Enjoy two free musical/variety episodes of The Kraft Music Hall w/ Bing Crosby

A) 7/6/44 w/ Bing Crosby and guests, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey

B) 11/30/44 w/ Bing Crosby and guests, Spike Jones and His City Slickers

The Kraft Music Hall was a top-rated musical-variety series first airing on NBC in 1933. Paul Whiteman (billed as “The King of Jazz”) was arguably America’s first music superstar and the show’s master of ceremonies. By 1936, Bing Crosby replaced Whiteman and stayed with the show for more than a decade. Crosby’s casual style and humorous easy-going banter made The Kraft Music Hall tops with the young “country club” set. FYI: The average radio listener was 21 during this period, compared to the average age of 11 at the movie houses. Each week, Crosby rubbed elbows with Hollywood guest stars, including Lucille Ball, Boris Karloff, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Benny, Henry Fonda and Judy Garland, to name a few. Sponsor, Kraft Foods, insisted that advertising and entertainment be kept separate. For this reason, the announcer (Ken Carpenter), not cast members, read its commercials. Crosby left in 1946 to star in Philco Radio Time, a show that could be recorded, conveniently, ahead of broadcast (having to host Kraft Music Hall live each week was cramping Crosby’s busy film and golf schedule). After a handful of short-lived hosts, Al Jolson landed the role of weekly master of ceremonies. Jolson’s sarcastic pianist and sidekick, Oscar Levant, was on hand to augment the show with his unique style of music and dry wit. Jolson stayed with the show until the end of its run in 1949. In 1958, Kraft Music Hall made a transition to television with singer Perry Como as host.