Premier Collections: 
Birds Eye Open House, starring Dinah Shore
Liner notes written by Elizabeth McLeod and Harlan Zinck

Click to listen to an audio sample

By the mid-1940s, the big-time network radio musical variety program had settled into a standardized format: a weekly half hour, built around a prominent vocalist as central personality, supported by a straight man/announcer, perhaps a comedy stooge or two, a big string-heavy orchestra, and a regular rotation of Hollywood guest stars. And it would be difficult to come up with a more textbook example of the format at its most polished than "Birds Eye Open House."

The series was a star vehicle for Dinah Shore, the Tennessee-born pop vocalist who'd climbed steadily up the ladder since her network debut in the late 1930s. Shore blended a jazz-conscious approach to the pop hits of the day with a breezy, easy-to-take microphone personality that made her a sensation on radio and records -- and her sense for comedy, honed by an early apprenticeship with Eddie Cantor, helps her carry off the non-musical portions of each week's program. She's accompanied by announcer Harry Von Zell, a practiced foil who'd worked with her on the Cantor program, and the lush melodies of an orchestra conducted by Broadway melodist Robert Emmett Dolan.

But the real interest in the Birds Eye programs is in the guest stars, drawn from the top ranks of Hollywood comedy talent. No less a personality than Groucho Marx appears as a semi-regular in this series -- and while his characterization is somewhat muted by the demands of a scripted series, the programs offer a rare chance to hear the foremost Marx Brother experimenting within the framework of a wide assortment of sketch ideas and comic settings.

Best of all, these programs sound even better than they did when first broadcast. Expertly transferred from original KFI, Los Angeles transcription discs and restored for crystal-clear audio quality by our Archives specialists, each episode of "Birds Eye Open House" offers a satisfying 30 minutes of top-notch entertainment.

Here's the complete content of this new twenty CD collection:

Guest Groucho Marx
Ginny Simms steps in for Dinah, who is away caring for her sick father. Groucho Marx appears as Dr. Hackenbush in a medical drama entitled "The Patient Had Permanent Jaundice, So Now He's Forever Amber" and performs a musical number with the Joe Lilly Chorus. Other musical selections include "Begin The Beguine," "Cuddle Up a Little Closer," and "Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine."
Thursday, April 19, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guests Fibber McGee & Molly
Jim and Marion Jordan, in the guise of Fibber and Molly, invite Dinah and Harry to 79 Wistful Vista to present Dinah with a trophy as the outstanding singer of 1945. One problem though: where did that dad-ratted loving cup get to? Let's check the hall closet... Elvia Allman also appears in a program that features the musical selections "Candy," "Along the Navaho Trail," and "I've Got You Under My Skin."
Thursday, May 3, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Frank Sinatra
Bobby sox heartthrob Frankie Sinatra appears, says he glad to be appearing on "Bird Seed Open House," and sings a beautiful rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone." Tiring of Harry and Frank trading insults about their weight and build, Dinah puts them both through a disastrous physical training regimen. Other musical selections include "A Kiss Goodnight," "Counting the Days," and "Good Good Good."
Thursday, May 10, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Groucho Marx
Groucho stops by to discuss the Russian situation, ad libs to the point of having Harry Von Zell ask "Are you using the same script I have?" then appears with Dinah in a bizarre skit about the taciturn and absent-minded Thorndyke family. The musical selections - many with a longing, home-front theme - include "Dream," "He's Home for a Little While," "Can't You Read Between the Lines," "Evalina," and "You Belong to My Heart."
Thursday, May 17, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Turhan Bey
Dinah, Harry, and guest Turhan Bey discuss Turkey - where men could once have many wives - then speculate on what life would be like if Dinah had two husbands! Musical selections include "Good Good Good," "Laura," "Along the Navajo Trail," and "Great Day."
Thursday, May 24, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Frank Morgan
Dinah is invited to dine at the "House of Morgan," where guest Frank Morgan's lecherous intention to show Dinah his etchings is thwarted by her bringing Harry along as a chaperone. Musical selections include "On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe," "'Til the End of Time," and "Gotta Be This or That."
Thursday, September 13, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guests Joseph Cotten and Bill Goodwin
Burns & Allen's announcer Bill Goodwin gets a lesson in elocution by fellow announcer Harry Von Zell and, later, guest Joseph Cotten learns about the finer points of being a radio guest star from the sponsor, the director, and the comedy writer. Musical selections include "Paper Moon."
Thursday, September 20, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guests Vera Vague and Cesar Romero
Freshly discharged after a three year hitch in the Coast Guard, guest Cesar Romero, Dinah, and Harry appear in a skit speculating what shipboard life would be like if women were in charge. Barbara Jo Allen appears as the perpetually man-hungry Vera Vague. Musical selections include "I'm Gonna Love That Man Like He's Never Been Loved Before."
Thursday, September 27, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Jerry Colonna
Bob Hope's sidekick Professor Colonna appears in a skit depicting everyday life at a movie studio and, later, joins Dinah in a duet performance of "I Love You." Musical selections include "A Kiss Goodnight."
Thursday, October 4, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Jack Carson
After writing his own "modest" introduction, guest Jack Carson tries to romance Dinah and later joins in a parody of the espionage thriller "The House On 92nd Street." Musical selections include "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby."
Thursday, October 18, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guests Hedda Hopper and Vera Vague
Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper joins Harry and Dinah in a drama about the pioneers of California. Musical selections include "I'm Gonna Love That Guy Like He's Never Been Loved Before," "But I Did," and "Gee It's Good to Kiss You."
Thursday, October 25, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Rudy Vallee
Frank Nelson and Arthur Q. Bryan appear as guest Rudy Vallee's entourage, assuring the studio is the proper temperature and that Rudy's souvenir photos are selling for the right price. Once he arrives, Rudy spends a few minutes reminiscing about his years at Yale. Musical selections include "Waitin' For The Train To Come In," "It Might As Well Be Spring," and "As Long As I Live."
Thursday, November 1, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Groucho Marx
Groucho's plans to sweep Dinah off her feet by inviting her to dinner at his apartment are constantly disrupted: Harry comes along uninvited, the phone keeps ringing, and Groucho's landlady and cronies drop in unexpectedly. Musical selections include "Put That Ring On My Finger," "Honey," and "Love Letters."
Thursday, November 8, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Groucho Marx
It's Thanksgiving Day, so Dinah invites Groucho to dinner as a companion for her aunt Sarah Lou Culpepper. Groucho agrees to be there and even offers to bring the turkey -- but there's one problem: the turkey is named Herman and he's still alive! Musical selections include "But I Did," "Gee It's Good to Hold You," and "All the Things You Are."
Thursday, November 22, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Red Skelton
Dinah plays the Mean Widdle Kid's Aunt in a program that also features an appearance by Clem Kadiddlehopper. Musical selections include "Let It Snow," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Waitin' for the Train to Come In," and "Begin the Beguine."
Thursday, December 13, 1945 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Charles Laughton
Dinah and Harry plan a quiet dinner with guest Charles Laughton, but things turn sinister when both the cook and the butler disappear and their guest seems to be in a strange and murderous mood. Musical selections include "Aren't You Glad You're You," "I Can't Begin to Tell You," "Personality," and "My Guy's Come Home."
Thursday, January 3, 1946 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Groucho Marx
Groucho appears as Donald D. Tycoon in a skit parodying big business and also appears as 'H. V. Kornenborn' in the Birds Eye commercial. Musical selections include "Let It Snow," "I Can't Believe That You're In Love with Me," and "Symphony."
Thursday, January 10, 1946 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Gaines Dog Food

Guest Groucho Marx
Guest Groucho Marx tries to convince the Forbschneider Ink Company to sponsor his program, which somehow turns into a parody of "The Quiz Kids," "The Chicago Round Table," and "People Are Funny." Musical selections include "Let It Snow," "Oh What It Seemed to Be," and "Day By Day."
Thursday, February 21, 1946 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Sateena

Guest Andy Russell
The sponsor thinks that Dinah's show has become too noisy and undignified, so she and Harry agree to tone it down and keep things as sedate as possible. Imagine their surprise when their quiet and mild guest, vocalist Andy Russell, follows his agent's advice and becomes as loud and boisterous as Phil Harris! Musical selections include "Cuddle Up a Little Closer," "Come Rain or Come Shine," and "Gimme a Little Kiss."
Thursday, March 28, 1946 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods

Guest Groucho Marx
In Groucho's last appearance of the season, he and Dinah play murderous lovers in a parody of "The Postman Always Rings Twice." Musical selections include "Who's Sorry Now," "Laughing on the Outside, Crying on the Inside," and "Doin' what Comes Naturally."
Thursday, May 16, 1946 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Birds Eye Frosted Foods and Sateena

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