The Doris Day Radio Show

On The air, the Encyclopedia of Old-Time radio by John Dunning describes the 30-minute program in one sentence: "Singer Doris day with such guests as Danny Thomas, Kirk Douglas, Jack Smith, and Jack Kirkwood." Then it notes Sam Pierce as the producer and director. The Doris Day Show program lasted a whole 60 weeks, slightly less than 14 months; from March 28th, 1952, to May 26th, 1953.. The Les Brown orchestra played the theme "It's Magic" on every episode. Despite mixed reviews that film helped Doris transition Doris from a band leader to an actress. Doris was the host as you'd imagine, and announcer opened every episode with some variant of: 

"From Hollywood with ____ as her guests it's the Doris Day show! Yes, from Columbia Square in Hollywood here's Warner Brother's lovely singing star Doris Day!"

In Episode 50 the Announcer, Don Wilson, slipped his own name in there. The other announcers Johnny Jacobs and Roy Rowan didn't insert themselves into the script. But honestly they didn't have the name recognition to bother. But Wilson has been on the Jack Benny show, Kraft Music Hall, Glamour Manor, and the appallingly bad Fanny Brice's Baby Snooks. He'd been around the block a few times having made his radio debut in 1933 so we'll forgive his hubris. 

That theme is an interesting pick as it was first recorded by Doris Day in her 1948 Warner Brothers film debut, Romance on the High Seas; alternately titled It's Magic" in the UK. It's interesting because she did not pick Sentimental Journey, a song known as her signature tune. The record debuted on the Billboard chart March 29th, 1945, and occupied the number one spot for nine of those weeks back.  Les Brown and His Band of Renown had been performing the song on tour with Doris but were unable to record it because of the 1942–44 musicians' strike. When they recorded it for Columbia that single started Doris's career. The hit was so big that Doris & Les recorded a total forty-two songs between November 1940 and August 1946.

I suspect that Doris picked the studio orchestra. Her connection with Les Brown went way back. She started singing with Les Brown and his Band of Renown, in 1940 when she was only 18.  (Some sources say 16) Les was ten years older than her which may be why he always considered himself some kind of surrogate father figure to Doris. So in the tabloid versions of her life story he often figures prominently trying to extricate her from one bad relationship or another. 

While we're on that topic lets also note that Doris was born Doris Marianne von Kappelhoff. One can see why she'd shortened it to the stage name of Doris Day. Alternate accounts state that bandleader Barney Rapp changed her name either because it was "too Jewish" or "too long" but either way the new surname was for the tune "Day After Day" sang on a contest at WLW in Cincinnati in 1938. It composed by Richard Himber and Bud Green. She probably knew it from the Artie Shaw Orchestra version sung by Helen Forrest. More here. 

The format of the program was already kind of old fashioned for 1952. Doris sang a couple tunes, did a little Q&A, talked with the band, and broke for commercial.  It was broadcast on CBS initially sponsored by the Rexall drug company as a summer replacement for Amos 'n' Andy. It was later sponsored by CBS-Columbia, Incorporated, the manufacturing subsidiary of CBS. You can hear some here.