Radio Soap Opera Discussion

[Paul Raven]

Happy to contribute any radio articles I come across in my collections (boxes of random clippings, photo copies,magazines etc)

I know I have seen something on the Guiding Light legal battles and will search it out.

Hoping to post more radio stuff in the coming days.

I do find the whole radio era quite fascinating - the sheer number of soaps on the schedule is quite mind boggling!

 

RE TGL

Wasn't Meta introduced using another name (Jan Carter) as a mother who had given up her child?

Had Ray Brandon and his wife adopted that child?

That was Chuckie and Meta reunited with Ted the natural father?

She  went back to her family and that's how the Bauers came to be?

 

Daytime Top 15 week of Dec 21-27 1947

1. Arthur Godfrey

2. My True Story

3. Our Gal Sunday

4. Backstage Wife

5. Big Sister

6. Wendy Warren

7.Road of Life

8.Right to Happiness

9. Ma Perkins

10. Romance of Helen Trent

11.Stella Dallas

12. Pepper Young's Family

13. Breakfast Club

14.Aunt Jenny

15. Fred Waring

Edited August 30, 2020 by Paul Raven

[Dion]

Yes I believe that's correct I believe and to add (based on soapcentral):

 

Around the time that Ray and Charlotte were married, Ray's son, daughter-in-law, granddaughter and ex-wife all seem to have been written out.

Charlotte became a radio star. Ted White was the advertising exec at the radio station she worked at.

Meta/Jan lived in the same apartment complex as Ray and Charlotte. Meta had a roommate Mary Leland who was a doctor; when Meta fell pregnant to Ted, Mary helped arrange Ray and Charlotte's adoption of Chuckie, though Ray and Charlotte didn't know it was Meta's child at first.

In a soap coincidence, Mama Bauer was one of Mary's patients. Meta had run away from home years earlier.

Meta finally went back to her family on her parent's 25th anniversary and told them everything; Meta also told Ted in the hopes that he would marry her. When Ted refused, both Meta and Ted launched custody suits against the Brandons.

Charlotte eventually came to believe that Chuckie was better off with his natural mother, so Meta won the custody case.

Mama Bauer lived long enough to see her son Bill marry Bert. Mama passed away while Bert and Bill were on their honeymoon.

Ted formed a plan to marry Meta and try to prove that she was an unfit mother. Despite the fact that Meta was involved with Ross Boling (whom her sister, Trudy also liked), she married Ted after family pressure; the marriage was a disaster and Meta and Ted separated.

Ross ended up dating (and eventually eloping with) Mary, his colleague from Cedars.

Ray represented Meta in another custody battle, and Meta won primary custody of Chuckie. Ted had Chuckie on the weekends.

Ted forced Chuckie (Now SORASed to kindergarten age) to take boxing lessons. Chuckie had an accident and died.

Meta was enraged and shot Ted...

Ray represented Meta in the trial and helped get her acquitted. Ray and Charlotte ended up fostering (and later adopting) two orphaned kids before being written out.

 

I got a bit carried away there, but I think that's basically how the show transitioned from the Brandons to the Bauers.

 

[Paul Raven]

Variety had a review upon the shows return on Mon 2 June 1947 after a 6 month hiatus and a move from NBC to CBS.

Dr Charles Matthews (Hugh Studebaker) was pastor of Church of Good Samaritan in Selby Flats , an underpriveleged area of LA.

The good doctor's philosophy of life was keynoted in the opening installment by a lamp of friendship delivered to him by a divinity student.

'It's the symbol of 'The Guiding Light' says Dr Matthews.Now I know what to say at the state prison.'

The next scene took place at the prison.

Art Glad was the writer.

[jam6242]

Re GL and Arthur Peterson being written out, these clippings are from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  The first one is from a 1949 article re Arthur Peterson's father (Arthur, Sr.).  The other three are from a 1980 interview of Arthur (Jr.).  Both mention GL moving to the west coast.  Was that once a plan?

 

 

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[Bill Bauer]

 

I hope you got all your questions answered. Dion did a good job of recounting the history. Although I don't think Ross and Mary got married. Ross just moved off by himself. I'm not 100% sure about that. I'm currently relistening to those episodes (it's been a while since I listened to them) and I'm about to get to that part. I'll let you know. 

 

The above post clears up another bit of misinformation I read. I had always read that Ned Holden delivered the friendship lamp to Dr. Matthews but the article you posted said it was a divinity student (which Ned was not). Again, who knows for sure since we don't have that episode but I'm tempted to go with something that was published at the time. Yeah, Ray was in that prison Dr Matthews went to to speak and when he was released from prison shortly afterwards he became the central figure in the story (before Meta, and then the rest of the Bauers, were introduced). He was framed for the crime and was going to kill the guy who framed him but had the added soapy complication of the fact that his son started dating the guy he was going to kill's daughter. He pulled a gun on him but didn't go through with. Martin (the guy who framed him) later confessed on his deathbed. Ray had studied law while in prison and that's how came to be Meta's lawyer when she was on trial for murder. The mother of Ray's son, Julie,  had gotten remarried and had two kids with her new husband. At first Julie wouldn't let Ray see his son Roger but then, eventually, Julie wanted to get back with Ray. She was planning on leaving her husband Frank to pursue Ray when Frank and their two small children were in a car accident which killed the kids and left Frank paralyzed. Julie felt forced to stay with Frank and when his wheelchair slid on wet pavement and he went off a cliff, Julie confessed to killing him out of guilt. It was later ruled an accident. Ray's son Roger and Martin's daughter Susan got married and had a baby girl. Julie moved in with them and made their life hell, even faking blindness to garner sympathy. When Roger saw Julie standing at the edge of a cliff, he assumed she was suicidal because a blind woman would never get that close to the edge of a cliff (not realizing she could see). Julie was one of soap's first psycho bitches. There's a funny "fake episode" the cast made for Irna as production was moving to NYC where the actress introduced herself at the end as "Julie Collins: girl bitch". Anyway, the story of the Collins family, Ray and Charlotte and Roger and Susan was the focus of the show in 1947 and 1948. By the time the production moved from Los Angeles to New York City in 1949, the Bauers had become the main focus although Ray and Charlotte remained characters on the show until 1951. 

[Paul Raven]

Thanks for that detailed reply. I guess one reason for the decision to change the focus was that the move to NY meant that a lot of the actors would have to be recast so they decided to go with new characters.

[Bill Bauer]

 

You're welcome! I'm just happy to find someone who cares about the subject matter!

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 Actually, not as many characters were lost in the move from Los Angeles to New York City although most of the actors didn't make the move. Everybody was pretty much recast. The move from Chicago to Los Angeles, however, saw the mass exodus of characters. When production started up in Los Angeles, The Guiding Light was pretty much a new and different show. When production started up in New York City, it was pretty much the exact same show just with different voices (a new Papa, a new Bert, etc.). 

[Dion]

 As Bill has mentioned, GL actually did move to Hollywood from 1947 until 1949.

 

I've read that they eloped, but I think you also could be right that they didn't marry; that 'elope' might mean in the sense that they sort of ran off together. Mary apparently later persuaded Ross to return to Selby Flats to testify at Meta's trial.

 

Yes the Bauers had been around for about a year when the show moved to New York and they were all recast except for Bill it seems. However I could be wrong, but I don't think Bert was introduced until around the time of the move. The original actress wasn't replaced by Charita Bauer until the following year.

[Bill Bauer]

In the latest episode I listened to, Ross ran off to San Francisco to avoid having to be a witness in Meta's trial. He told Trudy that he was going to "maybe" return to Selby Flats but, if he did, he would move to a different part of town. This sounds like his exit but I'll keep tuned and let you know. I do know that Mary is a VERY minor character in 1950/1951. I have almost a year's worth of episodes and she's only feature in maybe three episodes. So, she's ready to make an exit. Whether she does that with Ross or not, that's a different story. 

 

 

Bert was introduced in 1948. Production moved to NYC in 1949 when Charita Bauer took over the role. 

Edited September 1, 2020 by Bill Bauer

[Bill Bauer]

Here's a list of my collection of the radio version of The Guiding Light(1937-1952). This is mostly for you, Paul Raven and Dion. But it's really for anybody that might find this helpful in reconstructing the radio story timeline. It's an augmentation to the history books. 

 

-2/15/37. Reverend Ruthledge, Ellen, Ned and Mary discuss current events. Ned is jealous of the attention Ellis Smith is giving Mary.
-7/5/38. Reverend Ruthledge expresses his concern to Rose about her having an affair with a married man. Charles and Reverend Ruthledge discuss philosophy and Ned, who has run away from Five Points. 
-7/7/38. Ellis tries to dissuade Rose from continuing her affair with Charles. 
-7/11/38. Celeste is filing for a divorce from Charles and hires a detective to find out if he’s having an affair. Charles and Rose make plans for the evening unaware that they’re going to be followed. 

-7/15/40. Rose and Charles are having dinner together. The president of the publishing company is thinking about proposing. Mp3.

-7/17/40. Rev. Ruthledge talks with Ellis Smith who has been blinded in a fire. Rev. Ruthledge questions Ellis’ cynicism and challenges him to find his guiding light. Mp3.

-8/23/40. Charles Cunningham talks with Rose Kransky about their future together or lack of it. Mp3.

-2/26/41. Torchy visits Judy Shea, the woman who scarred her face, in jail. Mp3.
-6/10/41. On the day before Ned and Mary’s wedding, Myra (aka Torchy Reynolds) tells Martin Kane that she’s over Ned and interested in Ellis Smith. Martin is willing to wait until she’s sure. Mp3.

-10/41. Norma Greenman is neurotically jealous of Rose and Edward. Mp3. 

-10/22/41. Reverend Ruthledge talks with his secretary, Laura Martin, who is a kleptomaniac, about missing items. Ellen, the housekeeper, wants to leave the parsonage because she’s upset about Laura. Mp3.
-12/8/41. Jacob Kransky confides to his mother that he’s thinking of giving up his plans to become a lawyer. Rose comes home and is upset about something that happened at the Greenmans. Mp3.
-10/27/43. Greg Warner stops by Claire’s apartment and is surprised to see Tim there. The two have an awkward first meeting and size each other up. Mp3.

-10/28/43. Claire returns home after Tim has left. Greg expresses his jealousy to Claire. Greg tells Claire his wife is divorcing him but Claire says it’s too late. Greg wonders about baby Ricky. Mp3. 
-1/5/44. Tim visits Claire and Ricky in Claire’s apartment and they talk about Jonathan and Nina. Mp3.
-6/7/44. D-Day episode. Reverend Gaylord gives a sermon. Mp3.
-8/10/45. Angie and Peter make small talk at breakfast. Peter has decided to confess all, even if he is disbarred. Mp3.

-1947. 1 episode. The introduction of Charlotte Wilson. Mp3.

-1947. 5 minutes. Charlotte has a singing audition. Mp3. 

-8/14/47. A sermon for the new school year. Mp3. 
-9/25/47. Dr. Jonathan McNeill and Rev. Matthews discuss the car crash that left Frank Collins paralyzed and killed Betty and Michael Collins. Rev. Matthews visits Julie in her hospital room and reminds her that she had planned to leave Frank and the kids to remarry Ray Brandon. He then tells Julie that Frank will be an invalid for life. Mp3.  

-9/47. Julie is distraught over the death of Michael and Betty. Rev. Thomas Andrews tries to get her to pull herself together for the sake of paralyzed Frank. Mp3. 
-10/13/47. Martin McClain is upset that his daughter Susan has started seeing Roger Collins, the son of Ray Brandon who had tried to kill him. 
-12/23/47. The police are suspicious that Frank Collins’ death isn’t an accident. Martin and Julie are worried because Roger and Susan are missing.

-6/14/48. As Sid and Charlotte get ready for their trip to San Francisco, Charlotte tells Sid she suspects Ray is lying to her. Ray secretly goes to Trail’s End and Roger tells him about Julie’s strange behavior. He thinks she’s suicidal and doesn’t know she is faking her blindness. Mp3.
-9/49 Non-broadcast farewell tribute to Irna Phillips as production moves 
to NYC. Mp3.
-9/18/49. Charlotte has a breakdown after a visit from Meta. Meta has gotten custody of Chuckie and Ray and Charlotte are moving. Mp3.

-1/10/50. Ray sits alone in his house with his thoughts as Charlotte is in the hospital due to her barbiturate addiction.

-5/5/50. Bill is going to work for Ted. Bert bashes Meta to Trudy. Mp3. 

-6/5/50. Ted and Meta argue over parenting styles for Chuckie. Meta is upset that Ted wants Chuckie to take boxing lessons and is taking him on a camping trip.
-6/12/50 thru 3/13/51. 197 consecutive episodes. Episodes #791-988. Bill starts drinking and meets Gloria. Trudy and Meta fight over Ross. Chuckie dies. Meta shoots and kills Ted. Meta’s trial. Mp3.

[Paul Raven]

Fascinating stuff Thank you

"Dr. John Rutledge Leaves For Army

According to recent scripts of "The Guiding Light" (NBC, five -a- week, 1 p. m.), Dr. John Ruthledge, pastor of the nonsectarian church of Five Points, has accepted a commision as chaplain with the armed forces. In real life, Arthur Peterson, popular NBC actor and delineator of the Doctor Ruthledge character for the past, seven years, was inducted into the Army at Camp Grant (Ill.) on February 29. In replacing the kindly minister, Authoress Irna Phillips has written in the new character of Dr. Richard Gaylord, as portrayed by John Barclay, veteran NBC character actor.

[Paul Raven]

Top Day Shows "Integrated" By Author July 1944

Marking another step toward welding "The Guiding Light," "Today's Children" and "Woman in White" more closely into a single presentation, Ed Prentiss, popular network announcer and actor, has been installed as master of ceremonies of the dramatic portion of the General Mills Hour (NBC, five -a -week, 1 p. m.). Presentation of an m.c. to air -boss the serials follows the recent inauguration of a new drama device by Irna Phillips, author of the three programs, in which characters from one show are moved through one or both of the other broadcasts. Prentiss' narrations are blended into the format of the 45- minute period as a dramatic bridge between the respective serials.

 

Franklyn MacCormack continues as narrator -m.c. of "Hymns of All Churches," which fills the fourth portion of the hour, 11 a. m., Tuesdays through Fridays, on WOW.

 

Miss Phillips points out the m.c. was added "to give the listener an enlarged perspective into the dramas and their characters." She adds that the narrator also opens the way to another programming technique under contemplation in which each of the three shows will he scheduled for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on plot development, rather than the traditional 15 minutes. The conjunction of several basic facts conspire to make this situation unique. There is only one author for the three dramas, one sponsor, one producing unit and one network involved. Besides that, all three plots are contemporary, urban portraits. Experiments In bringing the technique into full play, the prolific authoress pointed out that she has experimented with the character transfer to a small degree during past years.

 

Miss Phillips also noted that one of her first major experiments was attempted in 1938, when, in terminating "Today's Children," she had the cast tune in a radio serial titled "Woman in White," the program's successor, in a script that called for the participation of both casts. "I think there are at least two good reasons why the same persons should be heard in more than one program," she said. "In the first place, each of us, as individuals, lives much more than 15 minutes a day. And so it seems logical that we should get more than a quarter -hour glimpse into the daily lives of radio characters. "Secondly, I believe that listener interest will be enhanced if the audience can hear its favorite artists in more than one program."

 

The innovation in serial- casting already is under way. Listeners to "The Guiding Light" and "Today's Children" are well acquainted with the character of Pete Manno, portrayed by Michael Romano, not only a real life lawyer, but also an attorney in the serials. Dr. Paul Burton (Ken Griffin), leading character in the forthcoming "Woman in White" serial, already has made his appearance in "The Guiding Light," and other characters slated to make the rounds of the serials in the near future are Mrs. O'Hearn (Helen Behmillor) and Dr. Jonathan McNeill (Sidney Breese) in "The Guiding Light" and "Woman in White," and Dr. Richard Gaylord (John Barclay), who will appear in all three serials from time to time. 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Paul Raven

[Bill Bauer]

 

 

Thanks for that, Paul. If you'll notice in my episodes above, I have episodes that feature Peter Manno, Dr. Jonathan McNeill and Reverend Gaylord. Also, Ed Prentiss is the MC to several of the episodes. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

We are so fortunate that all these vintage treasures survived!

[Paul Raven]

From late 1938

The first show we saw was "The Guiding Light" which according to latest surveys is the most popular serial in the country! Authoress Irna Phillips certainly knows how to make the women of this country swarm to their radios. She has three script -shows on the air and all of them are up among the "Big Ten." (Other two are "The Woman in White" and "Road of Life.") Miss Phillips must certainly be the cause of plenty of stacked -up dishes and late dinners for husbands in this country.

 

But back to "Guiding Light." The episode we witnessed had poor old Mr. Abe Kransky in bed with a very bad cold and a sinister cough. Murray Forbes sat coughing at a table some ten feet from the mike, to obtain this effect. Mr. Kransky was all wrought up because his daughter, Rose, is living as the wife of a Christian, Ellis Smith, played by Ray Johnson. Rose is ill and her husband comes a -calling on the in-laws. He knows that Rose would like to- see her parents. Mrs. Kransky (Mignon Schreiber) is inclined to forgive her daughter, but the old man raspingly proclaims that as far as he's concerned, Rose is dead. The episode ends with Mr. Kransky tottering back to bed and Mr. Smith solicitously advising Mrs. Kransky to get a doctor for her husband. Next week, "East Lynne." I'm sorry, I mean "Backstage Wife." I've treated all this in a light vein, but seriously, there's some very fine acting in the show. You've all heard Murray Forbes and Mignon Schreiber on the air. They were paired in "The Hoofinghams" as well as in "The Foxes of Flatbush." Ray Johnson is one of Chicago's finest actors. He has appeared twice in Vallee sketches, once in "Steel" and later with Paul Lukas in "Test Flight." They all do a splendid job in "The Guiding Light."