On February 28, 1944, Franchot appeared as a guest on Information Please. Information Please was a radio quiz show that ran on NBC from 1938 to 1951. On each episode, panelists would try to answer trivia that had been mailed in by listeners. If a listener stumped the panel, he or she received cash and prizes.
The episode runs for just under 29 minutes. Franchot's first answers come after the 3:44 mark when the questions turn to the American Revolution. His thoughtful, soft-spoken answers reveal a deep knowledge of history, literature, and opera. Franchot is humble here, too. When host Clifton Fadiman praises him, Franchot plays it off like he doesn't know how the answers came to him and says that maybe he's been "reading up on it in preparation for this program." He doesn't quite correctly answer questions related to his work in The Gorgeous Hussy and Green Grow the Lilacs, but he proudly recites some of the lines from The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (often noted as Franchot's favorite of his own films.)
At the end of the program, the host thanks Franchot for lending a little "Tone" to the show. Franchot responds with "now I know why they call you a pundit."
It's always a treat to read/hear the genuine thoughts of Franchot Tone. I hope you'll enjoy this personal radio appearance, which I've uploaded to Youtube. If you cannot see the embedded video below, please click here.
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