Moon River was a long-running late-night American radio program which originated from WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio. A combination of soft, "dreamy" music and romantic poetry set to organ accompaniment, the program aired from 1930 to 1970.
Contents
History
Described as "one of the few programs designed to put people to sleep" by onetime announcer Bill Myers, Moon River was created by writer Ed Byron at the behest of WLW station owner Powel Crosley, Jr., who ordered the writer to come up with a poetry show which could accommodate the station's new organ. Retreating to a speakeasy with violinist Virginio Marucci, Byron sketched out some notes, including his original poem that opened the show. At one point, Marucci began playing Fritz Kreisler's "Caprice Viennois," a piece which Byron's poem brought to mind. Both the poem and the musical piece would open the program for its entire forty-year history.
A show with a loyal following over the years, Moon River was canceled by WLW in 1953 in an effort to modernize the schedule, but revived the next summer due to continued listener outcry. In the decade after the program's final broadcast in 1970, a series of Moon River concerts were held in Cincinnati which recreated the program in front of a live audience.
In 1969, the show was cut back to Saturday nights only, due to conflicts with the Cincinnati Royals and the fact that Jim LaBarbara's contemporary music show aired from 7 pm to midnight. A Cincinnati Enquirer article from 1970 said that the show had ended shortly thereafter.
In 1995, WMKV revived it, with Myers as narrator, for a four-year run.
Personnel
Many performers passed through Moon River over the years. The following is only a partial list.
Announcers
Arthur R. Ainsworth
Bob Brown (the first narrator, c. 1930)
Don Dowd
Cecil Hale
Harry Holcombe
Jay Jostyn
Jimmy Leonard
Ken Linn
Bill Myers
Peter Grant
Palmer Ward
Charles Woods
Steve Ziegler
Vocalists
Phil Brito
Barbara Cameron
Janette Davis
Allison Lerer
Doris Day
The DeVore Sisters (Marjorie, Billie, and Ruth)
Rosemary and Betty Clooney
Anita Ellis
Lucille Norman
Juanita Vastine aka Sweet Georgia Brown
Ruby Wright
Organists
Charles M. "Pat" Gillick (the first organist, c. 1930)
Fats Waller (c. 1932–1934)
Lee Erwin (1933–1944)
Herschel Luecke (1950's)