Arch Oboler's Plays
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CD 9B: “Mr. Miller” - 10/04/1945 In his first straight dramatic radio role, Eddie Cantor (right) portrays an overly-enthusiastic boxing manager. Also heard ARCH OBOLER’S PLAYS in the radio play are Howard Duff, Leo Cleary, Lester Jay, Program Guide by Karl Schadow Bill Johnstone, Irvin Lee, Elliott Lewis, Lew Merrill, Sidney Miller, and Julian Upton. In the April 8, 1939 edition of The Billboard, Jerry Franken made a remarkable statement: “This reviewer recalls no other radio playwright who has been given CD 10A: “The Visitor From Hades” (Program # 2) the equal of what NBC is giving Arch Oboler...a half hour, musical support - 10/10/1964 Eddie Cantor (mostly organ), actors, complete charge of production and direction -- but above An unexpected participant suddenly appears during the raucous quarrel of a everything NBC is giving the recognition all these thing connote.” The pundit married couple, portrayed by Bill Phipps and Lurene Tuttle. Their supporting concluded the opening of his critique by noting: “For once a radio writer is cast includes Paula Winslowe, Peggy Webber, Hal Peary, and Jerry Hausner. getting those things customary in the theater or, more rarely, pictures.” It was not unusual in radio for individual program monikers to reflect the names of CD 10B: “The Day Sinatra Got Fat” (Program # 4) - 10/24/1964 starring performers (George Burns and Gracie Allen) or sponsors (Eveready Jack Kruschen and Valerie Varda co-star in this satirical thriller about greed. Hour). However, this expansion of title credit to an author was a most welcome revelation across the radio industry. Arch Oboler’s Plays debuted via the CD 10C: “Him or Me” (Program # 13) - 12/26/1964 network’s Red chain at 10:00pm Eastern Time on Saturday, March 25, 1939. A man is consumed by the need to rid himself of a pesky varmint…by any means necessary. Larry Dobkin stars in this story, along with Barbara Eiler, Gloria It took Arch Oboler six years to accomplish this feat in the aural medium. An Blondell, Barney Phillips, Hal Peary, Victor Perrin, Olan Soulé, Jerry Hausner, early career interest in the engineering field was eclipsed by a desire to engage and Tommy Cook. in storytelling. He wrote initially for pulp magazines, but soon brought his yarns to radio. This native of Chicago first entered the medium on November 15, 1933 with a fantasy called “Futuristics” (broadcast as a part of NBC’s celebration Acknowledgements: The author thanks Harrison Behl, David Sager, and Bryan of both its anniversary and the Cornell from the Recorded Sound Research Center, Library of Congress for their opening of its Radio City stu- invaluable assistance. dios in New York City). Dur- ing the next half-dozen years, Oboler contributed scripts to various programs, including First Nighter and The Chase & Sanborn Hour, among many www.RadioSpirits.com others. In 1936, he assumed PO Box 1315, Little Falls, NJ 07424 the writing duties for Lights Out when Wyllis Copper © 2020 RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. For home use only. moved to Hollywood. It was Unauthorized distribution prohibited. through this late-night hor- ror series that Oboler would Program Guide © 2020 Karl Schadow and RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. become well-known to both industry executives and the lis- 48722 tening audience. The Arch Oboler’s Plays enterprise consisted of three distinct one-season series The cast includes Gloria Blondell, Frank Martin, Terese Lyon, Griff Barnett, broadcast over a period that encompassed a quarter-century (1939 to 1964). In Edmund MacDonald, Barney James, Roseanne Murray, Everett Allen, Dorothy this collection, stories are culled from each of these endeavors. As previously Scott, Joseph Granby, and Elliott Lewis (credited as Bruce Elliott). noted, the initial venture debuted in March of 1939. Though Oboler had moved to Hollywood to pursue opportunities in motion pictures, he was in New York CD 6A: “Mr. Pyle” - 06/14/1945 during the spring of that year. With one exception, the broadcasts of his plays In a special tribute to the recent war casualty Ernie Pyle, Burgess Meredith originated from that East Coast metropolis. When business took him to Chicago, portrays the distinguished correspondent. He is supported by Frank Martin, one episode (“The Word” - May 27, 1939) was aired from the NBC studios in Sydney Miller, David Bradford, Elliott Lewis (credited as Bruce Elliott), Everett that city. (After listening to this broadcast [CD 1A], one might be amused by the Allen, Bob Holton, Herb Rawlinson, and Bill Shaw. idea that this episode aired from this particular city.) CD 6B: “The Naked Mountain” - 06/21/1945 To Oboler’s credit, he was always seeking new voices for his dramas. One such Franchot Tone and Lurene Tuttle co-star as a couple whose travels in post-war actor, Lew Danis (below) had his network radio debut in “And Adam Begot” Bavaria are interrupted by two desperate boys, enacted by Tommy Cook and (CD 2A). According to The Billboard (August 26, 1939), Oboler had heard Joel Davis. Danis on an Italian language program on WOV (an independent New York City station). After a successful audition, he decided to cast Danis in a future play. In CD 7A: “The Truth” - 06/28/1945 addition to his efforts at WOV, Danis was the lead in WHN’s English language Edmund Gwenn stars as an astronomy professor who is determined to discover programs What Would You Do? and Unfinished Headlines. the origins of his dreams. Additional cast members include Roseanne Murray, Antony Ellis, Alec Harford, and Elliott Lewis (credited as Bruce Elliott). This CD set includes a performance from the 1939-40 series titled “Ivory Tower” (CD 1B), starring stage and screen legend Alla Nazimova. She had heard of CD 7B: “My Chicago” - 07/26/1945 the series and contacted Oboler, hoping to become a part of his project. He A caricature of the Windy City is the curious subject of a boy’s letter to a pen was interested in the prospect, but doubted that he could pay her usual fee of pal in China. Tommy Cook headlines the cast, along with Elliott Lewis, Cathy $3,500. According to Variety (July 12, 1939), she offered to work for free, but Lewis, Jo Gilbert, Bea Benadaret, Truda Marson, and Evelyn Scott. was ultimately paid AFRA union scale ($21). It was indeed a coup for Oboler to have been able to acquire her talents, as she had declined recent offers from CD 8A: “Parade” - 08/02/1945 prestigious programs. The Russian-born actress commenced her entertainment Dawn Bender stars as a little girl who exhibits remarkable courage in searching career as a violinist in the orchestras of Igor Stravinsky and Nicolai Rimsky- for her father amidst hundreds of marching airmen. Van Heflin leads the Korsakov. Her previous radio endeavors had been supporting cast, which includes Olive Deering, Jane Morgan, Elliott Lewis, rare occasions, limited to short scenes. In a review Byron Kane, David Ellis, and John Lake. of her performance in “Ivory Tower,” Herman Schoenfeld (Variety, July 12, 1939) proclaimed: “... CD 8B: “History of a Mug” - 08/09/1945 it was almost a soliloquy for Mme. Nazimova, withal A mother has decidedly mixed feelings about her gangster son upon his death. captivating radio entertainment.” Bea Benadaret headlines this cast, which includes Elliott Lewis, John Alden, Leo Cleary, Gerald Mohr, Roseanne Murray, Dorothy Scott, and Theodore von Eltz. Another virtuoso performance of the 1939-40 season was delivered by James Cagney in “Johnny Got His CD 9A: “Mirage” - 09/06/1945 Gun” (CD 4A). This broadcast was one of a select Joan Blaine and Raymond Edward Johnson star as a beleaguered couple horrified few that Oboler adapted from an outside source. It by an old man they encounter while taking a night time stroll on a beach. Lew Danis was based on the Dalton Trumbo novel of the same 2 7 CD 2A: “And Adam Begot” - 09/09/1939 name, which was a controversial anti-war best Rosaline Greene, Lew Danis, and Chester Stratton portray a trio of travelers seller. Published in 1939, it was the recipient of the whose auto mishap is the least of their worries. “National Book Award: The Most Original Book of 1939” from the National Booksellers Association. In CD 2B: “This Precious Freedom” - 12/30/1939 a unique publicity campaign, the book’s publisher (J. A man’s sudden jobless state escalates into a loss greater than that of finances in B. Lippincott) placed advertisements (right) in major this yarn starring Lou Merrill. Supporting cast includes Elliott Lewis, Kathleen American newspapers promoting both the tome and Fitz, Jane Morgan, Al Cameron, and Tim Graham. the radio program. Robert Landry’s assessment of the broadcast in Variety (March 13, 1940) was bold: CD 3A: “Money, Money, Money” - 01/06/1940 “It had the drama and trauma of sanity and insanity This unusual story of greed has an equally unusual climax. Edmund McDonald, locked in a tug o’war. It was terrific but terrible.” Anne Stone, Jay Novello, Ed Max, Wally Maher, and Harold Girard are heard The episode earned Oboler an Honorable Mention in in this broadcast. the category “For General Use by Adults, All Drama Forms” from the Institute for Education by Radio at CD 3B: “Special to Hollywood” - 02/03/1940 Ohio State University. Print ad for The Boston Herald Elite members of the Hollywood crowd encounter a bizarre phenomenon while abroad a plane returning to the West Coast. The cast includes Gale Page, Hans In addition to his on-air endeavors, Oboler was a major participant in the radio Conried, John Fee, and Elliott Lewis. session of the Third American Writers’ Congress held in New York.