The First Nighter

The First Nighter was a long-running (1930-1953) half-hour anthology series presenting original radio plays. The title was intended to convey the atmosphere of the "first night" of a Broadway show. Commercial breaks were introduced by an "usher" as if they were intermissions.

The plays tended towards what today are called "romcoms." One of the episodes, "Little Town of Bethlehem," became a Christmas tradition due to popular demand; it was repeated annually after its first appearance in 1937. Performers on the show included many of the greats of the era, such as Don Ameche, Les Tremayne, and June Meredith.

Over its run, the show moved back and forth among several networks and a number of performers served as the host, "Mr. First Nighter."

For more information, see Wikipedia.

Series description provided by Frank Bell.