Rare highlights from Merv Griffin's radio show on The American Broadcasting Network (ABN). The broadcasts originated from the Elysee Theatre in New York, and featured songstress Darla Hood, The Spellb
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inders, Jerry Bresler's orchestra and chorus, and announcer Scott Vincent. The radio series debuted on October 7, 1957, and aired Mondays through Fridays, 7:15-7:55 PM as part of ABN's Live & Lively series. The Merv Griffin Show featured frequent guest appearances of "today's hit tune-singers." It was promoted in the trades as "live music, served up with showmanship and salesmanship and aimed right at the American housewife, the on-the-go woman who prefers music over anything else in her radio diet." The entire musical production was handled by co-producers Lyn Duddy and Jerry Bresler, and written by Jean Megan.
Merv Griffin started as a radio singer at age 19. He toured with Freddy Martin and his orchestra for four years. Merv created his own record label in 1945 and produced the first US album ever recorded on magnetic tape. He was popular with nightclub audiences and reached # 1 on Hit Parade with "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," selling 3 million copies. He was discovered by Doris Day, who booked him a screen test at Warner Bros Studios. Merv acted in a number of supporting roles in movies prior to his radio show on ABN.
Darla Hood was best known as the leading lady in the Our Gang series from 1935-1941. After Our Gang, she was a regular on The Ken Murray Show from 1950-51. She joined Edgar Bergen's act in 1955, and in 1957, Darla appeared in the movie "Calypso Heat Wave," and had a hit record, "I Just Wanna Be Free."
The Spellbinders were Ken Bridges, Chuck Cassey, Denver Duncan, Laura Ruthenberg and Sara Jane Tallman. They described their style as "commercial jazz, " and had many performance credits on television prior to Merv, including Patti Page's filmed television series, and replacement hosts for Arthur Godfrey & Perry Como.
Scott Vincent was known to audiences during this period as a disk jockey for 77 WABC radio in New York. He hosted "The Scott Vincent Show" following Martin Block's "Make Believe Ballroom," "Scott's Tour," and "The Constance Bennett Show." He also hosted series for the ABC Radio Network such as "America's Town Meeting of the Air," and "New Sounds For You."
Clip courtesy AFRTS & The Library of Congress
