Screen Directors Playhouse (radio series) explained

Screen Directors Playhouse is an American radio dramatic anthology program that was broadcast on NBC from January 9, 1949, through September 28, 1951. Initially it was called NBC Theater.[1]

Episodes of Screen Directors Playhouse were adaptations of films. Each episode began with an introduction by the director of the film being featured, and it concluded with a conversation between that director and the stars of the episode. Margaret Truman appeared in a dramatic role for the first time on the program.[2]

NBC Theater

NBC Theater debuted on January 9, 1949, as a replacement for Fred Allen's program at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sundays. Broadcasts were done in cooperation with the Screen Directors Guild. The premiere episode was "Stagecoach", with John Wayne re-creating his role in the film of the same name.[3]

Schedule and name change

On March 13, 1949, the show was moved to 9 p.m. E. T. on Sundays. It was moved to Fridays, 8:30 to 9 p.m. E. T. beginning July 1, 1949, as a summer replacement for Eddie Cantor's program, with Pabst Brewing Company as sponsor.[4] The Pabst sponsorship was accompanied by a change in name as the program became Screen Directors Playhouse. The trade publication Billboard reported that NBC discounted the show's price for the summer, saying that the network wanted "to snare a bankroller during summer months even at a loss, thus cutting its overhead on the show and getting sponsorship prestige."[5] After the summer run, the show was heard on Mondays at 10 p.m. E. T. Beginning on November 18, 1949, it was moved to Fridays at 10 p.m. E. T. It was sustaining until RCA became its sponsor on January 6, 1950.[6]

Episodes

Partial List of Episodes of NBC Theater/Screen Directors Playhouse
Date Episode Actor(s) Director
January 9, 1949 "Stagecoach" John Wayne John Ford
February 6, 1949 "Hired Wife" Rosalind Russell[7]
March 6, 1949 "Manhattan Merry-Go-Round" Rosalind Russell, Marlene Dietrich, John LundBilly Wilder[8]
March 13, 1949 "You Were Meant for Me" Lloyd Bacon[9]
April 2, 1949 "The Ghost Breakers" Bob Hope[10]
August 5, 1949"Fort Apache" John Wayne, Ward Bond[11]
November 25, 1949 "The Spiral Staircase" Dorothy McGuire[12]
December 2, 1949 "All My Sons" Edward G. Robinson[13]
December 9, 1949 "Call Northside 777" James StewartHenry Hathaway[14]
January 13, 1950 "Tomorrow Is Forever" Claudette Colbert[15]
March 17, 1950 "Champion"[16]
March 24, 1950 "Chicago Deadline" Alan Ladd[17]
March 31, 1950 "The Dark Mirror" Olivia de Havilland[18]
May 26, 1950"Flamingo Road" Joan Crawford[19]
November 23, 1950 "Mrs. Mike" Dick Powell, June Allyson[20]
December 7, 1950 "My Favorite Wife" Cary Grant, Irene Dunne[21]
February 15, 1951 "Dark Victory" Tallulah Bankhead[22]
February 22, 1951 "No Minor Vices"
April 26, 1951 "Jackpot"

Production

Jimmy Wallington was the announcer, and Henry Russell led the orchestra. Howard Wiley was the producer.[23] Milton Geiger and Richard Simmons were the writers.

Screen Directors Playhouse was one of several shows in 1949 that mixed recordings of dialog with live performances of musical components. When the show was broadcast, engineers synchronized playback of taped segments with the live musical bridges and themes. That technique reduced expenses because musicians' fees for live broadcasts were lower than those for transcribed productions.[24] By November 1950, however, the show had become one of several network radio programs that used "canned bridges and cues".[25]

Recognition

In November 1949, the National Council of Teachers of English presented an award to NBC Theater as "the program which during 1948-49 school year has done most to promote greater understanding and appreciation of our literary heritage".[26] In December 1949, was a second-place selection for "outstanding entertainment in drama" in the Peabody Awards.[27]

Critical response

Radio historian John Dunning wrote in his book On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, that Screen Directors Playhouse demonstrated the importance of writing for radio programs, saying that such importance "was seldom better demonstrated than here. Though the material had a familiar sound, it was made fresh."

Notes and References

  1. Book: Dunning. John. On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. 1998. Oxford University Press. New York, NY. 978-0-19-507678-3. 600. Revised.
  2. News: March 21, 1951 . Miss Truman Gets Role in Radio Play: She Will Co-star With James Stewart in 'Jackpot' Over N.B.C. Network April 26 . subscription . March 26, 2024 . The New York Times . 59.
  3. News: Tranter . Jim . NBC Theater to Take Spot Vacated by Fred Allen . March 24, 2024 . The Buffalo News . January 8, 1949 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240324212237/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news/144049123/ . March 24, 2024. 11 . .
  4. News: Radio and Television: Peggy Wood to Play Title Role in 'Mama's Bank Account' on CBS Video Series . March 25, 2024 . The New York Times . June 8, 1949 . 58. subscription .
  5. June 4, 1949 . 5 . Cantor & Pabst Break; 'Riley' For AM-TV Deal . Billboard . March 27, 2024 .
  6. November 12, 1949 . 5 . 'Screen Directors' Playhouse' for RCA, January 6 . Billboard . March 26, 2024 .
  7. News: Bird . Bill . Radio on Review . March 24, 2024 . Pasadena Independent . February 6, 1949 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240324215652/https://www.newspapers.com/article/pasadena-independent/144052115/ . March 24, 2024 . 30. .
  8. News: Andy Devine's Gravel Voice Added To Show . March 24, 2024 . The Indianapolis Star . March 6, 1949 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240324220631/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/144052793/ . March 24, 2024 . 58. .
  9. News: Tranter . Jim . Dailey Stars as NBC Theater Moves to New Spot Sunday . March 24, 2024 . The Buffalo News . March 12, 1949 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240324221727/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news/144053795/ . March 24, 2024 . 20. Newspapers.com.
  10. News: On Your Speaker and Screen Tonight . March 27, 2024 . Los Angeles Mirror . April 2, 1949 . 16. .
  11. Book: Schaefli . Roland . John Wayne Was Here: The Film Locations and Favorite Places of an American Icon . June 9, 2021 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-4127-0 . 34 . March 25, 2024 . en.
  12. Book: Pitts . Michael R. . RKO Radio Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1929-1956 . April 3, 2015 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-6047-2 . 310 . March 27, 2024 . en.
  13. Book: Beck . Robert . The Edward G. Robinson Encyclopedia . September 16, 2015 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-0666-8 . 264 . March 27, 2024 . en.
  14. News: On The Air . March 27, 2024 . The Gazette and Daily . December 9, 1949 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327162651/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-and-daily/144233749/ . March 27, 2024 . Pennsylvania, York . 50. .
  15. News: On The Air . March 27, 2024 . The Gazette and Daily . January 13, 1950 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327204354/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-and-daily/144252428/ . March 27, 2024 . Pennsylvania, York . 32. Newspapers.com.
  16. Book: Romano . Frederick V. . The Golden Age of Boxing on Radio and Television: A Blow-by-Blow History from 1921 to 1964 . July 25, 2017 . Simon and Schuster . 978-1-63144-075-5 . March 26, 2024 . en.
  17. News: On The Air . March 27, 2024 . The Gazette and Daily . March 24, 1950 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327203813/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-and-daily/144251997/ . March 27, 2024 . Pennsylvania, York . 40. .
  18. News: On WFLA Today . March 27, 2024 . The Tampa Tribune . March 31, 1950 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327204843/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune/144252827/ . March 27, 2024 . 26. .
  19. News: Joan Crawford Billed In KSD Play Friday . March 27, 2024 . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . May 21, 1950 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327203156/https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/144251511/ . March 27, 2024 . 70. .
  20. News: 'Playhouse' Airs Holiday Program . May 27, 2024 . The Tampa Times . November 23, 1950 . 19. .
  21. News: Diespecker . Dick . Around Your Radio Dial - Tonight . March 27, 2024 . The Province . December 7, 1950 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327155705/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-province/144231906/ . March 27, 2024 . Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver . 23. .
  22. News: Caldwell . John . Changes Are Listed As Signs of Spring; Two Fold In March . March 27, 2024 . The Cincinnati Enquirer . February 22, 1951 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240327160436/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer/144232343/ . March 27, 2024 . 16. .
  23. Book: Terrace . Vincent . From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021 . October 6, 2022 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-8836-7 . 182 . en . March 26, 2024.
  24. December 10, 1949 . 5 . NBC Devises Radio Recording System . Billboard . March 27, 2024 .
  25. November 18, 1950 . 11 . AFM Probes Canned Music on Networks . Billboard . March 27, 2024 .
  26. November 28, 1949 . English Teachers' Award Goes To 'NBC Theater' . March 24, 2024 . Radio Daily . 1, 6.
  27. December 22, 1949 . Radio-TV Programs Cited For Awards . March 24, 2024 . Radio Daily . 1, 4.

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