Old Time Radio Drama

The Lux Radio Theater "Remember The Night" (12-23-41)

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:07:18 -0800

In October of 1934, "Lux Radio Theater" debuted in New York on NBC's Blue radio network. Presenting audio versions of popular Broadway plays, the show failed to garner an audience and soon ran out of material. After switching networks to CBS and moving to Hollywood, Lux found its true market. The show began featuring adaptations of popular films, performed by as many of the original stars as possible. With an endless supply of hit films scripts and an audience of more than 40 million, Lux enjoyed a prosperous run until the curtain fell in 1956.

THIS EPISODE:

March 25, 1940. CBS network. "Remember The Night". Sponsored by: Lux. A good romance story about a prosecutor who winds up taking a beautiful thief with him on a Christmas visit to his mother. Good radio. The story was used again on The Lux Radio Theatre on December 22, 1941 (see cat. #43191) and also on May 5, 1955. Barbara Stanwyck, Beulah Bondi, Fred MacMurray, Cecil B. DeMille, Ann Lee, Arthur Q. Bryan (doubles), Celeste Rush (doubles), Edward Marr (doubles), Elizabeth Patterson, Jack Carr, John Fee, Lou Merrill, Louis Silvers (music director), Melville Ruick (announcer), Sidney Newman, Sterling Holloway, Wally Maher, Walter White (doubles), Warren Rock (doubles), Clarence Rock (as a dog), Rosemary De Camp (commercial spokesman), Kathleen Fitz (commercial spokesman as "Libby"), Preston Sturges (screenwriter), Sanford Barnett (director), George Wells (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 60:10.

The Lux Radio Theater "Dixie" (12-20-43)

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:56:33 -0800

THIS EPISODE:

DIXIE: Bing Crosby, Millie Cook and Billy De Wolfe. A popular musical stage show of the early and mid 19th Century was minstrelsy. Minstrel shows a variety of comical skits in which both black as well as white people painted their faces black. The film Dixie, directed by A. Edward Sutherland was a story about the intertwining characters and their production of a Minstrel show, Though Minstrel shows content embodied racial hatred they were the first form of musical theatre that was American-born and bred. It was embraced by all colors despite its ignorant and obnoxious slander of African Americans. Minstrelsy had an initial structure normally broken into a three act performance. A dance sequence was first on stage. Singing songs and preparing the audience for the second part which included a coordinate speech said by "Mr. Interlocutor". This pun-filled speech in Dixie was said by Mr. Cook, played by Raymond Walburn, while he was in the center of the stage. The final act in the show was a song almost like one slaves would sing while working at the plantation. In the film the characters refer to African Americans as "darkies". To accomplish "blackface" performers would burned corks and painted their face black with the soot, and then extenuated their lips with red paint, with the objective to appear as black as possible. Minstrelsy typical distastefully portrayed African Americans as lazy and moronic people gallivanting around. Though enjoyed by audiences of all colors minstrelsy began to lose popularity with the gain of social rights against racism. In the 1930's it was considered suitable portrayal of black America by White America, with blind bigotry. The film Dixie did not have African American's performing in the Minstrel show they were all white. But during this era that was acceptable and considered comic relief. Despite the slander against African Americans culture and characteristics all races enjoyed the comedy of the Minstrel show. But the fact that audiences at that time did not speak up sooner concerning the physical appearance of the blackface actors and overall enacting of blacks, leaves one with a strong impression, truly displaying the horribly rude comments and acts going on in our society. However Dixie correctly followed the structure of minstrelsy and had an interesting plot, forcing the audience to quickly forget how inconsiderately racist the movie actually is. This helps us ultimately realize the awareness of whites view on black culture.

The Lux Radio Theater "It's A Wonderful Life" (03-10-47)

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:01:25 -0800

Lux Radio Theater strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York City to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell. Many of the greatest names in film appeared in the series, most in the roles they made famous on the screen, including Abbott and Costello, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Boyer, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotton, Bing Crosby, Dan Duryea, Ava Gardner, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Vivien Leigh, Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Ann Sothern, Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Gene Tierney, John Wayne, Jane Wyman, Orson Welles and Loretta Young.

THIS EPISODE:

March 10, 1947. CBS network. "It's A Wonderful Life". Sponsored by: Lux Soap, Spry. Tired of his life on Earth, a man finds out what it's like never to have been born. Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Victor Moore, William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Louis Silvers (music director), William Johnstone, John McIntire, Leo Cleary, Edwin Maxwell, Janet Scott, Noreen Gammill, Cliff Clark, Norma Jean Nilsson, Edward Marr, Norman Field, Franklyn Parker, Ann Carter, Charles Seel, Doris Singleton (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), Susan Blanchard (intermission guest), Frances Goodrich (screenwriter), Albert Hackett (screenwriter), Jo Swerling (screenwriter), Frank Capra (screenwriter), Philip Van Doren (author), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 1 hour.

Damon Runyon Theater "Dancing Dan's Christmas" (12-13-49)

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:48:18 -0800

Damon Runyon Theater - Broadcast from January to December 1949, "The Damon Runyon Theatre" dramatized 52 of Runyon's short stories for radio. Damon Runyon (October 4, 1884 – December 10, 1946) was a newspaperman and writer. He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. He spun tales of gamblers, petty thieves, actors and gangsters; few of whom go by "square" names, preferring instead to be known as "Nathan Detroit", "Big Jule", "Harry the Horse", "Good Time Charlie", "Dave the Dude", and so on. These stories were written in a very distinctive vernacular style: a mixture of formal speech and colorful slang, almost always in present tense, and always devoid of contractions.

THIS EPISODE:

1948. Program #11. Mayfair syndication. "Dancing Dan's Christmas". Commercials added locally. Shotgun Sam is gunning for Dancing Dan on Christmas Eve and Broadway tries to help. Russell Hughes (adaptor), John Brown, Damon Runyon (author), Vern Carstensen (production supervisor), Richard Sanville (director). 25 minutes.

The Screen Guild Theater "Holiday Inn" (01-11-43)

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:25:00 -0800

The Screen Guild Theater was a popular radio anthology series during the Golden Age of Radio that was heard from 1939 until 1952 with adaptations from films in programs starring top Hollywood actors of the time. The show had a long run, lasting for 14 seasons and 527 episodes. It ran on CBS from January 8, 1939 until June 28, 1948, continuing on NBC from October 7, 1948 until June 29, 1950. It was broadcast on ABC from September 7, 1950 to May 31, 1951 and returned to CBS on March 13, 1952. It aired under several different titles: The Gulf Screen Guild Show, The Screen Guild Players, The Gulf Screen Guild Theater, The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater and The Camel Screen Guild Theater.

THIS EPISODE:

Holiday Inn. January 11, 1943 This is truly one of the great musicals to ever grace the silver screen. Between the great song, the dance numbers and the chemistry between Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, this film really is one of the the all time classics. What really makes it great is that it pretty much plays like a great Broadway review that uses the different holidays as an excuse to display the individual talents of each of the film's stars. However, the thing that this film will truly be remembered for is the fact that it introduced one of the all time classic song's to the world, "White Christmas". Another thing that makes this film so beloved is that it came out during a time when America needed somewhat of a diversion, World War II. This film helped to give people something to put smiles on their faces as the whole world was going to hell. At least for two hours, this film helped America to forget its troubles and put a smile on everyone's faces.

Inspector Thorne "The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Clue" (08-10-51)

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:27:49 -0800

Inspector Thorne - By the 1940's, Frank and Ann Hummert controlled four and a half hours of national weekday broadcast schedules. Their features reportedly spawned more that 5 million pieces of correspondence annually from steadfast fans. Simultaneously they brought in more than half of the national radio chain's advertising revenues generated during the daylight hours. The couple broadcast 18 quarter-hour serials five times weekly, a total of 90 original episodes for 52 weeks per year, with none of those ever repeated. Some shows were "Amanda of Honeymoon Hill", "Backstage Wife","Chaplin Jim USA", "David Harum", "Easy Aces", "Front Page Farrell", "John's Other Wife", "Just Plain Bill", "The Life of Mary Sothern","Lora Lawton", "Lorenzo Jones", "Ma Perkins", "Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch", "Our Gal Sunday", "The Romance of Helen Trent" and "Young Widder Brown".

THIS EPISODE:

August 10, 1951. NBC network. "The Defrosted Refrigerator Murder Clue". Sustaining. Not auditioned. Kenneth MacGregor (director), Frank Hummert (creator), Anne Hummert (creator), Fred Collins (announcer), Karl Weber, Geraldine Merken (writer), Edward Francis (writer). 28:50.

The Lux Radio Theater "Magic Town" (12-15-47)

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:17:53 -0800

The Lux Radio Theater strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York City to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell. Many of the greatest names in film appeared in the series, most in the roles they made famous on the screen, including Abbott and Costello, Lauren Bacall, Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, Charles Boyer, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotton, Bing Crosby, Dan Duryea, Ava Gardner, Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Vivien Leigh, Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra, Ann Sothern, Barbara Stanwyck, James Stewart, Gene Tierney, John Wayne, Jane Wyman, Orson Welles and Loretta Young.

THIS EPISODE:
December 15, 1947. CBS network. "Magic Town". Sponsored by: Lux, Pepsodent. A pollster's dream comes true. He finds the typical American city that is statistically accurate...until the residents come to realize how valuable they are! Love complicates the plot. William Keighley hosts the program from Washington D. C. Jimmy Stewart, Jane Wyman, William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Louis Silvers (music director), Herb Butterfield, Jeff Chandler (doubles, billed as "Ira Grossel"), Wally Maher, John McIntire (narrator), Alex Carey, Jack Edwards Sr. (doubles), Norman Field, Tommy Cook, Gil Stratton, Lois Corbett, Edward Marr, Marie Windsor, Charles Woolf, Robert Griffin, Earl Lee, Dorothy Lovett (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), Martha Hyer (intermission guest), Robert Riskin (screenwriter), Joseph Krumgold (screenwriter), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 59:48.

The CBS Radio Workshop "Another Point Of View" (06-22-56)

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:29:41 -0800

The CBS Radio Workshop - Broadcast from 1936 through to 1947 with just an occasional break. Revived again from January 1956 to September 1957 as CBS Radio Workshop with pretty much the same format. Broadcast from 1936 through to 1947 with just an occasional break. Revived again from January 1956 to September 1957 as CBS Radio Workshop with pretty much the same format. This was drama with a difference. Columbia Workshop was not everybody’s cup of tea and in terms of audience popularity it was always noted that it was never a strong contender for the title “Radios Top Rated Drama Series” and yet it was always considered to be the drama program that led the way in radio standards. Columbia was the first to mexperiment with what radio drama was all about, introducing new techniques never before used in over the airwaves drama and because it received little encouragement from established writers, actors, etc., it was only by breaking new ground with new ideas and new techniques from writers who were not versed in the old ways that it was going to survive. Unlike theater drama which required scenery to stage the settings of a play. Radio drama relied only on the imagination of the listener to interpret the scene. But without the right kind of writer the whole thing could fall flat on it’s face. It required a blend of words and music coupled with each listener’s imagination to make the whole thing work successfully. New techniques were required to combine all of these things in order that the listener could live within the story which was being told. Neither did it go unnoticed that at the same time as achieving all this, it was essential that the broadcasting company’s moral obligations to the listening public were not compromised.

THIS EPISODE:

June 22, 1956. CBS network. "Another Point Of View," or "Hamlet Revisited". Sustaining. An analytical misrepresentation of Shakespeare's greatest hero. A fascinating reading of the play, with interpretations somewhat different than the Bard had in mind. William Conrad (narrator, author), Ben Wright, John McIntire, Ben Wright (author). 1/2 hour.

The Ford Theater "Michaell & Mary" (06-06-48)

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:51:19 -0800

The FORD THEATER, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, presented hour long dramas first on NBC for one only season. The series moved to CBS for its second and last season. There were 39 NBC and 39 CBS hour- long shows (not verified). The show initially received an unfavorable review from the New York Times for poor script adaptation but was still highly rated for the actors' performance and overall production. The show was supposed to feature only original scripts but had to forgo that plan due to lack of quality material. The first season on NBC used radio actors under the direction of George Zachary. Martin Gabel announced the first show but was soon replaced by Kenneth Banghart. The second season, on CBS, used Hollywood screen actors in the lead roles, supported by radio actors. Fletcher Markle, who previously produced CBS's STUDIO ONE series, was the producer for the second season. Although a short series, it still has some of radio's best dramas.

THIS EPISODE:
June 6, 1948 - NBC network. "Michael & Mary" . Sponsored by: Ford. The story about Michael Row, a well known novalist and his wife Mary as they plan for the wedding of their son David. "A story within a story". Lauren Gilbert, Fran Carlon, Peter Capell, Art Carney, Raymond Edward Johnson, Arnold Moss, Ian Martin, Julian Noa, Vivian Barry, Dean Carlton, Leora Thatcher, John Houseman (adaptor), Howard Lindsay (host), Howard Teichman (editor), Amadeo Di Filipi (composer), Howard Barlow (conductor), George Zachery (director), Kenneth Banghart (announcer). 1 hour.

Halls Of Ivy "Education Of Anne Bell" (07-12-50)

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:27:10 -0800

The Halls of Ivy was an NBC radio sitcom that ran from 1950-1952. It was created by Fibber McGee & Molly co-creator/writer Don Quinn before being adapted into a CBS television comedy (1954-55) produced by ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America. Quinn developed the show after he had decided to leave Fibber McGee & Molly. The audition program featured radio veteran Gale Gordon (then co-starring in Our Miss Brooks) and Edna Best in the roles that ultimately went to British husband-and-wife actors Ronald Colman and Benita Hume. The Colmans had shown a flair for radio comedy in recurring roles on The Jack Benny Program in the late 1940s, and they landed the title roles in the new show. The Halls of Ivy featured Colman as William Todhunter Hall, the president of small, Midwestern Ivy College, and his wife, Victoria, a former British musical comedy star who sometimes felt the tug of her former profession, and followed their interactions with students, friends and college trustees. Others in the cast included Herbert Butterfield as testy Clarence Wellman, Willard Waterman (then starring as Harold Peary's successor as The Great Gildersleeve) as John Merriweather, and Elizabeth Patterson and Gloria Gordon as the Halls' maid.

THIS EPISODE:
July 12, 1950. NBC network. Sponsored by: Schlitz Beer. Annie Bell wants to attend Ivy College, but Annie's father wants to keep dogs out of the park. The last show of the season, the system cue has been deleted. Ronald Colman, Benita Hume, Ken Carpenter (annouuncer), Earle Ross, Herbert Rawlinson, Don Quinn (creator, writer), Henry Russell (composer, conductor). 29:22.

The New Theater "After Many A Summer Dies" (06-05-51)

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:07:26 -0800

After Many a Summer Dies the Swan from New Theater aired June 5, 1951 with Eva Le Gallienne (hostess), Francis X. Bushman, Fred Collins (announcer), Ramsay Hill and Tony Barrett. The drama is taken from the 1939 novel by Aldous Huxley which tells the story of a Hollywood millionaire fearing his impending death. Jo Stoyte, a very rich man, realise that all his money and power will not avoid him of the death, having a fate as the rest of human beings. Nevertheless, he does not give over and look for a possibility to defeat his tragic fate. Searching for a cure against his death , he discovers a strange manuscript (the Charles Hauberk's Diary) about a man who could live two hundred years or maybe more. Then, Stoyte begins looking for the secret of Charles Hauberk's longevity. A highly wondrous story that will keep astonishing until the end.

The Guiding Light - 3 Episode "Ep. 801 Ep. 802 and Ep. 803" (1949)

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:43:05 -0800

Guiding Light (known as The Guiding Light prior to 1975, or simply GL) is an American television program credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the longest-running soap opera in production and the longest running drama in television and radio history. The 15,000th televised episode of Guiding Light aired on September 7, 2006. Due to this series run, it is not only considered to be the longest soap opera, but the longest-running scripted show in history. It has been announced that Guiding Light has been renewed into its 72nd season through September 2009, with an option for September 2010. The program was created by soap writer Irna Phillips, and began as an NBC radio serial on January 25, 1937 before moving to CBS on June 30, 1952, as a televised serial. The show's title refers to a lamp in the study of Reverend Dr. John Ruthledge, a major character when Guiding Light debuted in 1937, that family and residents could see as a sign for them to find help when needed.

Episode 801 and Episode 802 and Episode 803

The series was created by Irna Phillips, who based it on personal experiences. After giving birth to a still-born baby at age 19, she found spiritual comfort listening to the on-air sermons of Preston Bradley, a very famous Chicago preacher and founder of the Peoples Church, a church which promoted the brotherhood of man. It was these sermons that formed the nucleus of the creation of The Guiding Light, which began as a radio show.

Arch Oboler's Plays "The Truth" (06-28-45)

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:15:27 -0800

Arch Oboler's Plays was a radio drama series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939 to March 23, 1940 and revived five years later on Mutual for a sustaining summer run from April 5, 1945 to October 11, 1945. Leading film actors were heard on this series, including Gloria Blondell, Eddie Cantor, James Cagney, Ronald Colman, Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Edmund Gwenn, Van Heflin, Katharine Hepburn, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Lorre, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Massey, Burgess Meredith, Paul Muni, Alla Nazimova, Edmond O'Brien, Geraldine Page, Gale Sondergaard, Franchot Tone and George Zucco.

THIS EPISODE:
June 28, 1945. Mutual network. "The Truth". Sustaining. A thoughtful story about a scientist who puzzles after the ultimate source of cosmic rays and eventually discovers "The Truth." Edmund Gwenn, Roseanne Murray, Bruce Elliott, Antony Ellis, Gordon Jenkins, Jack Meighan, Arch Oboler. 1/2 hour.

Studio One "Thunder Rock" (09-02-47)

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:19:55 -0800

Studio One - A drama anthology, which first aired Tuesday, April 29, 1947, at 9:00 over CBS stations. It brought hour-long presentations of books and plays to radio, many of which had not been attempted before. Fletcher Markle, a CBC radio veteran, produced, hosted and occasionally acted in the series. Half way through the season, ratings were not as expected, possibly because the series didn't air on the West Coast. Big name actors were brought in to help improve ratings. The sustained series still left the air after only one season. STUDIO ONE ran until July 27, 1948, when it was replaced by ROOFTOPS OF THE CITY. However, the standards it set led to a TV series of the same name which ran for nine seasons. STUDIO ONE seems to be a forgotten gem. If you like high drama, these shows should not be overlooked.

THIS EPISODE:
September 2, 1947. CBS network. "Thunder Rock". Sustaining. A fascinating story of a lighthouse keeper who imagines six people who died 90 years ago in a wreck are alive again. Clarence Derwent, Fletcher Markle (producer, director, performer), Hester Sondergaard, Robert Audrey (author), Robert Dryden, Stefan Schnabel. 1 hour.

The NBC University Theater "The Red And Black" (11-02-50)

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:03:26 -0800

The NBC University Theater - dramatic anthology Offered novels, with programs for college credit. Broadcast History : July 30th, 1948 - February 14th, 1951 NBC. Mostly 60 minutes. Mostly aired on Sundays, with occasional weeknight airings. Announcer : Don Stanley Music : Albert Harris, Henry Russell Director : Andrew C. Love Writers : Claris A. Ross, Ernest Kinoy, George Lefferts, Jack C. Wilson Sound Effects : Bob Holmes, Rod Sutton. NBC THEATER was truly one well loved program. Beyond just its educational value, the combination of great stories... quality acting... and first class production made these shows wonderful entertainment. They are truly great radio AND a highly accessible way to introduce YOUR kids to great American Literature!

THIS EPISODE:
November 2, 1950. NBC network. "The Red and The Black". Sustaining. The rise of a peasant to a position of power, and his inevitable fall. Andrew C. Love (director), David Wolfe, Don Randolph, Don Stanley (announcer), Donald Morrison, Earl Lee, Ernest Kinoy (writer), Gayne Whitman, Georgia Ellis, Gray Stafford, Lucille Alex, Lynn Whitney, Norman Field, Stanley Farrar, Stendahl (author), Wade Arnold (producer), Whitfield Connor. 59:21.

Academy Award Theater "A Star Is Born" (06-29-46)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:00:25 -0800

Academy Award Theater - Stars and movies with Oscars were the idea - in most cases, the movie stars recreated their academy award roles for the show, or in other cases, fine actors played the parts and gave it a different character. Both ways make for great radio drama and first class Hollywood motion picture star entertainment. The Lux Radio Theater had been doing this kind of radio show in the grandest manner for many years, but sponsor Squibb had the hubris and deep pockets to take on the competition by doing Academy Award Theater right after the Second World War. The year 1946 was pre-television, and so movies were still the major American visual art form, with radio the other popular network entertainment. In this final pre-TV time, Academy Award Theater was thought of as a premier radio production, a wow show, much like CinemaScope was to be in the 1950's when Hollywood felt the box office blow of early TV.

THIS EPISODE:
June 29, 1946. CBS network. "A Star Is Born". Sponsored by: Squibb Drugs. The well known story of Hollywood and the Star System vs. love and normality. Fredric March. 1/2 hour.

Theater Guild On The Air "The Glass Menagerie" (09-16-51)

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:55:18 -0800

Theater Guild On The Air - The theatrical society in U.S.A. is termed as Theatre Guild. Founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner (1890-1962) and others, the group proposed to produce high-quality, noncommercial plays. Its board of directors shared responsibility for choice of plays, management, and production. After the premiere of George Bernard Shaw’s Heartbreak House in 1920, the Guild became his U.S. agent and staged 15 of his plays. It also produced successful plays by Eugene O’Neill, Maxwell Anderson, and Robert Sherwood and featured actors such as the Lunts and Helen Hayes. It helped develop the American musical by staging Porgy and Bess (1935), Oklahoma! (1943), and Carousel (1945); later also producing the radio series Theatre Guild on the Air (1945-53) and even presented plays on television.

THIS EPISODE:

The Glass Menagerie is a play by Tennessee Williams that was originally written as a screenplay for MGM, to whom Williams was contracted. The play premiered in Chicago in 1944, and in 1945 won the prestigious New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The Glass Menagerie was Williams's first successful play; he went on to become one of America's most highly regarded playwrights. The Glass Menagerie is accounted by many to be an autobiographical play about Williams's life, the characters and story mimicking his own more closely than any of his other works. Williams (whose real name is Thomas) would be Tom, his Mother, Amanda, and his sickly and (supposedly) mentally ill sister Rose would be Laura (whose nickname in the play is "Blue Roses", a result of an unfortunate bout of Pleurosis as a high school student).The play is introduced to the audience by Tom as a memory play, based on his recollection. Amanda's husband left the family long ago, and she remains stuck in the past. Tom works in a factory, doing his best to support his family. He chafes under the banality and boredom of everyday life and spends much of his spare time watching movies in cheap cinemas. Amanda is obsessed with finding a suitor for Laura, who spends most of her time with her glass collection. Tom eventually brings Jim home for dinner at the insistence of his mother, who hopes Jim will be the long-awaited suitor for Laura. Laura realizes that Jim is the man she loved in high school and has thought of ever since. He dashes her hopes, telling her that he is already engaged, and then leaves. Tom leaves too, and never returns to see his family again.

Hollywood Star Time "Seventh Heaven" (01-06-46)

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:19:19 -0800

The Hollywood Star Playhouse (Hollywood Star Time) , well written and performed, presented many original plays and popular Hollywood stars. Some of those who accepted roles in this great series included Jimmy Stewart, William Conrad, Deborah Kerr, Vincent Price, Harry Bartell and Betty Lou Gerson. Highlights included an episode entitled The Six Shooter and which later became it’s own series staring James Stewart. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on The Hollywood Star Playhouse. This 30 minute anthology program was heard over three different networks during its three seasons. Many leading Hollywood stars appeared before the microphones for this programs original scripts. Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on the 08/31/52 broadcast. Several programs were intended to become new series. On 04/13/52, the broadcast # 99 of The Six Shooter w/James Stewart did indeed become a new NBC series The Six Shooter in 1953, while the broadcast of 05/18/52 #104 Safari w/Ray Milland failed to make it. There was a title change to this series. During the third network change to NBC the series picked up the sponsorship of the American Bakers and the series was called Baker’s Theater Of Stars.

THIS EPISODE:
January 6, 1946. CBS network. "Seventh Heaven". Sponsored by: Frigidaire. Not auditioned. The very moving love story of the Parisian sewers. Tyrone Power ("his first radio appearance since being released from the Marine Corps"), Jeanne Crain, Wendell Niles (announcer), Alfred Newman (composer, conductor), Milton Geiger (adaptor), Robert L. Redd (director). 27:34.

The Ford Theater "Arrowsmith" (06-27-48)

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:38:22 -0700

THIS EPISODE:

June 27, 1948. NBC network. "Arrowsmith". Sponsored by: Ford. The story about a young doctor determined to contribute to medical science, but starts by practicing medicine in a small town in the Midwest. The last show of the season. Sinclair Lewis (writer), Lauren Gilbert, Fran Carlon, Peter Capell, Art Carney, Raymond Edward Johnson, Arnold Moss, Ian Martin, Julian Noa, Vivian Barry, Dean Carlton, Leora Thatcher, John Houseman (adaptor), Howard Lindsay (host), Howard Teichman (editor), Amadeo Di Filipi (composer), Howard Barlow (conductor), George Zachery (director), Kenneth Banghart (announcer). 1 hour.

Screen Director's Playhouse "Mr Lucky" (01-20-50)

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:00:22 -0700

Screen Director's Playhouse - From 01/09/49 to 09/28/51 this series was greatly enjoyed by the radio listening audience. It opened as NBC Theater and was also known as The Screen Director’s Guild and The Screen Director’s Assignment. But most people remember it simply as Screen Director’s Playhouse. Many of the Hollywood elite were heard recreating their screen roles over the radio. John Wayne in his rare radio appearances, Cary Grant, Edward G. Robinson, Lucille Ball, Claire Trevor, Tallulah Bankhead and many others were on the air week after week during these broadcasts. Many of Hollywood’s directors were also heard in the recreation of their movies. The President of the Screen Director’s Guild appeared on 02/13/49, and Violinist Isaac Stern supplied the music for the 04/19/51 broadcast.

THIS EPISODE:
January 20, 1950. NBC network origination, AFRS rebroadcast. "Mr. Lucky". A lucky gambler and part-time draft-dodger comes upon a "neat package" at the end of a pier. Cary Grant, Frances Robinson, Jimmy Wallington (announcer), Hank Potter (screen director). 24:14.

Curtain Time "Over The Falls" (01-13-39)

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:46:16 -0700

Curtain Time, like First Nighter, presented romantic drama in a theater setting complete with the announcer shouting, “Tickets please, thank you”. The shows announcer was Harry Halcomb who was later known best for his appearances on the 60 minutes television show. Great scripts and superb acting, Curtain Time is truly an Old Time Radio Classic. Mutual Network, local KNX show sustained, heard Fridays 7:30 - 8:00 pm

THIS EPISODE:
January 13, 1939. Mutual net, WGN, Chicago aircheck. "Over The Falls". Sponsored by: Corn Kix. A trio of out-of-work vaudevillians comes up with a scheme to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel! Richard Hanser (writer), Henry Weber (conductor), Blair Walliser (director), Louise Fitch, Olan Soule, Ken Christy, Charles Calvert. 29:50.

The GlobeTheater "The Ghost Goes West" (1944)

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:12:45 -0700

The Globe Theater radio presentation of a 1935 Comedy/ Drama Motion Picture entitled "The Ghost Goes West". An American businessman's family convinces him to buy a Scottish castle and disassemble it to ship it to America brick by brick, where it will be put it back together. The castle though is not the only part of the deal, with it goes the several-hundred year old ghost who haunts it. The original cast was headed by Robert Donat as Murdoch, Jean Parket as Peggy Martin, and Eugene Pallette as Mr. Martin.

The Ghost Goes West (1944) - "For me, three things make this film stand out. First, Robert Donat is marvelous as the ghost/impoverished seller. Had Donat lived later in the 20th century, he would have been far, far more successful as an actor, and infinitely more active. Donat suffered from nearly debilitating asthma condition that severely limited his screen appearances (as well as some serious stage fright, or, in this case, screen fright). This performance is one of his finest. Second, Eugene Pallette enjoys one of his greatest roles. Pallette is perhaps best known as Friar Tuck in the Errol Flynn THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, and almost as well known in THE LADY EVE and MY MAN GODFREY. He actually appeared in a vast number of films from the beginning of the silent era all the way to his death in 1946. Yet, his major roles were relatively few. I find his stern scowl, rotund physique, and softhearted core to be enchanting. The third reason the film succeeds is the deft and light-hearted direction of René Clair. Partly because he suffered a sharp post-WW II decline, Clair is not as fondly remembered as he ought to be. He directed the two Hollywood classic I mentioned above, but was even better in the early 1930s, directing in France such masterpieces as SOUS LES TOITS DE PARIS and À NOUS LA LIBERTE, as well as one of my all time favorite films, the utterly delightful musical LE MILLION."

The Lux Radio Theater "People Will Talk" (01-25-54)

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:06:04 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
January 25, 1954. Program #109. CBS network origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "People Will Talk". The story of the strange Dr. Pretorious and his even stranger companion, and how he finds love, marriage, and an inquisition by his peers. AFRTS program name: "Hollywood Radio Theatre." Cary Grant, Jeanne Crain, Irving Cummings (host), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Rudy Schrager (music director), Lawrence Dobkin, Tudor Owen, Joseph Kearns, William Johnstone, Ken Christy, Herb Butterfield, Edward Marr, Paula Winslowe, Gail Bonney, Joseph Mankiewicz (screenwriter), Curt Goetz (author), Earl Ebi (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 55 minutes.

The Lux Radio Theater "It Happened One Night" (3-20-39)

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:04:28 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
March 20, 1939 Director Frank Capra's 1934 "It Happened One Night" is an opposites-attract romantic comedy featuring two big stars, Clark Gable as Peter Warne and Claudette Colbert as Ellen "Ellie" Andrews, Walter Connolly and Roscoe Karns. He's a no-nonsense journalist; she's a sheltered heiress. They strike a bargin: he gets her exclusive story, she gets an escort back to the marriage her father wants her to annul. The film was the winner of five Academy Awards (Oscars) and was number eight on the American Film Institute's (AFI) Funniest Films list.

The Halls Of Ivy "Knockwurst Society" (03-31-50)

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:03:23 -0700

The Halls of Ivy was an NBC radio sitcom that ran from 1950-1952. It was created by Fibber McGee & Molly co-creator/writer Don Quinn before being adapted into a CBS television comedy (1954-55) produced by ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America. Quinn developed the show after he had decided to leave Fibber McGee & Molly. The audition program featured radio veteran Gale Gordon (then co-starring in Our Miss Brooks) and Edna Best in the roles that ultimately went to British husband-and-wife actors Ronald Colman and Benita Hume. The Colmans had shown a flair for radio comedy in recurring roles on The Jack Benny Program in the late 1940s, and they landed the title roles in the new show. The Halls of Ivy featured Colman as William Todhunter Hall, the president of small, Midwestern Ivy College, and his wife, Victoria, a former British musical comedy star who sometimes felt the tug of her former profession, and followed their interactions with students, friends and college trustees. Others in the cast included Herbert Butterfield as testy Clarence Wellman, Willard Waterman (then starring as Harold Peary's successor as The Great Gildersleeve) as John Merriweather, and Elizabeth Patterson and Gloria Gordon as the Halls' maid.

THIS EPISODE:
March 31, 1950. NBC network. Sponsored by: Schlitz Beer. Will Dr. Hall be invited to join the "Ivy Chamber Music and Knockwurst Society" to play the Piffleflute? The program may be dated April 7, 1950. Alan Reed, Benita Hume, Cliff Arquette, Don Quinn (creator, writer), Frank Martin (announcer), Gloria Gordon, Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Nat Wolff (director), Ronald Colman, Walter Newman (writer). 29:31.

The Lux Radio Theater "To The Ends Of The Earth" (05-23-49)

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:37:46 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
May 23, 1949. CBS network. "To The Ends Of The Earth". Sponsored by: Lux (aluminum self-draining sauce pan premium). An action-adventure as a T-Man tracks down an opium crop in the Middle East. William Keighley (host), John Milton Kennedy (announcer), Louis Silvers (music director), Barbara Jean Wong, Herb Butterfield, Vernon Steele, Edgar Barrier, Alan Reed (doubles), William Johnstone (doubles), Howard McNear (doubles), Norman Field, Edward Marr, Lou Krugman, Ivan Triesault, Don Diamond, Dick Powell, Signe Hasso, Jack Kruschen, Lawrence Dobkin, Donald Randolph, George Neise, Dorothy Lovett (commercial spokesman: as "Libby"), Lola Albright (intermission guest), Jay Richard Kennedy (screenwriter), Fred MacKaye (director), Sanford Barnett (adaptor), Charlie Forsyth (sound effects). 59:07.

Damon Runyon Theater "Earthquake" (1948)

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 01:22:25 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
1948. Program #28. Mayfair syndication. "Earthquake". Commercials added locally. A cop trails a very strong killer all the way to South America, and then fails to return to the States with his prisoner! Damon Runyon (author), John Brown, Richard Sanville (director), Russell Hughes (adaptor), Vern Carstensen (production supervisor). 27:23

Curtain Time "I Hate Hollywood" (06-26-48)

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:00:34 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
June 26, 1948. NBC network, Chicago origination. "I Hate Hollywood". Sponsored by: Mars Bar. Not auditioned. Patrick Allen (host), Mike Wallace (announcer, as "Myron Wallace"), Harry Elders, Nannette Sargent, Bert Farber (arranger, conductor), Harry Holcomb (director), Sidney Hoffman (writer), Geraldine Kaye, George Cisar, Michael Romano. 28:45.

Stella Dallas "The Egyptian Mummy" (Part 1 and 2) (1955)

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:52:31 -0700

Exactly 60 years ago today, Stella Dallas "the true-to-life story of mother love and sacrifice" made its radio debut. Based on the novel by Olive Higgins Prouty (and the 1937 film starring Barbara Stanwyck), this soap opera chronicled the trials and tribulations of a poor woman whose daughter married "in to wealth and society. " According to John Dunning's Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio, the show "was perhaps the most excrutitating melodrama on radio." But, housewives must have eaten it up! This 15-minute/5-day-a-week program ran on NBC for 17 years. What do you say, soap fans? What present-day soap opera do you think has the most painful story lines and the most tortured characters?

THIS EPISODE:
NBC network. Two consecutive episodes. Stella helps recover a stolen Egyptian and foil twin Arab brothers. . 1/2 hour.

The Ford Theater "It's A Gift" (03-21-48)

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:56:14 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
March 21, 1948. CBS network. "It's A Gift". Sponsored by: Ford. A comedy about a wounded war vet who gets dizzy and has to "concentrate." When he "concentrates," he can make people do whatever he wants them to do. A new industry is born! Howard Lindsay (host), Kenneth Banghart (commercial spokesman), Lee Bloomgarten (author), Cliff Carpenter, Carl Eastman, William Zuckert, George Faulkner (continuity), Helen Lewis, James Van Dyke, Elspeth Eric, Howard Teichman (editor), Lyn Murray (composer, conductor), Frank Dane, Ivor Francis, George Zacherle (director), Rod Hendrickson. 59:28.

Hollywood Star Playhouse "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" (01-27-46)

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:07:52 -0700

The Hollywood star playhouse (Hollywood Star Time) , well written and performed, presented many original plays and popular Hollywood stars. Some of those who accepted roles in this great series included Jimmy Stewart, William Conrad, Deborah Kerr, Vincent Price, Harry Bartell and Betty Lou Gerson. Highlights included an episode entitled The Six Shooter and which later became it’s own series staring James Stewart. In 1952, Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on The Hollywood Star Playhouse. This 30 minute anthology program was heard over three different networks during its three seasons. Many leading Hollywood stars appeared before the microphones for this programs original scripts. Marilyn Monroe made her radio debut on the 08/31/52 broadcast. Several programs were intended to become new series. On 04/13/52, the broadcast # 99 of The Six Shooter w/James Stewart did indeed become a new NBC series The Six Shooter in 1953, while the broadcast of 05/18/52 #104 Safari w/Ray Milland failed to make it. There was a title change to this series. During the third network change to NBC the series picked up the sponsorship of the American Bakers and the series was called Baker’s Theater Of Stars.

THIS EPISODE:
January 27, 1946. CBS net. "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn". Sponsored by: Frigidaire. The first radio production of the warm story about a young girl growing up in poverty, and of her beloved father. Well done! Peggy Ann Garner, James Dunn, Alfred Newman (composer, conductor), Milton Geiger (adaptor), Joseph Kearns, Lurene Tuttle, Wendell Niles (announcer), Robert L. Redd (director). 29:43.

The Lux Radio Theater "All My Sons" (05-01-50)

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:18:00 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
All My Sons from Lux Radio Theater aired May 1, 1950 starring Ann Pearce, Burt Lancaster, Edward Arnold, and Scott Brady. All My Sons is a powerful and gripping drama about a successful, middle-aged, self-made man who has done a terrible and tragic thing during World War II, rushing to meet an order from the Army. A point that there is something horribly wrong about a system which permits huge profits to be made out of war. Based on the 1947 play by Arthur Miller, it was awarded the 1947 Tony Award for Best Play.

The Skippy Hollywood Theater "Mr. God Johnson" (04-01-49)

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:04:06 -0700

Mr God Johnson from Skippy Hollywood Theater aired April 1, 1949 starring Peter Lorre. The story of a gentleman who is somewhat difficult to hang is outstanding classic drama from the period. Skippy Hollywood Theater was a syndicated program that went on to be one of the most successful programs on radio of this type. The pre-recorded shows were highly liked by the radio audiences even though they were not live. Also the show was responsible for helping Skippy Peanut Butter to be one of the most popular peanut butters in American and gain national attention.

Academy Award Theater -"{Vivacious Lady" (08-14-46)

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:34:08 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
August 14, 1946. CBS netword. "Vivacious Lady". Sponsored by: Squibb Drugs. A comedy about a college professor of Botany and his secret, a former Broadway dancer. Lana Turner, Gerald Mohr.

Big Town "Lost And Found" (12-07-48)

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:13:28 -0700

Big Town is a radio show that aired from 1937 to 1952. Edward G. Robinson had the lead role of Steve Wilson from 1937 to 1942. Claire Trevor was Wilson's society editor sidekick Lorelei Kilbourne, with Ona Munson taking over that role in 1940. Edward J. Pawley portrayed Wilson from 1942 until 1952 when Walter Greaza was heard as Wilson in the final episodes in the radio series. When Big Town moved to television, the program was telecast live, but in 1952 the production switched to film after the move from New York City to Hollywood. The television series ran on CBS from 1950 through 1954, continuing on NBC from 1955 through 1956. Repeat episodes aired on the DuMont Network (under the title City Assignment) while Big Town was still showing first-run episodes on CBS. Reruns were also shown under the titles Heart of the City, Headline and Byline Steve Wilson.

THIS EPISODE:
December 7, 1948. NBC network. "The Case Of The Lost and Found". Sponsored by: Lifebuoy Soap, Rinso. Dick Rutter, the star reporter of a competing paper, disappears. Steve Wilson of the Illustrated Press suspects a connection to the "Lucky Louie" murder. The program has also been dated December 1, 1948. Edward Pawley, Fran Carlon, Jerry McGill (writer, producer), Hugh James (announcer). 29:37.

NBC University Theater "Howard's End" (03-26-50)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:05:30 -0700

The NBC University Theater - The “Worlds Great Novels” came to radio in 1944 as NBC began offering adaptations of some of the great works of literature. NBC moved the show to Hollywood in 1948 and renamed the show to NBC University Theater on the Air. Actual college credits could be earned in combination with the Broadcasts. If you don’t have the time to read some of the classics here is your Chance to listen to them. NBC THEATER was truly one well loved program. Beyond just its educational value, the combination of great stories... quality acting... and first class production made these shows wonderful entertainment. They are truly great radio AND a highly accessible way to introduce YOUR kids to great American Literature!

March 26, 1950. NBC network. "Howard's End". Sustaining. A romance of manners and morals and class distinction in turn-of-the-century England. E. M. Forster (author), Horton Heath (adaptor), John Kieran (intermission commentator), Alma Lawton, Queenie Leonard, Tom Dillon, Ben Wright, Terry Kilburn, Eileen Erskine, Don Stanley (announcer), Andrew C. Love (director). 59:19.

The Story Of Dr. Kildare "Abandoned Baby" (05-03-50)

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:18:20 -0700

The Story Of Doctor Kildare - Dr. James Kildare was a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show. The character was invented by the author Frederick Schiller Faust (aka Max Brand). The character began in the film series as a medical intern; after becoming a doctor he was mentored by an older physician, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. After the first ten films, the series eliminated the character of Kildare and focused instead on Gillespie. In the summer of 1949, MGM reunited Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore to record the radio series, The Story of Dr. Kildare, scripted by Les Crutchfield, Jean Holloway and others. After broadcasts on WMGM New York from February 1, 1950 to August 3, 1951, the series was syndicated to other stations during the 1950s. The supporting cast included Ted Osborne as hospital administrator Dr. Carough, Jane Webb as nurse Mary Lamont and Virginia Gregg as Nurse Parker, labeled "Nosy Parker" by Gillespie, with appearances by William Conrad, Stacy Harris, Jay Novello, Isabel Jewell and Jack Webb.

THIS EPISODE:
May 3, 1950. Program #14. MGM syndication. Commercials added locally. A baby has been abandoned in one of Blair Hospital's ambulances. Jack Webb portrays a cynical police lieutenant. Well written. Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Jack Webb, Les Crutchfield (writer), Virginia Gregg, Dick Joy (announcer), William P. Rousseau (director), Walter Schumann (composer, conductor), Edwin Max, Lillian Buyeff, Jerry Hausner. 27:50.

Family Doctor - Ep23 and Ep24 (1932)

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:17:44 -0700

The Family Doctor was a story about Dr. Grant Adams, a small town doctor who doubled as the community’s moral rectifier. He was more than just respected, he was loved by all. Each week he confronted issues from robbery to suicide, and always with common sense and gentle moral judgment. Though his old-fashioned remedies for sicknesses are outdated compared to modern medical practicing, The Family Doctor's attitude towards life's daily issues transcend time. Of the 39 intended episodes, only 12 were aired.

We support the efforts of the Old Time Radio Researchers Group (OTRR) whose goals include restoring, preserving and sharing the classic shows from what is commonly known as the "Golden Age of Radio" (1930-1960). Please visit and support this great organization at:
http://www.otrr.org/

Today's Show: Episode23 "Pete May Ambulance Driver" Episode24 "Louder Than Words"

The Family Doctor. 1932. Program #23. Broadcasters Program Syndicate/Bruce Eells and Associates syndication. "Pete May, Ambulance Driver". Music fill for local commercial insert. While Doc Adams' car is being repaired, Pete's car is not of much help. The date is approximate, possiby Transco origination. . 14:16.

The Family Doctor. 1932. Program #24. Broadcasters Program Syndicate/Bruce Eells and Associates syndication. "Louder Than Words". Music fill for local commercial insert. The publisher of the Cedarton newspaper is having financial problems. The date is approximate, possibly Transco origination. . 14:17.

Arch Oboler's Plays "The Family Nagachi" (09-27-45)

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:39:23 -0700

Arch Oboler's Plays was a radio drama series written, produced and directed by Arch Oboler. Minus a sponsor, it ran for one year, airing Saturday evenings on NBC from March 25, 1939 to March 23, 1940 and revived five years later on Mutual for a sustaining summer run from April 5, 1945 to October 11, 1945. Leading film actors were heard on this series, including Gloria Blondell, Eddie Cantor, James Cagney, Ronald Colman, Joan Crawford, Greer Garson, Edmund Gwenn, Van Heflin, Katharine Hepburn, Elsa Lanchester, Peter Lorre, Frank Lovejoy, Raymond Massey, Burgess Meredith, Paul Muni, Alla Nazimova, Edmond O'Brien, Geraldine Page, Gale Sondergaard, Franchot Tone and George Zucco.

THIS EPISODE:
September 27, 1945. Mutual network. "The Family Nagashi". Sustaining. A well written story about a Japanese family in California just after the end of World War II. The program closing has been deleted. Alan Hewitt, Arch Oboler (writer), Barbara Eiler, Bill Shaw, Dick Wynn (announcer ? Win), Elliott Lewis, Harry Tanoway, Jack Meakin (music), Joseph Granby, Lou Merrill, Lynn Whitney, Mary Jane Croft, Norman Field, Tommy Cook, William Johnstone. 27:37.

*Show notes from Radio Gold Index

Theater Five "The Stranger" (08-14-64)

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:09:44 -0700

Theater Five was ABC's attempt to revive radio drama during the early 1960s. The series name was derived from its time slot, 5:00 PM. Running Monday through Friday, it was an anthology of short stories, each about 20 minutes long. News programs and commercials filled out the full 30 minutes. There was a good bit of science fiction and some of the plots seem to have been taken from the daily newspaper. Fred Foy, of The Lone Ranger fame, was an ABC staff announcer in the early 60s, who, among other duties, did Theater Five.

THIS EPISODE:
August 8, 1964 - The Stranger - A middle class couple wakes up to find someone sleeping in their guest room. The stranger claims he was invited for a week by one of the two. A crazy "mind twister" that leads to a surprise ending. Abby Lewis, Alexander Vlas Datsenko (composer), Arthur Kohl, Bernard Grant, Ed Blainey (sound technician), Fred Foy (announcer), Gilbert Mack, Glenn Osser (conductor), Ian Martin, Jack C. Wilson (preparer), John McGovern, Lee Bowman, Marty Folia (audio engineer), Neal Pultz (audio engineer), Ralph Bell, Warren Somerville (director).

On Stage "Public Furlough" (01-29-53)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:59:10 -0700

On Stage was a combination of classic and original stories which aired between 1953 and 1954 on CBS. ANNOUNCER: George Walsh: PRODUCED and DIRECTED by: Elliot Lewis: MUSIC Fred Steiner, Lud Gluskin "Cathy & Elliott Theme": Ray Noble: SOUND EFFECTS: Vern Surry, Ross Murray

THIS EPISODE:
January 29, 1953. CBS network. "Public Furlough". Sustaining. A bittersweet and brief romance between an army corporal and a movie star. Antony Ellis (performer, writer), Byron Kane, Cathy Lewis, Elliott Lewis, George Walsh (announcer), Hans Roemheld (composer), Herb Butterfield, Jerry Hausner, Lud Gluskin, Ray Noble (theme composer). 29:24.

The Halls Of Ivy "New English Teacher" (10-04-50)

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:20:00 -0700

The Halls of Ivy was an NBC radio sitcom that ran from 1950-1952. It was created by Fibber McGee & Molly co-creator/writer Don Quinn before being adapted into a CBS television comedy (1954-55) produced by ITC Entertainment and Television Programs of America. Quinn developed the show after he had decided to leave Fibber McGee & Molly. The audition program featured radio veteran Gale Gordon (then co-starring in Our Miss Brooks) and Edna Best in the roles that ultimately went to British husband-and-wife actors Ronald Colman and Benita Hume. The Colmans had shown a flair for radio comedy in recurring roles on The Jack Benny Program in the late 1940s, and they landed the title roles in the new show. The Halls of Ivy featured Colman as William Todhunter Hall, the president of small, Midwestern Ivy College, and his wife, Victoria, a former British musical comedy star who sometimes felt the tug of her former profession, and followed their interactions with students, friends and college trustees. Others in the cast included Herbert Butterfield as testy Clarence Wellman, Willard Waterman (then starring as Harold Peary's successor as The Great Gildersleeve) as John Merriweather, and Elizabeth Patterson and Gloria Gordon as the Halls' maid.

THIS EPISODE:
October 4, 1950. NBC network. Sponsored by: Schlitz Beer. Mr. bentley Brook has come to at Ivy College. He's quite good looking, and he's apparently fallen in love with Mrs. Hall! Ronald Colman, Benita Hume, Ken Carpenter (announcer), Sandra Gould, Jerome Lawrence (writer), Robert E. Lee (writer), Ken Peters, Helen Crutchfield, Mary Alden, Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Nat Wolff (director), Don Quinn (creator). 29:25.

Manhattan Playhouse "The Perfect Secretary" (06-24-49)

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:50:17 -0700

Manhattan Playhouse - The show lasted for four episodes and was broadcast on the Mutual Network on Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. in the New York City area. Two episodes of the show were also syndicated to the Los Angeles market in January 1949. The dates of the original broadcasts were 48/12/04, 48/12/11, 48/12/18, and 49/01/08. A television anthology series under the same name would later air from April to November 1951 on the NYC television station WABD (DuMont Television Network). In addition, another television series with the same name aired two episodes in September and October 1953 on the same station.

THIS EPISODE:
January 8, 1949. Mutual network. "The Perfect Secretary". Sustaining. A comedy about a young executive who always falls in love with his secretary. Paul Ford, Leonard T. Holton (writer), Peggy French, John Harvey, Wynn Wright (director), Jerry Hausner, Robert Monroe (composer), Sylvan Levin (conductor), Jack O'Reily (announcer). 29:30.

The Lux Radio Theater "The Egg & I" (05-05-47)

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:31:35 -0700

Lux Radio Theater, one of the genuine classic radio anthology series (NBC Blue Network (1934-1935); CBS (1935-1954); NBC (1954-1955) adapted first Broadway stage works, and then (especially) films to hour-long live radio presentations. It quickly became the most popular dramatic anthology series on radio, running more than twenty years. The program always began with an announcer proclaiming, "Ladies and gentlemen, Lux presents Hollywood!" Cecil B. DeMille was the host of the series each Monday evening from June 1, 1936, until January 22, 1945. On one occasion, however, he was replaced by Leslie Howard.

THIS EPISODE:

May 5, 1947 starring the original cast from the movie.The Egg and I, first published in 1945, is a humorous memoir by American author Betty MacDonald about her adventures and travails as a young wife on a chicken farm on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. It was a blockbuster success as a novel, and was adapted into a movie and short-lived TV series, starring Patricia Kirkland, with Nancy Carroll as her mother (Carroll was Kirkland's real mother). The movie, starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert, was the inspiration for a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies starring Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride.

The Mercury Summer Theater "Jane Eyre" (06-28-46)

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:14:21 -0700

The Mercury Summer Theater was a theatre company founded in New York City by Orson Welles and John Houseman. They had initial success in the theatre, then went to radio, and one of the most notable radio broadcasts of all time, The War of the Worlds. Welles had already worked extensively in radio drama, playing The Shadowfor a year, and directing a seven-part adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. In 1938, he was offered a chance to direct his own weekly, hour-long radio series, initially called First Person Singular, then The Mercury Theatre on the Air. Welles insisted his Mercury company--actors and crew--be involved in the radio series. This was an unprecedented and expensive request, especially for one so young as Welles. He won out, however, and went on to produce some of the finest radio drama of any era.

THIS EPISODE:

June 28, 1946. CBS network. "Jane Eyre". Sponsored by: Pabst Beer. The classic of English letters, well adapted within the confines of a half-hour format. Norman Corwin (adaptor), Orson Welles (producer, host, performer), Alice Frost, Ken Roberts (announcer), Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor). 1/2 hour.

The Story Of Dr. Kildare "Barnie McClure" (08-10-50)

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:43:15 -0700

Dr. James Kildare was a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show. The character was invented by the author Frederick Schiller Faust (aka Max Brand). The character began in the film series as a medical intern; after becoming a doctor he was mentored by an older physician, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. After the first ten films, the series eliminated the character of Kildare and focused instead on Gillespie. In the summer of 1949, MGM reunited Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore to record the radio series, The Story of Dr. Kildare, scripted by Les Crutchfield, Jean Holloway and others. After broadcasts on WMGM New York from February 1, 1950 to August 3, 1951, the series was syndicated to other stations during the 1950s. The supporting cast included Ted Osborne as hospital administrator Dr. Carough, Jane Webb as nurse Mary Lamont and Virginia Gregg as Nurse Parker, labeled "Nosy Parker" by Gillespie, with appearances by William Conrad, Stacy Harris, Jay Novello, Isabel Jewell and Jack Webb.

THIS EPISODE:

Barnie McClure - August 10, 1950 - WMGM, New York-Mutual net origination, MGM syndication. Commercials added locally. Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, William P. Rousseau (director), Dick Joy (announcer), Walter Schumann (composer, conductor), Eleanor Audley, Isabel Jewell, Ken Christy, Jean Holloway (writer), David Ellis, Ted Osborne. 27:58.

The NBC University Theater "The Patrician" (02-24-50)

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:20:40 -0700

The NBC THEATER was truly one well loved program. Beyond just its educational value, the combination of great stories... quality acting... and first class production made these shows wonderful entertainment. They are truly great radio AND a highly accessible way to introduce YOUR kids to great American Literature!

THIS EPISODE:
February 24, 1950. NBC network. "The Patrician". Sustaining. A wealthy man's political career is endangered by his love for a beautiful-but-divorced woman. Even worse...she's not even divorced! Alec Harford, Andrew C. Love (director), Don Stanley (announcer), Donald Morrison, Doris Lloyd, Eric Snowden, John Galsworthy (author), Margaret Webster (intermission commentator), Marla Caneely, Monty Margetts, Norma Varden, Ramsay Hill, Richard E. Davis (adaptor), Robin Hughes. 59:32.

Academy Award Theater "Keys Of The Kingdom" (08-21-46)

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:45:32 -0700

Academy Award Theater - The list of films and actors on Academy Award Theater is very impressive. Bette Davis begins the series in Jezebel, with Ginger Rogers following in Kitty Foyle, and then Paul Muni in The Life of Louis Pasteur. The Informer had to have Victor Mclaglen, and the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet (this movie was his first major motion picutre role) plus Mary Astor for the hat trick. Suspicion starred Cary Grant with Ann Todd doing the Joan Fontaine role, Ronald Coleman in Lost Horizon, and Joan Fontaine and John Lund were in Portrait of Jenny. How Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio were done is something to hear! Some films are less well known, such as Guest in the House, with Kirk Douglas and Anita Louise, It Happened Tomorrow, with Eddie Bracken and Ann Blythe playing Dick Powell and Linda Darnell's roles, and Cheers for Miss Bishop with Olivia de Havilland. Each adaptation is finely produced and directed by Dee Engelbach, with music composed and conducted by Leith Stevens. Frank Wilson wrote the movie adaptations. John Dunning in his book,"On the Air, The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio,"tells us why such a fine production lasted less than a year: "The House of Squibb, a drug firm, footed a stiff bill: up to $5,000 for the stars and $1,600 a week to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for use of the title. The production had all the class of a Lux or Screen Guild show…But the tariff took its toll, and after 39 weeks the series was scrapped." For more movies made for radio, please see Lux Radio Theater, and Mercury Theater and Campbell Playhouse, both Orson Welles creations, had many great adaptations of classic theater works and novels that also were adapted for the movies. All of these shows are wonderful old time radio listening.

THIS EPISODE:
August 21, 1946. CBS net. "The Keys Of The Kingdom". Sponsored by: Squibb. A story about the deep faith of a missionary to China, and his life of service. The show receives an award from "Motion Picture Magazine." Gregory Peck, Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Dee Englebach (producer, director), Hugh Brundage (announcer), Erskine Johnson (Motion Picture Magazine). 29:31.

Screen Directors Playhouse (Assignment) "Lets Live A Little" (01-16-49)

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:01:42 -0700

Screen Director's Assignment - From 01/09/49 to 09/28/51 this series was greatly enjoyed by the radio listening audience. It opened as NBC Theater and was also known as The Screen Director’s Guild and The Screen Director’s Assignment. But most people remember it simply as Screen Director’s Playhouse. Many of the Hollywood elite were heard recreating their screen roles over the radio. John Wayne in his rare radio appearances, Cary Grant, Edward G. Robinson, Lucille Ball, Claire Trevor, Tallulah Bankhead and many others were on the air week after week during these broadcasts. Many of Hollywood’s directors were also heard in the recreation of their movies. The President of the Screen Director’s Guild appeared on 02/13/49, and Violinist Isaac Stern supplied the music for the 04/19/51 broadcast.

THIS EPISODE:
January 16, 1949. NBC net. "Let's Live A Little". Sustaining. A light comedy about a harried advertising executive, his love life, his nerves, and his beautiful doctor. The sereis is also refered to as, "Screen Director's Playhouse" and "NBC Theatre." Robert Cummings, Richard Wallace (guest screen director), Betty Lou Gerson, Virginia Gregg, Tom Collins, Constance Crowder, John Dehner, Sarah Selby, Dan Riss, Richard Allen Simmons (writer), Henry Russell (composer, conductor), Howard Wiley (production supervisor), Frank Barton (announcer). 29:25.

The Philip Morris Playhouse "The Iron Man" (07-29-49)

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:45:54 -0700

The Philip Morris Playhouse - Philip Morris invested heavily in radio advertising throughout the 1930s and ‘40s, often having two weekly programs on competing networks. The first, a variety show that ran for twelve seasons (1934-47) and combined musical and dramatic elements, was called Johnny Presents, essentially giving Roventini "top billing" above all the big name guests that appeared on the broadcasts. The cigarette company also sponsored Philip Morris Playhouse, a dramatic anthology series that lasted 14 seasons (1939-53), finally switching to television.

THIS EPISODE:
July 29, 1949. CBS network. "The Iron Man". Sponsored by: Philip Morris, Revelation Pipe tobacco. The three owners of a failing New York bar decide to do in a barfly after taking out an insurance policy on his life. This is not as easy as it sounds. A well-done production of a classic (and true) story. William Spier (director, producer, editor), Sidney Miller, Jerry Hausner, Joseph Kearns, John Holbrook (announcer), Harold Swanton (writer), Lud Gluskin (music director), Art Ballinger (announcer), James Matthews. 29:35.

The NBC University Theater "Mrs. Dalloway" (04-02-50)

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:39:08 -0700

THIS EPISODE:
April 2, 1950. NBC network. "Mrs. Dalloway". Sustaining. A difficult story made nearly incomprehensible for the ear. British social relations, madness and suicide. The thoughts of the characters are mixed with the dialogue. Andrew C. Love (director), Bruce Payne, Charles Davis, Clarice A. Ross (adaptor), Constance Cavendish, Don Stanley (announcer), Doris Lloyd, Elizabeth Harrower, Gerald Cleveland, Katherine Anne Porter (intermission commentator), Leonard Mudie, Marion Richman, Monty Margetts, Ramsay Hill, Robin Hughes, Virginia McDowell, Virginia Woolfe (author). 59:32.

The Hollywood Radio Theater "The Awful Truth" (01-18-55)

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:05:29 -0700

The Hollywood Radio Theater (Lux Radio Theater) strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. It was when sponsor Lever Brothers (who made Lux soap and detergent) moved the show from New York to Hollywood in 1936 that it eased back from adapting stage shows and toward adaptations of films. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady, with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco. That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man, featuring the movie's stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell.

THIS EPISODE:
The Awful Truth aired January 18, 1955 starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant. This is the radio version taken from the classic 1937 romantic comedy film. The plot concerns the machinations of a soon-to-be-divorced couple, played by Dunne and Grant, who go to great lengths to try to ruin each other's romantic escapades. The bright, zesty, and carefree film was nominated for six Academy Awards.

Encore Theater "Yellowjack" (06-18-46)

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:10:04 -0700

ENCORE THEATER was a 1946 Summer replacement series, sponsored by Schenley Labs, Inc. All shows had a medical theme, some concerned medical research, some covered personal stories of people in the medical field but all based on true stories. Schenley Labs, Inc. was the sponsor for the series. The shows aired Tuesday evenings from 9:30 to 10:00 PM over CBS affiliated stations. Members of the cast were typically well-known radio or screen actors, such as Lurene Tuttle, Eric Snowden, Gerald Mohr, Ronald Colman, Robert Young or Lionel Barrymore. Producer for series was Bill Lawrence, who also directed the series. The announcer was Frank Graham. Music was by Leith Stevens. Scripts were written and adapted by Jean Holloway, Lloyd C. Douglas, Sidney Kingsley and Milton Geiger. Twelve of the thirteen scripts were adapted by Jean Holloway. The 1946 Summer series ended with the August 27th show, replaced by "Cresta Blanca Hollywood Players" (possibly known as "The Hollywood Players Company". There was a second ENCORE THEATER Summer series in 1949, however there is little information on it. It aired on Sundays. Eight shows are known to be in circulation. Known air dates are April 17, April 24, May 8 and June 5.

THIS EPISODE:
June 18, 1946. CBS network. "Yellowjack". Sponsored by: Schenley Laboratories. The story of how Dr. Reed discovered the cause of Yellow Fever. Ronald Colman, Edwin Max, Norman Field, Frank Nelson, Ken Christy, Jerry Hausner, Bill Lawrence (producer, director), Frank Graham (announcer), Leith Stevens (music), Jean Holloway (writer), Sidney Howard (author). 29:16.