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Command Performance

Command Performance is a radio program which originally aired between 1942 and 1949. The program was broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network (AFRS) with a direct shortwave transmission to the troops overseas. It was not broadcast over domestic U.S. radio stations. Troops sent in requests for a particular performer or program to appear, and they also suggested unusual ideas for music and sketches on the program, such as Ann Miller tap dancing in military boots. Top performers of the day appeared, including Jack Benny, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Fred Allen, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland and The Andrews Sisters.

Eddie Cantor

Fred Warren, Joe Lewis

Kate Smith , Henny Youngman

Fred Allen, Kenny Baker

George Jessel, Connie Boswell

Kaye Kayser, Eddie Cantor

Gene Tierney

Clifton Fadiman

Dorothy Lamour, Abbott and Costello

Pat O'Brien, Frances Langford

Betty Grable, Jack Benny

Edward G Robinson, Hedy Lamarr

George Raft, Deanna Durbin

Mickey Rooney

Don Ameche

William Powell, Gene Autry

Loretta Young

Spencer Tracy, Mary Lee

Bob Hope, Lena Horne

Edward Arnold, Jack Benny

Pat O'Brien, Dick Powell, Hal Peary

Cary Grant, Shirley Temple

Clark Gable

Walter Pidgeon

Cary Grant, Virginia O'Brien, Joan Davis, Bert Lahr

Red Skelton, Betty Hutton

Tallulah Bankhead, Joan Edwards

Bing Crosby, Connee Boswell, Kay Kyser, James Cagney

Don Ameche

Bob Burns, Dinah Shore, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, Spike Jones

Cary Grant, Spike Jones

Bing Crosby, Mary Martin

Frances Langford, Bob Burns

Linda Darnell, Z Mostel, R Skelton, H Hilliard

Rita Hayworth, Cass Daley, Frank Morgan, Lena Horne

Betty Grable, Judy Canova, Bergen & McCarthy

Jack Benny, Alice Faye, Cass Daley

Leopold Stokowski, Dorothy Maynor, Mishcha Elman

Dinah Shore

Christmas Special

Linda Darnell, The Inkspots, Abbott and Costello

Robert Taylor, King Sisters, Joan Davis, Nelson Eddy, Lum and Abner

Joan Blondell, Connie Haines, Roy Rogers - First Half

Jeanette MacDonald, Virginia O'Brien, Dale Evans, Mills Brothers

Bob Hope, Joan Blondell, Lena Horne, Ginnie Simms

Dinah Shore, Chill Wills, Ann Miller, Kathryn Grason

Rita Hayworth, Betty Hutton, Burns and Allen

Bing Crosby, Richard Crooks, Pat O'Malley

Bob Hope, Bing Crosby

Betty Grable, Marian Anderson, Pat O'Malley

Dinah Shore, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Allen Jones

Judy Garland, Kenny Baker, John Charles Thomas, Virginia O'Brien

Kay Kyser, Lennie Hayton, Hedda Hopper, Spike Jones

Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Bob Burns, Music Maids

Bob Hope, Lee Sweetland, Judy Garland, Johnny Mercer

Dinah Shore, Fay McKenzie, Glen Gray, Pied Pipers

Ann Sheridan, Bonnie Baker, Paul Whiteman, Gracie Allen, Jose Iturbi

Kate Smith, John Charles Thomas, Cass Daley

Ginny Simms, Gene Autry, Eddie and Jimmie Dean

Martha Raye, Rudy Vallee, Jimmy Grier

Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Judy Canova, Virginia O'Brien

Dinah Shore, Sportsmen, Ruth Hussey, Carlos Ramirez

Betty Hutton, Amos and Andy

Bob Crosby, Jimmy Wakely, Count Basie

Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Fanny Brice, Hanley Stafford

Fred MacMurray, Alice Faye, Skinny Ennis, Phil Harris, Jerry Colonna

Kay Kyser, Gertrude Niesen, Lena Horne, Rochester

Ronald Colman, Ella Mae Morse, Jeanette MacDonald, Ginny Simms

Bing Crosby, Betty Grable, Harry James

Dinah Shore, Tommy Dorsey, Robert Benchley, Rise Stevens

Katherine Hepburn, Jesters, Ed Gardner, Kathryn Grayson

Greer Garson, Gloria Warren, Nelson Eddy, Cass Daley

Rosalind Russell, Xavier Cugat, Jimmy Wakely, Judy Canova

Ginger Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Alice Faye, Ed Gardner

Judy Garland, Jimmy Durante, Bing Crosby

Dinah Shore, Jeanette MacDonald, Garry Moore, Jimmy Dorsey

Marlene Dietrich

Ginny Simms, Andrews Sisters, Roy Acuff, Mitch Ayres

Ronald Colman, Lena Horne, Jascha Heifetz, Rise Stevens

Bob Hope, Bing Crosby

Don Ameche, King Cole Trio, Betty Hutton

Robert Young, Tex Ritter

Bette Davis, Georgia Gibbs, Rise Stevens, John Charles Thomas

Bob Hope, Jimmy Cash, Carole Landis, Shirley Ross

Judy Garland, Dinah Shore

Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, Judy Garland, Jimmy Durante, Lana Turner

Ida Lupino, Phil Harris, Gracie Fields, Garry Moore

Herbert Marshall, Bergen and McCarthy

Dinah Shore, Abbott and Costello, Fats Waller

Bob Hope, Francis Langford, Martha Raye, Carole

Dinah Shore, Bing Crosby, Charioteers

Fred Allen, Ginny Simms, Benny Goodman

Fred Waring, Kate Smith

Christmas 1943

Carmen Miranda

Frances Langford, Virginia O'Brien

Bob Hope, Deanna Durbin, Dennis Day

Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra

Don Ameche, Cass Daley

Jerry Colonna, Jo Stafford

Gene Tierney, Roy Acuff, Martha Tilton

Olivia de Havilland, Bob Crosby

Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Betty Hutton

Dinah Shore, Helen Forest

Paulette Goddard, Jimmy Durante, Louis Armstrong

Dinah Shore, Dick Haymes, Virginia O'Brien

Connie Haines, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra

Bette Davis, Marilyn Maxwell, Artie Shaw, Jimmy Durante

Jack Benny, Harpo Marx, Bing Crosby

Bob Hope, Andrews Sisters

Claudette Colbert, Alan Hale, J Durante, Betty Hutton, Ronald Colman

Bing Crosby, Judy Garland

Ronald Colman, Ginny Simms, Cary Grant

Barbara Stanwyck, Dick Haymes

Ginger Rogers, Virginia O'Brien, Jimmy Durante

Judy Garland, Danny Kaye, Helen Forrest

Fred Allen, Rochester, Ginny Simms

Florence Gill, Ken Carpenter

Gloria DeHaven, Frank Morgan

Bob Hope, Johnny Mercer, June Allyson

Martha Raye, Jack Carson

Deanna Durbin, Jack Benny, Ginger Rogers

Dinah Shore, Ed Gardner

Ken Carpenter Highlights of 1944 (compilation)

Winged Victory Edition

Ken Carpenter, Assembled Shows

Claudette Colbert, Bob Burns, Tommy Dorsey

Kate Smith, Fred Waring

Linda Darnell, Martha Tilton, Amos 'n' Andy

Thanksgiving Special

Ginny Simms, Larry Adler, Diana Lynn

Ethel Merman, Joe E Lewis

Irene Dunn, Johnny Mercer, Jerome Kern

Fibber McGee and Molly

Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Lauren Bacall

Christmas 1944

Jack Benny, James Cagney

Linda Darnell, Janet Blair, Jimmy Durante, Andy

Burns & Allen, Connie Haines, Joe Lilly Chorus

Frank Morgan, Frank Sinatra, Foy Willing

Gloria DeHaven, Carmen Miranda, Bing Crosby

Jeannie Crain, William Bendix, Gene Krupa Trio

Dick Tracy in B Flat

Danny Thomas, Dick Haymes, Ginny Simms

Helen Forrest, Jack Carson, Roy Rogers

Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O'Brien

Jimmy Durante, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall

Dinah Shore, Lina Romay, Judy Canova

Bob Hope, Ingrid Bergman, Ella Mae Morse, William Bendix

Bing Crosby, Lionel Barrymore, Marilyn Maxwell

Kay Kyser, Gary Cooper, Edward G Robinson

Martha Stewart, Peter Lorre

Ken Carpenter, H Von Zell, Tribute to Walt Disney

Jack Benny, P Goddard, H Carmichael, J Sullivan

Rita Hayworth, Charles Boyer, Nat King Cole

Robert Armbruster, Orson Welles

Gloria DeHaven, Bob Hope, King Sisters

Joan Edwards, J Carson, P Goddard, R Scott

Herbert Marshall, Marilyn Maxwell

Bing Crosby, G I Jill, Ella Mae Morse

Janet Blair, Rise Stevens

Judy Canova, Herb Shriner, Orson Welles, Donna D

Nelson Eddy, Vera Vague

Walter O'Keefe, Marilyn Maxwell, Les Paul Trio

Victory Extra

Frank Sinatra, Bogart & Bacall, Victor Borge

XVJ VJ Day Special

Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra

Betty Grable, June Haver, Jack Carson

Dinah Shore, Lum and Abner

Ralph Edwards, Connie Haines, Bob Hope

Eddie Cantor, Mel Torme

Ginny Simms, Dennis Day

Bob Crosby, Gildersleeve, Leroy

Andrews Sisters, Gary Moore, Jimmy Durante

Christmas 1945-First Half

Christmas 1945-Second Half

Jane Wyman

Army Nurse Corps Anniversary Show

Abbott & Costello, Andrews Sisters, Pied Pipers

Repeat of CP 102

Chico Marx, Jack Benny, Lina Romay

Larry Adler, Mischa Auer

Ginger Rogers, Burl Ives

June Haver, Desi Arnaz

Army Day Special

Kay Kyser, Lina Romay, Esther Williams

Shirley Temple, Anita Ellis, Peter Lawford

Esther Williams, Peggy Lee

Janet Blair, David Street

Tyrone Power, Walter O'Keefe, Town Criers

Bob Hope, Bela Lugosi

Donna Reed, Garry Moore

Judy Garland, Phil Silvers

Rudy Vallee, Dorothy Patrick, Hal March

Christmas Special ,1946

Ginger Rogers, Rose Marie

Carole Landis, Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante

Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest

John Payne, Ozzie and Harriet

Glenn Ford, Marilyn Maxwell, Phil Silvers

Lina Romay, Garry Moore, Virginia O'Brien

Ginnie Powell, Alan Young

George Murphy, Martha Tilton

Marilyn Maxwell, Johnny Mercer, Frank Sinatra

June Havoc, Connie Hainey

Lina Romay, Paulina Carter

Harry Babbitt, Alan Young

Phil Baker, Sergeant Ted Bentley

Esther Williams, Andy Russell, Danny Thomas

Eddie Cantor, Joan Davis, The Mad Russian, Imogene Carpenter

Judy Canova, Dave Street, Mel Blanc

Penny Singleton, Virginia O'Brien

Groucho Marx, Martha Tilton

Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Jim Backus

Joan Barton, Hoagy Carmichael

Anita Ellis, Harpo Marx

Audrey Trotter, Bud Widom

Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healey, Mello-Larks

Kay Kyser, Marsha Hunt, Ish Kabibble

Gloria DeHaven, Andre Previn

Sixth Anniversary Special

Lina Romay, G Moore, H Petrie, S Allen

Ava Gardner, K Niles, H Jeffries, S Allen

Special - Dear John Club Of The Air

Vincent Price, Kay Starr, Joan Davis

Christmas 1948 - Hy Averback, Announcer

Gertrude Nielsen, Danny Kaye

Lina Romay, Ed Gardner

Margaret Whiting, W Niles, J Smith, S Allen

Evelyn Knight, Dick Powell

Alexis Smith, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis

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