Here’s the schedule for NBC’s commercial station WNBT in New York City for the week starting Sunday, September 14th, 1941, straight from daily television listings printed in The New York Times. The station was off the air on Sunday. The week was light on sports with only the usual boxing on Monday, a race on Sunday and billiards on Tuesday (if you consider billiards a sport)
The highlight of the week was the Thursday premiere of Fashion Discoveries in Television (aka Fashion Discoveries). The half-hour show aired from 5-5:30PM and was later proclaimed by its producer to be the television series designed expressly for commercial television. Although originally planned to run for a 13-week test period, only three episodes were produced and broadcast live. I’ll be writing more about Fashion Discoveries in Television soon.
Other programming included familiar shows featuring likes of Ireene Wicker, Harvey Harding and Zeke Manners, the week also included an opera, a fashion show, something called “Dizzy Heights-Daring Hearts,” and a variety of films. Plus another installment of Sam Cuff’s Face of the War news program.
Monday, September 15th, 1941 [1]
8-9PM – Test Pattern
9-11PM – Boxing; Jamaica ArenaTuesday, September 16th, 1941 [2]
1-2:30PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – Films: Old Time Movies; When Dreams Come True; A Mother’s Influence
3:00PM – Dizzy Heights-Daring Hearts
3:30-5PM – Test Pattern
8-9PM – Test Pattern
9PM – Colony Opera Guild-Faust
9:30PM – Billiard Highlights
9:40PM – To Be Announced
9:50PM – NewsWednesday, September 17th, 1941 [3]
1-2:30PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – Radio City Matinee: Li Ling Ai, Perry Martin, Christopher Rule, Richard Kent
3:30-4:30PM – Test Pattern
8-9PM – Test Pattern
9PM – Ted Steele, Betty Randall, Songs
9:10PM – Current Events in Art–Helen Appleton Read
9:25PM – Zeke Manners’ Hillbilles
9:55PM – News ReportsThursday, September 18th, 1941 [4]
1-2:30PM – Test Pattern
2:30PM – Film: Yorktown
3:15PM – Film: Land of the Wends
3:25PM – Film: Gimme Some Skin
3:30-5PM – Test Pattern
5PM – Fashion Discoveries
8-9PM – Test Pattern
9PM – Travel-Hendrick de Leeuw
9:30PM – Play the GameFriday, September 19th, 1941 [5]
1-2:30PM – Test Pattern
2:30-3PM – Fashion Show, at Rockefeller Plaza
3:30-5PM – Test Pattern
8-9PM – Test Pattern
9PM – Ireene Wicker’s Tele-Whizzes
9:30PM – Alfred Mann and Edith Weissman, Music
9:40PM – Harvey Harding, Songs
9:50PM – Face of the War-Sam CuffSaturday, September 20th, 1941 [6]
1-2:30PM – Test Pattern
2:30-5PM – Racing at Belmont
Note: Television listings published in newspapers were based on information provided by stations and were subject to change at the last minute. They may not be an accurate representation of what actually aired.
Works Cited:
2 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 16 Sep. 1941: 44.
3 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 17 Sep. 1941: 46.
4 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 18 Sep. 1941: 50.
5 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 19 Sep. 1941: 46.
6 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 13 Sep. 1941: 32.
