That's the primary reason I wanted to attend "The 1940's Holiday Radio Show".
Mama and Daddy were born in the mid-1930's, when radio was king, before television was even a dream for working people.
By the time they were school-aged, they had much familiarity with war rationing of foods like sugar and butter and cheese.
They had a different brand of patriotism than we have now.
Conchetta Phillips would have been a young woman in 1944, when this show was set.
She's 101 now and was there in the audience at this matinee performance.
Sebastian Verdis, the leader of the Verdis Variety Cavalcade, dedicated the show to her.
I'd had the good fortune of being in line behind her and her granddaughter when they came, so I knew Conchetta had served in the USO during WWII.
What a treat to have met her!
Right place, right time!
Because this was a 'radio show', they did something special...
they paused for "Station ID" breaks, as required by the FCC!!!
There were four total, two before intermission, and two after.
Each time, the Victory Sisters of WTPT would come out and sing an intro, followed by the station manager announcing the call letters and the time.
Very cool!!!
Another special thing they did was to honor every branch of the US military.
The trumpet man, Zeb Treece, would lead on the representative song, accompanied by the pianist and drummer (Jared Wilson and Andrew Parnell), while those veterans of that branch would rise for their song.
Air Force was first, with three men in attendance.
Then the anthem for the Coast Guard was played... and two men stood up!
Wow!
The Army was recognized next and had the largest contingent: at least fifteen.
The Navy and the Marines were post-intermission, with 4 (including me, the only woman veteran there) and 3, respectively.
The photo was for the performance of "Anchors Aweigh", of course.
The show alternated concert portions with comedy skits.
This was one of my favorite bits ever!
Luis Omar Torres and Matthew Dixon donned baseball caps for their totally awesome rendition of Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First".
Totally awesome!!!
Several other routines from that old-time comedian team were performed, as well as a few from George Burns and Gracie Allen...
but the baseball bit had my heart plum tickled!!!
Even the 'mercials were funny!
The above was an ad for Phillips Milk of Magnesia, for calming upset tummies.
I thought it was extra funny since the show was dedicated to Conchetta Phillips!
Other commercials were for Lux (hair product), Parkay (margarine), and Patsit (a cheese substitute, which I may have spelled wrong), as well as other goods.
The grand finale had us all singing "She's A Grand Old Flag"!
I don't think that was the intention, but a few veterans stood and started accompanying the cast members, so everyone there stood and chimed in.
We continued to stand and clap as the cast went through their final roll call, then we all sang "We Wish You A Merry Christmas", too!
What a fabulous show at Tybee Post Theater!
Now, on the Christmas party at my church!
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