October 2, 2009
Let’s drop in again on “Favorite Story”, an anthology of dramas hosted by Ronald Coleman and syndicated by Ziv in the late 1940s and early 50s. This time we hear something a little more high-brow.
Musician Alfred Wallenstein’s favorite story, “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen, is program 62 in the series. The cast includes John Beal, Janet Waldo, and William Conrad.
The show was transferred from original red vinyl Ziv transcription set. I think the show may be an uncirculated episode of the series among collectors.
September 13, 2009
Once in a while when going through old transcriptions, you find a little gem - something that surprises you and has an interesting backstory.
We pay another visit to Ronald Coleman hosting the late 1940s syndicated Ziv series, “Favorite Story”, this week presenting a story that was originally a radio play. It’s Program 61 in the series, “Inside a Kid’s Head”, the favorite story of Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
The play was written by Jerome Lawrence Schwartz and Robert Edwin Lee. In fact, it was the first play they wrote together after forming a partnership in 1942. “The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama” notes that a few years later, they would become two of the founders of Armed Forces Radio, creating programs for the network such as “Mail Call” and producing programming for events like V-J Day. After the War, they continued working together, writing for the stage. You might have heard of one of their more successful little plays - “Inherit the Wind”.
“Inside a Kid’s Head” is an imagatnitive and fun little tour through the life of a ten year old boy. The cast includes many old time radio favorites such as Hans Conreid.
The show was transferred from an original Ziv red vinyl transcription set. The show may be previously uncirculated or uncommon among otr collectors.
June 12, 2009
“Favorite Story” is one of those syndicated shows that’s never gotten a lot of attention from old time radio collectors. But there’s some great drama there, such as today’s entry.
Program 44 is “The Strange Mr. Bartleby”, based on a story by Herman Melville, the favorite story of Robert Montgomery. In addition to the host, Ronald Coleman, you’ll hear two old time radio favorites - Hans Conreid and William Conrad - in a rather unusual story that’s part mystery and part character study. Goldin dates this episode of “Favorite Story” to April 22, 1947. The show originated at KFI in Los Angeles and was then syndicated by Frederick W. Ziv.
Our transfer is from an original set of red vinyl Ziv transcriptions,
May 1, 2009
I recently came into a group of discs from the Ziv syndicated series “Favorite Story”.
According to Goldin, the show originated at KFI, Los Angeles. Each week, the program presented the “favorite” stories of famous personalities. Program 13 in the series dramatizes the story of “Joan of Arc”, the favorite story of actress Jennifer Jones. Joan Lorring stars as Joan and the program, as it was each week, was introduced by Ronald Coleman. Goldin dates this particular episode to September 16, 1946.
I have to admit that Joan Lorring was unfamiliar to me, but it turns out she starred opposite Bette Davis in “The Corn is Green” in 1945 and was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work. Also in the cast of “Joan of Arc”, you’ll recognize a couple of the hardest working men in radio, Howard Duff and William Conrad. Other programs in the “Favorite Story” series include many old time radio regulars.
The show was transferred from an original red vinyl Ziv syndication transcription set, matrix numbers L22370-A1 and L23371-A1.
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