Cavalcade of America
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| Cavalcade of America | |
| Genre | Anthology drama |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | CBS (10/09/35-05/29/39) NBC (01/02/40-03/31/53) |
| Television adaptation(s) | NBC (10/01/52-09/02/53) ABC (09/29/53-06/21/55) ABC (09/06/55-06/04/57) |
| Host(s) | Walter Huston (09/18/44-02/12/45) |
| Starring | Numerous Broadway and Hollywood stars |
| Creator(s) | Roy Durstine |
| Writer(s) | Arthur Miller, Norman Rosten, Robert Tallman, Peter Lyon, Robert Richards, Stuart Hawkins, Arthur Arent, Edith Sommer, Halsted Welles, Henry Denker, Priscilla Kent, Virginia Radcliffe, Frank Gabrielson, Margaret Lewerth, Morton Wishengrad, George Faulkner, Irve Tunick |
| Director(s) | Kenneth Webb, Homer Fickett, Bill Sweet, Homer Fickett, Jack Zoller |
| Producer(s) | Arthur Pryor, Louis Mason, Larry Harding, Homer Fickett, Jack Zoller, Roger Pryor, H.L. Blackburn |
| Air dates | October 9, 1935 – March 31, 1953 |
| No. of series | 18 |
| No. of episodes | 781 |
| Audio format | Monaural sound |
| Opening theme | "March Theme" "Glory of America" |
Cavalcade of America was a radio show between 1935 and 1953, pioneered the use of anthology drama for company voice advertising. The show was originally broadcast by Columbia Broadcast System (CBS) and was sponsored by the DuPont Company.
Cavalcade of America documented historical events using stories of individual courage, individual initiative and achievement. This was consistent with DuPont's overall conservative philosophy and legacy as an American company dating back to 1802. The Company's motto "Maker of better things for better living through chemistry" was read at the beginning of each show, and the show emphasized humanitarian progress, particularly improvements in the lives of women, often through technological innovation.
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[edit] Background
The show was started as part of a successful campaign to reinvigorate DuPont. In the early 1930s the Nye Committee investigations, had concluded that DuPont had made a fortune profiteering in World War I. The company stood accused of encouraging an arms race between World War I enemies, after being heavily subsidized by the Allies to increase black powder production. The negative effects of the investigation left the Company demoralized, directionless and with a horrible corporate image in the middle of the Great Depression.
For 18 years prior to Cavalcade of America, DuPont had advertised on radio to inform the public what DuPont did for a living. Its products were primarily not for public consumption, so there was no purpose in promoting them through advertising. As a solution to DuPont's troubles, Roy Durstine then creative director of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn proposed the creation and sponsorship of Cavalcade of America using the company motto. This was to be an important element in the successful re-branding of DuPont as an American legacy engaged in making products for the well-being of Americans and humanity in general.
[edit] Content
Ironically, DuPont's image problems lead the company to promote some pacifist and socialist ideals. DuPont stipulated several topics would be taboo on the show such as gun fire of any kind, which attracted writers such as Norman Rosten and Arthur Miller who had signed the Oxford Pledge while at University of Michigan. The show was also able to attract some fairly prominent writers of the time such as Maxwell Anderson, Stephan Vincent Benet, Carl Sandburg and Robert Sherwood to write episodes. The Yale University historian Frank Monaghan advised to ensure that scripts were historically accurate.
[edit] Nylon show
On May 15, 1940 DuPont made nylon women's hosiery available to the public and began an advertising blitz. The day was designated "N" day by DuPont's marketeers and an entire episode of Cavalcade of America was purchased. This show was markedly different: DuPont selected a "typical" housewife to interview G. P. Hoff, Director of Research of DuPont's Nylon Division. In the interview, which was rigged, Hoff had the opportunity to say many dazzling things about the virtues of nylon. The next morning thousands of women lined up in front of department stores hours before they opened to get nylon hose, or what we today call nylons. 750,000 nylons had been manufactured for N-Day, and they all sold out in the first day they went on sale.
[edit] Television
In 1953 DuPont switched its advertising strategy from radio to television, and Cavalcade of America became a television show.
[edit] References
- Godfrey, Donald G. and Leigh, Frederic A. (1998). Historical Dictionary of American Radio. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313296367.
- Gregory, James R. and Wiechmann, Jack G. (1999). Marketing Corporate Image. Lincolnwood, IL: NTC Business Books. ISBN 0844233072.
- Horten, Gerd (2003). Radio Goes to War: The Cultural Politics of Propaganda During World War II. Berkeley, CA; London: University of California Press. ISBN 0520240618.
- Radio Broadcast Log Of: Cavalcade Of America. Audio Classics Archive. Retrieved on March 10, 2007.
