December 2: La Guardia Airport opens for business in New York City.
December 4: HMS Nelson is struck by a mine (laid by U-31) off the coast of Scotland and is laid up for repairs until August 1940.
December 12: HMS Duchess sinks after a collision with HMS Barham off the coast of Scotland with the loss of 124 men.
December 13: Battle of the River Plate: The German heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee is trapped by cruisers HMS Ajax, HMNZS Achilles, and HMS Exeter after a running battle off the coast of Uruguay. The Graf Spee is scuttled by its crew off Montevideo harbor on December 17.
December 14: Winter War: The League of Nations expels the USSR for attacking Finland.
December 15: The film Gone with the Wind, starring Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland and Leslie Howard, premieres at Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. It is based on Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel. It is the longest American film made up to that time (nearly four hours).
December 18: Battle of the Heligoland Bight: RAF Bomber Command, on a daylight mission to attack Kriegsmarine ships in the Heligoland Bight, is repulsed by Luftwaffe fighter aircraft.
December 26: Miners strike in Borinage, Belgium.
December 27: The Erzincan earthquake in eastern Anatolia, Turkey, kills 30,000. (source: Wikipedia)
Speed Gibson 153 - Leaving for Gorilla Country | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Speed Gibson | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Children / Teenagers | Aviation | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The Octopus escapes to Lake Kivu in the gorilla country ... and the Secret Police plan to follow. |
Chase and Sanborn Hour 1939-12-03 - 135) Guest Maureen O'Hara | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Humor | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library |
Screen Guild Theater 33 - Accent on Youth | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Screen Guild Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Stars: Gertrude Lawrence, Herbert Marshall, Johnny Mack Brown. An older playwright and his young secretary fall into a strange kind of love. |
The Shadow 176 - Death Shows the Way | |||||||||||||
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Show: | The Shadow | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Superhero | Crime | Masked / Mystery Men | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | A good story about the missing "Harvey Diamond," a phony Count, Lamont Cranston poisoned to death and a weird surprise ending. |
Lux Radio Theater 240 - A Man to Remember | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Lux Radio Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The moving story of a small-town country doctor. Stars: Bob Burns & Anita Louise. An unusual non-comedy role for Bob Burns. The story was produced on The Lux Radio Theatre subsequently on May 18, 1942. |
Speed Gibson 154 - The Octopus Prepares Death Ray | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Children / Teenagers | Aviation | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The Octopus plans to test out his death ray on ... guess who? |
Chase and Sanborn Hour 1939-12-10 - 136) Guest Lansing Hatfield | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Humor | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library |
Screen Guild Theater 34 - Mr Jinks Goes to Sea | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Stars: Bing Crosby, Jean Parker, Andy Devine. Bing joins the Navy and causes a catastrophe every time he sings. |
The Shadow 177 - The Flight of the Vulture | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Superhero | Crime | Masked / Mystery Men | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The Shadow tackles a real louse who burns horses alive to collect on their insurance. "Hoot" Cranston rides again! This recording has references to "Rufus," a negro stereotype, deleted. |
Lux Radio Theater 241 - In Name Only | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Lux Radio Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The marriage-go-round among Connecticut society folk. Stars: Carole Lombard & Cary Grant |
Speed Gibson 155 - The Octopus Overheard on the Radio | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Children / Teenagers | Aviation | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The Octopus plans to test out his death ray on the local gorillas! |
Chase And Sanborn Hour 1939-12-17 - 137) Guest - Geraldine Fitzgerald | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Humor | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library |
Screen Guild Theater 35 - Smilin' Through | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Screen Guild Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Stars: Norma Shearer, Basil Rathbone, Louis Hayward, Halliwell Hobbes. A two-handkerchief melodrama of a love that transcends the boundaries of time. |
The Shadow 178 - Murder Incorporated | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Superhero | Crime | Masked / Mystery Men | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | A gang kills for hire ... using deadly matches. Co-incidentally, the real "Murder Incorporated" was being tried, convicted and in the headlines shortly after this broadcast. |
Lux Radio Theater 242 - Four Daughters | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Tells the story of a happy musical family whose lives and loves are disrupted by the arrival of a charming young composer who interjects himself into the daughters' romantic lives. Stars: Lola Lane & Leota Lane |
Speed Gibson 156 - Elephant Grass Fire | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Children / Teenagers | Aviation | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The elephant grass is aflame, while The Octopus plans a warm welcome! |
Screen Guild Theater 36 - The Bluebird | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Screen Guild Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Stars: Nelson Eddy, Shirley Temple, Oscar Bradley and His Orchestra. Shirley starts the program by singing, "Someday You'll Find Your Bluebird". Eddy and Shirley sing, "Silent Night". |
The Shadow 179 - The Stockings Were Hung | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Superhero | Crime | Masked / Mystery Men | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | A touching Christmas story, with more than a touch of Dickens', "A Christmas Carol." |
Blondie 1939-12-25 - 26 Scrooge | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Blondie | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Humor | Leading Ladies | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | archive.org |
Lux Radio Theater 243 - Pinocchio | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Lux Radio Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | The famous Italian story, as interpreted by the Disney movie. The adventures of the little puppet who wanted to be a real boy. Stars: John Garfield & Cliff Edwards. The Disney film had not yet been released at the time of this broadcast. No cast credits ... |
Speed Gibson 157 - A Jungle Crash Landing | |||||||||||||
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Categories: | Children / Teenagers | Aviation | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | A crash in "Hungary Country" ... the wildest part of Africa! |
Screen Guild Theater 37 - Variety | |||||||||||||
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Show: | Screen Guild Theater | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Mixed Bag | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Stars: Eddie Cantor, Gene Autry, Joan Blondell, Martha O'Driscoll, Oscar Bradley and His Orchestra. A variety show. Eddie tries to fix Gene up with a date with Joan. |
The Shadow 180 - The Cat that Killed | |||||||||||||
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Show: | The Shadow | ||||||||||||
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Categories: | Superhero | Crime | Masked / Mystery Men | ||||||||||||
Contributor: | OTRR Library | ||||||||||||
Description: | Night watchmen at the Burton warehouse are being murdered ... by a cat! |