October 28, 2009
Here’s another lost/uncirculated episode in the Ziv syndicated drama series, “Your Movietown Radio Theatre”, dated by Goldin to circa 1947-48.
Program 19 is something of a mystery play, “Goodbye My Love” and stars Lurene Tuttle. Her character tells the story of her husband, an up and coming novelist, who receives a strange telegram from another writer, inviting him to collaborate on a new book. As usual, the opening announcements and commercials aren’t included, since these would be read by your local announcer.
The show was transferred from original ZIV vinyl transcription set, matrix numbers UR 174878 and UR 174879 AU1. The disc suffered water damage, obscuring the label, so there’s no photo and I’ve run the file through click reduction software to improve the sound of this rather scratched disc set.
updated 10.29.2009 - corrected spelling of “Lurene Tuttle”
October 8, 2009
I’ve posted a number of drama anthologies to the blog in recent weeks. This type of show seemed to be ubiquitous in 1940s radio and this one isn’t as well known as some of the others. Lets listen to “Your Movietown Radio Theatre”, syndicated by Ziv, and dating from around 1947, according to Goldin.
Program 13 is “The London Legend” with Jane Wyatt, possibly a previously lost/uncirculated program in the series. The story concerns a love triangle involving a real diva, actress Victoria London, her secretary, and a small-town newspaper man. You’ll notice there’s no opening announcement to identify the show - just music. Your local announcer would provide the opening, along with a commercial from one of your fine local merchants.
You younger listeners prying your eyes away from the television to listen to some classic old time radio might recognize Jane Wyatt for her roles on “Father Knows Best” and as Spock’s human mother on “Star Trek”.
The show was transferred from original ZIV vinyl transcription set, matrix numbers UR 174870 AU1 and UR 174871 AU1. This one doesn’t have a scan since there are no labels left on the discs - the set suffered water damage. The discs were also pretty heavily scratched, so the file has been click-reduced before converting to mp3 format.
I have several more shows from the series that I’ll post on occasion.
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.
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.
December 20, 2008
Christmas wouldn’t be complete without someone doing their version of Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol”. In keeping with the blog theme of offering the rare, esoteric and unusual, we give a listen to Ronald Coleman as host and Scrooge in “Favorite Story”, program 119.
According to Goldin, “Favorite Story”, originated at NBC’s Pacific network and was syndicated by Ziv, with this episode, the last in the series, first broadcast December 24, 1949.
The program was transferred from an original set of bright red vinyl Frederick W. Ziv syndication transcriptions.
October 30, 2008
Happy Halloween!
In keeping with the season, we offer program 14 of the series “Favorite Story”, an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”.
“Favorite Story” was syndicated by Ziv in the late 1940s and each week’s story was chosen by prominent personalities of the day and was hosted by Ronald Colman. Believe it or not, “Frankenstein” was chosen by Fred Allen as his favorite story.
The program was transferred from an original red vinyl set of Ziv transcriptions.
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