It didn't take broadcasters and advertisers long to realize that radio was a good way to develop children's interest in products. Late weekday afternoons and Saturday morning soon became the time for children's radio programming. The earliest children's shows were uncomplicated 15 or 30 minute segments when a "Story Lady" or "Uncle" would retell familiar stories. "Salty Sam" on CBS and "The Singing Story Lady" on NBC were the first to add music, sound effects and dramatic re-enactments in the early 1930s. The story programs persisted until well after the close of WWII.

The classic "Let's Pretend" began in 1939 and ran for 23 years. CBS initially forbade commercial sponsorship of children's programs for several years, but eventually allowed Cream of Wheat to sponsor "Let's Pretend." A jingle, sung at the beginning of every program, became a theme song for youngsters of the time:

We sing this song, it will make us strong
And it makes us shout "Hooray!"
It's good for growing babies
And grownups too to eat.
For all the family's breakfast
You can't beat Cream of Wheat!

The host, "Uncle Bill," would then take listeners on a make-believe adventure via a dramatization of a fairy tale or original story, acted by child and adult performers.

Another popular show, "Smilin' Ed's Buster Brown Gang," also dramatized stories, prompted when Froggy the Gremlin would "plunk his magic twanger." One of radio's all-time great goofs was occasioned at the end of one such show, when host "Smilin' Ed" McConnell observed into an active microphone: "Well, that ought to hold the little ******** for a week!"

Comic strips were popular inspirations for the children's shows. Little Orphan Annie, Buck Rogers, Jack Armstrong, Dick Tracy, Terry and the Pirates, The Lone Ranger and Red Ryder were among the programs derived from the comics. These programs often urged listeners to send in box tops from sponsor's products to obtain "free" prizes: decoder rings, club memberships, badges, rocket parachutes, and other much-coveted items. Perhaps the most successful comic-strip inspired program was "Superman" (Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!) Popeye was popular, too, but he had to change his diet for a while:

Wheatena's me diet
I ax ya to try it
I'm Popeye the sailor man

Programs aimed at older children (as well as many adults) were on later in the evenings, often recorded and "transcribed for release at this more convenient time." "The Shadow" opened each week with eerie organ music and the intoned "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!", followed by sinister laughter. Listeners could depend on the fact that the episode would end with the criminals brought to justice, because "Crime does not pay! The Shadow knows!" Over the life of the show, four actors played the role of Lamont Cranston (The Shadow), the most famous being Orson Welles.

	This page last updated: March 18, 2003 Original content: Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 Museum of American Heritage Trademarks are the property of their owners