The Big Show

February 1936

The Big Show was hosted by Tallulah Bankhead.  It had singing, dramatic readings, an orchestra and a lot of jokes, mostly at Tallulah's expense.  Check out Miss Ginger Rogers in her one appearance available on archive.org.  It is hard to find because Ginger isn't listed on the page anywhere.  Look for Episode 27 with Fred Allen and Georgie Jessell.

The show goes, from the Ginger Rogers fan point of view, as follows:  Ginger jokes with Tallulah and Groucho and then sings "It's So Nice to Have a Man Around the House."  That is followed by Ginger reading a poem called "Mother" and Tallulah countering it with a version of her own.  Ginger says hello, in French, to Lucienne Boyer and then pretty much sits out the majority of the show.  (She gets one funny line during an exchange with Margaret Truman at the mid-point.)  Then, almost at the end, Ginger returns in character for a very funny sketch with Groucho and Fred Allen.  If you aren't paying attention, you won't recognize Ginger's voice and think you're listening to Judy Holiday instead.  Then everyone pitches in to sing the finale, "May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You ('Til We Meet Again)".

May 6, 1951

http://archive.org/details/OTRR_The_Big_Show_Singles
51-05-06_ep27_Fred_Allen,_Georgie_Jessell
or listen at:
http://ia700500.us.archive.org/16/items/OTRR_The_Big_Show_Singles/51-05-06_ep27_Fred_Allen_Georgie_Jessell.mp3

There are some rights reserved on this program.  For full details of license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/

Missing from archive.org:
The Big Show,  December 2, 1951 also featuring Fred Allen, George Sanders, Lauritz Melchior, Paul McGrath and Dolores Gray

Photoplay magazine image found at:http://www.archive.org/stream/photoplayvolume449chic#page/n121/mode/2up