Old Time Radio Downloads > Children > Lets Pretend

Originally known as Aunt Jymmie and Her Tots in Tottyville, Let’s Pretend was an award-winning children’s show created in October 1928 by CBS Director for Children’s Programs Nila Mack. Aired every saturday morning, the show featured various fairy tales, which were narrated by Aunt Jymmie to a group of young kids called “the tots.” While being told the story, the tots travelled to the fantasy world of “Tottyville,” where kings and queens, princes and princesses, witches, and other characters live. The show retained this title and format until February 1929, before it was replaced by The Children’s Club Hour, who had Howard Merrill as the host and scriptwriter, and lasted until June 1929.

The show underwent several title changes after that, before it came to its final title Let’s Pretend. Among the titles used were The Adventures of Helen and Mary and Land O’ Make Believe. The show started airing under the title Let’s Pretend on March 1934. In the next two decades, the show went on to adapt popular and classic fairy tales such as Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, The Sleeping Beauty, and Thumbelina. Cream of Wheat remained the show’s main sponsor from the first time it aired, until its last episode on October 1954. The show won lots of awards, including the prestigious Peabody Award, not just once but twice.

 

Lets-Pretend

Please enjoy these old time radio shows:

Air Date Title Synopsis
 1942-08-22  Why The Sea Is Salty

CBS net. "Why The Sea Is Salt". Sustaining. Miriam Wolfe mentions that the show's theme song is titled, "Fairy Tales," written by Konzak. The system cue has been deleted. Gwen Davies, Miriam Wolfe, Albert Aley, Jackie Ayers, Kingsley Colton, Sybil Trent, Arthur Anderson, Skip Homeier, Jack Grimes, Bob Cort, Daisy Aldan, Harry Birch (studio technician), Nila Mack (hostess, writer), Hugh Conover (announcer). 

 1942-08-29  The Little Mermaid

+ CBS net. "The Little Mermaid". Sustaining. 11:30 A. M. The system cue has been deleted. Nila Mack (writer, director), Hugh Conover (announcer), Daisy Aldan, Patricia Ryan, Sybil Trent, Gwen Davies, Albert Aley, Arthur Anderson, Jack Grimes, Adelaide Bishop, Miriam Wolfe, Fred Hendrickson (studio technician). 

 1942-09-05  Elves & The Shoemaker

+ CBS net. "The Elves and The Shoemaker". Sustaining. Nila Mack (writer, director), Hugh Conover (announcer), Bill Lipton, Albert Aley, Miriam Wolfe, Sybil Trent, Paul Porter Jr., Arthur Anderson, Kingsley Colton, Jack Grimes, Robert Glay (?), Gwen Davies, Fred Hendrickson (studio technician).

 1942-09-12  The Water Of Life

+ CBS net. "The Water Of Life". Sustaining. Nila Mack (writer, director), Hugh Conover (announcer), Jackie Ayers, Albert Aley, Jack Grimes, Bill Lipton, Daisy Aldan, Kingsley Colton, Miriam Wolfe, Gwen Davies, Patricia Ryan, Bob Cort, Cole Porter Jr..

 1942-12-19  Prince Gigi And The Magic Ring
 1942-12-26  House Of The World

+ CBS net. "The House Of The World". Sustaining. A Christmas story. No credits are given at the end of the program. Nila Mack (writer, director).

 1943-01-23  King Midas & The Magic Touch

 1943-03-20  Princess Moonbeam

+ CBS net. "Princess Moonbeam". Sustaining. Mother Moon takes pity on a childless Chinese couple and sends her own daughter down to Earth to be their child. After the story, Dorothy Gordon, "National Director Of Children's Radio Programs For The Office Of Civil Defense," tells the children about "the terrible men, Hitler and the Japanese." She urges young listeners to "help the government in every way," including gasoline rationing! The system cue has been deleted. Gwen Davies, Sybil Trent, Betty Jane Tyler, Arthur Anderson, Bill Lipton, Fred Hendrickson (studio technician), Nila Mack (writer, director), Paul Porter Jr., Miriam Wolfe, Kingsley Colton, Patricia Ryan, Hugh Conover (announcer), Dorothy Gordon.

 1946-07-27  Yellow Dwarf

+ CBS net. "The Yellow Dwarf". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. An evil dwarf kills two lovers, but a good fairy changes them into trees and saves them. 

 1946-08-03  The Goose Girl

+ CBS net. "The Goose Girl". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. A queen-to-be is forced to tend a flock of geese.

 1946-08-03  Goose Girl

+ CBS net. "The Goose Girl". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. A queen-to-be is forced to tend a flock of geese.

 1946-08-10  Story Of Faithfull John

+ CBS net. "The Story Of Faithful John". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. 

 1946-10-26  Jack And The Bean Stalk

+ CBS net. "Jack and The Beanstalk". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat (commercials deleted). Sybil Trent, Bill Adams, Betty Jane Tyler, Jack Grimes, Patricia Ryan, Arthur Anderson, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (writer, director), Gwen Davies, Miriam Wolfe, Albert Aley, David Anderson. 

 1946-11-02  Puss And Boots

+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "Puss In Boots". How to win the Princess and take care of an ogre...listen to your pussycat. Different production than cat. #5934. Bill Adams, Gwen Davies.

 1947-06-07  Six Swans

+ CBS net. "The Six Swans". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. Billboard has presented an award to the show as, "Best Children's Program" for the 16th time. Bill Adams (host), Patricia Ryan, Bill Lipton, Jack Grimes, Kingsley Colton, Arthur Anderson, Gwen Davies, Sybil Trent, Albert Aley, Michael O'Day, Miriam Wolfe, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (writer, director). 

 1947-06-21  Bluebeard

+ CBS net. "Bluebeard". The story of the wealthy man with the many wives and that secret, locked room. The program was rebroadcast as part of, "Same Time, Same Station" (see cat. #20184). Bill Adams, Jack Grimes, Gwen Davies, Robert Readick, Anne-Marie Gayer, Sybil Trent, Miriam Wolfe, Arthur Anderson, Albert Aley, Nila Mack (creator, adaptor), Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Albert Ward (director).

 1947-06-28  Thumbelina

+ CBS net. "Thumbelina". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. The little lady's adventures with Mrs. F. Mouse and the amorous Mr. Mole. Bill Adams, Gwen Davies, Miriam Wolfe, Sybil Trent, Jack Grimes, Robert Readick, Arthur Anderson. 

 1947-07-05  Brother & Sister
 1947-07-12  The Brave Little Tailor

+ CBS net. "The Brave Little Tailor". Sustaining. The program is strangely not referred to as "Let's Pretend" at the start of the show, but rather as, "Nila Mack's Let's Pretenders." The program recieves an award from The World Telegram Radio Editor for "Best Children's Program Of 1941," another award from The Women's Press Club Of New York and a third award from Motion Picture Daily. The script was used again on "Let's Pretend" on January 31, 1953 (see ct. #11057). Gwen Davies, Jack Jordan, Jack Grimes, Jackson Wheeler (announcer), Vivian Block, Albert Aley, Sidney Lumet, Michael Dreyfus, Kingsley Colton, Fred Hendrickson (studio technician), Nila Mack (writer, producer), Sybil Trent, Don Hughes, Arthur Anderson.

 1947-07-19  Rapunzel

+ Program #95. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Rapunzel". The classic of the beautiful girl with the long hair, and her prince. See cat. #73390 for a subsequent use of this script on "Let's Pretend" on July 19, 1954. Bill Adams, Miriam Wolfe, Jack Grimes, Gwen Davies, Sybil Trent, Bill Lipton, Marilyn Erskine, Albert Aley, Anne-Marie Gayer, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor).

 1947-07-26  Chinese Nightingale

+ CBS net. "The Chinese Nightingale". Commercials deleted. A Chinese emperor prefers a mechanical songbird to the real thing. Bill Adams, Michael O'Day, Sybil Trent, Gwen Davies, Susan Thorne, Robert Readick, Arthur Anderson, Albert Aley, Donald Hughes, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (adaptor), Albert Ward (director), Henry Boyd (director).

 1947-08-16  Youth Who Learned To Shiver & Shake

+ CBS net. "The Youth That Learned To Shiver and Shake". Commercials deleted. The story of the young man who doesn't know what it is like to be afraid. Bill Adams, Gwen Davies, Sybil Trent, Miriam Wolfe, Sandra Barkin, Michael O'Day, Robert Readick, Arthur Anderson, Jack Grimes, Donald Hughes, Albert Aley, Betty Jane Tyler, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (writer, director). 

 1947-08-23  Mellilot

+ CBS net. "Mellilot". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. Three brothers are changed into half-frogs by an evil witch. Gwen Davies, Marilyn Erskine, Albert Aley, Kingsley Colton, Jack Grimes, Miriam Wolfe, Sybil Trent, Joan Lazer, Betty Jane Tyler, Bill Adams, Nila Mack (producer, director), Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Ted Jewett (announcer), Julius Loxon. 

 1947-08-30  Aladdin & The Wonderful Lamp

+ CBS net. "Aladdin and The Wonderful Lamp". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. The classic story about the genie of the lamp. Gwen Davies, Miriam Wolfe, Sybil Trent, Jack Grimes, Robert Readick, Bill Lipton. 

 1947-09-06  Twelve Months

+ CBS net. "The Twelve Months". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. A Russian fairy tale about a beautiful peasant and her nasty step-mother and step-sisters who meet twelve brothers; the months of the year. Sybil Trent, Gwen Davies, Donald Buka, Jack Grimes, Miriam Wolfe, Albert Aley, Maurice Brown (composer), Albert Ward (director), Michael O'Day, Donald Hughes, Bill Adams (announcer), Robert Readick, Bill Lipton, Kingsley Colton, Susan Thorn, Sidney Ratto (conductor), Nila Mack (dramatist). 

 1947-09-13  The Donkey The Table And The Stick

+ CBS net. "The Donkey, The Table, and The Stick". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. A young man leaves to seek his fortune, and returns with 3 wonderful gifts. Robert Readick, Gwen Davies, Bill Adams, Jack Grimes, Sybil Trent, Miriam Wolfe.

 1947-09-20  Enchanted Frog

+ CBS net. "The Enchanted Frog". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. Uncle Bill gets an "enchanted frog" in his throat during the first commercial. The story of a prince and that special frog. See cat. #11053 for the same story done on "Let's Pretend" two years earlier. Bill Adams, Betty Jane Tyler, Marilyn Erskine, Daisy Aldan, Miriam Wolfe, Jack Grimes, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (writer, director), Robert Readick, Anne-Marie Gayer, Bill Lipton, Albert Aley, Gwen Davies, Sybil Trent. 

 1947-09-27  Cinderella

+ CBS net. "Cinderella". Commercials deleted. Little girl ash-wise splashes big time. Fey Godmother sez boffo! The script was subsequently used on the program July 11, 1953 (see cat. #5924). Bill Adams, Marilyn Erskine, Sybil Trent, Arthur Anderson, Daisy Aldan, Miriam Wolfe, Albert Aley, Jack Grimes, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (creator, writer, director).

 1947-12-07  The Brave Little Tailor

+ CBS net. "The Brave Little Tailor". Sustaining. The program is strangely not referred to as "Let's Pretend" at the start of the show, but rather as, "Nila Mack's Let's Pretenders." The program recieves an award from The World Telegram Radio Editor for "Best Children's Program Of 1941," another award from The Women's Press Club Of New York and a third award from Motion Picture Daily. The script was used again on "Let's Pretend" on January 31, 1953 (see ct. #11057). Gwen Davies, Jack Jordan, Jack Grimes, Jackson Wheeler (announcer), Vivian Block, Albert Aley, Sidney Lumet, Michael Dreyfus, Kingsley Colton, Fred Hendrickson (studio technician), Nila Mack (writer, producer), Sybil Trent, Don Hughes, Arthur Anderson.

 1948-12-18  63 Snowdrop & The Seven Dwarves

+ Program #63. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Snowdrop and The Seven Dwarfs". The date is subject to correction, possibly April 16, 1949. Bill Adams, Patricia Ryan, Russ Thompson. 

 1949-04-03  Princess & The Pea

+ Program #54. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Princess and The Pea". How to select a queen? Give her a test in bed! A similar script, but a different recording of cat. #17102. The date is subject to correction and may be October 2, 1948. Bill Adams, Jack Grimes. 

 1949-07-09  Tinder Box

+ Program #90. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "The Magic Tinderbox". Soldier Howard has been cheated by the King and gets his revenge in a strange way. The AFRS fill is an excerpt from "The Abbott and Costello Kids Show." The routine is about Costello's family moving into a small apartment. Jane sings, "Buttons and Bows." The script was used again on "Let's Pretend" on November 10, 1951 (see cat. #17100). Bill Adams, Bill Lipton, Gwen Davies, Jack Grimes, Miriam Wolfe, Don Hughes, Arthur Anderson, Michael O'Day, Albert Aley, Sybil Trent, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Jane Harvey. 

 1952-08-16  The White Cat
 1952-11-29  1 Eye,2 Eyes,3 Eyes

+ CBS net. "One Eye, Two Eye, Three Eye". Sponsored by: Cream Of Wheat. Good triumphs again in a Cinderellesque story of three sisters and a Prince Charming.

 1952-12-13  Snow Queen

+ CBS net. "Drake's Tail". Sustaining. The evil and greedy king borrows money from the wrong guy.

 1952-12-20  Night Before Christmas

+ CBS net. "The Night Before Christmas". Sustaining. The famous poem is dramatized from the standpoint of three mice (who dare to stir when "not a creature was stirring").

 1953-02-07  12 Dancing Princesses

+ CBS net. "The Twelve Dancing Princesses". Sustaining. Twelve beautiful and horny princesses have been kidnapping princes and keeping them captive underground. Albert Aley, Betty Jane Tyler, Bill Adams, Bill Lipton, Bill Lipton, Bob Hite (announcer), Daisy Aldan, Gwen Davies, Jack Grimes, Jean Hite (director), Larry Robinson, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Michael O'Day, Miriam Wolfe, Nila Mack (director), Rita Lloyd, Sybil Trent.

 1953-11-28  Ceres & Proserpina

+ CBS net. "Ceres and Proserpina". Sustaining. Based on the Greek myth of how winter came to be.

 1953-12-19  Twas The Night Before Christmas

+ CBS net. "The Night Before Christmas". Sustaining. The famous poem is dramatized from the standpoint of three mice (who dare to stir when "not a creature was stirring").

 1954-01-09  Robin Hood

+ CBS net. "Robin Hood". Sustaining. Robin and his merry men outwit the Sheriff of Nottingham... again. An announcement is made that the show won both the Fame magazine award and the Radio and Television Daily Poll as the best children's show on radio. Arthur Anderson, Bill Adams, Bill Lipton, Donald Hughes, Donald Madden, Gwen Davies, Jack Grimes, Jean Hite (director), Johanna Johnstone (writer), Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Nila Mack (director), Robert Morea, Roger Sullivan, Sybil Trent, Warren Sweeney (announcer).

 1954-06-05  Beauty And The Beast

+ CBS net. "Beauty and The Beast". Sustaining. A poor man's faithful daughter volunteers to live with a beast to save her father. Arthur Anderson, Bill Adams, Diana Hale, Donald Madden, Jack Grimes, Jean Hite (director), Johanna Johnstone (writer), Marion Carr, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Michael O'Day, Miriam Wolfe, Nila Mack (director), Robert Morea, Sybil Trent, Warren Sweeney (announcer).

 1954-06-19  Andine

+ CBS net. "Ondine". Commercials deleted. The loves of a water nymph, when magic powers are of no help. Bill Adams, Gwen Davies, Marian Carr, Sybil Trent, Michael O'Day, Gay Jordan (who was the understudy for Audrey Hepburn on Broadway, where the same show was playing), Robert Morea, Donald Madden, Jean Hite (director), Johanna Johnstone (writer), Roger Sullivan. 

 1954-10-02  King Arthur

+ CBS net. "King Arthur and How He Won His Sword". Commercials deleted. The story of how Arthur met his sword "Excaliber" and met "The Lady Of The Lake." This is a network, quality upgrade version of cat. #17101. Michael O'Day, Gwen Davies, Robert Readick, Arthur Anderson, Miriam Wolfe, Jack Grimes, Roger Sullivan, James Lee, Sybil Trent, Nila Mack (creator), Johanna Johnstone (writer), Jean Hite (director), Bill Adams, Bill Lipton, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor). 

 1954-10-19  Hansel And Gretel

+ CBS net. "Hansel and Gretel". Sustaining. Two starving kids munching on the old witch's split level. Arthur Anderson, Arthur Kissel, Bill Adams, Daisy Aldan, Donald Madden, Gwen Davies, Jean Hite (director), Johanna Johnstone (writer), Lynn Loring, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Rita Lloyd, Sybil Trent, Warren Sweeney (announcer). 

 1954-10-23  Last Show Jorinda & Joringal

+ CBS net. "Jorinda and Joringel". Sustaining. The last show of the series after twenty-three years on the air. An old witch turns bird lover and transforms a flock of young beauties into feathered friends. The script was used previously on May 4, 1946. Arthur Anderson, Bill Adams, Daisy Aldan, Gwen Davies, Henry Boyd (sound effects), Jean Hite (director), Johanna Johnstone (writer), Lynn Thatcher, Maurice Brown (composer, conductor), Michael O'Day, Robert Morea, Stanley Martin, Stanley Martin, Sybil Trent, Warren Sweeney (announcer).

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1 Response to Lets Pretend


Just found that there are some old radio shows for children. I have downloaded many of them. I am looking forward to listening with the family. Thank you

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