Alka-Seltzer Time

"Alka-Seltzer Time" (aka "The Alka-Seltzer Show") was a 15-minute radio series broadcast weekdays on both CBS and Mutual.

Baritone Curt Massey starred with Martha Tilton when the program, sponsored by Alka-Seltzer, began in 1949 as "Curt Massey Time" (sometimes advertised as "Curt Massey Time with Martha Tilton") with a title change to highlight the sponsor's product by 1952. The announcer was Fort Pearson.

By 1953, the series was heard simultaneously on Mutual (at noon) and later that same day on CBS (at 5:45pm). Ads described the show as "informal song sessions" by vocalists Massey and Tilton, who was often billed as "the liltin' Martha Tilton." The two singers, both Texas-born, performed with Country Washburne and His Orchestra, featuring Charles LaVere on piano.

Songs included such tunes as "Honey, I'm in Love with You," "A Gambler's Guitar," "Just to Be with You," "Moonlight When Shadows Fall," "When Love Goes Wrong," "Choo Choo Train," "I've Got Spurs that Jingle Jangle Jingle," "Put on a Bonnet," "Collegiate," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," "Papaya Mama" and "Istanbul, Not Constantinople." There were some theme shows, such as "Go West", music from "Old Phonograph Records" and "Salute to Hawaii."

The series ended November 6, 1953. However, Massey and Tilton continued to appear together during the late 1950s on such shows as "Guest Star" and "Stars for Defense". They also teamed to record an album, "We Sing the Old Songs" (1957). CD collections of "Alka-Seltzer Time" usually identify shows by the first performed song of each program. Today, Curt Massey is best remembered as the composer (with Paul Henning) and singer of the "Petticoat Junction" theme song.

Listen to

* [http://archive-b01.libsyn.com/podcasts/4621f77339127004335084f1d7ccf93c/4629f9af/boxcars711/Alka_Seltzer_Time_-_Double_Feature.mp3 Boxcars 711: Two episodes of "Alka-Seltzer Time" (October 13 and 20, 1953)]