1920s and 1930s
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Whistling in Dressing Rooms
| Program | Superstitions |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 1.1.1935 |
| Length | 13.07 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Award | MyOldRadio |
| Plot synopsis | Origins of belief whistling in a dressing room is bad luck |
| Emotion | Moderate |
| Intellec | Strong |
| Transcend | low |
| Writing | Fair |
| Acting | Overacting |
| Research | Historical research |
| Structure | Narrative sequence |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Original |
| Acoustic | Sounds of theater |
| Music | Medieval music.gong |
| Narration | Host opens |
| Social Mean | Fallacy of superstitions |
| Surprise | Reveals source of superstitions |
| Venue Vivid | Theater |
| Authentic | Authentic |
| Link | Click |
Pioneer Physician Elizabeth Blackwell
| Program | Cavalcade of America |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 1.27.1937 |
| Length | 29.26 |
| Genre | History |
| Award | OTR, remade for TV in 1955 |
| Plot synopsis | Elizabeth Blackwell fights more than sexism to become the first woman medical doctor |
| Emotion | Strong |
| Intellec | High |
| Transcend | Overcoming sexism |
| Writing | Good |
| Acting | Good dramatizations of history |
| Research | Thorough |
| Structure | chronological sequence of acts |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Original |
| Acoustic | Effective |
| Music | Dramatic |
| Narration | Host |
| Social Mean | Importance of medicine and overcoming sexism |
| Surprise | |
| Venue Vivid | World locations from Bristol, UK to NY to Paris |
| Authentic | Draws upon historical documents |
| Link | Click |
Magnificent Obsession
| Program | Lux Radio Theater |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 4.26.1937 |
| Length | 57.12 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Award | OTR, Podbay.fm |
| Plot synopsis | Careless and wealthy sportsman comes to feel responsible for the death of a great surgeon and injury to his wife, then dedicates his life to medicine and self-lessly help those in need. |
| Emotion | Strong |
| Intellec | High |
| Transcend | High |
| Writing | Compelling |
| Acting | Robert Taylor, Irene Dunn |
| Research | Thorough medical |
| Structure | Acts |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Adapted from 1929 book by Dr. Lloyd D. Douglas and 1935 film |
| Acoustic | |
| Music | Dramatic music sets tone |
| Narration | CB DeMille |
| Social Mean | Pay it forward message |
| Surprise | Mild twist |
| Venue Vivid | Varied, ordinary |
| Authentic | Accurate medical state of day |
| Link | Click |
Murder Castle
The Count of Monte Cristo
| Program | Mercury Radio Theater |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 8.29.1938 |
| Length | 58.59 |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Award | OTRR |
| Plot synopsis | Imprisoned unjustly during Napolean's exille, a man assumes a new identity and seeks his revenge after escaping infamous French prison |
| Emotion | Stron, Revenge |
| Intellec | Strong |
| Transcend | Strong |
| Writing | Brilliant |
| Acting | Orson Welles |
| Research | Excellent |
| Structure | Acts |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Adapted from Alexandre Dumas' novel |
| Acoustic | Environmental acoustics in prison, castle |
| Music | Suspenseful, dramatic |
| Narration | Protagonist's narration |
| Social Mean | Revenge |
| Surprise | Twist |
| Venue Vivid | Various including island prison near Marseille |
| Authentic | Convincing |
| Link | Click |
War of the Worlds
| Program | Mercury Radio Theater |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 10.30.1938 |
| Length | 59.18 |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
| Award | Cronkite, OTRR |
| Plot synopsis | Mars invades earth |
| Emotion | Strong |
| Intellec | Strong |
| Transcend | Belief of Extraterrestrial invasion causes panic |
| Writing | Compelling |
| Acting | Orson Wells |
| Research | Good |
| Structure | Informal Acts |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Adapted from HW Wells |
| Acoustic | Environmental acoustics, sounds of invasion |
| Music | Music of orchestra |
| Narration | |
| Social Mean | Believable story can cause strong public reaction,including panic |
| Surprise | Panic results for those with low critical ability, research shows |
| Venue Vivid | New Jersey |
| Authentic | Specific locations used |
| Link | Click |
A Passenger to Bali
| Program | Mercury Radio Theater |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 11.13.1938 |
| Length | 60.18 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Award | OTRR |
| Plot synopsis | Man without a country sails for Bali |
| Emotion | Strong |
| Intellec | Strong |
| Transcend | Essence of civilization |
| Writing | Compelling |
| Acting | Orson Welles |
| Research | Good |
| Structure | Three acts puntuated by commercials |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Adapted from book |
| Acoustic | Environmental acoustics, ships horn, typhoon |
| Music | |
| Narration | Welles |
| Social Mean | How to dispose of man without a country while shipboard |
| Surprise | Inevitable but jarring end |
| Venue Vivid | On board ship in south China sea |
| Authentic | Accurate |
| Link | Click |
It Happened One Night
| Program | Lux Radio Theater |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 3.2.1939 |
| Length | 56.38 |
| Genre | Romantic Comedy |
| Award | Old Time Radio Hour |
| Plot synopsis | Reporter encounters runaway heiress on the road |
| Emotion | Good |
| Intellec | Moderate |
| Transcend | Good |
| Writing | Excellent |
| Acting | Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert |
| Research | Little |
| Structure | Three Acts |
| Perspective* | 1st person |
| Adapt/author | Adapted from original screenplay |
| Acoustic | Environmental acoustics |
| Music | Lively |
| Narration | DeMille |
| Social Mean | Wealth, journalism |
| Surprise | Selfless ending |
| Venue Vivid | East coast, bus |
| Authentic | Authentic with actual bus driver as guest |
| Link | Click |
Angels with Dirty Faces
| Program | Lux Radio Theater |
|---|---|
| Air Date | 5.22.1939 |
| Length | 58.56 |
| Genre | Drama |
| Award | OTRR |
| Plot synopsis | Priest tries to reform childhood friend who grew up as gangster |
| Emotion | Strong |
| Intellec | Strong |
| Transcend | Anti-hero gangster dramatizes evil of idolizing crminals |
| Writing | Compelling |
| Acting | James Cagney, Pat O'Brien |
| Research | Good |
| Structure | Acts informal |
| Perspective* | 1st & 3rd person |
| Adapt/author | Adapted from film screenplay |
| Acoustic | Sounds of street, church, prison |
| Music | |
| Narration | Narrated by CB DeMille |
| Social Mean | Parable of danger of idolizing gangsters |
| Surprise | Twist at end |
| Venue Vivid | Streets to Prison |
| Authentic | Realism |
| Link | Click |