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Campbell Playhouse

The Campbell Playhouse (1938–1940) is a live CBS radio drama series directed by and starring Orson Welles. Produced by Welles and John Houseman, it was a sponsored continuation of The Mercury Theatre on the Air. The series offered hour-long adaptations of classic plays and novels, as well as adaptations of popular motion pictures.

Welles-Campbell-Playhouse-Rehearsal-1938

When Welles left at the end of the second season, The Campbell Playhouse changed format as a 30-minute weekly series that ran for one season (1940–41).

As a direct result of the front-page headlines Orson Welles generated with his 1938 Halloween production "The War of the Worlds", Campbell's Soup signed on as sponsor. The Mercury Theatre on the Air made its last broadcast December 4, 1938, and The Campbell Playhouse began December 9, 1938.

The series made its debut with Welles's adaptation of Rebecca, with guest stars Margaret Sullavan and Mildred Natwick. The radio drama was the first adaptation of the 1938 novel by Daphne Du Maurier; the author was interviewed live from London at the conclusion of the broadcast.[2]

Bernard Herrmann had time to compose a complete score for "Rebecca". "It was absolutely beautiful," said associate producer Paul Stewart, "and it was the first time to me that Benny was something more than a guy who could write bridges." Herrmann later used the main theme as the basis of his score for the film Jane Eyre.[3]:67

Although the same creative staff stayed on, the show had a different flavor under sponsorship. This was partially due to a guest star policy which relegated the Mercury Players to supporting roles. There was a growing schism between Welles, still reaping the rewards of his Halloween eve notoriety, and Houseman, who became an employee rather than a partner. Houseman worked primarily as supervising editor on the radio shows.[4]:88

Howard E. Koch remained on the writing staff through "The Glass Key" (March 10, 1939), when he left for Hollywood. He was succeeded by Howard Teichmann, who wrote for the show for two years.[5]:175–176

After signing a film contract with RKO in August 1939, Welles began commuting from Hollywood to New York for the two Sunday broadcasts of The Campbell Playhouse. In November 1939, production of the show moved from New York to Los Angeles.[1]:353

Screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz was put on the Mercury payroll and wrote five scripts[6] for Campbell Playhouse shows broadcast between November 12, 1939, and March 17, 1940. Mankiewicz proved to be useful, particularly working with Houseman as editor.[7]:240–242 The episode "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" includes an inside joke: the Viennese doctor asked to certify Deeds insane is named Dr. Herman Mankiewicz.[8]:238

After an argument over finances December 16, 1939, John Houseman resigned from the Mercury Theatre and returned to New York.[1]:356 Two months later Welles hired him back to work with Mankiewicz on a new venture, Welles's first film project, Citizen Kane.[1]:356

After 20 shows, Campbell began to exercise more creative control over The Campbell Playhouse, and had complete control over story selection. Diana Bourbon, an account executive from the Ward Wheelock agency, was appointed as liaison between Welles and Campbell. Bourbon acted as de facto producer, and she and Welles frequently clashed over story and casting.[9] One notable dispute came after the broadcast of "Algiers", which employed a carefully crafted tapestry of sound to create the world of the Casbah. Challenged on why the background sounds were so loud, Welles responded, "Who told you it was the background?"[8]:82

Amiable classics were chosen over many of Welles's story suggestions, including Of Human Hearts; the rights to many works, including Rogue MaleWuthering Heights and The Little Foxes, could not be obtained. As his contract with Campbell came to an end, Welles determined not to sign on for another season. "I'm sick of having the heart torn out of a script by radio censorship," he said. After the broadcast of March 31, 1940 — a reprise of Jane Eyre, after Welles's suggestion of Alice Adams was not accepted — Welles and Campbell parted amicably.[9] The Campbell Playhousereturned to radio November 29, 1940, as a 30-minute weekly CBS series that was last broadcast June 13, 1941.[10] The program was produced by Diana Bourbon. The series' focus shifted away from classic play and novel adaptations to lighter, more popular fare, still with casts drawn from the ranks of film actors.

Episodes

CP381209_Rebecca.mp3

38-12-09 Rebecca (Margaret Sullavan) / Adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier's 1938 novel "Rebecca" Adapted by Howard Koch

A new bride at a wealthy estate hears constantly about the previous mistress of the house...Rebecca.

CP381223_A_Christmas_Carol.mp3

38-12-23 A Christmas Carol / Adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1853 novella "A Christmas Carol". Adapted by Howard Koch

Announced as the fourth annual presentation.

CP390106_Counselor-at-Law.mp3

39-01-06 Counsellor at Law / Adaptation of Elmer Rice's 1931 play "Counsellor at Law". Adapted by Howard Koch

A good story about a powerful attorney with a secret past. Announced as the first radio performance by Gertrude Berg in a program other than "The Goldbergs."

CP390113_Mutiny_on_the_Bounty.mp3

39-01-13 Mutiny on the Bounty (Burgess Meredith) / Adaptation of James Norman Hall & Charles Bernard

The story of Captain Bligh and the men of "The Bounty" during a visit to Tahiti. The intermission guest is Dorothy Hall, a ham radio operator who helped the residents of Pitcairn Island during an epidemic.

CP390127_Lost_My_Girlish_Laughter.mp3

9-01-27 I Lost My Girlish Laughter / Adaptation of Jane Allen's (pseud.) 1938 novel "I Lost My Girlish Laughter". Adapted by Howard Koch.

Madcap comedy about the mad, mad movie business.

CP390203_Arrowsmith.mp3

39-02-03 Arrowsmith / Adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' 1925 novel "Arrowsmith". Adapted by Howard Koch.

A doctor with a desire to do research and help mankind finds himself in a boring small town practice.

CP390210_Burlesque-Alice Frost.mp3

39-02-10 Burlesque (Alice Frost) / Adapted from the play by Arthur Hopkins and George Manker Watters

A burlesque show on radio. Arthur Hopkins speaks after the drama: remembers Hal Skelly ("Skid") and pays tribute to Orson Welles.

CP390210_The_Green_Goddess.mp3

9-02-10 The Green Goddess / Adaptation of Williams Archer's 1921 play "The Green Goddess". Adapted by Howard Koch.

Excellent story about three Englishmen whose plane is wrecked in an isolated Himalayan Kingdom, where they face an impending and horrible doom.

CP390310_The_Glass_Key.mp3

39-03-10 The Glass Key / Adaptation of Dashiell Hammett 1931 novel "The Glass Key". Adapted by Howard Koch.

A portrait of "the dark ways of the underworld" during the Depression. Crooked politics, murder, violence, a good story. Guest Warden Lawes of Sing Sing is interviewed after the story.

CP390317_Beau_Geste.mp3

39-03-17 Beau Geste (Laurence Oliver, Jackie Kelk) / Adaptation of Percival C. Wren's 1924 novel "Beau Geste".

A well-done, all-star version of the drama about the French Foreign Legion. A guest on the program is a real Foreign Legionnaire who compares the play with reality.

CP390324_20th_Century.mp3

39-03-24 Twentieth Century (Joan Blondell, Sam Levene) / Adaptation of the play "Twentieth Century" by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.

The classic/frantic comedy by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, set in a cross-country train. A Hollywood producer and a star clash on rails. Guest is Richard Maney, a real-life press agent who was satirized in the story.

CP390331_Showboat.mp3

39-03-31 Show Boat (Margaret Sullavan) / Adaptation of Edna Ferber's 1926 novel

Edna Ferber, the author, also makes her acting debut in the story and speaks about her novel after the drama. The classic about love on the Mississippi features Helen Morgan in the role she made famous (and that made her famous).

CP390414_The_Patriot.mp3

39-04-14 The Patriot (Anna May Wong) / Adapted from the novel by Pearl S. Buck

An emotional story about a Chinese man married to a Japanese woman while their countries are at war. Pearl S. Buck speaks after the story.

CP390421_Private_Lives.mp3

39-04-21 Private Lives (Gertrude Lawrence) / Adaptation of Noel Coward's 1930 comedy of manners "Private Lives".

A well-done performance of the romantic comedy by Noel Coward.

CP390505_Wickford_Point.mp3

39-05-05 Ordeal at Wickford Point / Adaptation of John P. Marquand's 1939 novel "Wickford Point"

The lives and loves of a strange New England Family. Author John P. Marquand appears at the end of the story.

CP390512_Our_Town.mp3

39-05-12 Our Town / Adaptation of Thornton Wilder's 1938 play "Our Town"

The first radio performance of the 1938 Pulitzer Prize winning play by Thornton Wilder. Good radio! An excellent production of a superb play.

CP390519_Bad_Man.mp3

39-05-19 The Bad Man / Adaptation of Porter Emerson Browne's 1920 play "The Bad Man".

Comedy-Adventure about a Mexican Bandito and the mixed bag of Americans who cross his path.

CP390526_American_Cavalcade.mp3

39-05-26 Things We Have: An American Cavalcade / Written by Orson Welles

An original and moving drama by Orson Welles about a young immigrant who discovers what makes America unique. Moving! Orson Welles and Cornelia Otis Skinner each play five different roles!

CP390526_Things_We_Have.mp3

39-05-26 Things We Have: An American Cavalcade / Written by Orson Welles

An original and moving drama by Orson Welles about a young immigrant who discovers what makes America unique. Moving! Orson Welles and Cornelia Otis Skinner each play five different roles!

CP390602_Victoria_Regina.mp3

39-06-02 Victoria Regina / Adaptation of Laurence Housman's 1934 play "Victoria Regina".

The story of Queen Victoria from her ascension to the throne and her marriage to Prince Albert to his death and the Diamond Jubilee of her reign. Last show of the season.

CP390910_Peter_Ibbetson.mp3

39-09-10 Peter Ibbetson / Adaptation of George du Maurier's 1891 novel "Peter Ibbetson"

Strange love drama about a man's romance during his twenty-five year prison term.

CP390917_Ah,_Wilderness.mp3

39-09-17 Ah, Wilderness / Adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's 1933 play "Ah, Wilderness!"

The Pulitzer Prize winning play about young love of long ago. Drama critic Robert Nathan appears as a guest to describe his relationship with O'Neill.

CP390924_What_Every_Woman_Knows.mp3

39-09-24 What Every Woman Knows / Adaptation of J.M. Barrie's 1908 play "What Every Woman Knows"

Drama about an Irish M.P. and his plain and apparently useless wife.

CP391001_The_Count_Of_Monte_Cristo.mp3

39-10-01 The Count of Monte Cristo / Adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' novel "The Count of Monte Cristo"

The classic of unjust accusation and satisfying revenge.

CP391008_Algiers.mp3

39-10-08 Algiers / Adaptation of John Howard Lawson's 1938 screenplay "Algiers"

The romance of Pepe Le Moko and of his fatal love in the Casbah.

CP391015_Escape_.mp3

39-10-15 Escape / Adaptation of John Galsworthy's 1926 play "Escape"

A good story about a man unjustly jailed for 5 years for accidentally killing a policeman. After escaping his prison, the man has several fascinating adventures while eluding recapture.

CP391022_Lilliom.mp3

39-10-22 Lillom / Adaptation of Ferenc Molnar's 1909 play "Lilliom"

A well-done, emotional tragedy about an ignorant carnival worker and his wife, whom he does not appreciate. The story was made into a musical and was known as, "Carousel."

CP391029_The_Magnificant_Ambersons.mp3

39-10-29 The Magnificent Ambersons (Walter Huston) / Adaptation of Booth Tarkington's 1918 novel "The Magnificent Ambersons". Adapted by Howard Koch

A very well-done adaptation of the classic about small town arrogance and a great mother love. Superb as usual.

CP391105_Hurricane.mp3

39-11-05 Hurricane / Adaptation of Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall's 1936 novel "The Hurricane"

South Seas drama about a vengeful government administrator and a simple native. Told against the background of a huge storm, the story is based on the famous 1937 film.

CP391112_The_Murder_Of_Roger_Ackroyd.mp3

39-11-12 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot mystery w/Edna May Oliver) / Adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1926 novel "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd"

Hercule Poirot solves another murder, with Orson Welles as both the Belgian detective and the prime suspect.

CP391119_Garden_of_Allah.mp3

39-11-19 The Garden of Allah (Claudette Colbert) / Adaptation of Robert Hichens' 1904 novel "The Garden of Allah"

Torrid romance in the sands of the Sahara.

CP391126_Dodsworth.mp3

39-11-26 Dodsworth (Fay Bainter, Nan Sunderland) / Adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' 1929 novel "Dodsworth"

The famous story of love and divorce as a middle-class American couple enter the world of European society.

CP391203_Lost_Horizon.mp3

39-12-03 Lost Horizon (Ronald Colman) / Adaptation of James Hilton's 1933 novel "Lost Horizon"

The famous story about the secret of the Valley Of The Blue Moon.

CP391210_Vanessa.mp3

39-12-10 Vanessa / Adaptation of Hugh Walpole's 1933 novel "Vanessa"

Victoria melodrama of lost love and insanity.

CP391217_There's_Always_a_Woman.mp3

39-12-17 There's Always a Woman / Adaptation of Gladys Lehman's 1938 screenplay "There's Always a Woman"

Screwball comedy/murder mystery about the dumb wife of a former Assistant District Attorney who fancies herself a private detective...and then solves a double murder! The cast is introduced on mike...during the middle of the show.

CP391224_A_Christmas_Carol.mp3

39-12-24 A Christmas Carol (Lionel Barrymore) / Adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1853 novella "A Christmas Carol"

The definitive version of the classic story. Barrymore never was better.

CP400107_Vanity_Fair.mp3

40-01-07 Vanity Fair / Adaptation of William M. Thaeray's novel "Vanity Fair"

The well-known story about the orphan girl who became a somewhat infamous fixture of British Society.

CP400114_Theodora_Goes_Wild.mp3

40-01-14 Theodora Goes Wild (Loretta Young) / Adaptation of Mary McCarthy and Sidney Buchman's 1936 film "Theodora Goes Wild"

Comedy about a small-town woman who secretly writes lurid romance novels, and who has a real-life lurid romance for herself.

CP400121_The_Citadel.mp3

40-01-21 The Citadel (Geraldine Fitzgerald) / Adaptation of A.J. Cronin's 1937 novel "The Citadel"

A doctor begins to value his profits more than his healing.

CP400128_It_Happened_One_Night.mp3

40-01-28 It Happened One Night (Miriam Hopkins) / Adaptation of the 1934 film "It Happened One Night" based on the 1933 short story "Night Bus" by Samuel Hopkins Adams.

Comedy-Romance about an escaped heiress and a wise-cracking reporter on a cross-country bus.

CP400204_Broom_Stages.mp3

40-02-04 The Broome Stages / Adaptation of Clemence Dane's 1931 novel "Broome Stages"

A story of the theatre, allowing Orson to vigorously emote several scenes by the Bard. A totally fictitious story, a fact not revealed until after the show.

CP400211_Mr._Deeds_Goes_to_Town.mp3

40-02-11 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (Gertrude Lawrence) / Adaptation of the 1936 film "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" based on the 1935 short story "Opera Hat" by Clarence Budington Kelland

Comedy-Romance based on the Frank Capra movie. A small town eccentric inherits $20 million and sets New York City on its ear.

CP400218_Dinner_at_Eight.mp3

40-02-18 Dinner at Eight (Hedda Hopper, Lucille Ball) / Adaptation of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's 1932 play "Dinner at Eight"

A radio version of the bittersweet play about society, money and fame.

CP400225_Only_Angels_Have_Wings.mp3

40-02-25 Only Angels Have Wings (Joan Blondell) / Adaptation of Howard Hawks and Jules Furthman's 1939 film "Only Angels Have Wings"

A good story about a two-bit airline in South America and the pilots who fly for it.

CP400303_Rabble_in_Arms.mp3

40-03-03 Rabble In Arms (Frances Dee) / Adaptation of Kenneth Roberts' 1933 novel "Rabble In Arms"

A defense of the character and honor of Benedict Arnold.

CP400310_Craig's_Wife.mp3

40-03-10 Craig's Wife / Adapted from George Kelly's 1925 Pulitzer Prize play

A good story about a determined wife, more concerned with her house than her home and her husband.

CP400317_Huckleberry_Finn.mp3

40-03-17 Huckleberry Finn (Jackie Cooper) / Adaptation of Mark Twain's 1884 novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

A well-done dramatization of the classic childhood adventure.

CP400324_June_Moon.mp3

40-03-24 June Moon (Jack Benny) / Adaptation of Ring Lardner and George S. Kaufman's 1929 play "June Moon"

This program has a studio audience. The program features the funny story about a song writer from Schenectady who arrives in New York with plans to conquer Tin Pan Alley. Jack manages to get in a remark about Fred Allen.

CP400331_Jane_Eyre.mp3

40-03-31 Jane Eyre (SURFACE NOISE) / Adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's 1847 novel "Jane Eyre"

The last show of the season; last show of the series. The classic story by Emily Bronte about the young governess in the house of a strange man with a terrible secret.

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