The Adventures of Christopher Wells

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Vicki Vola 1937.jpg
Vicki Vola portrayed Stacy McGill,
assistant to Christopher Wells.
GenreCrime drama
Running time30 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
SyndicatesCBS
Original releaseSeptember 28, 1947 –
June 22, 1948

The Adventures of Christopher Wells is a 30-minute radio crime drama broadcast on CBS from September 28, 1947, to June 22, 1948. [1]

It debuted at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday [2] and remained there through January 1948. Beginning on February 3, 1948, it aired on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. E. T. The move was part of a CBS "mood programming" strategy, which put dramatic programs on Tuesday evenings, comedy shows on Friday nights, and musical offerings on Sunday afternoons. [3] The shift to Tuesday was fatal, as it placed the drama opposite Fibber McGee and Molly on NBC. [4]

Sponsored by DeSoto-Plymouth, the program was created and directed by Ed Byron, who also created the more successful Mr. District Attorney . [5]

Myron McCormick had the title role of globe-trotting journalist Wells, and Charlotte Lawrence portrayed Stacy McGill, Wells' assistant. Les Damon and Vicki Vola took over those lead roles in February 1948. Edward A. Byron was producer-director. Peter Van Streeden furnished the background music. [6]

Robert Shaw's scripts usually placed Wells in a different country each week. For Newsweek, Byron offered a back story on Wells, noting that he was born September 28, 1912, sold newspapers and worked as a $16-a-week cub reported on a New York daily newspaper before becoming a featured columnist with traits of Nellie Bly, Richard Harding Davis and Walter Winchell. [4]

In its original time slot, the show's competition included Take It or Leave It . [5]

Critical response

A review in the trade publication Variety said that the premiere episode had "an unbelievable situation" in which "All the old cliches and pat quips were yanked out and strung together." [5] The review found fault with McCormick's acting as well as with the scripts and said that Byron's direction did not match the quality of his work on Mr. District Attorney. [5]

Jack Gould wrote in a review in The New York Times that the premiere episode "was produced with Mr. Byron's usual eclat and assurance". [7] He complimented McCormick's performance and predicted that the program should fare well in ratings. [7]

A review in the trade publication Billboard called the program "straight escapist stuff" with "no attempt to adhere to realism". [8] It said that the show succeeded in "building considerable tension" and complimented the dialog, the production, and the acting. [8]

References

  1. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN   978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 9.
  2. ↑ "Premiere in Fall for 'Christopher Wells' -- New Panel for 'Pursuit of Happiness'" . The New York Times. July 4, 1947. p. 26. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  3. ↑ "The News of Radio; ' Christopher Wells' and 'Studio One' Moved to Tuesday Night Spots on CBS Chain" . The New York Times. January 20, 1948. p. 46. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 8. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Christopher Wells". Variety. October 1, 1947. p. 24. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Wells Cast". Harrisburg Telegraph. Harrisburg Telegraph. January 10, 1948. p. 19. Retrieved August 24, 2015– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  7. 1 2 Gould, Jack (October 5, 1947). "Programs in Review: Documentary Shows Cover War Babies And Housing -- "Christopher Wells'" . The New York Times. p. X 11. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Franken, Jerry (October 25, 1947). "Christopher Wells". Billboard. p. 12. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
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