Here’s the schedule for WCBW, the CBS station in New York City, for the week starting Sunday, December 28th, 1941, straight from daily television listings printed in The New York Times. As always, the station was off the air on Sunday.
The final week of 1941 reflected WCBW’s new normal. The war meant broadcasting two additional daily news summaries plus War Backgrounds on Monday afternoon. Otherwise, it was a pretty typical week. Men at Work featured a musician, a singer, some dogs, a comic, a dancer, and acrobats.
The topic for Wednesday’s Table Talk with Helen Sioussat was Looking Forward. Guests included journalists Quincy Howe and Dorothy Dunbar Bromley.
There was no New Year’s Eve programming but on New Year’s Day the station pre-empted Bob Edge’s sports program and its visual quiz show to air a 90-minute “Review of the Year” special.
Sunday, December 28th, 1941
No Programs ScheduleMonday, December 29th, 1941 [4]
2:30PM – News Reports
2:45PM – War Backgrounds
3:15PM – Children’s Story; News Summary
8:00PM – News Reports
8:15PM – Joan Edwards, Songs
8:30PM – Variety Show [Men at Work]: Larry Collins, Music; Shirley March, Songs; Thiessen Dogs; Charles Althoff, Comic; George Church, Dancer; Kirk and Madeline, Acrobats
9:25PM – News SummaryTuesday, December 30th, 1941 [5]
2:30PM – News Reports
2:45PM – Dancing Lesson
3:15PM – Children’s Story; News Summary
8:00PM – News Reports
8:15PM – Joan Edwards, Songs
8:30PM – Metropolitan Museum of Art
9:00PM – Sports–Bob Edge
9:25PM – News SummaryWednesday, December 31st, 1941 [6]
2:30PM – News Reports
2:45PM – Table Talk with Helen Sioussat: Looking Forward–Quincy Howe; Dorothy Dunbar Bromley, Michael Strange
3:15PM – Children’s Story
3:25PM – News Summary
8:00PM – News Reports
8:15PM – Joan Edwards, Songs
8:30PM – Country Dance
9:25PM – News SummaryThursday, January 1st, 1942 [7]
2:30PM – News Reports
2:45PM – Metropolitan Museum of Art
3:10PM – Children’s Story; News Summary
8:00PM – News Reports
8:15-9:30PM – Review of the YearFriday, January 2nd, 1942 [8]
2:30PM – News Reports; Film
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3:10PM – Children’s Story
3:25PM – News Summary
8:00PM – News Reports
8:15PM – National Defense Program
9:00PM – Sports–Bob Edge
9:55PM – News SummarySaturday, January 3rd, 1942 [9]
2:30PM – News Summary; Film
4:25PM – News Summary
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. 30 Dec. 1941: 37.
3 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 31 Dec. 1941: C35.
4 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 1 Jan. 1942: 51.
5 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 2 Jan. 1942. 1941: 33.
6 “Radio Today.” New York Times. 3 Jan. 1942: 31.
