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Post by LiamCasey on Oct 23, 2022 19:30:10 GMT
TB's inclusion of an "Old Time Radio Programs" top-level thread on this forum that doesn't correspond to an equivalent existing thread on the TCM forum makes me consider the (potentially erroneous!) possibility that many members of this forum may be extremely knowledgeable on old-time movies but not so much on old-time radio. So I decided to create this thread in an attempt to bridge between old-time movies and old-time radio and see where it leads to. And, considering my avatar, it should come as no surprise that I would start off with... Bold Venture (1951 - 1952) w/ Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Jester Hairston. Think To Have and Have Not (1944) with a dash of Casablanca (1942) minus World War 2. Starring Humphrey Bogart as Slate Shannon. Who runs a hotel in Cuba rather than a saloon/gambling house in French Morocco. But who still has a wide variety of clientele who invariably lead him on an adventure whether he wishes to go on one or not. An adventure aided by the fact that he also owns a boat, the Bold Venture. Plus Lauren Bacall as Sailor Duval, Slate's ward (  ) and sidekick. And Jester Hairston as the Calypso singer King Moses. archive.org/details/BoldVenture57Episodes |
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Post by BingFan on Oct 24, 2022 1:27:51 GMT
Great idea for a thread. There are quite a few direct connections between old time radio and the golden days of Hollywood.
The long-running Lux Radio Theater (1934-55) was hosted by a succession of movie directors, including Cecil B. DeMille (1936-45). This anthology series featured hour-long adaptations of movies and Broadway plays, often with the original stars (e.g., The Thin Man radio adaptation starred William Powell and Myrna Loy). The Lux adaptations, being so much shorter than the source movies and plays, are never a replacement for the original, but they’re pretty well done and fun to hear.
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ericj
New Member
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Post by ericj on Oct 25, 2022 5:33:57 GMT
Most people don't even know that Orson Welles did OTHER Mercury Theater of the Air besides that Martian thing--
Welles' whole idea was how to restage classic stories for radio, Mercury stage-theater style, and adapted two entire seasons of classic novels, recent stage, and short stories. (Later finding a sponsor as the "Campbell Playhouse".)
As for where to find them on MP3 (and ancient 00's RealAudio, if you've got a converter or VLC player): www.mercurytheatre.info
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Post by LiamCasey on Oct 30, 2022 16:36:40 GMT
Great idea for a thread. There are quite a few direct connections between old time radio and the golden days of Hollywood.
The long-running Lux Radio Theater (1934-55) was hosted by a succession of movie directors, including Cecil B. DeMille (1936-45). This anthology series featured hour-long adaptations of movies and Broadway plays, often with the original stars (e.g., The Thin Man radio adaptation starred William Powell and Myrna Loy). The Lux adaptations, being so much shorter than the source movies and plays, are never a replacement for the original, but they’re pretty well done and fun to hear. I was tempted to start off this thread with The Lux Radio Theatre (1934 - 1955). But, considering the scope of that anthology series, it could be a thread unto itself. A little background. I started listening to old-time radio back in 2005. That was the year XM Satellite Radio (now SiriusXM Radio) first began broadcasting Major League Baseball games which lead to me subscribing to that service. However, baseball games are not broadcast 24/7 so, naturally, I also listened to other channels. And one of those channels I gravitated to more and more often wound up being RadioClassics. And, having long had my own private office at work, that channel has been playing in my background for many a year at this point. And, therefore, I have caught many an episode of The Lux Radio Theatre as a result. In those cases where The Lux Radio Theatre was adapting a movie I had already seen, I enjoyed that episode as a variation on a theme. How did they convert it to a purely audio experience? How did they cut it down to an hour in length (Which was at least 30 minutes longer than what The Screen Guild Theater (1939 - 1952) had to play with!)? What was it like with different actors in certain roles? Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. And for those cases where The Lux Radio Theatre was adapting a movie that I hadn't seen before? Sometimes it confirmed that I hadn't missed anything. And sometimes it made me want to see the movie itself. Which reminds me. I still need to catch The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942) one of these years. archive.org/details/OTRR_Lux_Radio_Theater_SinglesBy the way, my predictive powers leave a bit to be desired. I assumed that, if you weighed in on this thread, you would bring up The Kraft Music Hall (1933 - 1949). Specifically, that program's host from 1936 to 1946.  |
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Post by BingFan on Oct 30, 2022 17:45:39 GMT
...And for those cases where The Lux Radio Theatre was adapting a movie that I hadn't seen before? Sometimes it confirmed that I hadn't missed anything. And sometimes it made me want to see the movie itself. Which reminds me. I still need to catch The War Against Mrs. Hadley (1942) one of these years. archive.org/details/OTRR_Lux_Radio_Theater_SinglesBy the way, my predictive powers leave a bit to be desired. I assumed that, if you weighed in on this thread, you would bring up The Kraft Music Hall (1933 - 1949). Specifically, that program's host from 1936 to 1946.
Yes, I should remember to work Bing into my posts more often! (If I don’t, who will? ) Although Jolson’s stint as host of The Kraft Music Hall after Bing was entertaining, Bing’s years were the height of the program in my opinion — full of lively music and comedy. (I haven’t heard any of the Paul Whiteman years that preceded Bing’s time on the program.)
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Post by LiamCasey on Nov 5, 2022 17:12:34 GMT
Most people don't even know that Orson Welles did OTHER Mercury Theater of the Air besides that Martian thing--
Welles' whole idea was how to restage classic stories for radio, Mercury stage-theater style, and adapted two entire seasons of classic novels, recent stage, and short stories. (Later finding a sponsor as the "Campbell Playhouse".)
As for where to find them on MP3 (and ancient 00's RealAudio, if you've got a converter or VLC player): www.mercurytheatre.info I wouldn't be surprised if that is all people know about Orson Welles. Heck, I'm fairly confident that, if a poll of average Americans was taken asking them for an example of something from old-time radio, the second most popular answer would be the War of the Worlds episode from The Mercury Theatre On the Air (1938). And, sadly, I'm also fairly confident that the first most popular answer would be "What is old-time radio?".  As a matter of fact, I was on a road trip last weekend and, being October 30th, it just seemed appropriate that one of the CDs I listened to while driving was that very episode. But I also listened to him on that trip as Dr. Patrick Cory alongside John McIntire, Jennette Nolan and Hans Conried in the two-part Donovan's Brain episode from Suspense (1940 - 1962). Not as historically significant. But just as enjoyable. archive.org/details/SuspenseRoma43to44/Suspense_1944-05-22_Donovans_Brain_Pt1_wOrsonWelles+UPGRADE+WC+Monday.mp3archive.org/details/SuspenseRoma43to44/Suspense_1944-05-25_Donovans_Brain_Pt2_wOrsonWelles+UPGRADE+EC+Thursday.mp3Because when it comes to Orson Welles, he's kind of like The Lux Radio Theatre (1934 - 1955). He also could be a thread unto himself. The scope of episodes from The Mercury Theater On The Air is just the tip of the iceberg: Dracula, Treasure Island, A Tale of Two Cities, The 39 Steps, etc. archive.org/details/OrsonWelles_MercuryTheatreBut he was also, of all things, Lamont Cranston from 1937 to 1938 in The Shadow (1930 - 1954) along with either Agnes Moorehead or Margot Stevenson as Margo Lane. archive.org/details/the-shadow-1938-10-09-141-death-stalks-the-shadowAnd, in a old-time radio show that may truly entice fans of classic movies, he was the title character front and center in The Lives of Harry Lime (1951 - 1952), a BBC radio prequel to The Third Man (1949) movie. archive.org/details/TheLivesOfHarryLimeSuperheroes and prequels? Sounds like Mr. Welles was all set to operate in modern day Hollywood! |
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Post by LiamCasey on Nov 12, 2022 18:15:08 GMT
After starting off this thread with one of the American Film Institute's 50 Greatest American Screen Legends (Humphrey Bogart), it just seems appropriate to jump to another on that list... The Six Shooter (1953 - 1954) w/ James Stewart With a title like that, we are obviously dealing with a western here. Starring Jimmy Stewart as Britt Ponset, a character whom the narrator can describe far better than I: "The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-dyed brown. The gun in his holster is gray steel and rainbow mother-of-pearl, its handle unmarked. People call them both 'the Six Shooter'." "The Texas plainsman who wandered through the western territories, leaving behind a trail of still-remembered legends..." Regardless of the title, though, Britt Ponset is more of a cowpoke roaming from town to town which (similar to Slate Shannon above) invariably leads him on an adventure (some dramatic, some comedic, some romantic) whether he wishes to go on one or not. But a cowpoke who can handle a gun very well if need be. If you're a fan of Mr. Stewart, this is a must listen. archive.org/details/OTRR_The_Six_Shooter_SinglesAnd, even if you're not (which, to be honest, is a condition that I can't imagine), you might still enjoy the theme music... |
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Post by LiamCasey on Nov 20, 2022 15:36:11 GMT
Earlier this week, I watched Bulldog Drummond (1929) with Ronald Colman as the title character who, having served as a British Army officer in The Great War, is bored with his post-war life and advertises for adventure. Which reminded me of... Box 13 (1948 - 1949) w/ Alan Ladd, Sylvia Picker and Edmund MacDonald Starring Alan Ladd as Dan Holiday. A one-time news reporter and now fiction writer, Holiday also runs an advertisement in the local paper. "Adventure wanted. Will go anywhere. Do anything. Write Box 13, Star-Times." In his case, though, Holiday is looking for inspiration for his fiction. And, needless to say, each episode's response to his advertisement leads him on an adventure. Plus Sylvia Picker as his secretary, Suzy (because such radio characters always have a secretary) and Edmund MacDonald as Police Lieutenant Kling (because such radio characters always have an official frenemy). archive.org/details/OTRR_Box_13_Singles |
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) and sidekick. And Jester Hairston as the Calypso singer King Moses.
