[2] With its opening theme, "Contented," the musical variety show featured Josef Pasternack conducting until he died of a heart attack during a rehearsal.

[3] Performers varied but usually included Buddy Clark, vocalist; Reinhold Schmidt, bass; and Josephine Antoine, soprano.

[citation needed] During World War II, the Armed Forces Radio Service obtained rights to rebroadcast the program to military personnel.

[citation needed] On March 26, 1950, Dick Haymes became the program's host, and Jo Stafford became its "featured feminine singier".

[11] Carnation Contented Hour was to be the last of five 30-minute musical programs in a block that began with The Railroad Hour at 8 p.m. E. T.[11] Subsequently the program was moved to CBS to be broadcast on Sundays at 10 p.m. E. T.[12] The trade publication Billboard reported that Carnation wanted to leave the 10 p.m. Monday slot to avoid the competition of My Friend Irma on CBS at that time.

[13] A review in Billboard in 1951 described the selection of musical content as "particularly adroit, made up of a neat mixture of current pop hits, standards, show tunes, etc.