15 Minutes with Bing Crosby for radio as for recording, he's a cinch for ether popularity." The nationwide shows continued daily (except Sundays) on a sustaining basis until October 31, 1931 from station WABC in New York. Harry Von Zell was the announcer. Freddie Rich led the orchestra after the first week. Russ Columbo was broadcasting for NBC at 11:30 p.m. each night as competition for Bing with "Variety" noting "Scrap between NBC & CBS over Russ Columbo and Bing Crosby is getting warm." Crosby's popularity soon attracted a sponsor - the American Tobacco Company - and rather than Lucky Strike cigarettes, the company's president,
The Bing Crosby – Chesterfield Show advantage to be gained from visual presentation of their products. Liggett & Myers, manufacturers of Chesterfield cigarettes, were no exception, keeping a foot firmly placed in both camps. In addition to Bing Crosby, they had also acquired the services of Perry Como and Arthur Godfrey and were later to add, if only briefly, Bob Hope and Martin & Lewis. With Chesterfield cigarettes on board as Crosby's new sponsor after his stint with Philco on ABC Radio's "Philco Radio Time", Bing returned to his original home on radio, CBS. The network premiered The Bing Crosby Show for Chesterfield on Wednesday September