Bing Crosby Lionel Barrymore Marilyn Maxwell

Description

Bing Crosby runs the show, mixing songs and jokes in a delightful way for American soldiers. Marilyn Maxwell performs "Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night in the Week" for the troops far from home. The Charioteers provide backup vocals while Bing and Johnny Mercer trade clever jokes. Lionel Barrymore and Dame May Witty help bring the laughs. The program wraps up by sending good wishes to the 5th Marines fighting at Iwo Jima.

Bing Crosby hosts, charmingly blending music and comedy for the US armed forces. Marilyn Maxwell sings "Saturday Night is the Loneliest Night in the Week," dedicated to servicemen overseas. The Charioteers add harmony, while Bing and Johnny Mercer engage in witty banter. Lionel Barrymore and Dame May Witty join for laughs. The show ends with well-wishes for the 5th Marines in Iwo Jima.

Command Performance was a radio program which originally aired between 1942 and 1949. The program was broadcast on the Armed Forces Radio Network (AFRS) and transmitted by shortwave to overseas troops — but with few exceptions, it was not broadcast over domestic U.S. radio stations.

Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Updated May 11, 2026.