# The First Nighter Program Networks named by its archives: CBS, NBC. Heard 1939–1953. 35 episodes. This upload contains 34 episodes of the old time radio show, The First Nighter Program. Airing for 19 years on CBS from 1930-1949 (and another 2 years in repeats on NBC for a different sponsor from 1952-1953), the show brought you along with Mr. First Nighter as he attended opening night for hundreds of plays at the little theater just off Times Square. The dramatic anthology starred a leading couple in plays written specifically for the show. The leading men were Don Ameche (1930-1937), Les Tremayne (1937-1943) and Olan Soule (1943-1949). The leading ladies were June Meredith (1930-1935), Betty Lou Gerson (1935-1937) and Barbara Luddy (1937-1949). The show was popular and helped make Don Ameche a major star in the early 1930s, leading to his transition to movies. Although the show aired over 750 first-run episodes, sadly fewer than 40 appear to have survived. The plays are well-written and well-acted, and one hopes that additional episodes will be discovered. Initial Upload - 33 episodes (12/9/2020) 1st Update - July 2022 (1 episode - 2/18/1953 show)