Tennessee Jed
Tennessee Jed is an American children's Western adventure radio program that was broadcast from May 14, 195, through November 7, 1947.[1] It debuted on Mutual but for most of its time on the air it was on ABC.[2]
Premise
Jed Sloan, known as Tennessee Jed,[3] moved from the Civil War in the Old South to make a fresh start on the American frontier. Jed's marksmanship with his squirrel gun was highlighted in the opening of each episode. A voice said, "There he goes, Tennessee! Get Him!"[1] Then the sound effect of a gunshot was followed by, "Got him! Deeeeeeeeeaaaaaaad center!"[1] Jed also carried a pair of sixguns as he rode his horse, Smoky. Jed eventually began to capture outlaws on direct assignments from President Grant [1]
Cast
| Character | Actor(s) |
|---|---|
| Tennessee Jed | Johnny Thomas Don MacLaughlin[3] |
| Sheriff Jackson | Jeff Chandler Humphrey Davis[3] |
| Deputy | Court Benson Jim Boles[3] |
| Masters (gambler) |
Raymond Edward Johnson[3] |
Supporting actors included John McGovern, George Petrie, and Barton Yarborough. Announcers included Benson, Layman Cameron, and Larry Elliott.[2]
Schedule
Tennessee Jed was a late-afternoon program intended for a juvenile audience. It was on the Mutual network from May 14, 1945, through August 17, 1945. A longer run began on ABC on September 3, 1945. The show stayed on ABC until it ended on November 7, 1947.[2]
Production
Paul DeFur was the producer, and Bill Hamilton was the director. Elton Britt sang the theme.[1]
Ward Baking Company was the primary sponsor of Tennessee Jed, promoting its Tip Top Bread.[1] Other companies sponsored the program in areas (such as the West Coast) in which Ward's products were not distributed.[4]
Promotion
In October 1946, Ward and the sponsors of the other three programs in ABC's 5 to 6 p.m. Eastern Time slot joined in a promotional contest that the trade publication Billboard reported was "believed to be the first of its kind in radio".[5] The other programs and their sponsors were Terry and the Pirates (Quaker Oats Company), Sky King (Derby Foods, Incorporated), and Jack Armstrong (General Mills, Incorporated).[5] The ABC network contributed $15,000 for the promotion, and the sponsors combined to provide $30,000 for it.[6]
Each participant in the contest, which was limited to age 16 or younger, had to submit a letter stating in 50 or fewer words "Which program I prefer".[5] Prizes were
- 100 bicycles
- 100 wristwatches
- 100 table model radios
- 100 candid cameras
- 100 tennis racquets and
- 500 personalized pen and pencil sets.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Dunning, John (May 7, 1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 656. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c French, Jack; Siegel, David S. (November 5, 2013). Radio Rides the Range: A Reference Guide to Western Drama on the Air, 1929-1967. McFarland. pp. 183–184. ISBN 978-1-4766-1254-6. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Cox, Jim (June 14, 2015). Radio Crime Fighters: More Than 300 Programs from the Golden Age. McFarland. p. 250. ISBN 978-1-4766-1227-0. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "Ward Shares Seg In Order To Get Pacific Coverage". Billboard. October 6, 1945. p. 7. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Too Short for a Head". Billboard. October 19, 1946. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ Billboard https://books.google.com/books?id=DxoEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PT14&dq=%22Tennessee%20Jed%22%20ABC&pg=PT14#v=onepage&q=%22Tennessee%20Jed%22%20ABC&f=true. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
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External links