AFRS-20


(5 stars; 1 reviews)

The biggest names in Hollywood and Broadway recorded for AFRS during the war years, The American Forces Network can trace its origins back to May 26, 1942, when the War Department established the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS). The U.S. Army began broadcasting from London during World War II, using equipment and studio facilities borrowed from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The first transmission to U.S. troops began at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1943 and included less than five hours of recorded shows, a BBC news and sports broadcast. That day, Corporal Syl Binkin became the first U.S. Military broadcaster heard over the air. The signal was sent from London via telephone lines to five regional transmitters to reach U.S. troops in the United Kingdom as they made preparations for the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Fearing competition for civilian audiences the BBC initially tried to impose restrictions on AFN broadcasts within Britain (transmissions were only allowed from American Bases outside London and were limited to 50 watts of transmission power) and a minimum quota of British produced programming had to be carried. Nevertheless AFN programmes were widely enjoyed by the British civilian listeners who could receive them and once AFN operations transferred to continental Europe (shortly after D-Day) AFN were able to broadcast with little restriction with programmes available to civilian audiences across most of Europe (including Britain) after dark. As D-Day approached, the network joined with the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to develop programs especially for the Allied Expeditionary Forces. Mobile stations, complete with personnel, broadcasting equipment, and a record library were deployed to broadcast music and news to troops in the field. The mobile stations reported on front line activities and fed the news reports back to studio locations in London.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

License

Chapters

AFRS - Basic Music Library Volume P653 - Boyd Raeburn - 1st Song - Boyd Meets S… 10:39
AFRS - Basic Music Library Volume P654 - Dizzy Gillespie - 1st Song - Anthropol… 11:32
AFRS 001 - Ways of Mankind - A Word in Your Ear 12-14-52 30:00
AFRS 002 - Hollywood Star Time - Strange Triangle - Lloyd Nolan - 03-31-46 30:29
AFRS 002 - The Story Princess 07-25-58 25:04
AFRS 003 -Mildred Bailey - (Guest) -Jimmy Dorsey - Teddy Wilson 10-20-44 30:20
AFRS 004 - Best Plays - Of Mice and Men - Burgess Meredith - Anthony Quinn - 05… 55:32
AFRS 004 - Crime Photographer - The Upholsterer - 11-17-49 25:29
AFRS 005 - Best Plays - Tonight at Eight Thirty - Madeleine Carroll - Jerome Co… 55:19
AFRS 005 - The Story Princess 08-15-58 25:07
AFRS 006 - Best Plays - Autumn Crocus - 06-05-53 55:31
AFRS 007 - Rocky Jordan - The Nile Runs High xx-xx-57 25:09
AFRS 011 - Police Blotter - Murder on the Fourth Floor - xx-xx-57 25:40
AFRS 015 - Eddie Conden - (first song) Love Nest 09-09-44 30:02
AFRS 022 - The Big Story - Three Gold Coins Spell Death 12-14-49 24:57
AFRS 030 - One Night Stand - Charlie Spivak - Irene Day - (first song) Sunday 1… 29:27
AFRS 043 - Five Star Matinee - The Man is Always Right - 09-19-58 25:10
AFRS 061 - Crime Photographer - Woman of Mystery - 11-09-50 25:33
AFRS 077 - X Minus One - If You Was a Moklin 06-12-56 24:55
AFRS 085 - Red Foley Show - (guest) Bobby Helms 09-19-58 25:12
AFRS 145 - One Night Stand - Boyd Raeburn - 1st Song - The Nine Twenty Special 29:25
AFRS 211 - The Whistler - Borrowed Byline - 01-27-52 24:57
AFRS 374 - One Night Stand - Jack Teagarden - Phyllis Lane (first song) Rompin'… 28:57
AFRS 422 - Downbeat - (first song) Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland 15:04
AFRS 423 - Downbeat - (first song) Peg O' My Heart 15:06

Reviews

AFRS-20


(5 stars)

Truly,some of the very best OTR shows are from AFRS,and it's from all categories.