Command Performance - 293 episodes of the Old Time Radio show


(5 stars; 2 reviews)

This upload contains 293 episodes of the Old Time Radio variety program, Command Performance, a show created in 1942 to entertain members of the Armed Forces during WWII. The program was only broadcast over the Armed Forces Radio Network and not domestically.

The show illustrates how Hollywood got behind the war effort, donating their time and talents to entertain the troops. Command Performance continued until 1949 or 1950 when budget cuts resulted in its cancellation.

We OTR enthusiasts owe a huge debt to those who have worked tirelessly to discover, acquire and preserve these recordings. My goal is to ensure these excellent artistic expressions of our past are preserved for this and all future generations.


This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

Chapters

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Eddie Cantor 30:13
March 9, 1942 30:07
Kate Smith, Henny Youngman 30:24
Fred Allen, Kenny Baker 30:22
George Jessel, Connie Boswell 1:02:08
Kay Kyser, Eddie Cantor 1:02:10
Gene Tierney 29:11
Clifton Fadiman 29:27
Dorothy Lamour, Abbott and Costello 55:40
Pat O'Brien, Frances Langford 1:03:06
Adolphe Menjou, Fibber McGee and Molly, Red Skelton 29:42
Betty Grable, Jack Benny 26:14
National Association of Broadcasters Show 29:37
Edward G Robinson, Hedy Lamarr 28:03
George Raft, Deanna Durbin 58:56
Mickey Rooney 29:24
Don Ameche 29:37
William Powell, Gene Autry 48:20
Loretta Young 29:41
Spencer Tracy, Mary Lee 56:47
Bob Hope, Lena Horne 29:55
July 14, 1942 58:37
July 21, 1942 29:45
Cary Grant, Shirley Temple 29:16
Clark Gable 29:46
Walter Pidgeon 29:04
Cary Grant, Virginia O'Brien, Joan Davis, Bert Lahr 28:37
Red Skelton, Betty Hutton 29:36
Bing Crosby, Abbott And Costello, Kay Kyser 29:34
Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Edwards 1:00:01
Bing Crosby, Connee Boswell, Kay Kyser, James Cagney 29:44
Don Ameche 29:40
Bob Burns, Dinah Shore, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, Spike Jones 29:46
Cary Grant, Spike Jones 29:16
Bob Hope, Judy Garland, Claudette Colbert 29:41
Bing Crosby, Mary Martin 1:00:20
Frances Langford, Bob Burns 28:24
October 24, 1942 59:46
Rita Hayworth, Cass Daley, Frank Morgan, Lena Horne 29:32
Betty Grable, Judy Canova, Bergen & McCarthy 29:14
Jack Benny, Alice Faye, Cass Daley 29:28
Leopold Stokowski, Dorothy Maynor, Mishcha Elman 29:25
Dinah Shore 29:53
Cary Grant, Andrews Sisters, Gene Krupa Orchestra, Charioteers 30:19
Christmas Special 1:00:10
Linda Darnell, The Inkspots, Abbott and Costello 29:39
Robert Taylor, King Sisters, Joan Davis, Nelson Eddy, Lum and Abner 29:52
First Half 13:06
Jeanette MacDonald, Virginia O'Brien, Dale Evans, Mills Brothers 29:43
Bob Hope, Joan Blondell, Lena Horne, Ginnie Simms 29:48
Dinah Shore, Chill Wills, Ann Miller, Kathryn Grason 29:53
Rita Hayworth, Betty Hutton, Burns and Allen 29:37
Bing Crosby, Richard Crooks, Pat O'Malley 29:35
Olivia de Havilland, Frances Langford, Allan Jones 29:32
Bob Hope, Bing Crosby 1:00:51
Betty Grable, Marian Anderson, Pat O'Malley 29:39
Dinah Shore, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Allen Jones 29:45
Judy Garland, Kenny Baker, John Charles Thomas, Virginia O'Brien 29:32
Kay Kyser, Lennie Hayton, Hedda Hopper, Spike Jones 29:41
Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Bob Burns, Music Maids 29:51
Bob Hope, Lee Sweetland, Judy Garland, Johnny Mercer 29:32
Dinah Shore, Fay McKenzie, Glen Gray, Pied Pipers 29:38
Ann Sheridan, Bonnie Baker, Paul Whiteman, Gracie Allen, Jose Iturbi 29:39
Kate Smith, John Charles Thomas, Cass Daley 29:50
Ginny Simms, Gene Autry, Eddie and Jimmie Dean 29:39
Martha Raye, Rudy Vallee, Jimmy Grier 29:35
May 15, 1943 29:40
Dinah Shore, Sportsmen, Ruth Hussey, Carlos Ramirez 29:41
Betty Hutton, Amos and Andy 29:40
Bob Crosby, Jimmy Wakely, Count Basie 29:37
Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Fanny Brice, Hanley Stafford 29:30
Fred MacMurray, Alice Faye, Skinny Ennis, Phil Harris, Jerry Colonna 29:40
Kay Kyser, Gertrude Niesen, Lena Horne, Rochester 29:40
Ronald Colman, Ella Mae Morse, Jeanette MacDonald, Ginny Simms 29:35
Bing Crosby, Betty Grable, Harry James 29:38
Dinah Shore, Tommy Dorsey, Robert Benchley, Rise Stevens 29:35
Katherine Hepburn, Jesters, Ed Gardner, Kathryn Grayson 29:33
Greer Garson, Gloria Warren, Nelson Eddy, Cass Daley 29:34
Rosalind Russell, Xavier Cugat, Jimmy Wakely, Judy Canova 29:34
Ginger Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Alice Faye, Ed Gardner 29:06
Judy Garland, Jimmy Durante, Bing Crosby 30:18
Dinah Shore, Jeanette MacDonald, Garry Moore, Jimmy Dorsey 29:13
Marlene Dietrich 29:35
Ginny Simms, Andrews Sisters, Roy Acuff, Mitch Ayres 29:32
September 18, 1943 29:36
Bob Hope, Bing Crosby 30:41
Don Ameche, King Cole Trio, Betty Hutton 29:39
Robert Young, Tex Ritter 30:28
Bette Davis, Georgia Gibbs, Rise Stevens, John Charles Thomas 29:32
October 23, 1943 29:32
Judy Garland, Dinah Shore 29:25
Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, Judy Garland, Jimmy Durante, Lana Turner 30:15
Ida Lupino, Phil Harris, Gracie Fields, Garry Moore 29:50
Herbert Marshall, Bergen and McCarthy 29:56
Dinah Shore, Abbott and Costello, Fats Waller 29:10
Bob Hope, Francis Langford, Martha Raye, Carole 30:58
Dinah Shore, Bing Crosby, Charioteers 30:11
Fred Allen, Ginny Simms, Benny Goodman 30:25
Fred Waring, Kate Smith 30:30
Christmas 1943 1:31:09
Carmen Miranda 29:24
Frances Langford, Virginia O'Brien 27:24
Bob Hope, Deanna Durbin, Dennis Day 30:45
Robert Young, Glenn Miller, Mary Martin 29:39
Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra 30:14
Jerry Colonna, Fibber McGee and Molly, Ethel Waters 29:52
Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland 29:46
Loretta Young, Frances Langford, Connie Boswell 29:43
February 26, 1944 29:31
Kate Smith, Randolph Scott, Spade Cooley 29:35
Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Ginny Simms 29:37
Bea Wain, Johnny Mercer, Cliff Nazarro 29:50
Don Ameche, Cass Daley 29:26
Ginny Simms, Lena Horne, Spike Jones 29:37
Jerry Colonna, Jo Stafford 29:05
Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Yehudi Menuhin 29:31
Gene Tierney, Roy Acuff, Martha Tilton 29:00
Olivia de Havilland, Bob Crosby 30:14
Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Betty Hutton 29:34
Dinah Shore, Helen Forest 30:53
Paulette Goddard, Jimmy Durante, Louis Armstrong 29:40
Dinah Shore, Dick Haymes, Virginia O'Brien 29:44
June 3, 1944 29:39
Connie Haines, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra 28:20
Bette Davis, Marilyn Maxwell, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Durante 29:59
Jack Benny, Harpo Marx, Bing Crosby 29:46
Bob Hope, Andrews Sisters 29:47
Maxine Sullivan, Nelson Eddy, Tommy Dorsey 28:33
Claudette Colbert, Alan Hale, J Durante, Betty Hutton, Ronald Colman 29:53
Bing Crosby, Judy Garland 29:51
Ronald Colman, Ginny Simms, Cary Grant 30:16
Barbara Stanwyck, Dick Haymes 29:45
Ginger Rogers, Virginia O'Brien, Jimmy Durante 30:56
Spencer Tracy, Jo Stafford, Johnny Mercer 29:45
Judy Garland, Danny Kaye, Helen Forrest 30:41
Fred Allen, Rochester, Ginny Simms 30:56
Florence Gill, Ken Carpenter 28:52
Gloria DeHaven, Frank Morgan 30:31
Bob Hope, Johnny Mercer, June Allyson 28:30
Martha Raye, Jack Carson 29:56
Deanna Durbin, Jack Benny, Ginger Rogers 29:34
Dinah Shore, Ed Gardner 30:06
Ken Carpenter Highlights of 1944 58:42
Eddie Cantor, Janet Blair, Danny Thomas 29:56
Winged Victory Edition 31:20
Ethel Merman, Joe E Lewis, Connie Boswell 30:07
November 1, 1944 30:21
Claudette Colbert, Bob Burns, Tommy Dorsey 30:51
Kate Smith, Fred Waring 1:01:36
Linda Darnell, Martha Tilton, Amos 'n' Andy 29:27
Thanksgiving Special 28:37
Ginny Simms, Larry Adler, Diana Lynn 30:49
Irene Dunn, Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern 30:17
Fibber McGee and Molly 28:57
Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Lauren Bacall 29:48
Christmas 1944 57:16
Jack Benny, James Cagney 28:25
Linda Darnell, Janet Blair, Jimmy Durante, Andy 29:18
Burns & Allen, Connie Haines, Joe Lilly Chorus 30:02
January 25, 1945 30:37
Gloria DeHaven, Carmen Miranda, Bing Crosby 30:11
Jeannie Crain, William Bendix, Gene Krupa Trio 30:15
Dick Tracy in B Flat 57:07
Danny Thomas, Dick Haymes, Ginny Simms 29:22
Helen Forrest, Jack Carson, Roy Rogers 29:17
Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O'Brien 28:32
Jimmy Durante, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall 30:34
Dinah Shore, Lina Romay, Judy Canova 29:59
Bob Hope, Ingrid Bergman, Ella Mae Morse, William Bendix 29:21
Bing Crosby, Lionel Barrymore, Marilyn Maxwell 29:11
Kay Kyser, Gary Cooper, Edward G Robinson 28:44
Martha Stewart, Peter Lorre 29:44
Bing Crosby, Jimmy Durante, Ella Mae Morse 29:37
Tribute to Walt Disney 1:02:15
Jack Benny, P Goddard, H Carmichael, J Sullivan 29:04
Suppressed Desires 29:40
Rita Hayworth, Charles Boyer, Nat King Cole 30:29
June 7, 1945 30:55
Gloria DeHaven, Bob Hope, King Sisters 30:55
June 21, 1945 1:00:10
June 22, 1945 1:01:58
Bing Crosby, G I Jill, Ella Mae Morse 28:45
Janet Blair, Rise Stevens 1:02:54
Judy Canova, Herb Shriner, Orson Welles, Donna D 27:56
Nelson Eddy, Vera Vague 30:00
August 9, 1945 29:03
Victory Extra (part 1) 55:30
Victory Extra (part 2) 45:07
Victory Extra 1:01:16
Frank Sinatra, Bogart & Bacall, Victor Borge 28:57
VJ Day Special 29:02
Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra 31:24
Betty Grable, June Haver, Jack Carson 28:54
Dinah Shore, Lum and Abner 1:02:22
October 11, 1945 29:29
Bob Hope, Maureen O'Hara, Jerry Colonna 29:05
Eddie Cantor, Mel Torme 29:32
Ginny Simms, Dennis Day 29:33
Bob Crosby, Gildersleeve, Leroy 28:19
Linda Darnell, Lena Horne, Jack Kirkwood 29:46
Andrews Sisters, Gary Moore, Jimmy Durante 29:44
December 20, 1945 29:30
Christmas 1945 52:12
Christmas 1945 51:22
Jane Wyman 29:36
Frances Langford, Mel Torme & The Meltones 29:47
Army Nurse Corps Anniversary Show 28:24
Abbott & Costello, Andrews Sisters, Pied Pipers 30:05
Repeat of CP 102 31:07
Chico Marx, Jack Benny, Lina Romay 30:41
Larry Adler, Mischa Auer 29:57
Carole Landis, Vivian Blaine, Bob Burns 29:53
Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Ann Sheridan 29:48
February 28, 1946 29:26
Ginger Rogers, Burl Ives 29:01
June Haver, Desi Arnaz 29:38
Eddie Cantor 29:32
Awards Ceremony 29:41
Army Day Special 45:58
Fred Allen, Jack Benny, Ginny Simms 29:28
Dinah Shore, Jimmy Durante, Andrews Sisters 29:32
Kay Kyser, Lina Romay, Esther Williams 30:27
Fourth Anniversary Special 1:30:24
Shirley Temple, Anita Ellis, Peter Lawford 28:39
Esther Williams, Peggy Lee 30:58
Janet Blair, Danny Kaye, Carmen Miranda 29:41
Janet Blair, David Street 30:42
Tyrone Power, Walter O'Keefe, Town Criers 29:58
Bob Hope, Bela Lugosi 26:13
Donna Reed, Garry Moore 28:44
Judy Garland, Phil Silvers 28:56
Rudy Vallee, Dorothy Patrick, Hal March 57:13
Christmas Special 1946 58:08
Carole Landis, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante 31:03
February 9, 1947 29:46
Ginger Rogers, Rose Marie 29:59
Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest 29:51
John Payne, Ozzie and Harriet 30:56
Glenn Ford, Marilyn Maxwell, Phil Silvers 57:14
Lina Romay, Garry Moore, Virginia O'Brien 31:06
Ginnie Powell, Alan Young 29:12
George Murphy, Martha Tilton 29:12
Marilyn Maxwell, Johnny Mercer, Frank Sinatra 30:47
June Havoc, Connie Hainey 30:13
Lina Romay, Paulina Carter 28:48
Harry Babbitt, Alan Young 30:20
Phil Baker, Sergeant Ted Bentley 30:15
Esther Williams, Andy Russell, Danny Thomas 29:21
Eddie Cantor, Joan Davis, The Mad Russian, Imogene Carpenter 30:18
Judy Canova, Dave Street, Mel Blanc 30:06
Penny Singleton, Virginia O'Brien 31:01
Rudy Vallee, Sweeney and March 29:44
Groucho Marx, Martha Tilton 29:44
Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Jim Backus 29:19
Joan Barton, Hoagy Carmichael 28:35
Anita Ellis, Harpo Marx 37:53
Audrey Trotter, Bud Widom 29:50
Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healey, Mello-Larks 29:31
Kay Kyser, Marsha Hunt, Ish Kabibble 30:56
Martha Tilton, Edgar Bergen 29:35
Celeste Holm, Garry Moore 30:08
Jack McCoy, Dan Dailey, Evelyn Knight 29:39
Gloria DeHaven, Andre Previn 31:03
Sixth Anniversary Special 1:03:28
Lina Romay, G Moore, H Petrie, S Allen 58:14
Ava Gardner, K Niles, H Jeffries, S Allen 56:49
Shirley Ross, June Foray 29:51
Paulina Carter 30:38
Margaret Whiting, Jack Kirkwood 29:35
Dear John Club Of The Air 44:57
Vincent Price, Kay Starr, Joan Davis 44:57
Christmas 1948 1:02:28
Jimmy Durante, Evelyn Knight 29:43
Betty Grable, Danny Kaye, Carmen Miranda 30:00
Betty Garrett, Jimmy Durante 30:07
Gertrude Nielsen, Danny Kaye 31:05
Martha Raye 30:56
Lina Romay, Ed Gardner 29:15
Robert Cummings 30:36
Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Leonard Pinnario, The Pied Pipers 47:09
Margaret Whiting, W Niles, J Smith, S Allen 58:28
Evelyn Knight, Dick Powell 30:25
Gene Tierney 30:55
Guest - Gertrude Nniesen 30:57
August 30, 1949 30:38
Garry Moore, Bob Carroll 29:30
Alexis Smith, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis 30:06
Marilyn Maxwell, Jack Carson 29:21
November 1, 1949 29:45
December 13, 1949 50:26
Martha Tilton 29:55
Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Special (part 1) 27:11
Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Special (part 2) 27:22

Reviews

Archive's word limit restricts this review to 1942-1944 highlights. Different g…


(5 stars)

Bob Hope & Dinah Shore faves #42A-91 produced by Special Service Division, War Dept. Short waved to #55 From #92 prod. by Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) Highlight episodes #33, 37, 42A, 60, 76, 80, 83, 86, 91, 97, 104, 107, 110, 119, 122, 149, 152, 154, 161, 182 9 Abbott & Costello ‘Who’s on First?’ 25 Basie 33 "Jam session" Basie, TD, Hampton 91 “All-gal” co-hosts Garland, Ginny Simms, Shirley Ross, Shore 96 “North African Follies”. Hope jokes about Sinatra’s draft reclassification 1-A to 4-F 97 Hope & Shore medley 104 Sinatra & Bing Crosby medley, duet 107 Boswell, Langford, Simms medley 110 Shore calls Sinatra "tall, dark and famished" 119 Crosby, Hope, Sinatra 'gate crash' as drunks. "We can always go to NBC!" Funny episode (No DS or HF) 120 Mercer 'G.I. Jive' 121 Louis Jordan 122 Hope, Crosby, Sinatra funny jibes 127 Jimmy & Tommy Dorsey reunion 140 "Jam Session" TD, Basie, Hamp... 145-149 ? order 152 ASCAP composers Missing 34 (24 repeat), 56, 123, 129, 147, 155, 156 (140 rpt)