Here’s the schedule for NBC’s commercial station WNBT in New York City for the week starting Sunday, December 28th, 1941, straight from daily television listings printed in The New York Times.
WNBT rang in the new year with a special New Year’s Eve program running from 11:45PM on Wednesday, December 31st, 1941 until 12:30AM on Thursday, January 1st, 1942, broadcast from the famous Rainbow Room restaurant at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
Other highlights for the week included a Christmas-New Year’s Service on Sunday; a Radio City Matinee on Tuesday; a variety show on Thursday; and something called Bill’s Gay Nineties Floor Show on Saturday.
Films for the week included Shadows of the Orient (1935), 23 1/2 Hours Leave (1937), Stars Over Arizona (1937), and Where the Best Begins (1938).
Sunday, December 28th, 1941 [1]
3:30-4:30PM – Film: Stars Over Arizona
8:30-9:30PM – Christmas-New Year’s Service, Rev. Harry Emerson FosdickMonday, December 29th, 1941 [2]
9-11:30PM – Boxing: Jamaica ArenaTuesday, December 30th, 1941 [3]
3:30-4:30PM – Radio City Matinee: Egon Petri, Piano; Others
8:30PM – Julian Bryan, Travelogue
9PM – Don Julian and Marjor, Dancers
9:10PM – Civilian Defense Program
9:20PM – Film: Pulovtsian Dances
9:30PM – Wrestling: Ridgewood GriveWednesday, December 31st, 1941 [4]
11:45PM-12:30AM – New Year’s Eve at the Rainbow RoomThursday, January 1st, 1942 [5]
3:30-4:30PM – Film: 23 1/2 Hours’ Leave
9-10PM – America’s Town MeetingFriday, January 2nd, 1942 [6]
3:30-4:40PM – Film: Shadows of the Orient, with Regis Toomey
8:30-9:30PM – Variety Show: Larry Adler, Harmonica; Harvey Harding, Songs; Paul Wing’s Spelling Bee, OthersSaturday, January 3rd, 1942 [7]
3:30PM – Film: Aesop Fable
3:40-4:30PM – Film: Where the West Begins, with Jack Randall
8:30PM – Bill’s Gay Nineties Floor Show
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. 29 Dec. 1941: 31.
3 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 30 Dec. 1941: 37.
4 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 31 Dec. 1941: C35.
5 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 1 Jan. 1942: 51.
6 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 2 Jan. 1942: 33.
7 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 3 Jan. 1942: 31.
