The Cavalcade of America

The Cavalcade of America is a well-done, factual show, and is a wonderful resource for all those who are interested in historical highlights and lesser-known episodes. It was the product of one of America's major industrial giants, the DuPont Company, and so it was written, acted and directed by some of the best people in the radio business. According to John Dunning in "On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio", DuPont wanted to create Cavalcade of America for two reasons. The first was to present and share the details of American history. The second reason was to quell criticism of DuPont after profiteering from the sale of gunpowder during WWI.

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Controversy aside, it is a top-notch old time radio show famed historians and writers worked on the show, and the actors were many of the best from the stage, screen and radio. Full orchestra accompanied the action, and often were featured in segments or entire shows about American music, from brass band music right up to movie music of the 30s, and music historians will be very appreciative of many lesser-heard works that are featured on this show.

The show star star-studded including performances by Agnes Moorehead, Alan Ladd, Arch Oboler, Basil Rathbone, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Burgess Meredith, Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Dane Clark, Douglas Fairbanks, Edward G. Robinson, Ethyl Barrymore, Frances Langford, Frank Morgan, Ginger Rogers, Gregory Peck, Helen Hayes, Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, Irene Dunne, Joan Fontaine, June Lockhart, Loretta Young, Lynn Fontanne, Mickey Rooney, Orson Welles, Richard Widmark, Robert Young, Ronald Reagan, William Bendix, and many more!

The shows weren't made to thrill and chill, or churn up adrenaline like Escape. All the episodes are interesting, however, and some are amazing. Authors, playwrights, artists, inventors, industrialists are biographed.Later, in the early 40s, the war in Europe was dealt with. And throughout the show's run, inventions and scientific developments both past and present are featured.There is never any enacted violence on this show, as DuPont used it as a reputation vehicle, and only did a 2 minute "commercial" at the end of the show - probably the only company in commercial radio that did so.

The Cavalcade of America might well be considered as the old time radio equivalent to the current A&E Biography channel, and History channel's offerings. It can be a wonderful show to listen to with grade schoolers, or the entire family gathered 'round, like in radio's golden days.

See also: Scarlet Pimpernel and for more American history see also American Adventure, Better Living Radio Theater, An American in England, American Trail, Democracy in America,Frontier Fighters, Horizons West, Norman Corwin Collection, Inheritance, Mr President, Science , You Are There, We Came This Way, and The American History Collection.

For other cavalcades, see also: Cavalcade of Kings and Cavalcade of Music.

See also: More Patriotic Old Time Radio Collections