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Category : Entertainment | Tags : otr comedy drama variety music oldtimeradio vintage historical |
A gracious tip of the hat goes out to Steve this week for his very generous donation to the blog - thanks!
Some new transcriptions are rolling in. I just finished transferring episodes of an apparently lost soap opera that originated at WLW in Cincinnati, "The Mad Hatterfields" - anyone ever see anything about the program?
Stay tuned!
Mutual had someone who sent handouts in the form of columns. This is from July 3, 1938: “Midstream” “The Mad Hatterfields” “Midstream” and “The Mad Hatterfields” are two new radio script shows which will both make their network debuts over the Mutual Broadcasting System Monday, June 27. “Midstream” which will be heard Mondays through Fridays from 2:15 to 2:30 p. m., involves the trials and tribulations of an eccentric family. Paul Hughes is cast as Charles Meredith. Eva Pownall is heard as Julia Meredith, his wife. Jack Mark portrays son David and Mary Jane Croft does the daughter, Midge. The script is by Pauline Hopkins, also author of the second series. “The Mad Hatterfields” will be heard Mondays through Fridays from 4:45 to 5 p. m., and is of a lighter nature.
The show seems to have begun airing locally in July 1937.
A newspaper publicity photo from June 6, 1939 reads: The trouble, of course, is the sheaf of bills that Rolly (William Green) is holding, as he insists that his fellow “Mad Hatterfields” be less extravagant. Listeners to the tirade are Meg (Pauline Hopkins), seated; Nicky (Duane Snodgrass), and Rita (Betty Arnold), Their goings-on are broadcast on the “Mad Hatterfields” series over WLW, Monday through Friday at 3 p. m., EST. Miss Hopkins also writes the scripts.
Here’s another little column, Jan. 1, 1939.
A MILLION WORDS WRITTEN FOR ONE RADIO PROGRAM For her 370 episodes of the “Mad Hatterfields,” Pauline Hopkins, author of the popular Mutual network serial, has written approximately 1,036,000 words. At 2,800 words per script, which in itself is above the average for air-dramas, but which is the result of an unusually fast pace set by the comedy, Miss Hopkins’ wordage is believed to be a near record. The author of “Mad Hatterfields” began writing at the age of seven, but gave up all hope of ever becoming a writer when her first novel, “The Scarlet Goods,” written before she was ten, brought nothing but hilarity from her family. Gathering material for her radio-drama, Miss Hopkins turns an eye to the members of her own family, and writes a story of artistic and lovably erratic people. “The Mad Hatterfields” originates in the studios of Mutual’s Cincinnati affiliate,, WLW, and is heard Monday through Friday at 3:45 p. m. over KBST.
The show seems to have gone off the air in June 1939.
