Bowes, Edward, Major, 1874-1946

Variant names

Dates:

Birth 1874-06-14

Death 1946-06-13

Biographical notes:

Agency Sketch

April 1934 First radio broadcast of Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour on WHN, New York 1935 William Edward Maguiness (stage name Ted Mack) joins Bowes as emcee and talent scout March 24, 1935 Coast to coast broadcast on NBC radio with Chase & Sanborn as sponsor June 1935 Major Bowes' Original Amateur Hour is named the most listened to radio program in the United States Sept. 8, 1935 The Hoboken Four, featuring Frank Sinatra, performs on the Original Amateur Hour program Sept. 17, 1936 Original Amateur Hour moves to CBS radio, with Chrysler Corporation as sponsor 1944 Major Bowes retires for health reasons 1945 Radio broadcast of Original Amateur Hour is suspended June 13, 1946 Major Bowes dies Jan. 14, 1948 Original Amateur Hour is revived on television by Dumont Studios, with Ted Mack as emcee Oct. 29, 1948 P. Lorillard Company becomes a sponsor Oct. 4, 1949 First national television broadcast of Original Amateur Hour, on NBC 1952 Final radio broadcast April 25, 1953 Pet Milk becomes a sponsor Oct. 30, 1955 Television program broadcasts on ABC Jan. 19, 1957 La Hora Internacional del Aficionado, Mexican version of program, broadcasts July 1, 1957 Program returns to NBC television May 1, 1959 Program broadcasts on CBS March 7, 1960 Program returns to ABC Oct. 2, 1960 Programs returns to CBS Sept. 20, 1970 Final broadcast

From the guide to the Amateur Hour Collection, 1934-1948, (Music Division Library of Congress)