Favorite Story

Last updated
Favorite Story
Ronald Colman - publicity.jpg
Ronald Colman, host of Favorite Story
GenreDramatic anthology
Running time30 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
Home station KFI
Syndicates Ziv Company
Hosted by Ronald Colman
AnnouncerGeorge Barclay
True Boardman
Written byJerome Lawrence
Robert E. Lee
William Froug
E. Jack Neuman
Directed byJerome Lawrence
Robert E. Lee
Produced byJerome Lawrence
Robert E. Lee
Original release1946 –
1949
No. of episodes118

Favorite Story is an American old-time radio dramatic anthology. It was nationally syndicated by the Ziv Company from 1946 to 1949. [1] The program was "advertised as a show that 'stands head and shoulders above the finest programs on the air'". [2] Originating at KFI in Los Angeles, California, Favorite Story apparently was not related to the similarly named My Favorite Story that ran on KNX in Los Angeles earlier. [3]

Contents

Format

Each episode of Favorite Story featured an adaptation of a story selected by a celebrity — purportedly his or her favorite story. The celebrities came from various fields: actors, directors, bandleaders, and athletes, to name but a few. Because they did not appear on the air, the Ziv Company saved any salary that their appearances would have incurred. Compensation came in the form of promoting whatever book, film, or other work the guest had coming up. [4]

Despite the show's premise, many of the stories presented may not have been the celebrities' actual favorites. Christine Becker wrote in her book, It’s the Pictures That Got Small: Hollywood Film Stars on 1950s Television, "Production documents indicate that celebrities were asked for their favorite stories, but they had to select from a predetermined list and were not always matched up with a story they selected." [4]

Stories presented were adaptations of literary classics, [4] including Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Oliver Twist. [5] Not only did prestigious titles add an air of quality, but they had the financial advantage of being in the public domain, so that nothing had to be paid for the rights to broadcast them. [2]

The half-hour time span was better suited to short stories than to novels, but Tim DeForest wrote in his book, Radio by the Book: Adaptations of Literature and Fiction on the Airwaves, "In many cases, Favorite Story managed the incredible feat of jamming a classic novel into half an hour and still giving us a rewarding experience." [5]

Personnel

As an anthology, Favorite Story had no regular characters; the only person who appeared in the same role from one episode to another was host Ronald Colman. His presence enhanced the program's appeal to listeners and to executives and sponsors at local stations — a factor essential to having stations broadcast the show. Frederick Ziv, owner of the company that syndicated the program, said that with Colman on board, "Stations were receptive, networks were receptive, sponsors were receptive, audiences were receptive." [4] Becker found that, besides being the host and acting in some episodes, Colman "did indeed have measurable creative input into Favorite Story", such as suggesting how the script writers should adapt the stories for radio. [2]

Actors heard regularly in episodes included Jeff Corey, Edna Best, Lionel Stander, Vincent Price, John Beal, Howard Duff, William Conrad, and Janet Waldo. [2] Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee produced, directed, and wrote for the program. Other writers were William Froug and E. Jack Neuman. Announcers were George Barclay and True Boardman. Music was by Claude Sweeten. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Suspense</i> (radio drama) Radio drama series (1940 to 1962)

Suspense is a radio drama series broadcast on CBS Radio from 1940 through 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Colman</span> British actor (1891–1958)

Ronald Charles Colman was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrating to the United States and having a highly successful Hollywood film career. He starred in silent films and successfully transitioned to sound, aided by a distinctive, pleasing voice. He was most popular during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. He received Oscar nominations for Bulldog Drummond (1929), Condemned (1929) and Random Harvest (1942). Colman starred in several classic films, including A Tale of Two Cities (1935), Lost Horizon (1937) and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937). He also played the starring role in the Technicolor classic Kismet (1944), with Marlene Dietrich, which was nominated for four Academy Awards. In 1947, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for the film A Double Life.

<i>The Campbell Playhouse</i> (radio series) Radio series

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.

<i>Bold Venture</i> American syndicated radio series (1951-1952)

Bold Venture was a syndicated radio series starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall that aired from 1951 to 1952. Morton Fine and David Friedkin scripted the taped series for Bogart's Santana Productions.

<i>Lux Radio Theatre</i> American radio anthology series

Lux Radio Theatre, sometimes spelled Lux Radio Theater, a classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the NBC Blue Network (1934–35) ; CBS Radio network (1935–54), and NBC Radio (1954–55). Initially, the series adapted Broadway plays during its first two seasons before it began adapting films. These hour-long radio programs were performed live before studio audiences. The series became the most popular dramatic anthology series on radio, broadcast for more than 20 years and continued on television as the Lux Video Theatre through most of the 1950s. The primary sponsor of the show was Unilever through its Lux Soap brand.

Ziv Television Programs, Inc. was an American production company that specialized in productions for first-run television syndication in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthology series</span> Form of broadcast entertainment

An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different cast in each episode, but several series in the past, such as Four Star Playhouse, employed a permanent troupe of character actors who would appear in a different drama each week. Some anthology series, such as Studio One, began on radio and then expanded to television.

<i>Academy Award</i> (radio series) CBS radio anthology series

Academy Award is a CBS radio anthology series, which presented 30-minute adaptations of plays, novels, or films.

<i>Ford Theatre</i> Television and radio series

Ford Theatre, spelled Ford Theater for the original radio version and known, in full, as The Ford Television Theatre for the TV version, is a radio and television anthology series broadcast in the United States in the 1940s and 1950s. At various times the television series appeared on all three major television networks, while the radio version was broadcast on two separate networks and on two separate coasts. Ford Theatre was named for its sponsor, the Ford Motor Company, which had an earlier success with its concert music series, The Ford Sunday Evening Hour (1934–42).

<i>The Screen Guild Theater</i> American radio series

The Screen Guild Theater is a radio anthology series broadcast from 1939 until 1952 during the Golden Age of Radio. Leading Hollywood stars performed adaptations of popular motion pictures. Originating on CBS Radio, it aired under several different titles including The Gulf Screen Guild Show, The Gulf Screen Guild Theater, The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater and The Camel Screen Guild Players. Fees that would ordinarily have been paid to the stars and studios were instead donated to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and were used for the construction and maintenance of the Motion Picture Country House.

<i>The Zero Hour</i> (U.S. radio series)

The Zero Hour was a 1973–74 American radio drama anthology series hosted by Rod Serling. With tales of mystery, adventure and suspense, the program was broadcast for two seasons. Some of the scripts were written by Serling.

Your Favorite Story is a syndicated TV anthology series that was broadcast in the United States from 1953 to 1955. The program was also known as My Favorite Story. It was premiered in December 1954 with the title Your Favorite Playhouse.

Hollywood Playhouse, also known as Woodbury Hollywood Playhouse, is a radio anthology drama series that featured adaptations of plays and short stories. Created as a showcase for Tyrone Power, the series began October 3, 1937, on the Blue Network, with Darryl F. Zanuck introducing his 20th Century-Fox star. The half-hour program aired Sundays at 9 p.m. ET until September 1939, when it was moved to the NBC Red Network Wednesdays at 8 pm ET. Woodbury Soap and Jergens Lotion sponsored the show.

Hollywood Star Playhouse is a radio dramatic anthology series in the United States. It was broadcast April 24, 1950-February 15, 1953, appearing on CBS, ABC and NBC over that span.

The Cresta Blanca Hollywood Players was a dramatic anthology series on radio in the United States. It was broadcast on CBS September 3, 1946 – February 26, 1947.

The MGM Theater of the Air is a one-hour radio dramatic anthology in the United States. It was broadcast on WMGM in New York City and syndicated to other stations via electrical transcription October 14, 1949 – December 7, 1951. It was carried on Mutual January 5-December 27, 1952.

<i>Silver Theater</i> (radio program) American radio dramatic anthology series

For the television series of the same name, see The Silver Theatre.

Frederic W. Ziv Company produced syndicated radio and television programs in the United States. Horace Newcomb's Encyclopedia of Television described the company as "by 1948 ... the largest packager and syndicator of radio programs" and later "the most prolific producer of programming for the first-run syndication market during the 1950s."

Brownstone Theater is an old-time radio dramatic anthology series in the United States. It was broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System February 21, 1945 – September 23, 1945.

Hallmark Playhouse is an American old-time radio dramatic anthology series. It was broadcast on CBS from June 10, 1948 until February 1, 1953, and was described by one author as "a program that consistently produced the highest levels of production quality and value." Beginning on February 8, 1953, the program underwent changes of title, host, and format. It was broadcast as The Hallmark Hall of Fame until March 27, 1955, still on CBS.

References

  1. ↑ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 244. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Becker, Christine (2001). "A Syndicated Show in a Network World: Frederic Ziv's Favorite Story" (PDF). Journal of Radio Studies. 8 (1): 160–174. doi:10.1207/s15506843jrs0801_12. S2CID   5234794. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 November 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  3. 1 2 Radio Series Scripts, 1930–2001: A Catalog of the American Radio Archives Collection. McFarland. 2006. p. 156. ISBN   9781476606705 . Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Becker, Christine (2008). It's the Pictures That Got Small: Hollywood Film Stars on 1950s Television. Wesleyan University Press. pp. 128–129. ISBN   9780819568946 . Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  5. 1 2 DeForest, Tim (2008). Radio by the Book: Adaptations of Literature and Fiction on the Airwaves. McFarland. pp. 199–200. ISBN   9781476607597 . Retrieved 30 October 2017.

Logs

Streaming

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.