CD 8A: “The Thing in the Tunnel” - 1944 (Program # 66) This episode, adapted from Charles Dickens’ (right) THE WEIRD CIRCLE 1866 story “The Signal Man,” includes performances by James Van Dyk, Walter Vaughn and Alan Devitt. Restless Sea Program Guide by Karl Schadow CD 8B: “The Pistol Shot” - 1944 (Program # 68) Arnold Moss, Walter Vaughn, Inge Adams, Edwin Literary works by such luminaries as Edgar Allan Poe, Wilkie Collins and Guy Jerome, Elizabeth Morgan, and Richard Morgan de Maupassant have entertained generations in their original form on the printed are heard in this Prosper Mérimée translation of Charles Dickens wrote "The Trail for page. Many of these classics of mystery, horror and fantasy have been adapted Alexander Pushkin’s 1831 work. Murder" and "The Signal Man" successfully for stage, film and television. Radio also played a major role in (from which "The Thing in the Tunnel" was adapted). bringing these tales to life. For example, the 1938 Mercury Theatre production of the H. G. Wells novel War of The Worlds is often cited as one of the outstanding Acknowledgements: The author thanks David Grabarek and Jerry Haendiges for achievements in broadcasting. There were numerous programs dedicated to such their invaluable assistance. works, each bearing an appropriate title. Both The World’s Greatest Short Stories and The World’s Great Novels explored various genres. These live programs were also accompanied by transcribed series, such as Radio Theatre of Famous Classics (Kermit-Raymond Corp.). Another member in this latter category If you enjoyed this CD set, we recommend was The Weird Circle, packaged by the Radio-Recording Division of NBC The Weird CIrcle: Toll the Bell, (NBCRRD) at its New York available now at www.RadioSpirits.com. City studios. (The program was not, as many sources cite incorrectly, a Frederick Ziv production.) This program’s initial announce- ment, in May of 1943, stated the availability of twenty-six episodes to accommodate half- hour slots. It joined several other www.RadioSpirits.com transcribed, syndicated series in PO Box 1315, Little Falls, NJ 07424 NBC’s “network within a net- work,” including both dramatic © 2017 RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. For home use only. and musical endeavors. Poli- Unauthorized distribution is prohibited. cies were still in place at both NBC and CBS mandating that Program guide © 2017 Karl Schadow and RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. network programs were to be broadcast as live productions. 47652 This was to alleviate the per- ceived inferior quality, and general stigma, often associated with pre-recorded CD 3B: “Frankenstein” - 1943 (Program # 26) shows. Alex Russo documents the early days of the NBCRRD in his book Points This 1818 classic by Mary Shelley features Chester Stratton, James Van Dyk and on the Dial: Golden Age Radio Beyond the Networks. When it was first orga- Richard Saunders. nized as the Electrical Transcription Service in 1934, there existed a great debate among NBC executives as to the proposed venture’s worth. However, it soon be- CD 4A: “The Spectre of Tappington” - 1944 (Program # 29) came apparent that it was fulfilling a need for many local stations, providing pro- Richard Harris Barham’s 1840 ghost story is performed by John Moore, Michael gramming which could also be most profitable for the network. The Division was Fitzmaurice, Elizabeth Morgan, and Alfred Shirley. administered by Vice-President C. Lloyd Egner, who oversaw a staff of some 200 employees functioning in similar jobs to their ‘live’ network counterparts. CD 4B: “The Cask of Amontillado” - 1944 (Program # 33) The thespians in Poe’s 1846 tale of revenge include Norman Lloyd and Bernard Production of The Weird Circle was originally supervised by Oscar Turner, with Lenrow. scripts adapted by Peggy Mayer. She stated in a 1943 press release that the series enabled her to achieve a lifelong goal: “to bring enduring works by masters CD 5A: “Falkland” - 1944 (Program # 35) of literature to radio.” She also co-directed this initial block of episodes with Arnold Moss and Edwin Jerome head the cast in this 1827 story by Edward Morris Hamilton. Her radio career commenced as an actress in Chicago. She Bulwer-Lytton (below). then moved to New York and acquired a job as a radio director’s secretary. Mayer turned script writer at age 24, becoming the youngest authoress of a network CD 5B: “The Trail for Murder” - 1944 (Program # 36) daytime serial (The Story of Bess Johnson). The Weird Circle was auditioned for This 1865 tale of the supernatural crafted by Charles Dickens features James Van the press, as well as the radio and advertising industry, on June 10, 1943 with Dyk, Kay Loring and Humphrey Davis. Poe's "The Fall of The House of Usher." CD 6A: “The Phantom Picture” - 1944 (Program # 41) Although Variety (June 23, 1943) reported that the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Carl Frank, Alan Devitt, Carl Eastman, and Inge Adams are heard in this spine- Co. was the first advertiser to pick up the series for distribution in the U.S., chiller, which was adapted from an early nineteenth century story by Washington no further information has been discovered regarding this particular endeavor. Irving. The series was, however, contracted by many local sponsors. The first was Peter Hand Brewery Co. of Chicago, whose product endorsements were heard each CD 6B: “The Burial of Roger Malvin” - 1944 (Program # 47) Thursday night at 9:30 pm via WGN, starting on July 8th. (Though WGN was a This Nathaniel Hawthorne yarn, penned in 1832, features Stacy Harris and Inge key station of the Mutual network, The Weird Circle Adams. was not aired as a program of that network). In New York, The Weird Circle was bankrolled by Howard CD 7A: “The Fatal Love Potion” - 1944 Clothes, Inc., airing at 6:00 pm Sunday nights on (Program # 48) the independent WNEW. In Los Angeles, listeners Michael Fitzmaurice and Ted de Corsia star in this tuned in to KECA (the Blue Network affiliate) on Edward Bulwer-Lytton tale from 1834, transformed Thursdays at 7:30 pm for episodes sponsored by from “The Last Days of Pompei.” Sanford Laboratories. CD 7B: “The Spectre Bride” - 1944 In addition to the trio of authors cited in the opening (Program # 60) paragraph, the first twenty-six episodes included the Elizabeth Eustis, Lesley Woods, Michael Fitzmaurice, works of Fitz-James O’Brien, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edwin Jerome are heard in William Harrison Nathaniel Hawthorne (Portrait by Edward Bulwer-Lytton wrote "Falkland" Charles Osgood) (left) and Marian Evans (using the pen name George Ainsworth’s unearthly narrative from 1822. and "The Fatal Love Potion" 2 7 was the immediate successor to the former series), he created patterns for Eliot). (These are all featured in this collection). The initial set of 26 episodes daytime serials (Stella Dallas) and juvenile adventures (Terry & The Pirates). was so highly lauded that another cycle of thirteen was produced. The creation Formulating sounds of a different nature was Donald Bain, who garnered a of additional blocks continued during 1944 and, by the start of 1945, there were reputation for being able to "imitate everything from a mosquito to an elephant." a total 78 episodes. Stations and sponsors continued to purchase the program. In Bain’s avocation initially blossomed during World War I, becoming a morale 1945, station KWK in St. Louis inaugurated a ‘Mystery of the Month’ slot, in booster for fellow troops. He enjoyed an extensive career in vaudeville and radio, which listeners were presented with episodes of the same series each weekday on Broadway, in Hollywood, and later on television. In this collection, listen for night (at the same time) over a four week period. The station scheduled The his renditions of a wide array of beasts. The Weird Circle continued to be offered Weird Circle for September at 10 pm. NBCRRD continued to offer The Weird throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s by NBC’s parent company RCA. Circle throughout the 1940s. Episode Guide: In 1949, Frigidaire (then a General Motors subsidiary) invited its local appliance (Note: Episodes were assigned individual program numbers in a continuous dealers to engage in a joint advertising plan. They offered a 50% partnership sequence regardless of the year or block in which they were recorded.) in bankrolling one of twenty-four different radio series from four different packagers, including The Weird Circle. An interesting example of the way this CD 1A: “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” - 1943 (Program # 4) collaboration worked can be found in the participation of Collins & Magill of This Edgar Allan Poe tale, penned in 1838, features Carl Frank, Santos Ortega, Troy, New York. The program was broadcast at the unusual hour of 1 pm on Irving Goldwater, Earl George, Ted de Corsia, and Roc Rogers. Friday’s via station WABY. (After all, the one family member who might be listening at that time of day would also be the person who had the most interest in CD 1B: “A Terribly Strange Bed” - 1943 (Program # 6) a new refrigerator.) A similar venture was profiled in a 1945 issue ofCooperative Chester Stratton, Dwight Weist (below), Julie Stevens, Roc Rogers, and Carl Digest, in which the Harmony Valley Creamery Association of San Luis Obispo, Eastman star in this Wilkie Collins yarn from 1852. California interacted with its member dairy farmers to promote the interests of the industry and to increase enrollment. The program was broadcast via the local CD 2A: “The Horla” - 1943 (Program # 9) KVEC on a weekly basis at assorted times and on various days. Guy de Maupassant’s 1886 thriller is brought to life by Julie Stevens, James Van Dyk, Santos Ortega, Ted de Corsia, and Cameron Andrews.