Golden Age of Radio

Bakersfield Californian August 18, 1988 Reality on radio: 'One Man's Family' first to bring human drama on the air. A cast of nine veteran radio actors, an announcer, a sound man, and Carlton E. Morse gathered on a late afternoon in Studio B of the National Broadcasting Co.'s West Coast offices. They came for the first reading rehearsal of "Chapter One, Book One" of "One Man's Family." This was the first attempt on radio to create a real-life American family with down-to-earth human relations between parents and children, wrote creator Morse. He said the reading got mixed reactions from the cast, but the head of the West Coast production department turned thumbs down. Both the program manager and production director told him, quite frankly, "No. Morse, this 'One Man's Family' tripe is pure tripe! Everybody lives a family life, day in, day out! Who wants to turn on his radio and listen to more family life?" As i

ANNOUNCER: One Man's Family is dedicated to the Mothers and Fathers of the Younger Generation and to their Bewildering Offspring. Tonight we bring you Chapter Ten, Book Twenty-Three, entitled "Two Million Dollars At Stake." Clifford and Ann are walking on air. Father and Mother Barbour have given them a round-trip ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong on the China Clipper for their honeymoon! This happened last night at the engagement shower for the couple... and now the family is at breakfast.... FANNY: (Coming to Mike) Now Clifford, eat your breakfast like a normal human being.... CLIFF: But Mom, Dad says the Clipper Ship crosses the Equator on the way to Hong Kong, and it doesn't at all. HENRY: Certainly you cross the Equator.... CLIFF: No Dad- FANNY: Are you going to eat your bacon and eggs? CLAUDIA: What's bacon and eggs in Cliffs young life? FANNY: Well if I'd known what a goose he was going to be, I'd have put my foot down when you

Adventure (1951-1952)  Harry Lime, played by Orson Welles , started out as a minor character in the movie, The Third Man written by Graham Greene. Intrigued by the character, Orson Welles starred as Harry Lime on the radio show The Adventures of Harry Lime. Though the character was killed in the movie Welles and producer Harry Alan Towers brought Lime back in what is believed to be the first prequel.. The radio show, The Adventures of Harry Lime was produced and distributed by Harry Alan Towers through the Towers of London production company Towers owned with his mother. Often, the show is erroneously attributed to the British Broadcasting, but they only purchased 16 shows. The Adventures of Harry Lime was on the radio from August 1951 to July 1952 with 51 episodes.

Orson Welles was a Hollywood boy genius. He had a long and prolific career in radio, movies, theater, and television as an actor, writer, producer, and director yet he was also considered a bad boy. Welles and Hollywood had a love/hate relationship. Considered an innovative and artistic director, actor, and writer, his relationships with the studios and studio heads was contentious at best. They didn’t understand the way he made movies, his innovations, or his artistic vision. Welles was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin to a wealthy family. After his parents separated and moved to Chicago. His mother died when he was nine and his father died when he was 15. He was taken in first by Dudley Crafts Watson of the Chicago Art Institute after his mother died. Later he became the ward of Dr. Maurice Bernstein and attended the Todd School for Boys. While at the Todd School, he was influenced by Roger Hill. Hill allowed Welles to study whatever interested him in school. It was at school where

The show began with the haunting The Third Man Theme . The music stops abruptly with a gunshot. Then you hear Orson Welles voice: "That was the shot that killed Harry Lime. He died in a sewer beneath Vienna, as those of you know who saw the movie The Third Man. Yes, that was the end of Harry Lime ... but it was not the beginning. Harry Lime had many lives ... and I can recount all of them. How do I know? Very simple. Because my name is Harry Lime." When Harry Lime was on the radio, the airwaves were filled with detectives, comedians, space-farers, and drama. Harry Lime was an admitted blackguard and made no apologies for it. Instead of using a gun, Lime lived by his wits to get what he wanted, staying one step ahead of the law with someone else usually taking the fall for his misdeeds. The thing that is confusing about the character is his popularity. Welles played a bit of Lime’s ruthlessness in the radio show as evidenced by letting other people pay for his crimes.

Harry Lime, played by Orson Welles, began as a minor character in the film The Third Man. In the film, Harry Lime is the definition of a slimy criminal. The film begins with the death of Harry Lime though he shows up later in the film. During the course of the film you find out that Lime is truly a despicable character. The film was a critical and commercial success for everyone involved including Welles who was considered a Hollywood pariah and was enjoying a self-imposed exile in London. The musical theme from the movie was also very successful plus there were rumors of a sequel to the movie. The big question was how to take advantage of the movie’s success. Welles, who was working with a programmer and distributer Harry Alan Towers of Towers of London, thought of creating a prequel. The radio show was about Lime’s life before the events in the movie. Lime’s character was very dark in the move and did some very bad things and Welles didn’t think a character that dark would

The Elusive Vermeer - May 1952 Harry meets with Horace Sinjin Wndermere, a classy burglar with a taste for big burglaries. While having a drink with Windermere, he proposes that Harry join him in a business venture in England. There are several nice bits and bobs to “acquire” including a Vermeer. This is where Harry comes into the picture. Windermere hopes that Harry might help him dispose of the Vermeer in the United States for $100,000 since it is very recognizable in England and on the Continent. Harry has a few contacts though disposing of old masters is not his speciality. Harry meets an oil millionaire, Joseph J. Hoffman from Omaha. Hoffman agrees to purchase the Vermeer for $150,000 even though it is a triffle...warm. Hoffman wants that picture so that his wife won’t be jealous of the Rembrandt his partner bought. Harry heads out to pick up the Vermeer, deciding to forget the extra $50,000. When Harry goes to the pre-arranged meeting place, he finds out the Windermere die