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Radio Spot Announcements

 

By Bob Pakes
 
 

elRadio 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.

 


 

packagingHere we can see how a Radio Spot (in this case Wild In The Country) was usually packaged and sent to radio stations.

 

groovesTake 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.

 


 

05 GI Blues - USA half-sheet

1960 | G.I. Blues

7″ | 45 RPM
 
20 second version (USA)
Nr. 1 (UK)
Nr. 2 (UK)
Nr. 1 (Australia)
Nr. 2 (Australia)

5-1 05

 


 

06 Flaming Star - USA half-sheet

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

06-1 06-2

 


 

07 Wild in the Country - USA half-sheet

1961 | Wild In The Country

12″ | 33 1/3 RPM

07

 


 

08 Blue Hawaii - USA half-sheet

1961 | Blue Hawaii

7″ | 45 RPM
12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 
20 second version (excerpt only)

08-1 colonel snow

 


 

09 Follow That Dream - UK quad

1962 | Follow That Dream

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 
60 second version
20 second version

09-1

 


 

11 Girls! Girls! Girls! - USA half sheet

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

11-1

11-2 (Cayetano) 11-3 (Cayetano)

 


 

12 It Happened At The World´s Fair - USA half-sheet

1963 | It Happened At The World’s Fair

12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

12-1

 


 

13 Fun In Acapulco - USA half-sheet

1963 | Fun In Acapulco

12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

13-2 13-1

 


 

15 Viva Las Vegas - USA half-sheet

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

 


 

16 Roustabout - USA half-sheet

1964 | Roustabout

12″ | 33 1/3 RPM Different 33 1/3 RPM versions are known to exist.
7″ | 45 RPM
 

16-1 16-2

16-4 16-5

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

17 Girl Happy - USA half-sheet

1965 | Girl Happy

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

17

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

18 Tickle Me - USA half-sheet

1965 | Tickle Me

7″ | 45 RPM
Announcer: Scott Muni
 
60 second version
30 second version

18 18-2

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

19 Harum Scarum - USA half-sheet

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

19

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

21 Paradise Hawaiian Style - USA half-sheet

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

21-2 upgrade 21

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

22 Spinout - USA half-sheet

1966 | Spinout

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

22 22-2 (colonel snow)

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

23 Easy Come, Easy go - USA lobby card 01

1967 | Easy come, Easy Go

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

23-2 23

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

24 Double Trouble - USA half-sheet

1967 | Double Trouble

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
7″ | 45 RPM (re-release)
 
60 second version

24-1 24-2

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

25 Clambake - USA half-sheet

1967 | Clambake

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

25-2 25

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

26 Stay Away Joe - USA half-sheet

1968 | Stay Away, Joe

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

26-2 26

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

27 Speedway - USA half-sheet

1968 | Speedway

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
Announcer: Dan Ingram
 
20 second version

27

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

28 Live A Little, Love A Little - USA half-sheet

1968 | Live A Little, Love A Little

10″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 
60 second version

28-1 Live A Little PNG 28-2 Live A Little

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

29 Charro - USA half-sheet

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

29-1 Charro PNG 29-2 Charro

 
 
 
 

Naamloos-1

 
 
 
 

30 The Trouble With Girls - USA lobby card 01

1969 | The Trouble With Girls

12″ | 33 1/3 RPM
 

60 second version
30 second version

30-1 The Trouble With Girls PNG 30-2 The Trouble With Girls

 
 
 
 

212
 
 
 

Radio Announcer 1Thanks 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!

 
 
 

212

 
 
 

21 Comments Post a comment
  1. Alexander Nijeboer #

    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.

    July 4, 2013
    • Bob #

      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!

      July 4, 2013
  2. colonel snow #

    Some of the audio files were released on bootlegs and FTD Tickle me.

    July 5, 2013
  3. Gerrit de Jong #

    Please add the audio, I am a buff for this kind of material …

    July 5, 2013
  4. 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!!!

    July 10, 2013
    • Bob #

      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!

      July 13, 2013
  5. Alexander Nijeboer #

    Guys, this is getting a greater place every day now!

    July 14, 2013
  6. Great job on these Radio Spots. Can’t wait for Part 2. Do you have any info on the spot for Loving You?

    July 16, 2013
    • Bob #

      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).

      July 16, 2013
  7. 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

    July 20, 2013
  8. Hi Bob,

    Is it possible to get the audio fragments as MP3 file?

    Kind regards,
    Willy from the Netherlands.

    March 31, 2014
  9. Howard Banney #

    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

    May 16, 2014
  10. colonel snow #

    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.

    July 29, 2014
  11. Ken Hercock #

    Great stuff as always, thanks Bob.

    November 18, 2014
  12. Mike Windgren #

    Supercool. Love it !!!!!.

    November 21, 2014
  13. Gandoo #

    Brilliant article!

    November 22, 2014
  14. Gerrit de Jong #

    Thanks for the Update, please keep them coming!

    March 20, 2015
  15. Alan White #

    Some fantastic items here, great work again Bob.

    September 21, 2015
  16. Anthony Dobb #

    The Wild In The Country record is 10″, not 12″.

    September 22, 2017
  17. Joseph McDonald #

    Check out “Jailhouse Rock Radio Announcements” on discogs.com. I own a copy and submitted the listing there.

    July 16, 2020
  18. 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!

    January 17, 2021

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