Radio: Bond Show

Millions for Defense (Wednesday, 9-10 p.m. E.D.S.T.), by the U.S. Treasury Department—now in the midst of a 13-week run over CBS—has decided to continue this winter over NBC. Well it might. In the past month it has become the nation’s most popular radio entertainment and made Thursdays and Fridays the best bond-selling days.

Besides getting such talent as Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Bob Hope, Bette Davis, Tyrone Power, Claudette Colbert all for a minimum fee of $35 (required by the rules of the American Federation of Radio Artists), and having as its theme song Any Bonds Today? by the indefatigably patriotic Irving Berlin, the show has the advantage of costing the Treasury nothing. Its time, music, actors are paid for by Texas Corp., which is due to shell out some $195,000 before the program vacates CBS. On NBC, Bendix Aviation Corp. will put up the money.

Both Texaco and Bendix get their return in public good will. So do the stars who donate their services. Says Producer Charles Vanda, who coordinates the show for CBS in Hollywood:

“Who wouldn’t go on this show? There are nearly 10,000,000 people listening to it. In one evening, at no cost and without even having to dress or make up, the stars get a better audience than they could get in 10,000 personal appearances. One night of this program reaches more people than all the audiences Geraldine Farrar sang to trying to sell bonds in the last war.”