Question for Craig Adams !! Hey Craig, don't know if you've ever talked about this but my Mom says that back in the late 30's-early 40's there was a furniture store in downtown Portland called STAR FURNITURE. She said every Saturday night a radio station would broadcast live from the store. A show called "Stars of Tomorrow". Kind of like an early version of American Idol or Ted Mack's amateur hour. Do you have any information about this? What station? What years? Host? Mom says Johnny Ray was on it before becoming famous.

Hey, I remember that show (wheeze, gasp, hand me my cane, sonny).

Google brings back a history at the KPTV Memories site: http://home.comcast.net/~kptv/programs/starsoftomorrow.htm

Looks like KGW 1935-50, KEX to 1955, KLOR to 1957, KPTV to 1964.

The Program was called "Stars of Today" and was a 15 minute program. Quarter hour programs were the standard of the day.

"Stars of Today" was heard at 8:00am on KGW in 1942 switching to 5:00pm in 1946 and then at 4:45pm by 1948. In 1949 "Stars of Today" moved to KEX and was heard at 9:15am through 1952. "Star Furniture Co." was located at 625 S.W. 4th Ave. and is now "Cami Curtis Performing Art Center".

So, just so we're clear on this, there was a "Stars of Today" and later, "Stars of Tomorrow"? I remember watching "Stars of Tomorrow". "Stars of Today" is a terrible name for a program that's obviously highlighting "stars" of tomorrow!

I remember seeing "Stars of Tomorrow" on TV, hosted by an older gentleman nicknamed Uncle Nate. Don't recall his last name... My grandparents loved the show, and that's how I became aware of it.

Thanks for the info everyone. What a coincidence, check this out..

"Star Furniture Co." was located at 625 S.W. 4th Ave. and is now "Cami Curtis Performing Art Center"

How bizarre....that is where my daughter teaches dance classes!!!

"hosted by an older gentleman nicknamed Uncle Nate."

Nate Cohn, Star Furniture's sales manager.

I found this interesting clip from 1937

Theme started something like this:

(kids singing)

G---- F# E-D--B-- B----C---E-- D--- C-D--
Stars of tomorrow, broadcasting here today

Anybody remember the next line? ... I think it started with "tune in".

My older brother was on that show, playing, you guessed it: the accordian!

For awhile in the 50's, before Elvis hit, the accordian was like the guitar was in the 60's.

He tried to teach me to play, but as a kid it was like wresting an alligator for me. The thing was also bigger than me!

I should mention now that I think of it. The "Stars Of Today" program name came from the weekday listings, so there well could have been a "Stars of Tomorrow" on the weekend. I also think its no a coincidence that "Stars of Today" switched from KGW to KEX at just about the time Jeffrey Kopp posted from the KPTV website.

Amazing clip, JR. It shouldn't surprise Craig, however, as when I looked up the filmmaker's site, I see he is (alphabetically) at the top of their credited contributors.

Another of their gems is Tim Smith describing how he made films with Matt Groening in high school. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZkx4ThnEbw Note he edited his work at KGW-TV. (And of course, Matt's father was a filmmaker.)