Leslie Howard's Radio Career

I have added a Radio Career Section on Leslie Howard's Wikipedia page, Leslie Howard on Wikipedia, along with a table detailing Howard's appearances with links to those recordings that have survived.

You can also see this information by accessing the "Radio Appearance Log" link in the "Photos and Magazine Mentions" Section of my blog. You can also listen to all of Howard's recordings by visiting my YouTube site, Leslie Howard on the Radio, or by accessing the "On The Radio" link in the "Photos and Magazine Mentions" Section of my blog and scrolling to the recording you would like to hear.

At this point after my own extensive research, along with Ginevra Di Verduno (who may be continuing to research), I believe the information is complete. Any broadcast not found is assumed to be lost. If anyone is able to locate any missing broadcasts, I will be forever in your debt if you let me know.

I am so grateful to Ginevra Di Verduno and her sites Leslie Howard Forever and Inafferrabile (Elusive) Leslie Howard for the hard work she has done in finding all this information and preserving the memory of Leslie Howard. I only knew what to look for because Ms Di Verduno found it first. I wish with all my heart that more of Mr. Howard's radio appearances had survived, especially those of his own radio show, Leslie Howard's Matinee, but I am grateful to be able to listen to those that are available for a better glimpse into the personality of this fine man.

[Leslie Howard, 1934]

[Leslie Howard, 1937]

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Three Pairs of Rubbers

My final post for the week and ending my theme (for now) of old time radio shows is one of Leslie Howard doing comedy. The recording is of three shows Howard appeared on for Eddie Cantor's Texaco Town on the CBS radio network, December 6, 1936 ("Three Pairs of Rubbers") and February 14 ("Hamlet") and May 30, 1937 ("Aired In England"). I have edited the original recordings to include only the portion Leslie Howard appeared on and spliced them all together for one recording.

I have listened to this recording many times and what I hear every time is the love the audience had for Mr. Howard. On the first episode you can sense their awe when he walked into the studio, almost forgetting to applaud, prompting Eddie Cantor to say, "It's really him. Leslie Howard in person."

You can listen to all the Leslie Howard radio appearances I have been able to find by visiting my blog. They are in the "Photos and Magazine Mentions" Section under the "On The Radio" Tab or by simply visiting my Leslie Howard On The Radio YouTube site: LeslieHowardSteiner YouTube, Leslie Howard on the Radio. Again, thank you to Ginevra Di Verduno's site Inafferrabile (Elusive) Leslie Howard, Radio.

Note: My recording is edited for Leslie Howard's appearances only. If you listen to the full recordings you will hear a commentator on the first show announcing King Edward's abdication of the throne in favor of Wallis Simpson. You will also hear the announcer refer to a scathing attack on American media by the Royal Family. It seems they somehow blamed American media for the whole fiasco.  If you wish to listen to the entire December 6 show, if can be found here: Eddie Cantor Texaco Town, Full Show, CBS Radio, "Three Pairs of Rubbers," Leslie Howard 12-06-36.

Have a great weekend!

[Eddie Cantor's Texaco Town on CBS radio, three Leslie Howard

appearances, December 6, 1936, February 14 and May 30, 1937]

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Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Today's post is from Ginevra di Verduno's YouTube site LeslieHowardForever.

Leslie Howard and Greer Garson perform a scene from Goodbye, Mr. Chips with an introduction from Gertrude Lawrence during the NBC Tribute to the King and Queen broadcast on June 11, 1939, during the Royals' visit to the United States.

The visit was prompted by an invitation from Franklin Delano Roosevelt and was a momentous occasion in the history of both countries. It was the first time a reigning British Monarch had set foot on American soil, ever.

The invitation was at a great political risk to the President. Mr. Roosevelt planned every part of the tour, hoping to maximize its impact on the attitudes of Americans who were determined to keep America out of the impending war. Americans were thrilled about the visit and lined up to see the Royal Couple.

[King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arriving

in Washington, D.C., June 8, 1939]

After two days in Washington, the Royal couple traveled to Hyde Park with the President and First Lady. It is there that they listened to the radio tribute.

[King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visit Hyde Park

during their Royal Visit, June 11, 1939]

The Royal visit is said to have changed American attitudes about Great Britain. The rest is history.

[Leslie Howard and Greer Garson perform a

scene from Goodbye, Mr. Chips, June 11. 1939]
NBC's Radio Tribute to the King and Queen, Full Show

Visit FDR Library, Royal Visit to learn more about the occasion. See more pictures at The Washington Post, Scenes From The Royal Visit.

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Remembering Leslie Howard

Today is the anniversary of Leslie Howard's death. He died while serving his country in a civilian capacity on a mission to secure the support of England's Allies during WWII. Howard was returning to England from Portugal on June 1, 1943, when his civilian plane was shot down by Nazis over the Bay of Biscay and was never recovered.

I am showing a video from Ginevra Di Verduno's YouTube site, Leslie Howard Forever. Ms. Di Verduno is my inspiration. She has kept Leslie Howard's memory alive through her YouTube site and through her pictorial blog, Leslie Howard Forever, and her word blog, Inafferrabile (Elusive) Leslie Howard. I encourage everyone to visit her sites.

The video is actually a Happy Birthday video, not an In Memoriam video. But it is my favorite of all Ms. Di Verduno's beautiful and thoughtful videos and it is somewhat apropos considering that I started my Facebook page because the classic movie channel forgot Mr. Howard's birthday this year.

[My series on Hollywood's influx of foreigners will resume tomorrow.]

In Memory:

Happy Birthday, Leslie Howard, 2015

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