Radio Spot Announcements
By Bob Pakes
Radio Spot Announcements were used to promote new and upcoming films through radio broadcasts and in movie theaters. They were not produced by RCA Victor but by the movie company.
The records were pressed in either the 7″, 10″ or 12″ format, in 33 1/3 or 45 RPM. No picture sleeves exist for these promo releases, they usually came in a plain brown or white papersleeve. Most Radio Spot records are playable on one side only, with the B-side being either blank or sporting a cool artistic motive.
Here we can see how a Radio Spot (in this case Wild In The Country) was usually packaged and sent to radio stations.
Take a closer look at the grooves of this record (Stay Away, Joe) and notice how the needle automatically would stop after one segment to prevent the DJ from playing another commercial straight after the first one.
1960 | G.I. Blues
7″ | 45 RPM
20 second version (USA)
Nr. 1 (UK)
Nr. 2 (UK)
Nr. 1 (Australia)
Nr. 2 (Australia)
1960 | Flaming Star
7″ | 33 1/3 RPM
Different USA pressings (‘Southern’ and ‘Northern’) exist.
And also both one-sided and double-sided versions were pressed.
60 second version 1
60 second version 2
30 second version 1
30 second version 2
20 second version 1
20 second version 2
10 second version
1961 | Wild In The Country
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1961 | Blue Hawaii
7″ | 45 RPM
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
20 second version (excerpt only)
1962 | Follow That Dream
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
60 second version
20 second version
1962 | Girls! Girls! Girls!
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
7″ | 45 RPM
“Advance (Coming Soon)” Theatre Lobby Spot 2:57 minutes
“Now Showing” Theatre Lobby Spot 2:57 minutes
1963 | It Happened At The World’s Fair
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1963 | Fun In Acapulco
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1964 | Viva Las Vegas
It is unknown in which format(s) these Spots were released.
Announcer: Murray Kaufman (DJ Murray The K)
60 second version nr. 1
60 second version nr. 2
1964 | Roustabout
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM Different 33 1/3 RPM versions are known to exist.
7″ | 45 RPM
1965 | Girl Happy
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1965 | Tickle Me
7″ | 45 RPM
Announcer: Scott Muni
60 second version
30 second version
1965 | Harum Scarum
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
This is one of a few Radio Spot records that was playable on both sides.
30 second version
1966 | Paradise, Hawaiian Style
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
Announcer of the 60 second version: Murray Kaufman (DJ Murray The K)
60 second version nr. 1
60 second version nr. 2
30 second version nr. 1
10 second version
1966 | Spinout
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1967 | Easy come, Easy Go
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1967 | Double Trouble
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
7″ | 45 RPM (re-release)
60 second version
1967 | Clambake
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1968 | Stay Away, Joe
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
1968 | Speedway
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
Announcer: Dan Ingram
20 second version
1968 | Live A Little, Love A Little
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
60 second version
1969 | Charro!
10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
60 second version
30 second version nr. 1
30 second version nr. 2
10 second version nr. 1
10 second version nr. 2
1969 | The Trouble With Girls
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
60 second version
30 second version
Thanks and credits:
Thanks to Mike Cavino (USA) for sharing his knowledge and making a Radio Spot for Follow That Dream (courtesy of http://musicradio77.com) available to the fans!
Thanks to Cayetano (Spain) for the scans and uploads of the Girls! Girls! Girls! Theatre Lobby Spots single!
Thanks to Anthony Dubb (UK) for the Radio Spots for Flaming Star and Paradise, Hawaiian Style!
Stay tuned for more Radio Spots … SOON!
Great as always, although it would have been nice if audio files are added to the topic as well so the actual commercials can be listened to. Is that possible guys? If not, no problem but it would add an extra dimension and I am curious to hear the unreleased commercials.
Thanks Alexander!
It might be a good idea to add some soundbites to this article. We’ll have to look into it since we don’t want to get into trouble regarding any copyrights as most Radio Spots include excerpts of a song.
Stay tuned!
Some of the audio files were released on bootlegs and FTD Tickle me.
Please add the audio, I am a buff for this kind of material …
It’s legal to play up to 20 (or 30) seconds of audio for any song, and I would assume as there would be no where near 20 seconds of a song in any of these radio spots, there would be no problem with legal issues.
It would be fantastic to hear these radio spots in all their glory!!!
Thanks for the encouragement Keith.
For starters we have added one of the Aussie G.I. Blues radio spots to this topic.
Along the same line we have added a radio spot to the Victrola article.
We’ll see how it further develops and take it from there.
But this is indeed cool stuff!
Guys, this is getting a greater place every day now!
Great job on these Radio Spots. Can’t wait for Part 2. Do you have any info on the spot for Loving You?
Thanks Howard.
I have never seen or heard about a ‘Loving You Radio Spots’ release, but I am sure it exists.
‘King Creole’ is also a rare one.
Images of the ‘Love Me Tender’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’ radio spots albums have already surfaced on the web (the quality of these images is too low to be presented in this topic though).
This is my own radio spot collection:
Charro
Clambake
Double Trouble
Easy Come, Easy Go
Flaming Star
Frankie And Johnny
Fun In Acapulco
GI Blues
Girl Happy
Girl Happy (interviewed director)
Girls! Girls! Girls!
It Happened At The World’s Fair
Paradise Hawaiian Style
Rustabout (wrong title on label)
Speedway
That’s The Way It Is
The Trouble With Girls
Tickle Me
Viva Las Vegas
Wild In The Country
Hi Bob,
Is it possible to get the audio fragments as MP3 file?
Kind regards,
Willy from the Netherlands.
Is there any chance of posting pictures of It Happened At The Worlds Fair and Viva Las Vegas spot discs and Girl Happy Interview spot per “Alvise”
TCB
Howard
On bootleg LP An American dream vol. 1 (released in 1979) you’ll find Radio Spots from:
Viva Las Vegas – It Happened At The World’s Fair – Follow That Dream – Speedway – Blue Hawaii – Harum Scarum – On Tour.
I doubt if they are complete on this LP.
Great stuff as always, thanks Bob.
Supercool. Love it !!!!!.
Brilliant article!
Thanks for the Update, please keep them coming!
Some fantastic items here, great work again Bob.
The Wild In The Country record is 10″, not 12″.
Check out “Jailhouse Rock Radio Announcements” on discogs.com. I own a copy and submitted the listing there.
Just added “That’s The Way It Is” on Discogs.com. Any one happen to have a copy for trade/sale, please contact me. TY!