To celebrate the Centenary of the commencement of commercial broadcasting in Melbourne (which began with the official opening of 3AR – Associated Radio – on 26 January 1924, following a series of test broadcasts), Rob Morrison will present a special edition of Kaleidoscope on Thursday, 25 January between 1 to 3 p.m. featuring Australian singers, musicians and orchestras heard on Melbourne radio in the 1920s. These will include singer-songwriter Jack O’Hagan, Len Maurice, Jack Lumsdaine, Louise Homphrey, Dick Cranbourne with The Radio Trio, The Sundowners vocal quartette, Harry Jacobs & His Palais Pictures Orchestra, Martin Kett & His Green Mill Orchestra, Art Chapman & His ‘Rex’ Cabaret Orchestra, Jan Rubini & His ‘Capitol’ Theatre Orchestra and Newell Alton at the ‘Capitol’ Theatre organ.
Plus a nod to the “live” theatre broadcasts of J. C. Williamson musicals of the era, including Gladys Moncrieff in A Southern Maid, Beppie de Vries, Frank Webster, Arthur Stigant and Vera Spaull in Madame Pompadour, Herbert Browne in The Desert Song, Elise Gergely in The Student Prince, Colin Crane in Show Boat and Dame Nellie Melba in La Bohème (with which 3LO commenced broadcasting on 13 October 1924).