Radio Soap Opera Discussion

[Paul Raven]

The Story of Mary Marlin

Plot summary as of 1940

Mary was born and brought up in Cedar Springs, Iowa, where she married her childhood sweetheart. The story began after Mary and her Joe Marlin had been married for 14 years; when Mary had begun to show her 35 years and Joe had found his law office partnership with David Post all absorbing. Then Joe fell in love with his secretary and asked for a divorce.

Alone, unloved, Mary fled to New Yok rather than face the gossip of Cedar Springs and the pity of her friends. There she met Mme. Henriette, a childhood friend who had become the foremost beauty specialist in the country. Through Henriette's influence and efforts, Mary set about recapturing her youth and beauty. One day, glowing, alive and charming, looking ten years younger, Mary was dining in a New York restaurant when her ex- husband met her for the first time since their divorce. After long months they were reconciled and became the parents of a son, David, who is now four years old. Joe was elected senator from Iowa and was sent to Russia on a secret mission.

His plane crashed in the wilderness and since then no word has been heard either from or of him, although influential friends have detectives tracing the course of a mysterious white man into the interior of China. Present episodes are concerned with the search for Joe, who has lost his memory, and Mary's adventures. Mary herself has been appointed to her husband's place in the Senate, where she is carrying on Joe's ideal cf "the great American dream."

She is ardently supported by Joe's partner, David Post, who has fallen in love with Mary. Rufus Kane, labor leader, has also fallen in love with Mary and he and his mother are convinced that she will marry .him if he defeats Mary's friend, Frazer Mitchell, for the presidency of the United States. Frazer's wife, Bunny, is one of Mary's arch- enemies, although she consistently manages to blind Frazer to her pretty meannesses and her love for money and power. Bunny's present campaign to keep her husband's faith involves a scheme to adopt a child of the slums, one "Tootle."

Two other children are prominent figures in the current adventures of Mary Marlin, Timothy, a little blind boy who was adopted by Henriette, and young Bill Adams, son of life -long friends cf the Marlins. Timothy, at present, is living in the Marlin home.

[paradisin]

Thank you so much!

[dc11786]

Thanks @Paul Raven for the “Mary Marlin” article. I hadn’t been that interested in that show until reading Anthony Heilbut’s book “The Fan Who Knows Too Much” and have since been fascinated. He describes some the shows  occult elements which is pretty wild for the time period. Lots of people carrying on conversations with ghosts (I don’t think the ghosts responded) and Joe, in Russia, hearing Mary’s prayers for him from Washington, D.C. I think there may even bye a sequence where Jane Cruisenberry, the writer, wrote a scene from the perspective of a bird. 

[Paul Raven]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll see what else I can find on MM.

Please let me know if there are other radio soaps you are interested in. I didn't know much apart from the names of a few until I started researching for the Soap Hoppers thread.

Now I find that era fascinating.

[Matt]

Portraits of The Story of Mary Marlin from the February 1942 issue of Radio & Television Mirror

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[Bright Eyes]

@Matt It's so nice to see you around these parts again.

[Matt]

@Bright Eyes I lurk quite a bit, reading canceled soap topics. I'm more active on twitter these days.

[Paul Raven]

For those interested, summaries from around late 1951.

Life Can Be Beautiful

Chi -Chi Conrad lives with "Poppa" David Solomon in the apartment behind his "Slightly Used Books" shop in New York. In the same building are Doug and Alice Norman who print a neighborhood paper. Intent on getting a story, Doug has apparently become involved with a young girl, but Chi -Chi is attempting to aid Alice in working out her troubles. Other principals in the cast include wealthy Victoria Vandenbush and her ne'er -do -well nephew Paul, who hopes to get her money. Overseeing all is kindly Poppa David, who has an unbroken faith that life can be beautiful.

Road of Life

Dr. Jim Brent, in love with Jocelyn McLeod, is engaged in a fight to save his position at Wheelock Hospital, as well as his reputation, because of the machinations of wealthy Conrad Overton and his co- conspirator, Gordon Fuller. Augusta Creel, who worked for Overton two decades ago when he cheated his brother Malcolm out of a fortune, has been kidnapped by Fuller, who wants to keep her away from Brent to protect Overton, but also away from Overton, as a wedge to guarantee his own position, for Fuller wants to take over Brent's duties as head of the hospital. Brent is being aided in his fight by newspaper editor Frank Dana and by Lt. Hodges of the police force, whose position is jeopardized by Overton's control of the force. Overton faces trouble, too, from his rebellious son, Hugh.

Pepper Young's Family

This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Young of Elmwood and their children, Pepper and Peggy, and their friends. Pepper and his wife, Linda, have been drawn more closely together following the recent accident in which Linda was seriously hurt when she tried to run away with young Edith, thinking that Edith's parents, Andy and Edie, had been killed in a storm. They're being helped by Peggy and her husband, Carter Trent, who, in addition to making a home for their two children, are caring for Carter's mother, who wants to give herself up to the law for her part in a plot which almost cost the life of Sam Young,

Right to Happiness

Miles Nelson is serving his first term as governor. His wife, Caroline, is is assisting him as he recovers from an attempt on his life. She has her son (by her first marriage) though her first husband, Dwight, is still attempting to obtain custody of the child. Miles is working hard to establish a sound administration but is not aware that his lieutentnt- governor is involved in a graft which concerns affairs at the state prison.

Backstage Wife

Mary Noble is the wife of handsome Broadway star Larry Noble. She is also the object of the affection of wealthy, scheming Rupert Barlowe, who is constantly seeking to separate the Nobles so he can persuade Mary to marry him. Barlowe's handyman, Victor, is anxious to please his boss as long as he profits by what Barlowe does. Mary's confidant is her long -time friend, actress Maude Marlow.

Stella Dallas

Stella Dallas has a shop on Boston's Beacon Hill where she works as a seamstress. Most of her time, however, is concerned with the affairs of her daughter, Laurel, who is married to Dick Grovenor, son of a wealthy Boston widow, who makes no secret of her dislike for Stella. Mrs. Grovenor is currently involved with a disreputable night club habitute, who wants to marry her and thus gain an opening to Boston's wealthy widows in hopes of bilking them of their fortunes at the White Orchid Club's gambling tables.

[Paul Raven]

"HILLTOP HOUSE" with Bess Johnson Colgate -Palmolive -Peet Co. WABC-CBS, Monday through Friday, 5:45 -6 p.m. Benton & Bowles, Inc.

WARM HUMAN INTEREST SERIAL WITH ORPHANAGE LOCALE, WELL WRITTEN AND ACTED.

Bess Johnson, long known as the voice of "Lady Esther ", has a neat little vehicle in this "Hilltop House ", authored by Addy Richton and Lynn Stone under the nom de plume of "Adelaide Marston ". The house in question is an orphanage, and Miss Johnson is the matron in charge. Opening episode lost no time in setting the scene and arousing immediate listener interest and sympathy. Both the script and the writing stood out as well above the average serial.

Characters heard on the first program included a colored cook and some likeable kids. Drama enters the picture with impending likelihood of the orphanage having to close shop. Just then word comes of a stranger having fainted near the orphanage gates, and this supplies the note of suspense to carry over into the next chapter.

Cast of the serial also includes Carleton Young, Irene Hubbard, Jay Austin. John Moore, Janice Gilbert and Jimmy Donnelly. Miss Johnson assists on the commercials, which are not overdone

[DRW50]

Thank you so much for all of this @Paul Raven

[dc11786]

This period seems so strong for the show. You can see why in a few years time it ended up on television, but the television year is probably one of the least satsifying story moments in my opinion. What comes before here and what comes after is so much better. 

I don't remember what the reason Conrad hates Jim Brent or what trouble Hugh Overton presents, but I just love what Charles Gussman has done by transitioning the show away back to a more domestic drama set in a hospital compared to the last few years where a Carol Brent doppleganger is revealed to be a foreign spy and other less than stellar stories. I do think Carson McVickers, Jim's love interest before Jocelyn is interesting, but this set up with the Overtons and the Brents is just very strong. Also, when the show transitions from the Overtons to the Malloys in the final year or two, I think the story still remains strong. 

I wonder if the show increased the action due to the decision to televise the show as the show remains mostly family conflicts and such throughout the other parts of the show's run. 

Mostly I just want to see the story where Sybil decides to dump her child with her maid Pearl, who in turns gives the child to Malcolm and Augusta Overton who try to adopt the child until Sybil decides to change her mind and go back after the child again pitting brothers Malcolm and Conrad Overton against each other. This just seems like such a precursor to all the baby switch plots of the last decade and a half. 

[Paul Raven]

The Story of Holly Sloan is a fairly obscure NBC soap that debuted in the dying days (1948)of the radio soaps.It replace Masquerade, an Irna Phillips show that was fairly short lived also.

Fewer new shows were being introduced and cancellations were becoming more common. Only The Brighter Day which debuted in 1948 had any long term success, Nonetheless,I hope you find this article of interest.

NBC's "The Story of Holly Sloan" is believed to be the first radio serial based on a successful novel. At the same time that Rupert Hughes' novel "Static," from which "Holly's" story was adapted, began to run in a national magazine, another novel devoted to the seamy side of the radio world appeared. But for Mr. Hughes, the magic power of appeal to the human heart was the most impressive aspect of radio. For his heroine, Mr. Hughes chose "Holly Sloan," a small town girl involved in a small town romance of bitter difficulties. He gave her, instead of a living mother, a loving old "Aunt Keturah," who had been blind from birth, and had found in the radio a wide universe of adventure and delight.

To her blind aunt, "Holly" sings little songs as they sit on the front porch of an evening. When at last "Holly Sloan" takes flight from her village tragedies, she drifts into the radio world and becomes a singer. At her first audition she is overcome by mike fright, and in her desperation, knowing her "Aunt Keturah" is listening, closes her eyes and sings softly to her blind listener. This gives her voice an irresistible magic, for in a sense the radio audience, too, is blind. Mr. Hughes says, "It was my great fortune to have that warm  hearted and brilliant radio writer, Ted Maxwell, take up the novel as the foundation for a radio serial. It was my further great fortune to have the role of 'Holly Sloan' brought to life by that splendid actress, Gale Page, with her uncannily beautiful gifts of art and song."

Miss Page's Background

Gale, born Sally Perkins Rutter in Spokane, Washington, close to thirty years ago, traveled the route from a girl's finishing school, in Piedmont, California, to air prominence by way of stock company shows, a singing engagement at Chicago's. Palmer House, and NBC's staff as a sustaining vocalist. In 1939 Gale was givena screen test by Warner Brothers. The test was so successful that Gale was immediately signed and moved to Hollywood, where she was one of the studio's leading young singing actresses for several years. Just before the war, Gale was at a swank party, and met the talented concert pianist and composer Aldo Solito de Solis. Today she relates her first thought at that meeting . "That's the one and only man I'll ever love." Now the Countess Aldo Solito de Solis and mother of four children whose nicknames read like an operetta cast, (Tony, Baba, Lukey and Mina,) the attractive brunette actress lets pictures take a second place to the radio work which can be combined more easily with running a home and doing almost all of her own work. The de Solises recently discovered the joy of living in the San Fernando Valley, and even manage to do their eating and cooking out of doors.

"The role of 'Holly Sloan' is the most exciting I have done in radio. I feel the character is always interesting and challenging to portray," Gale tells people. "The whole show has a wonderful tone to it."

"Holly's" aunt, " Keturah," is played by one of the best known character actresses and a pioneer of network radio, Georgia Backus. Even before Georgia graduated from Ohio State University as an E n g l i s h literature major, her tenacious ambition for an acting career led her to roles in amateur productions and actual paying jobs with Columbus stock companies. Immediately upon leaving school she hurried away to New York for stage and early radio work. When husband Harmon Alexander, a radio writer, moved to the West Coast, Georgia had the opportunity to combine picture making with her radio work. The Alexanders, too, live in San Fernando Valley, where Georgia runs her home and experiments with her new hobby of ceramic abstractions for jewelry and art objects designed to use in her home. Georgia is as enthusiastic about "The Story of Holly Sloan" as is the rest of the cast. Of her role, she says, 'The fact that 'Aunt Keturah' is blind is incidental. She is a sincere woman, lives her own life, and is very different from most characters in daytime serials."

The two love Interests in "Holly's" life are "Johnny Starr," vice president of the New York broadcasting company for which "Holly" works, and "Clay Brown," the hometown boy who followed "Holly" to the Gotham City. These are played by Bob Bailey and Vic Perrin respectively. Long before Bob Bailey did his sleeping in a trunk backstage, the theatrical tradition was a strong one in his family. While Bob was still in Chicago in high school, he established himself in radio circles. With the inevitable move to California for active radioites, came a 20th Century -Fox contract in 1941, making Bob one more of the cast with a movie background. Bob is confining himself to radio, having done no picture work following the war and a serious illness. One of his best -known roles is that of "George Valentine" on "Let George Do It," from KHJ. An amateur cabinet maker and carpenter, Bob recently managed to acquire an apartment for his beautiful ex -model wife and six -year -old daughter. After putting in a slate fireplace, new pine walls, redecorating and refinishing the entire interior, the Baileys decorated their attractive apartment in EarlyAmerican antiques and reproductions which they made. Bob's role of "Johnny Starr" in "The Story of Holly Sloan" re-unites him with Gale Page as half a romantic team. Both were well known Chicago players, doing the roles of a young married couple on "Today's Children."

 Hometown boy "Clay Brown," who is being comforted these days on the show by Louise Arthur in the role of "waitress Sally Brown," is played by Vic Perrin. Unlike practically all the rest of the cast, Vic did not get his foothold in radio anywhere else. He started right here in Hollywood by way of NBC's parking lot. The Wisconsin boy who had trained through four years of university dramatics and speech had no intention of jockeying cars in and out of spaces for a living, but being on the scene let him know when auditions came up. In rapid order Vic attended ah audition for staff announcer at NBC, won the coveted spot, became ABC chief announcer, became typed as an announcer rather than an actor, and quit. With his new "freelance" status came acting jobs, and today Vic not only does "Clay's" part in the "Holly" serial, but he works on "Red Ryder," "Masquerade," "Dr. Paul," and other local shows. Vic falls in step by living in San Fernando Valley too, with "the girl he didn't want to meet." Out here on a visit in 1939, Vic was urged repeatedly by mail from his mother to call on a friend, who, his mother assured him, was a perfectly lovely girl! Grumbling, on the last day of his California visit, Vic did call on the girl. Six months later, upon his graduation from Wisconsin U, Vic married her.

Bob Griffin and Louise Arthur, as "Wilbur Ramage" and "Sally Brown," complete the Chicago roster of those who work on the show at complicating "Holly's" life. "Wilbur Ramage" is the amorous head of the big network "Holly" works for, and "Sally" is busy befriending "Clay," who at present is in a lonely turmoil.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Paul Raven

[Paul Raven]

Variety May 1948

Procter & Gamble has finally decided not to combine its "Joyce Jordan" and "Road of Life" serials into a single 30-mitiute daytime strip, which it had been mulling for some time, Reason for continuing the two separate shows is that it was found that the commercial copy for the two products, Dreft and Duz, could not be suitably handled on a single stanza, it is explained by William M. Ramsey, the soap company radio head.
Several sample scripts of the proposed combined program indicated that aspect of the operation could be done, but neither the sponsor or the two agencies involved, Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample and Compton, were satisfied with the commercial setup

[jam6242]

@DRW50@slick jones

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Edited August 22, 2022 by jam6242

[DRW50]

Thank you so much for finding all of this and sharing it with us @jam6242 I wish we were in a world where these shows were readily available, but this is nearly as good.