Chase And Sanborn Hour 1934 04 01 (67) First Song I'll Do Anything For You
# The Eddie Cantor Show: April 1, 1934
Picture yourself settling into your parlor on a spring evening in 1934, your radio glowing warm amber as the opening fanfare of the Chase and Sanborn Hour fills the room with that unmistakable electricity of live entertainment. Eddie Cantor's distinctive voice crackles through the speaker—infectious, rapid-fire, brimming with infectious energy—as he launches into the evening's opening number, "First Song I'll Do Anything For You." This is comedy as it was meant to be experienced: spontaneous, intimate, performed live in the moment with an audience's roaring laughter as your only guarantee of what comes next. Cantor's trademark comedic timing and his band's sparkling orchestration create an atmosphere of pure vaudeville magic transported directly into your home, where for one glorious hour, the Depression's weight lifts just a little bit lighter.
By 1934, Eddie Cantor had already become one of America's most beloved entertainers, his variety show a Sunday night institution that rivaled any competitor on the dial. The Chase and Sanborn Hour represented the golden apex of radio variety programming—a cavalcade of comedy sketches, musical numbers, and guest stars that showcased why radio had become the nation's primary form of entertainment. This particular broadcast captures the show at the height of its creative powers, when Cantor's blend of physical humor (conveyed through vocal expression alone), clever wordplay, and genuine warmth had made him indispensable to millions of American households seeking refuge and laughter during the nation's darkest economic years.
Don your headphones and join the studio audience for an evening that reminds us why these broadcasts became the cultural heartbeat of their era. Eddie Cantor's manic energy and genuine joy are utterly contagious—tune in and discover what made Sunday nights unmissable.