16" Transcription Disk: 1944 FITCH BANDWAGON: Ringling Band/Raymond Scott (NR)
$
25
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
You are bidding on an original 16-inch Armed Forces Radio Service transcription disk with the 1944 Fitch Bandwagon radio broadcast from Madison Square Garden, featuring Merle Evans and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Band. (Sponsored by Fitch Shampoo, The Fitch Bandwagon radio show featured name bands of the day, heard in remote broadcasts from whatever city they happened to be appearing in. The annual appearances with Merle Evans and the Ringling-Barnum Band are among The Fitch Bandwagon’s best-remembered broadcasts.)
During World War II, The Fitch Bandwagon and many other popular radio programs were recorded for the Armed Forces Radio Service for later airings by overseas military stations. In keeping with AFRS policy, all references to “Fitch” were edited out as well as all of the Fitch shampoo commercials. This particular program has special historical value because of an on-mike appearance by circus president Robert Ringling, who devotes his segment to promoting Panto’s Paradise, the show’s big spec for 1944. While Merle Evans and the band play the spec’s original music score, Ringling and program host Tom Reddy provide a running commentary of what is supposed to be going on: the appearances of various costumed characters and animals, bits of business that were performed by the clowns and other performers, and descriptions of the animal blankets and major spec elements such as the “Jumping Jack Float” and the “Cloud Float” drawn by 16 elephants. Only a few weeks after this broadcast aired, the Ringling big top was destroyed by a fire in Hartford, Connecticut, and the show had to finish the season playing in outdoor venues.
The reverse side of this disk has a Fitch broadcast featuring the Raymond Scott Orchestra.
This transcription disk is in good condition for its age and don’t show signs of excessive wear or careless handling. It will be shipped via USPS Media Mail, insured for the full amount of the winning bid. The winning bidder will also receive an indexed “back up” audio CD with the Ringling broadcast. This is an extremely rare item that might never again turn up on eBay. Because of the appearance of Robert Ringling and the performance of the long-unheard Panto’s Paradise spec music, this transcription disk has great historical value and will be of special interest to serious collectors of circus memorabilia, circus music historians, circus museums, circus historical societies, etc. DON’T LET IT GET AWAY FROM YOU BECAUSE IT SLIPPED YOUR MIND TO PUT IN A BID OR BECAUSE YOUR LAST-MINUTE BID DIDN’T GET THROUGH IN TIME BECAUSE THE INTERNET WAS RUNNING SLOW! Our feedback speaks for itself so bid with confidence. Thanks for looking and GOOD LUCK BIDDING.
price rating
