About the radio: This is a 4 tube battery superheterodyne portable radio. The introduction of tubes with 1 volt filaments and a built in loop antenna allowed true portability.

Philco was formed in 1906 as the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company, a maker of batteries and power supplies. In 1927, Philco made its first radios and from there grew to be one of the largest of all radio manufacturers.
Philco was purchased by Ford Motor Company in 1961 and became Philco-Ford. Ford sold Philco to GTE-Sylvania in 1974. Philco eventually became part of Philips Consumer Electronics Corporation, known today for their Philips Magnavox line of consumer electronics products.

The World Of 1939

· President: Franklin D. Roosevelt
· Population: 130,879,718
· Unemployment: 17.2%
· Cost of a first class stamp: $0.03

U.S. Headlines

· World War II begins.
· Roosevelt submits $1,319 million defense budget, proclaims U.S. neutrality, and declares limited emergency.
· Albert Einstein writes a letter to President Roosevelt regarding the possibility of using uranium to initiate a nuclear chain reaction, the fundamental process behind the atomic bomb.
· New York World's Fair opens.
· Robert Kane introduces the Batman cartoon.
· Germany invades Poland; occupies Bohemia and Moravia; renounces pact with England, concludes 10 year non aggression pact with U.S.S.R.
· Russo Finnish War begins; Finns to lose one tenth of territory in 1940 peace treaty.

Oscars:

· Best Picture: Gone With the Wind: (Selznick International Pictures; MGM)
· Best Actor: Robert Donat, Goodbye, Mr. Chips
· Best Actress: Vivien Leigh, Gone With the Wind
· Special Award: To the Technicolor Company for its contributions in successfully bringing three color feature production to the screen

· World Series: NY Yankees d. Cincinnati (4 - 0)

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Historical Data From InfoPlease.com

· "The Aldrich Family" radio comedy premiers.
· "Blondie" (based on the comic strip) debuts.
· WLW ends regular 500 KW operation which it began in 1934.

Top 10 Radio Shows in 1939
(Hooper Ratings*)

1. Chase & Sanborn Hour. (Edgar Bergen, Charley McCarthy)
2. Jell-O Program (Jack Benny)
3. Lux Radio Theatre.
4. Kraft Music Hall (Bing Crosby)
5. Good News Of 1939 (Hollywood variety)
6. Major Bowes Amateur Hour
7. Big Town (E. G. Robinson, crime drama)
8. Chesterfield Program (Burns & Allen)
9. Town Hall Tonight (Fred Allen)
10. College Of Musical Knowledge (Kay Kyser)

(*The Hooper Ratings Service rated radio program popularity from 1936 through 1949)

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Top Ten Shows from "A Thirty Year History of Radio  Programs 1926-1956" by Harrison B. Summers

.The Philips Company Website
The Philco Repair Bench