Yes, we know NBC Monitor is not on the air THIS weekend.
But it WAS on the air for more than 1,000 weekends from 1955 to 1975 — making good on its promise to be “going places and doings things” and keeping listeners up-to-the-moment on everything interesting or important taking place in the weekend world.
Monitor originally aired on NBC Radio for 40 hours each weekend. From 1956 to 1961, it was on the air 30 hours a weekend — and for most of the time from 1961 to 1975, it was on 16 hours each weekend — more than 20,000 hours in all.
Below is Monitor’s broadcast schedule on just one of its typical weekends — Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 25 & 26, 1956 –showing how Monitor really did cover everything in the weekend world!
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NBC Monitor’s Broadcast Schedule
Saturday, August 25, 1956
Live from Radio Central in the RCA Building
Hour-by-hour highlights and guests (all times Eastern)
8-9 a.m. — World News Roundup; then a visit to a typical home to be used for Olympic Games guests in Melbourne, Australia.
9-10 a.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a visit to the Tivoli amusement grounds in Copenhagen, Denmark. Guests: Ralph Flanagan, the Four Aces
10-11 a.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an interview with the director of a children’s rodeo in Denver; an interview with two young synchronized swimming stars in Reno; and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: Margaret Whiting
11 a.m. – noon — News, weather, sports and features, including interviews with two child rodeo contestants in Denver and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: Barbara Nichols
Noon-12:30 p.m. — “The National Farm and Home Hour” with Everett Mitchell
12:30-1 p.m. — Monitor
1-2 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an interview with the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia; a visit to the world-famous Dirty Dick’s Tavern in London; and a report on the Grand American Handicap Trapshooting Championship in Vandalia, Ohio. Guest: Andy Griffith
2-3 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including water skiing — without skis — at Westhampton Beach, Long Island; a visit to a chess tournament in Oklahoma City; and more on the Grand American Handicap Trapshooting Championship. Guest: Arthur Treacher
3-4 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an interview with members of a championship swimming team in Reno; a report on a woman “water-miller” from the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee; and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: Elia Kazan
4-5 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including comedy from Bob and Ray. Guests: Budd Schulberg, Alex Dreier
5-6 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a report from an air show in Cumberland, Maryland; and live coverage of the “Longport Handicap” horse race from the Atlantic City Race Track.
6-7 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including the World series of Drag Racing in Lawrenceville, Illinois; more coverage of the Grand American Handicap Trapshooting Championship in Vandalia, Ohio; and live coverage of the “Arch Ward Handicap” horse race from Washington Park, Chicago.
7-8 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a report on auditioning pigs for the “Lil Abner” musical; a report on re-measuring Mount Ranier; a visit to the American Indian Exposition in Anadarko, Oklahoma; and comedy from Bob and Ray.
8-9 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an Indian war song from Anadarko, Oklahoma; and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: Milton Berle
9-9:30 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including live coverage of the “Bing Crosby Handicap” horse race from the Del Mar Race Track in California. Guest: Gordon MacRae
9:30-10 p.m. — the “Grand Ole Opry” live from Nashville
10-11 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including barrel organ music from the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark; comedy from Bob and Ray; and live big-band music from pianist Matt Dennis from the Saddle and Sirloin in Hollywood. Guest: Hedda Hopper
11 p.m. – midnight — News, weather, sports and features, including comedy from Bob and Ray, and live big-band performances from Dave Brubeck at Basin Street in New York and from Dinah Washington at Zardie’s in Hollywood. Guest: Bob Cummings
Communicators: Al “Jazzbo” Collins & Don Russell (8 a.m -noon); Walter Kiernan & Peter Roberts (noon-4 p.m.); Tom Moore & Bob Maxwell (4-8 p.m.); Mel Brandt & Morgan Beatty (8-midnight).
Plus — “Miss Monitor” gives live weather forecasts from around the country and the world throughout the day.
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NBC Monitor’s Broadcast Schedule
Sunday, August 26, 1956
Live from Radio Central in the RCA Building
Hour-by-hour highlights and guests (all times Eastern)
10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an interview with Canada’s “pioneer grandmother.”
11 a.m. – noon — News, weather, sports and features, including a report on preparations for an Australian country fair. “New World,” a discussion program in cooperation with the University of Chicago, from 11:35 a.m. to noon
Noon-12:30 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features.
12:30-1 p.m. — “The Eternal Light”
1-1:30 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a visit to a trolley car museum in Bangor, Maine; and an interview with the head of the world’s biggest bookstore, Foyle’s of London.
1:30-2 p.m. — “The Lutheran Hour”
2-2:30 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an interview with a woman who flew through the sound barrier, and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: Robert Merrill
2:30-3 p.m. — “The Catholic Hour”
3-4 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including an interview with a Hollywood stunt woman who tells how to fall from a three-story building; a report on sandwich-making in Copenhagen, Denmark; and comedy from Bob and Ray.
4-5 p.m. — A hi-fi music hour.
5-6 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including Jimmy Stewart visiting an Air Force convention, and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guests: Dana Andrews, Katy Jurado
6-6:15 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a report on the third annual World Series of Drag Racing in Lawrenceville, Illinois.
6:35-7 p.m. — “Meet the Press. Guest: Arthur Larson, Undersecretary of Labor
7-8 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a visit to the world’s oldest theatrical firm in Melbourne, Australia; and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: Louis Armstrong.
8-9 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including a visit to a Belgian festival, and comedy from Bob and Ray. Guest: James Mason
9-10 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features, including comedy from Bob and Ray, and a live big-band performance from the Teddy Wilson Trio at the London House in Chicago. Guest: Buddy Rogers
10-10:30 p.m. — News, weather, sports and features.
10:30-11 p.m. — “The American Forum”
11 p.m – midnight — News, weather, sports and features, including live big-band performances from Duke Ellington from the Blue Note in Chicago and from Freddy Martin from the Coconut Grove in Hollywood.
Communicators: Al Capstaff & Gordon Fraser (10:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m.); Frank Gallop & Ben Grauer (2-7 p.m.); Dave Garroway & Don Russell (7-10 p.m.); Hugh Downs (10 p.m.-midnight).
Plus — “Miss Monitor” gives live weather forecasts from around the country and the world throughout the day.