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A Friday in 1942
In 1942, Canadians voted to allow conscription for military service on the battlefronts of Europe. At home, they were making do with food and gas rationing, saving their pennies to buy War Savings stamps. The Alaska Highway opened, the Second Victory Loan Campaign was underway and Japanese Canadians were being sent to internment camps.
The programs listed below were broadcast on various Fridays in 1942. The grid is a composite based on the Feb. 13, 1942, CBC Program Schedule for CBL Radio in Toronto, with programs and specials from later in the year added where appropriate.
The programs listed below were broadcast on various Fridays in 1942. The grid is a composite based on the Feb. 13, 1942, CBC Program Schedule for CBL Radio in Toronto, with programs and specials from later in the year added where appropriate.
Time
Program
07:00 - 07:15
Good Morning
07:15 - 07:30
The CBC News
07:30 - 07:45
The Daily Star News
Before the Second World War, the CBC didn't have its own news service, and depended on news reports prepared by the Canadian Press, or on news from local newspapers such as the Toronto Daily Star. Some of these services continued during the war, and news from other sources, including the British Broadcasting Corporation, were added.
Before the Second World War, the CBC didn't have its own news service, and depended on news reports prepared by the Canadian Press, or on news from local newspapers such as the Toronto Daily Star. Some of these services continued during the war, and news from other sources, including the British Broadcasting Corporation, were added.
07:45 - 08:00
Modern Minstrels
08:00 - 08:15
The CBC Radio News
08:15 - 08:30
Morning Devotions
08:30 - 09:00
Musical March-Past
09:00 - 09:15
Breakfast Club
This popular NBC entertainment show was based in Chicago and featured orchestra and solo music, interviews and comedy. The show ran from 1933 to 1968. The show host, Don McNeill, ran for president in 1948 on the Laugh Party ticket.
This popular NBC entertainment show was based in Chicago and featured orchestra and solo music, interviews and comedy. The show ran from 1933 to 1968. The show host, Don McNeill, ran for president in 1948 on the Laugh Party ticket.
09:45 - 10:00
Maple Leaf Duo
10:00 - 10:30
An explanation of world news written especially for schools.
10:30 - 10:45
Food Facts and Fashions
10:45 - 11:00
String Time
11:00 - 11:45
Monica Mugan
11:15 - 11:30
Organ Ramblings
11:30 - 12:00
A discussion about ensuring social security, civic activism and urban planning at the war's end.
12:00 - 12:15
BBC Radio News
12:15 - 12:30
Big Sister
12:30 - 13:00
13:00 - 13:15
CBC Radio News
13:15 - 13:45
13:45 - 14:00
Royal York Trio
14:00 - 14:15
Mary Marlin
14:15 - 14:30
The Right to Happiness
14:30 - 14:45
Front Page Farrell
14:45 - 15:00
Sammy Kaye
15:00 - 15:15
Against the Storm
15:15 - 15:30
An American soap opera, Ma Perkins aired from 1933 to 1960. The title character, played by Virginia Payne, was a kindly widow who operated a small town lumberyard. Payne was 23 when she took on the role, and acted in over 7,000 episodes without missing a single show.
15:30 - 15:45
Pepper Young's Family
15:45 - 16:00
Road of Life
16:00 - 16:15
Fireside Fun
16:15 - 16:30
Musical Programme
16:30 - 17:00
Club Matinee
17:00 - 17:15
Front Line Family
Canadian comedy writer Alan Melville and CBC programming supervisor Ernie Bushnell helped the BBC develop Britain's first soap opera. Front Line Family, first in a series called The Robinsons, told the story of the Robinson family and how they bravely coped with blitzes, rationing and the hardships of war. The hit show was broadcast in Canada and the United States, some say as overt propaganda to encourage America to enter the war. The series debuted in April 1941 and outlasted the war, wrapping in 1948.
Canadian comedy writer Alan Melville and CBC programming supervisor Ernie Bushnell helped the BBC develop Britain's first soap opera. Front Line Family, first in a series called The Robinsons, told the story of the Robinson family and how they bravely coped with blitzes, rationing and the hardships of war. The hit show was broadcast in Canada and the United States, some say as overt propaganda to encourage America to enter the war. The series debuted in April 1941 and outlasted the war, wrapping in 1948.
17:15 - 17:30
Program Bulletin
17:30 - 17:45
Orphan Annie
17:45 - 18:00
Daily Star Evening News
18:00 - 18:15
Relax and Enjoy
18:15 - 18:30
The CBC News and Farm Market Report
18:30 - 18:45
Mackenzie King urges Canadians to approve conscription for service overseas.
18:45 - 19:00
The BBC News and Analysis
19:00 - 19:15
As a Matter of Fact
19:15 - 19:30
Superman
19:30 - 19:45
CBC Radio visits "a representative Canadian home" to see how ordinary people are faring in wartime.
19:45 - 20:00
Recital Series
20:00 - 20:30
Comedy duo Woodhouse and Hawkins laugh and sing with the Navy.
20:30 - 21:00
British actress Anna Neagle reads a poem about the life of a merchant mariner.
21:00 - 21:30
Waltz Time
21:30 - 22:30
Canadian Theatre of the Air
Hardy Boys creator Leslie McFarlane wrote scripts for Canadian Theatre of the Air, which premiered in 1940. In 1942 McFarlane was rejected for military service, working instead for the Department of Munitions and Supply. In 1943 the National Film Board hired him to turn his script about aircraft production into a film. After the war he wrote and directed documentaries, and wrote scripts for the television western Bonanza, starring fellow Canadian and CBC wartime alumnus Lorne Greene.
Hardy Boys creator Leslie McFarlane wrote scripts for Canadian Theatre of the Air, which premiered in 1940. In 1942 McFarlane was rejected for military service, working instead for the Department of Munitions and Supply. In 1943 the National Film Board hired him to turn his script about aircraft production into a film. After the war he wrote and directed documentaries, and wrote scripts for the television western Bonanza, starring fellow Canadian and CBC wartime alumnus Lorne Greene.
22:00 - 22:15
The CBC National News
22:15-23:00
23:00 - 23:15
Recital
23:15 - 23:30
World Affairs
23:30 - 24:00
BBC Radio News Reel
The CBC in 1942
Canada was entering its third year at war. The CBC, just five years old, now provided radio service in each of five time zones and in English and French. It produced 35 hours of daily broadcasting for its various networks and aired six hours of acquired commercial programs. Many of these were American programs (mostly music shows and dramas from NBC) but they were being reduced in favour of programs from the BBC. Most shows were 15 minutes long.
With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entering the war, all of North America — including the CBC — began using daylight time for better co-ordination. Another first: for the first time, women became announcers and booth operators "on an experimental basis."
Because of the war, 20 per cent of the CBC's broadcasting time was devoted to presenting the news. The CBC's Overseas Program Unit sent home news, sounds recorded in the field and messages from the front, always passing first through the hands of military censors.
War programs dominated the program schedule, including features, commentaries and special broadcasts from world leaders including Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and Canada's own Prime Minister Mackenzie King.
In addition to news, the CBC saw its role as communicating messages from the government and fostering morale on the home front. It was a major player in fundraising efforts for the Red Cross, the War Savings and Victory Bond campaigns. Dramatized programs focused on describing — always favourably — the roles of Canadians in the armed forces, home defence and wartime production. Some — like Carry On, Canada — were produced in cooperation with the government, while others were made with members of the Armed Forces.
"I'm on leave in London and having a grand time. Letters and parcels received OK Keep your chin up, Mom!" Weekend listeners in 1942 could hear nine programs featuring messages from Canadians on active service overseas. They included Greetings from the Beaver Club, Khaki Scrapbook, and Gentlemen with Wings. These programs were ended in October 1942. Too many Canadians were serving, and dying, abroad.
Personal messages and community information were also shipped to Britain for retransmission on the BBC to Canadian troops there. On the home front, Canada had opened her arms to children from Britain, and pilot trainees from across the Commonwealth, so the CBC created programs for them too.
Canada was entering its third year at war. The CBC, just five years old, now provided radio service in each of five time zones and in English and French. It produced 35 hours of daily broadcasting for its various networks and aired six hours of acquired commercial programs. Many of these were American programs (mostly music shows and dramas from NBC) but they were being reduced in favour of programs from the BBC. Most shows were 15 minutes long.
With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entering the war, all of North America — including the CBC — began using daylight time for better co-ordination. Another first: for the first time, women became announcers and booth operators "on an experimental basis."
Because of the war, 20 per cent of the CBC's broadcasting time was devoted to presenting the news. The CBC's Overseas Program Unit sent home news, sounds recorded in the field and messages from the front, always passing first through the hands of military censors.
War programs dominated the program schedule, including features, commentaries and special broadcasts from world leaders including Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and Canada's own Prime Minister Mackenzie King.
In addition to news, the CBC saw its role as communicating messages from the government and fostering morale on the home front. It was a major player in fundraising efforts for the Red Cross, the War Savings and Victory Bond campaigns. Dramatized programs focused on describing — always favourably — the roles of Canadians in the armed forces, home defence and wartime production. Some — like Carry On, Canada — were produced in cooperation with the government, while others were made with members of the Armed Forces.
"I'm on leave in London and having a grand time. Letters and parcels received OK Keep your chin up, Mom!" Weekend listeners in 1942 could hear nine programs featuring messages from Canadians on active service overseas. They included Greetings from the Beaver Club, Khaki Scrapbook, and Gentlemen with Wings. These programs were ended in October 1942. Too many Canadians were serving, and dying, abroad.
Personal messages and community information were also shipped to Britain for retransmission on the BBC to Canadian troops there. On the home front, Canada had opened her arms to children from Britain, and pilot trainees from across the Commonwealth, so the CBC created programs for them too.
