America Calling
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America Calling, sponsored by the Greek War Relief, was broadcast February 8, 1941 on CBS, NBC, independent stations and all of Europe.
Jack Benny and Bob Hope were the "co-masters of ceremonies" for a show that featured the Merry Macs; Shirley Temple, Charles Laughton, Groucho Marx and Madeleine Carroll in a comedy skit written by Dick Mack (who directed the show); Clark Gable and Merle Oberon in a "modern romance" by Robert Riley Crutcher; Frank Morgan singing an "updated" Mikado, introduced by Reginald Owen; a visit to the home of "The Hardy Family"; Benny, Hope and Groucho Marx singing a trio; Ronald Colman reading "The Jarvis Bay Goes Down," a poem by Gene Fowler; and Hope and Benny in a sketch with Mary Martin and Myrna Loy.
Also on the program were Ann Rutherford, Barbara Stanwyck, Carey Wilson, Connee Boswell, Dick Powell, Don Wilson, Fay Holden, Knox Manning, Lewis Stone, Max Terr's Choral Group, Melvyn Douglas (who narrated), Mickey Rooney, Robert Taylor, announcer Ted Bond and Meredith Willson and His Orchestra.
Dore Schary supervised the show and scripted with Ed Beloin. Bill Morrow was the producer.
