O R S O N W E L L E S T H E A T E R
--------- ----------- -------------
1941 - 1942
First Show: Sep 15, 1941 Last Show: Feb 2, 1942
Number Shows: 19 Audition Show: none
Series Description:
Orson Welles' MERCURY THEATER ON THE AIR started as a Summer series,
continuing into the regular season, offering high calibre hour-long
radio dramas. Campbell's Soup Company became sponsor, changing the
series name to CAMPBELL PLAYHOUSE. The shows were still hour long
and still had Orson Welles and his Mercury Theater troupe adding
major actors in main roles. The series left the air in 1940 but Mr.
Welles and his troupe appeared again at the start of the 1941 season
with a half hour series sponsored by Lady Esther cosmetics. The new
series, ORSON WELLES THEATER, was more variety show than drama. Most
shows feature multiple dramatizations and poetry readings. The
series only lasted for 19 shows, but Mr. Welles used the format again
in 1944 for his ORSON WELLES ALMANAC.
ORSON WELLES THEATER aired over CBS stations, Mondays, from 10:00 PM
to 10:30 PM.
Log Comments:
This log is possible due to information found on the Internet site of
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, specifically data obtained
from the "Guide To The Orson Welles Materials In The Lilly Library".
They refer to the series as "Lady Esther Presents Orson Welles". I
have chosen to use the title "Orson Welles Theater" from John
Dunning's OTR Encyclopedia (see "References" section below). Jerry
Haendiges includes this series under the "Lady Esther Presents Orson
Welles" title in his "Mercury Theater" log (see "Other Logs or Books"
section below).
The order of the presentations within a show are as shown in the
Lilly Library collection. Jerry's log sometimes lists different
ordering and, in one show, listed an additional presentation. The
alternate orderings are not shown, the addition item is noted.
There are very few vendors that carry these shows, so the availability
column may not be accurate. The shows are not available from Indiana
University.
Of the shows maintained in the Lilly Library at the Indiana
University, for the show of Oct. 20, 1941, they only list the
prsentation of "Romance". The shows of Jan. 26 and Feb 2, 1942 are
listed as incomplete.
Chronological Log:
Date Num Title Avail
------------ --- ------------------------------------------- -----
Sep 15, 1941 1 Three Presentations: "Shredni Vashtar", yes
"Hidalgo", "An Irishman and a Jew"
Sep 22, 1941 2 Four Presentations: "The Right Side", "The
Sexes", "Murder in the Bank", "Golden
Honeymoon"
Sep 29, 1941 3 Three Presentations: "The Interlopers", yes
"Song of Solomon", "I'm a Fool"
Oct 06, 1941 4 Two Presentations: "The Black Pearl", yes
"Annabel Lee"
Oct 13, 1941 5 Two Presentations: "If in Years to Come", yes
"Parker Poetry"
Oct 20, 1941 6 Three Presentations: "Romance", yes
"Shakespearean Sonnet", "Prisoner of
Assiout"
Oct 27, 1941 ... no show found, possibly pre-empted ...
Nov 03, 1941 7 "Wild Oranges" yes
Nov 10, 1941 8 Two Presentations: "That's Why I Left You", yes
"The Maysville Minstrel"
Nov 17, 1941 9 "The Hitch Hiker"
Possibly two presentations, "A Sonnet
From The Portugese" from Jerry
Haendiges' log.
Nov 24, 1941 10 "A Farewell to Arms"
Dec 01, 1941 11 Two Presentations: "Something's Going to yes
Happen to Henry", "Wilbur Brown,
Habitat: Brooklyn"
(Possible 3rd: "Alice Adams", from
Jerry Haendiges' log)
Dec 08, 1941 12 Two Presentations: "Symptoms of Being 35", yes
"Walt Whitman Poetry: From Leaves of
Grass"
Dec 15, 1941 ... pre-empted ...
Dec 22, 1941 13 Three Presentations: "Nativity From St. yes
Luke's", "The Happy Prince", "G. K.
Chesterton Poem"
Dec 29, 1941 14 "There are Frenchmen and Frenchmen" yes
Jan 05, 1942 15 "Garden Of Allah" yes
Jan 12, 1942 16 "The Apple Tree" yes
Jan 19, 1942 17 "My Little Boy" yes
Jan 26, 1942 18 "The Happy Hypocrite" yes
Feb 02, 1942 19 "Between Americans" yes
References:
* Lilly Library web site (http://www.indiana.edu), Indiana University,
Bloomington, Indiana.
* "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All
Circulating Shows", by Jay Hickerson, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514
* "On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio" by John Dunning,
ISBNB 0-19-507678-8, Oxford University Press, 1998.
* OTR club and vendor catalogs or web sites:
* Jerry Haendiges Productions, Jerry Haendiges, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602
* Radio Showcase, Steve Kelez, PO Box 4357, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Other Logs or Books:
* MERCURY THEATER log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com)
Last Update: May 20, 2004
This log is informational only. It does not imply that I or my
references have these shows for trade or sale. The shows may still
be protected under copyright law and should be obtained only from
authorized dealers.
The log may be freely reproduced and published on a no-profit basis.
Please send error corrections or additional information to Frank M.
Passage, 109 Elmwood Road, Verona, NJ 07044 (email: wb2ntp@arrl.net).