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In the 1920s & 30s all radio broadcasting by dance bands on the BBC was live, and therefore very little remains and rarely do whole shows still exist. (The exceptions are the wartime ORBS recordings for ENSA. I shall be listing these on a separate page.) However, from the early 1930s onwards, commercial radio stations broadcast to Great Britain from abroad. These included Radio Athlone, Radio Luxembourg, Radio Normandy and Radio Paris.
Most of the shows on these stations were pre-recorded, often by EMI in their London Studios and usually pressed onto shellac discs and transported to the radio stations. A glance at the programmes of the 1930s shows that the same shows were sometimes broadcast by Luxembourg and Normandy, but at different times, so presumably both stations would have copies of the records. These records were usually 12" and often single sided. The shows were usually only 15 minutes long (some were half-an-hour).
So, I have set myself a task to try and document these recordings, and hopefully locate some of them. The Roy Fox items (Reckitt's Bath Cubes) and Carroll Gibbons' (Hartley's Jam) are quite well known due to their re-issues on CD & LP, but they may well be the tip of the iceberg. It is not certain that recordings even exist of many of these shows, but we can dream! Where many recordings are known of by a particular artist, these will be on a separate page; click on the band's name to go there.
I have made great use of a some copies of Radio Pictorial I recently bought, plus others which are the property of my cousin, Charles Hippisley- Cox, for information. However, there are a number of radio shows which don't show the names of the artists providing the music, so there is still much to discover.
This listing is in
alphabetical artist order....
If you have any
information to add to this page, please send it to me; also if you know of the
location of any original records. I would be very interested in recorded copies
of these or similar recordings if possible.
Ambrose and his
Orchestra
In
1936 & 1937, Ambrose was presenting a programme on Radio Luxembourg called,
appropriately, "Up to the Minute Rhythm Music", sponsored by Lifebuoy
Toilet Soap; also sub-titled "Morning, Noon & Night"
Billy Bissett and his
Band
In 1939,
Billy took over the reins for the Rinso Radio Review, previously held by Jack
Hylton. The show, compered by Ben Lyon, also included Sam Browne, Alice
Mann (Bissett's wife), Bebe Daniels and Tommy Handley.
Eddie Carroll and
his Orchestra
The
1938-39 show on Radio Luxembourg & Normandy called "Lux Radio Theatre" had Eddie as musical director. Also featured Eddie's vocalists
Gwen
Jones & Ivor Davis.
Also in 1939, Eddie & his Orchestra was featured in
"Armour's Quality Variety".
John Collins and
his Rhythm Six
I'm
not familiar with the name, which could therefore be a pseudonym. They broadcast
on a programme called "Limelight On Rhythm" with Dinah Miller (the
Personality girl) sponsored by Idris Lime Juice.
Billy Cotton and
his Band
Bill's
radio shows of the 1950s & 1960s are legendary, but he was already doing it
all back in the late 1930s when his show on Radio
Luxembourg was sponsored by Kraft
Cheese.
Dan Donovan and his
Music
In a 1939
Radio Luxembourg show called "Your First Broadcast" and described as
"payment for listeners own songs, stories & programme
contributions". Probably not much dance music, but, no doubt, some
excellent singing from Dan.
Herman Darewski
and his Orchestra
Herman and
his boys had this 1939 Radio Luxembourg programme sponsored by "Alka
Seltzer",
featuring his vocalists Gerald Arthur and Margaret Eaves. The show was cancelled
at the outbreak of WWII.
George Elrick and
his Band
The
1938 programme on Radio Luxembourg was sponsored by Maclean Brand
Stomach Powder
and our George was described as "Maclean's Laughing Entertainer".
Bert Firman and
his Orchestra
I
don't know how much music Bert had to provide in "The Movie Club" on
Radio Normandy in 1938. The programme is described as "Intimate glimpses of
Hollywood" with Firman providing a "musical background". The
programme was sponsored by Lux Toilet
Soap.
Michael Flome and his Orchestra
A
programme called "The New Cavalcade of Melody" was broadcast on Radio
Luxembourg in 1939 with Michael & his band, and Paula Green. No sponsor
shown.
Teddy Foster and
his Kings Of Swing
"Swing
Something in the Morning" was the name of this early morning programme
broadcast in 1938 on Radio Normandy at 12:30 a.m. No sponsor's name given, but
many of the late night programmes seem to be sponsor-free.
Roy Fox and
his Orchestra
Roy made
some excellent recordings in 1938, for Reckitts of Hull, (Reckitts' Bath
Cubes).
they are listed on a separate page (click on the heading).
Geraldo and his
Orchestra
Gerry
was another stalwart on commercial radio. In 1937 he presented "Elevenses
with Geraldo & Diploma" sponsored by Diploma Cheese on Radio
Luxembourg.
Carroll Gibbons
and his Boy Friends
Carroll's
chamber dance music players were used by The Hartley's Jam programme in early
1935. They also recorded the "Soft Lights And Sweet Music" programme in
1936. James Dyrenforth was usually the compere on the programmes.
The Stork shows on Radio Lyons in 1937 are described as with "Carroll
Gibbons and his Rhythm Boys" (another names for the Boy Friends) featuring
Anne Lenner, George Melachrino & the Three Ginx.
Carroll Gibbons and the Savoy
Hotel Orpheans
The full
orchestra recorded a lot of commercial radio shows for Bush Radio, Palmolive,
Colgate, Spry, Ovaltine and Stork, and probably many others.
In 1936, Carroll & the Orpheans were featured on Radio
Luxembourg's Vernon's Programme (presumably sponsored by Vernon's
Pools).
In 1938, the Colgate shows (with the
Orpheans) were called "On The Air", sponsored by Colgate Ribbon
Dental and Shaving Cream.
Carroll
Gibbons - (not
sure if these are the full band or the Boy Friends)
In 1938: Cookeen sponsored a show for Radio Normandy
featuring "Carroll Gibbons and his Boys", with Anne Lenner &
George Melachrino.
Phil Green and his Orchestra
Phil
provided the music for some of the Ovaltine shows. The following fragments are
known:
CTP-8762-1
Who Blew Out The Flame? – vocal Dorothy Carless
CTP-8771
Love Is In The Air – vDC
CTP-10385-2
Sing, My Heart – vEric Whitley
Medley: Broadway Melody / Your Broadway And My Broadway –v3 / Yours and
Mine - vg
Jack Harris and his Orchestra
As
"Herb Romaine and his Orchestra", Jack and the boys recorded shows
sponsored by
Oxydol
of which only the following are, so far, known:
(Theme: Stay As Sweet
As You Are)
I’ve
Got An Invitation To A Dance – vSam Browne (as Jack O’Day)
Bobby Howell and his Band
Bobby
Howell also led a light orchestra, but I suspect the 1938 programme called
"Stork Radio Parade" (sponsored by Stork
Margarine) may have some
dance music - a description of "melody and Rhythm" in the programme
notes implies so.
Jack Hylton and his Orchestra
Jack's
show was called Rinso Radio Revue, sponsored by Rinso, broadcast in 1938 on
Radio Luxembourg. The compere was Eddie Pola. The guests are pretty impressive:
Sam Browne, Elsie Carlisle, The Henderson Twins, Tommy Handley & Alice Mann.
Jack Jackson and his Orchestra
The
1939 Radio Luxembourg programme with Jack & his band was called "A
Serenade To Melody" and was sponsored by Pond's Extract Co.
Ltd. It also
featured Barbara Back.
Also in 1939, Jack and the band featured in a programme
sponsored by Oxydol, which also included Jack Cooper, Helen Clare, Jackie Hunter
and the Three Jacks.
Teddy Joyce and his Orchestra
I'm
not sure how much dance music there was on this one: The Lux Radio Theatre
(Radio Luxembourg 1938).
Ferry Juza and his Dance
Orchestra.
The programme on Radio Luxembourg in 1936 is just described
as "Dance Music" with no sponsor shown. Ferri Juza (I think this is
the correct spelling) played trombone in John Abriani's Dance Band in the late
1920s (they recorded in Berlin in 1928, with Al Bowlly as vocalist). Juza is
still shown as playing for Abriani on his 1937 recordings.
Harry Karr and the Club Royal
Orchestra
A 1939
show called Symington's Sunday Night Excursion utilised Karr's services, and
also included Al Bowlly, & Marjorie Stedeford.
Tommy Kinsman & the
O.K. Sauce Orchestra
No prizes
for guessing the sponsor of this show! It was called "O.K. For
Harmony" and was broadcast in 1938 on Radio Normandy. It appears to be a
variety show, but you never know!
Charlie Kunz
Slightly
off the subject as Charlie's radio shows, which were sponsored by Cadbury's of
Birmingham, did not include a dance band. The music was provided by Charlie
playing solo piano with guitar and bass accompaniment and usually with Judy
Shirley or The Three Admirals vocalising.
Sydney Kyte and his
Mobiloilers
This
rather clumsy name was given to the band directed by Sydney Kyte for the show
"Going Places With Godiva" sponsored by Mobiloil
Arctic. Whether he
gets any chance to play any dance music is perhaps unlikely as the programme
appears to be more of a play; the subtitle of which is "A Saga Of
Suburbia".
Sydney Lipton and his
Orchestra
1937
found Syd directing the music for "Dinner at Eight" on Radio
Luxembourg, sponsored by Crosse & Blackwell.
Monia Liter and the Ace of
Hearts Orchestra
They made
sponsored radio shows for
Black Magic
chocolates in 1938-9. The following
fragments have been found:
It
Was So Beautiful – v Al Bowlly
Sweet
Sue, Just You
Lost
And Found
Joe
and the band provided the music for the 1939 show "The Meltonian Musical
Holiday Tours" on Radio Luxembourg (presumably sponsored by Meltonian, who
make shoe polish).
Bram Martin and his Orchestra
In
Late 1938, the Horlicks "Music in the Morning" show (see Arthur
Rosebery) also featured Bram Martin's Orchestra, with singers Gene Crowley,
Tressa Dale & Bob Howard.
Felix Mendelssohn and the Top
Hat Orchestra
The
well-known dance band agent & promoter and, later, Hawaiian orchestra leader
lead a standard dance band in this 1938 Luxembourg show called "On Board
the Top Hat Express", sponsored by Nestlé's, and also featuring George
Barclay and Paula Green.
Jack Payne and his Band
Jack
provided the music on the 1938 "Beecham's Reunion" programme sponsored by
Beecham's Pills and Dr Cassell's Tablets.
Sid Phillips and his Band
1939 show
on Radio Luxembourg called "Here, There & Everywhere" used the
services of Sid & his band "with star vocalists". No sponsor
given.
Van Phillips and the Ponds
Dance Orchestra
A 1939
dance music show on Radio Luxembourg called "Pond's Serenade To
Beauty" sponsored by Ponds; Announcer: Michael Riley.
Oscar Rabin and his Romany Band
Sponsored
by the "House of Seagers", this 1938 Radio Normandy programme was called
"Seager's Good Mixers" and also featured Eve Becke and Leonard Henry.
Jan Ralfini and his Band
Jan
and the band featured in a 1939 show called "Radio Lyons Calling" on
Radio Lyons, also featuring "guest Artists" and amateur talent
winners.
Teddy Randall and his
Sensational London Band
Another
obscure name (or a pseudonym) who was featured in Radio Luxembourg's 1938
programme "London Merry-Go-Round" sponsored by Danderine. Described as
"a programme of happy music from musical shows and clubs", it may or
may not be dance music.
Arthur Rosebery and his Band
When interviewed in the 1980s, Arthur said he used to record sponsored radio
shows at EMI for
Horlicks
"Music in the Mornings" radio shows during
1938.
Debroy Somers and his Band
Bill
Somers and his boys was another band sponsored by Horlicks for their
"Tea-Time Hour" on Radio Luxembourg in 1937.
The Spry Syncopators
Sponsored
by Spry Cooking Fat, this 1939 show known as "The Spry Broadcasting
Theatre" undoubtedly had some dance music content, and included Sandra
Shayne. The following fragment is known to exist:
RFX-1032-1 Let’s
Break The Good News – vSandra Shayne
Sweet
Henrietta (musical
melodrama)
Lew Stone and his Band
Lew's
1937 programme on Radio Normandy was called "Mayfair's Favourite Dance Tunes
Of The Week" and was sponsored by Pond's Face
Powder.
In 1939, Lew was associated with a show called "The
Heinz Half-Hour of Happiness" (sponsored by Heinz). Apart from Lew &
the band, the show included Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, The Rhythm
Brothers and Jack Cooper.
Alf Van Dam and his Orchestra
Van Dam
provided the musical background for the "Carroll Levis Musical
Discoveries" programme.
Jack Wilson and his Versatile
Five
Jack and
his players were radio favourites for a number of years. In 1939 he was
featured, along with Denny Dennis & Esther Coleman, in "We Bring You A
Love Song" sponsored by Turog Brown Bread.
Maurice Winnick and his
Orchestra
The
Littlewood's Football Pools show had the music provided by Maurice and his
orchestra with Judy Shirley, Sam Costa and a trio called Jack, Jock & Jimmy.
This was on Radio Luxembourg in 1936.
Marius B. Winter and his
Orchestra
Marius
was busy in 1937 as he presented his full orchestra and the smaller "Seven
Swingers" in shows sponsored by Bile Beans called "Young And Healthy" The compere was a young Roy
Plomley. The following partial show is known to exist:
Young And Healthy (Theme)
Gangway
I
Want To Be Happy (seven swingers)
Stranger
In The Dark – vPaula Green
What
More Can I Ask?
(piano duet by the Two Black Notes)
It’s
Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) (seven swingers)
Whispers
In The Dark. –vPG / arr. Arthur Young
Marius also recorded
shows called "The Orchard Club Cabaret" sponsored by Rowntree's Fruit
Gums & Pastilles.