A Visit From Bing Crosby (Aired December 5, 1948)
When Red Skelton was drafted in March 1944, Ozzie Nelson was prompted to create his own family situation comedy. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet launched on CBS on October 8, 1944, moving to NBC in October 1948, and making a late-season switch back to CBS in April 1949. The final years of the radio series were on ABC (the former NBC Blue Network) from October 14, 1949 to June 18, 1954. In total 402 radio episodes were produced. In an arrangement that amplified the growing pains of American broadcasting, as radio "grew up" into television, the Nelsons' deal with ABC gave the network the option to move their program to television. The struggling network needed proven talent that was not about to defect to the more established and wealthier networks like CBS or NBC. The Nelsons' sons, David and Ricky, did not join the cast until the radio show's fifth year. THIS EPISODE: December 5, 1948. "A Visit From Bing Crosby" - NBC network. Sponsored by: International Silver (commercials deleted). 6:00 P. M. Bing Crosby and his son Lindsay are in town, planning to have dinner with "Admiral Nelson." Bing sings, "Buttons and Bows." Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Hilliard, Verne Smith (announcer), Jack Kirkwood, John Brown, Billy May (composer, conductor), Bing Crosby, Lindsay Crosby. 25:21. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.