonder Bread

Backstage Wife: Mutual: Aug 5, 1935 to Mar 27, 1936. (34 Weeks)
Backstage 7-15-48 NBC:  30, 1936 to Jul 1, 1955. (1,004 Weeks)
Dr Lyons Tooth Powder CBS: Jul 4, 1955 to Jan 2, 1959. (183 Weeks)
Totals:1 ,221 Consecutive Weeks - 6,105 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.9
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Sterling Drug

Barry Cameron:   NBC: Apr 16, 1945 to Oct 11, 1946. (78 Weeks)
Sweetheart Soap Totals: 78 Consecutive Weeks - 390 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.0
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Manhattan Soap .

Betty & Bob: Blue: Oct 10, 1932 to May 29, 1936. (190 Weeks)
Betty Bob inc ca 1937   CBS: June 1, 1936 to May 27, 1938. (104 Weeks)
(Rehearsal) Wheaties NBC: May 30, 1938 to Mar 15, 1940. (94 Weeks)
Totals: 478 Consecutive Weeks - 2,390 Episodes Broadcast

Big Sister: CBS: Sep 14, 1936 to Dec 26, 1952. (850 Weeks)
Big Sister 6-07-44 Totals: 850 Consecutive Weeks - 4,250 Episodes Broadcast
Rinso 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6.0
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Lever Bros.

Bob & Victoria: CBS: Jan 27, 1947 to June 27, 1947 (22 Weeks)
Bob Victoria 4-04-47 Totals: 22 Consecutive Weeks - 110 Episodes Broadcast
Dutch Mill Cheese

Brave Tomorrow: NBC: Oct 11, 1943 to June 30, 1944. (38 Weeks)
Ivory Snow Totals: 38 Consecutive Weeks - 190 Episodes Broadcast

Brenda Curtis: CBS: Sept 11, 1939 to Jan 19, 1940 (19 Weeks)
Campbell Soup Totals: 19 Consecutive Weeks - 95 Episodes Broadcast

Bright Horizon : CBS: Aug 25, 1941 to Mar 22, 1946 (239 Weeks)
(aka A Woman’s Life) Totals:239 Consecutive Weeks - 1,195 Episodes Broadcast
Swan Soap 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 4.3
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,750 - Lever Bros.

The Brighter Day:   NBC: Oct 11, 1948 to July 8, 1949. (39 Weeks)
Brighter Day 12-16-48 CBS: July 11, 1949 to June 29, 1956. (364 Weeks)
Dreft Totals: 403 Consecutive Weeks - 2,015 Episodes Broadcast

By Kathleen Norris: CBS: Oct 9, 1939 to Sep 26, 1941. (103 Weeks)
Wheaties   Totals: 103 Consecutive Weeks - 515 Episodes Broadcast

The Carters of Elm Street: NBC: Feb 13, 1939 to Jan 19, 1940. (49 Weeks)
Ovaltine   Mutual: Jan 22, 1940 to July 19, 1940. (26 Weeks)
Totals: 75 Consecutive Weeks - 375 Episodes Broadcast

Central City:   Blue: Nov 21, 1938 to Dec 30, 1938. (6 Weeks)
Oxydol NBC: Jan 2, 1939 to June 30, 1939. (26 Weeks)
Totals: 32 Consecutive Weeks - 160 Episodes Broadcast
Clara, Lu & Em:   Blue: Jan 27, 1931 to Mar 23, 1934. (165 Weeks)
ClaraLuEm 6-28-35   NBC: Mar 26, 1934 to June 28, 1935. (66 Weeks)
Super Suds   NBC: Oct 14, 1935 to Jan 10, 1936. (13 Weeks)
CBS: June 8, 1942 to Dec 4, 1942. (26 Weeks).
Totals: 270 Weeks - 1,350 Episodes Broadcast

Dan Harding’s Wife:    NBC: Jan 20, 1936 to Feb 10, 1939. (160 Weeks)
Nabisco Crackers   Totals: 160 Consecutive Weeks - 800 Episodes Broadcast
David Harum: NBC: Jan 27, 1936 to Jan 30, 1942. (314 Weeks)
DavidHarum 8-10-45 NBC & CBS: Feb 2, 1942 to May 14, 1943. (67 Weeks)
Bab-O Cleanser NBC: May 17, 1943 to Jan 10, 1947. (191 Weeks)
(Bad sound, good news value.)   CBS: Jan 13, 1947 to Jan 6, 195 0. (156 Weeks)
Totals: 884 Consecutive Weeks - 4,755 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.2
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - B.T. Babbitt

Doc Barclay’s Daughters: CBS: Jan 23, 1939 to Jan 19, 1940. (52 Weeks)
Personal Finance Corp. Total: 52 Consecutive Weeks - 260 Episodes Broadcast

The Doctor’s Wife: NBC: Mar 3, 1952 to July 27, 1956 (230 Weeks)
DoctorsWife 9-25-53 Total: 230 Consecutive Weeks - 1,150 Episodes Broadcast
ExLax Laxative

Five Star Jones:   CBS: Feb 4, 1935 to June 26, 1936. (73 Weeks)
Oxydol Blue: July 6, 1936 to Feb 5, 1937. (31 Weeks)
Totals: 104 Weeks - 520 Episodes Broadcast

Front Page Farrell:   Mutual: June 23, 1941 to Mar 13, 1942. (38 Weeks)
FP Farrell 8-31-49 NBC: Sep 14, 1942 to Mar 26, 1954. (602 Weeks)
Kolonos Tooth Powder   Totals: 640 Weeks - 3.200 Episodes Broadcast
   1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.0
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,750 - American Home Prod

Girl Alone:    NBC: July 8, 1935 to Apr 25, 1941. (303 Weeks)
Quaker Oats   Total: 303 Consecutive Weeks - 1,515 Episodes Broadcast

The Guiding Light:    NBC: Jan 25, 1937 to Dec 26, 1941. (257 Weeks)
Guiding Light 8-08-50 NBC: Mar 16, 1942 to Nov 29, 1946. (246 Weeks)
(Rehearsal, no music.)   CBS: June 2, 1947 to June 29, 1956. (474 Weeks)
Duz Detergent Totals: 977 Weeks - 4,885 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 4.6
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $3,000 - Procter & Gamble

Helpmate:    NBC: Sep 22, 1941 to June 30, 1944. (145 Weeks)
Old Dutch Cleanser   Totals: 145 Consecutive Weeks - 725 Episodes Broadcast

Her Honor, Nancy James:   CBS:  Oct 3, 1938 to July 28, 1939. (43 Weeks)
Kleenex Tissues   Totals: 43 Consecutive Weeks - 215 Episodes Broadcast

Hilltop House: CBS: Nov 1, 1937 to Dec 31, 1937. (9 Weeks)
Hilltop 7-20-53 CBS & Mutual: Jan 3, 1938 to May 20, 1938. (20 Weeks)
Alka-Seltzer CBS: May 23, 1938 to Mar 28, 1941.(149 Weeks)
CBS: May 17, 1948 to July 1, 1955. (372 Weeks)
NBC: Sep 3, 1956 to July 26, 1957. (47 Weeks)    Totals: 597 Weeks - 3,085 Episodes Broadcast

Into The Light: Blue: Aug 18, 1941 to Mar 20, 1942. (31 Weeks)
Totals: 31 Consecutive Weeks - 155 Episodes Broadcast

Jane Arden: Blue: Sep 26, 1938 to June 23, 1939. (39 Weeks)
Ward Baking Totals: 39 Consecutive Weeks - 195 Episodes Broadcast
John’s Other Wife: NBC: Sep 14, 1936 to Mar 22, 1940. (184 Weeks)
John's Other Undated 1939 Blue: Mar 25, 1940 to Mar 20, 1942. (104 Weeks)
Rehearsal - No musicn Totals: 288 Consecutive Weeks - 1,440 Episodes Broadcast
American Home Products

Joyce Jordan, M.D.: CBS: May 30, 1938 to Mar 23, 1945. (356 Weeks)
(fka Joyce Jordan, Girl Intern) NBC: Apr 2, 1945 to Oct 8, 1948. (184 Weeks)
Joyce Jordan 7-03-47   ABC: Dec 10, 1951 to Apr 11, 1952. (18 Weeks)
Dreft   NBC: Jan 3, 1955 to Jul 1, 1955. (26 Weeks)
Totals: 584 Weeks - 2,920 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.9
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Procter & Gamble

Judy & Jane: CBS: Feb 8, 1932 to June 17, 1932. (19 Weeks)
Folger Coffee   NBC: Oct 10, 1932 to Apr 26, 1935. (133 Weeks)
Totals: 152 Weeks - 760 Episodes Broadcast

Just Plain Bill: CBS: Jan 16, 1933 to June 12, 1936. (178 Weeks) (2)
Just Plain Bill 2-22-49   NBC: Sep 14, 1936 to Mar 22, 1940. (184 Weeks)
Anacin   Blue: Mar 25, 1940 to Mar 20, 1942. (104 Weeks)
NBC: Mar 23, 1942 to Sep 30, 1955. (706 Weeks)
Totals: 1,172 Weeks - 5,860 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.4
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,750 - American Home Products

Kate Hopkins: CBS: Oct 7, 1940 to Apr 3, 1942. (78 Weeks)
(aka Angel of Mercy) Totals: 78 Consecutive Weeks - 390 Episodes Broadcast

Kitty Foyle:   CBS: Oct 5, 1942 to June 9, 1944. (88 Weeks)
General Mills Totals: 88 Consecutive Weeks - 440 Episodes Broadcast

The Life & Love of Dr. Susan: CBS: Feb 13, 1939 to Dec 29, 1939. (46 Weeks)
Lux Flakes   Totals: 46 Consecutive Weeks - 230 Episodes Broadcast

Life Begins: CBS: Jan 22, 1940 to July 18, 1941. (78 Weeks)
Campbell Soup   Totals: 78 Consecutive Weeks - 390 Episodes Broadcast

Life Can Be Beautiful: NBC: Sep 5, 1938 to Nov 4, 1938. (9 Weeks)
Life Can Be Beautiful 11-7-47 CBS: Nov 7, 1938 to June 30, 1939. (34 Weeks)
Spic & Span   CBS & NBC: July 3, 1939 to April 25, 1941. (95 Weeks)
CBS: Apr 28, 1941 to June 21, 1946. (269 Weeks )
NBC: June 24, 1946, to June 25, 1954. (418 Weeks)
Totals: 825 Consecutive Weeks - 4,600 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.6
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,750 - Procter & Gamble

The Life of Mary Southern: Mutual: Nov 4, 1935 to Apr 30. 1937. (78 Weeks)
Hinds Honey & Almond Cream   CBS: Oct 4, 1937 to Apr 22, 1938. (29 Weeks)
Total: 107 Weeks - 535 Episodes Broadcast

The Light of The World: NBC: Mar 18, 1940 to June 2, 1944. (220 Weeks)
Softasilk Cake Flour CBS: June 5, 1944 to Aug 23, 1946. (116 Weeks)
NBC: Dec 2, 1946 to June 2, 1950. (183 Weeks)
Totals: 519 Weeks - 2,595 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.3
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,800 - General Mills

Lone Journey:   NBC: May 27, 1940 to June 25, 1943. (161 Weeks)
Lone Journey 8-07-40 NBC: Apr 1, 1946 to Sep 27, 1946. (26 Weeks)
Dreft   CBS: Sep 30, 1946 to Sep 26, 1947. (52 Weeks)
ABC: July 2, 1951 to June 27, 1952. (52 Weeks)
Totals: 291 Weeks - 1,455 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 2.5
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Carnation

Lonely Women: NBC: June 29, 1942 to Dec. 10, 1943. (76 Weeks)
General Mills Totals: 76 Consecutive Weeks - 380 Episodes Broadcast

Lora Lawton: NBC: May 31, 1943 to Jan 6, 1950. (353 Weeks)
LoraLawton 10-13-47 Totals: 353 Consecutive Weeks - 1,765 Episodes Broadcast
Bab-O Cleanser 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.1
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - B.T. Babbitt

Lorenzo Jones:   NBC: Apr 26, 1937 to Sep 30, 1955. (962 Weeks)
Lorenzo 8-10-45 Totals: 962 Consecutive Weeks - 4,810 Episodes Broadcast
Bayer Aspirin 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.9
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,750 - Sterling Drug

Ma Perkins:   NBC: Dec 4, 1933 to Nov 29, 1935. (104 Weeks)
Ma Perkins 10-06-49 NBC & Mutual: Dec 2, 1935 to Jun 26, 1936. (30 Weeks)    Oxydol NBC: Jun 29, 1936 to Feb 5, 1937. (32 Weeks)
NBC & Blue: Feb 8, 1937 to Dec 31, 1937. (47 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Jan 3, 1938 to Apr 8, 1938. (14 Weeks)
NBC: April 11, 1938 to May 27, 1938. (7 Weeks)
NBC & Blue: May 30, 1938 to Nov 18, 1938. (25 Weeks)
NBC: Nov 21, 1938 to Sep 25, 1942. (201 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Sep 28, 1942 to Jul 8, 1949. (354 Weeks)
CBS: Jul 11, 1949 to Nov 25, 1960. (594 Weeks)
Totals: 1,408 Continuous Weeks - 9,390 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 12.5 (3)
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $3,300 - Procter & Gamble

The Man I Married:     NBC: July 3, 1939 to May 2, 1941. (96 Weeks)
Campbell Soup    CBS: July 21, 1941 to April 3, 1942. (37 Weeks)
Totals: 133 Weeks - 1,145 Episodes Broadcast

(The Story of) Mary Marlin: NBC: Jan 1, 1935 to Apr 1, 1935. (13 Weeks)
Tenderleaf Tea    CBS: Apr 2,1935 to June 26, 1936. (65 Weeks)
NBC: Sep 14, 1936 to Apr 23, 1937. (32 Weeks)
NBC & Blue: Apr 26, 1937 to Apr 25,1941. (209 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Apr 28, 1941 to Mar 27, 1942. (48 Weeks)
NBC: Mar 30, 1942 to Sep 24, 1943. (78 Weeks)
CBS: Sep 27, 1943 to Apr 13, 1945. (81 Weeks)
ABC: Sep 24, 1951 to Apr 11, 1952. (29 Weeks)
Totals: 555 Weeks - 4,060 Episodes Broadcast
1945 Weekkly Production Budget - $2500 Standard Brands

Masquerade: NBC: Jan 14, 1946 to Aug 29, 1947. (85 Weeks)
General Mills Totals: 85 Consecutive Weeks - 425 Episodes Broadcast

Mrs. Wiggs
Of The Cabbage Patch: CBS: Feb 4, 1935 to Sep 11, 1936. (84 Weeks)
American Home Products   NBC: Sep 14, 1936 to Dec 30, 1938. (120 Weeks)
Totals: 204 Consecutive Weeks - 1,020 Episodes Broadcast

Myrt & Marge: CBS: Nov 2, 1931 to Mar 3, 1939. (383 Weeks)
Myrt&Marge 12-27-37   CBS & Mutual: Mar 6, 1939 to Oct 6, 1939. (31 Weeks)
Super Suds CBS: Oct 9, 1939 to Mar 27, 1942. (129 Weeks)
Totals: 543 Consecutive Weeks - 2,870 Episodes Broadcast

Nona From Nowhere: CBS: Jan 9, 1950 to Jan 5, 1951. (52 Weeks)
Nona 2-23-50 Totals: 52 Consecutive Weeks - 260 Episodes Broadcast
Bab-O Cleanser

The O’Neills:   Mutual: June 11 to Dec 7, 1934. (26 Weeks)
Standard Brands   CBS: Dec 10, 1934 to June 17,1935. (26 Weeks)
NBC: Oct 8,1935 to Nov 13, 1936. (58 Weeks)
NBC & Blue: Nov 16, 1936 to Dec 31, 1937. (59 Weeks)
CBS: Jan 3, 1938 to June 3, 1938. (22 Weeks)
NBC: June 6, 1938 to Jan 26, 1940. (86 Weeks)
NBC (2 per day): Jan 29, 1940 to Nov 1, 1940, (40 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Nov 4, 1940 to Dec 26, 1941. (60 Weeks)
CBS: Dec. 29, 1941 to Mar 27, 1942. (13 Weeks)
Totals: 364 Weeks - 2,615 Episodes Broadcast

Orphans of Divorce:   Blue: Sep 25, 1939 to April 17, 1942. (134 Weeks) (4)
Dr. Lyons' Toothpaste Totals: 134 Consecutive Weeks - 670 Episodes Broadcast

Our Gal Sunday:   CBS: March 29, 1937 to January 2, 1959. (1,136 Weeks)
OurGalSunday 6-07-44 Totals: 1,136 Consecutive Weeks - 5,680 Episodes Broadcast
Anacin 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6.3
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,500 - American Home Products

Pepper Young’s Family:   NBC: Jan 13, 1936 to June 26, 1936. (24 Weeks) (5)
Camay Beauty Soap   NBC: June 29, 1936 to Aug 28, 1936. (9 Weeks)
NBC & Blue: Aug 31, 1936 to Oct 29, 1937. (61 Weeks)
NBC, Blue & Mutual: Nov 1, 1937 to Feb 25, 1938. (17 Weeks)
NBC & Blue: Feb 28, 1938 to Mar 28, 1941. (161 Weeks)
NBC: Mar 31, 1941 to Jun 19, 1942. (64 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Jun 22, 1942 to Oct 15, 1943. (69 Weeks)
NBC: Oct 18, 1943 to January 16, 1959. (796 Weeks)
Totals: 1,201 Consecutive Weeks - 7,545 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6.4
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,200 - Procter & Gamble

Perry Mason:   CBS: Oct 18, 1943 to Dec 30, 1955. (637 Weeks)
Perry Mason 6-07-44 Totals: 637 Consecutive Weeks - 3,185 Episodes Broadcast
Camay/Ivory Flakes 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 4.1
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - Procter & Gamble

Portia Faces Life:   CBS: Oct 7, 1940 to April 25,1941. (29 Weeks)
Portia Undated NBC: April 28 1941 to March 31, 1944. (153 Weeks)
Post Bran Flakes/Postum   CBS: April 3, 1944 to September 29, 1944. (22 Weeks)
NBC: October 2, 1944 to June 29, 1951. (352 Weeks)
Totals: 556 Consecutive Weeks - 2,780 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6.5
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - General Foods

Pretty Kitty Kelly:     CBS: Mar 8, 1937 to Sep 27, 1940. (186 Weeks)
Pretty Kitty 3-03-39 Totals: 186 Consecutive Weeks - 930 Episodes Broadcast
Wonder Bread

Rich Man’s Darling:   CBS: Feb 17, 1936 to Mar 26, 1937. (58 Weeks)
Outdoor Girl Cosmetics   Totals: 58 Continuous Weeks - 290 Episodes Broadcast

The Right To Happiness:    Blue: Oct 16, 1939 to Jan 19, 1940. (14 Weeks)
Right Happiness 1-28-42 CBS: Jan 22,1940 to Dec 26, 1941. (101 Weeks)
Crisco/P&G Naptha Soap NBC: Dec 29, 1941 to June 29, 1956. (757 Weeks)
CBS: July 2, 1956 to Nov 25, 1960. (230 Weeks)
Totals: 1,102 Consecutive Weeks - 5,510 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6.6
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,250 - Procter & Gamble

The Road of Life:   NBC & Blue: Sep 13, 1937 to Dec 31, 1937. (16 Weeks)
RoadLife 7-26-47 NBC & CBS: Jan 3, 1938 to Jun 26, 1942. (234 Weeks)
Duz   NBC: Jun 29, 1942 to Nov 23, 1945. (178 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Nov 26, 1945 to May 30, 1947. (79 Weeks)
NBC: June 2, 1947 to Dec 26, 1952. (291 Weeks)
NBC & CBS: Dec 29, 1952 to June 25, 1954. (78 Weeks)
CBS: June 28, 1954 to January 2, 1959. (236 Weeks)
Totals: 1,112 Consecutive Weeks - 7,595 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 9,3 (6)
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,750 - Procter & Gamble

The Romance of Helen Trent:   CBS: October 30, 1933 to June 24, 1960. (1,391 Weeks)
Helen Trent Undated   Totals: 1,391 Consecutive Weeks - 6,955 Episodes Broadcast
Aero Wax/Misc 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6,3
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,250 - American Home Products

Rose of My Dreams: CBS: Nov 25, 1946 to May 14, 1948. (709 Weeks)
Sweetheart Soap Totals: 709 Consecutive Weeks - 3,545 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.3
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,750 (est) - Manhattan Soap

Rosemary:     NBC: Oct 2, 1944 to Mar 23, 1945. (25 Weeks)
Rosemary 7-22-46   CBS: Mar 26, 1945 to July 1, 1955 (536 Weeks)
Ivory Snow Totals: 561 Consecutive Weeks - 2,805 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 4.0
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - Procter & Gamble

The Second Mrs. Burton:     CBS: January 7, 1946 to November 25, 1960. (777 Weeks)
General Foods   Totals: 777 Consecutive Weeks - 3,885 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.9
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - General Foods

Stella Dallas:      NBC: Jun 6, 1938 to Dec 23, 1955. (916 Weeks)
Stella Undated Rehearsal Totals: 916 Consecutive Weeks - 4,580 Episodes Broadcast
Phillips Milk of Magnesia 1946 C.E. Hooper Averge Monthly Rating: 6.0
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,750 - Sterling Drug

Stepmother: CBS: Jan 17, 1938 to July 10, 1942. (234 Weeks)
Colgate Dental Cream Totals:234 Consecutive Weeks - 1,170 Episodes Broadcast

The Strange Romance
of Evelyn Winters: CBS: Nov 20, 1944 to Nov 12, 1948. (208 Weeks)
Evelyn 10-15-45   Total: 208 Consecutive Weeks - 1,040 Episodes Broadcast
Sweetheart Soap 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 2.9
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - Manhattan Soap Co

Tena & Tim:     CBS: Aug 7, 1944 to Aug 2, 1946. (104 Weeks)
Old Dutch Cleanser   Totals: 104 Consecutive Weeks - 520 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.3
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,500 - Cudahy Packing

This Is Nora Drake:     NBC: Oct 27, 1947 to May 7, 1948. (28 Weeks)
Nora Drake 10-05-48   NBC & CBS: May 10, 1948 to Jan 28, 1949, (38 Weeks)
Toni Home Permanents    CBS: Jan 31, 1949 to Jan 2, 1959. (518 Weeks)
Totals: 584 Consecutive Weeks - 3,110 Episodes Broadcast

This Life Is Mine: CBS: Mar 22, 1943 to Aug 24, 1945. (313 Weeks)
Totals: 313 Consecutive Weeks - 1,565 Episodes Broadcast

Today’s Children:   Blue: Sep 11, 1933 to May 29, 1936. (142 Weeks)
TodaysChildren Undated   NBC: June 1, 1936 to Dec 31, 1937 (83 Weeks)
Wheaties NBC: Dec 13, 1943 to June 2, 1950. (338 Weeks)
(Bad sound quality) Totals: 563 Weeks - 2,815 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.1
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - General Mills

Valiant Lady:   CBS: Mar 7 to May 27, 1938. (12 Weeks)
Valient 5-02-39 NBC: May 30, 1938 to Mar 16, 1942. (198 Weeks)
Wheaties CBS: Mar 17, 1942 to Aug 23, 1946. (232 Weeks)
ABC: Oct 8, 1951 to Feb 29, 1952. (21 Weeks)
Totals: 463 Weeks - 2,315 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 3.0
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - General Mills

We Love & Learn:   CBS: Apr 6, 1942 to Mar 31, 1944. (104 Weeks)
WeLoveLearn 7-28-50    NBC: Apr 3 1944 to Sep 29, 1944. (26 Weeks)
Sweetheart Soap   NBC: June 28, 1948 to Mar 23,1951. (143 Weeks)
Totals: 273 Weeks - 1,365 Episodes Broadcast

Wendy Warren & The News:   CBS: June 23, 1947 to Nov 12, 1958. (594 Weeks)
WendyWarren 4-27-48   Totals: 594 Consecutive Weeks - 2,970 Episodes Broadcast
Maxwell House Coffee

When A Girl Marries:   CBS: May 29, 1939 to Aug 22, 1941. (117 Weeks)
WhenAGirl 1949 Undated NBC: Sep 29, 1941 to Jun 29, 1951. (509 Weeks)
Swansdown Cake Flour ABC: Jul 2, 1951 to Aug 30, 1957. (322 Weeks)
Totals: 948 Weeks - 4,740 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 7.2
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - General Foods

Whispering Streets:   ABC: Mar 3, 1952 to Jan 2, 1959. (357 Weeks)
General Mills CBS: Jan 5, 1959 to Nov 25, 1960. (99 Weeks)
Totals: 456 Consecutive Weeks - 2,280 Episodes Broadcast

Woman In My House:   NBC: Mar 26, 1951 to Apr 24, 1959. (422 Weeks)
Sweetheart Soap Totals: 422 Consecutive Weeks - 2,110 Episodes Broadcast

Woman In White: NBC: Jan 3, 1938 to Sep 27, 1940. (143 Weeks)
General Mills   CBS: Sep 30, 1940 to Sep 25, 1942. (104 Weeks)
NBC: Jun 5, 1944 to May 28, 1948. (208 Weeks)
Totals: 455 Weeks - 2,275 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 4.8
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - General Mills

A Woman of America:     NBC: Sep 27, 1943 to June 21, 1946. (143 Weeks)
Ivory Snow   Totals: 143 Continuous Weeks - 715 Episodes Broadcast
1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 4.5
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,500 - Procter & Gamble

Woman of Courage:   CBS: July 17, 1939 to July 10, 1942. (156 Weeks)
Octagon & Crystal Soap Totals: 156 Continuous Weeks - 780 Episodes Broadcast

Young Dr. Malone:     Blue: Nov 20, 1939 to Apr 26, 1940. (23 Weeks)
YoungDrMalone 11-25-60 CBS: Apr 29, 1940 to Nov 25, 1960. (1,074 Weeks)
Last episode in series. Totals: 1,097 Consecutive Weeks - 5,485 Episodes Broadcast
Pocter & Gamble 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 5.8
1946 Weekly Production Budget: $2,000 - Procter & Gamble

Young Widder Brown: NBC: Jun 6, 1938 to June 22, 1956.
YoungWidBrown   Totals: 942 Consecutive Weeks - 4,710 Episodes Broadcast
Rehearsal Poor Quality 1946 C.E. Hooper Average Monthly Rating: 6.4
Bayer Aspirin 1946 Weekly Production Budget: $1,000 - Sterling Drug

Your Family & Mine:   NBC: April 25, 1938 to Apr 28, 1939l (53 Weeks)
Sealtest Dairies Totals: 105 Consecutive Weeks - 525 Episodes Broadcast

(1) Clara, Lu & Em was also broadcast on Blue for ten weeks, (June 26, 1936 to Sep 4, 1936) in a weekly, non-serialized, 30 minute format.

(2) Just Plain Bill was first broadcast on a Midwest network of CBS stations as a sporadic half-hour nighttime series beginning on Sep 19, 1932.

(3) Ma Perkins’ 1946 Hooperating combines the program’s weekday rating of 6.9 on CBS and 5.6 on NBC.

(4) Orphans of Divorce was originally broadcast on Blue in weekly 30 minute form from Mar 6, to June 26, 1939.

(5) Pepper Young’s Family was originally broadcast in 30 minute form on Blue as Red Adams from Oct 2, 1932 to Jan 22, 1933. It returned to Blue from Sep 22, 1933 to May 24, 1935 in 15 minute form three nights a week as Red Davis. During its first 24 week run on NBC, it was identified as Forever Young.

(6) The Road of Life’s 1946 Hooperating combines the program’s weekday rating of 5.0 on CBS and 4.3 on NBC.

Copyright © 2020, Jim Ramsburg, Estero FL Email: tojimramsburg@gmail.com