The Philadelphia Story (film)

Last updated

The Philadelphia Story
The-Philadelphia-Story-(1940).jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed by George Cukor
Screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart
Based on The Philadelphia Story
1939 play
by Philip Barry
Produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Starring Cary Grant
Katharine Hepburn
James Stewart
Ruth Hussey
Cinematography Joseph Ruttenberg
Edited by Frank Sullivan
Music by Franz Waxman
Production
company
Distributed by Loew's, Inc.
Release dates
  • December 26, 1940 (1940-12-26)(New York City)
  • January 17, 1941 (1941-01-17)(US)
Running time
112 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$914,000 [1]
Box office$3.3 million [1]

The Philadelphia Story is a 1940 American romantic comedy film [2] [3] starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey. Directed by George Cukor, the film is based on the 1939 Broadway play of the same name by Philip Barry [4] about a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and a tabloid magazine journalist. The socialite, played by Hepburn in both productions, was inspired by Helen Hope Montgomery Scott (1904–1995), a Philadelphia heiress who had married Barry's friend. [5]

Contents

Written for the screen by Donald Ogden Stewart and an uncredited Waldo Salt, it is considered among the best examples of a comedy of remarriage, in which a couple divorce, flirt with outsiders and then remarry. The genre was popular in the 1930s and 1940s at a time when divorce was considered scandalous and the depiction of extramarital affairs was blocked by the Production Code. [6] [7]

The film was Hepburn's first hit following several flops that had caused her placement on a 1938 list of actors considered to be "box office poison" compiled by theater owner Harry Brandt. [8] Hepburn starred in the play and acquired the film rights, with the help of Howard Hughes, [9] to control it as a vehicle for her screen comeback. [10]

Nominated for six Academy Awards, the film won two: James Stewart for Best Actor and Donald Ogden Stewart for Best Adapted Screenplay. MGM remade the film in 1956 as a musical retitled High Society , starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. [11]

The Philadelphia Story was produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 1995. [12]

Plot

Mike carries Tracy into the house after a midnight dip. Philadelphia Story 9.jpg
Mike carries Tracy into the house after a midnight dip.

Tracy Lord is the elder daughter of a wealthy Philadelphia Main Line socialite family. She was married to C.K. Dexter Haven, a yacht designer and member of her social set, but divorced him two years prior because, according to her father, he does not meet the standards that she sets for all her friends and family. She is soon to marry the wealthy George Kittredge.

In New York, Spy magazine publisher Sidney Kidd is eager to cover the wedding and assigns reporter Mike Connor and photographer Liz Imbrie. Kidd intends to use the assistance of Dexter, who has been working for Spy in South America. Dexter tells Kidd that he will introduce them as friends of Tracy's brother Junius, a diplomat in Argentina. Tracy is not fooled, but Dexter tells her that Kidd has threatened her family's reputation with an innuendo-laden article about her father's affair with a dancer. Tracy deeply resents her father's infidelity, which has prompted her parents to live separately. Nonetheless, to protect her family's reputation, she agrees to let Mike and Liz stay and cover her wedding.

Dexter is welcomed by Tracy's mother Margaret and teenage sister Dinah, much to Tracy's frustration. She soon discovers that Mike has admirable qualities and finds his book of short stories in the library. As the wedding nears, she finds herself torn among George, Dexter, and Mike.

The night before the wedding, Tracy becomes drunk, kisses Mike and takes an innocent midnight swim with him. When George observes Mike carrying Tracy into the house afterward, he assumes the worst. The next day, George tells her that he was shocked and feels entitled to an explanation before proceeding with the wedding. She admits to having no excuse and realizes that he does not really know her and has loved her as an idealized, perfect angel, so she cancels the engagement.

Tracy realizes that the guests have arrived and are waiting for the wedding ceremony to begin. Mike quickly volunteers to marry her, but she graciously declines because she perceives that Liz is in love with him. Dexter then offers to remarry her, and she gladly accepts.

Cast

Production

"Everyone had enormous fun on the movie. The days and nights were sweltering that summer of 1940, but nobody cared. Cary got along very well with Kate Hepburn. She enjoyed him pushing her through a doorway in one scene (so she fell over backward) so much that she had him do it to her over and over again. There was a scene in which she had to throw Cary out the door of a house, bag and baggage, and she did it so vigorously he fell over and was bruised. As he stood up, looking rueful, Kate said, "That'll serve you right, Cary, for trying to be your own stuntman."

—Cameraman Joseph Ruttenberg, recalling The Philadelphia Story (1940). [13]

Broadway playwright Philip Barry wrote the play specifically for Hepburn, who financially supported the play and declined a salary in return for a percentage of the profits. [14] Her costars were Joseph Cotten as Dexter Haven, Van Heflin as Mike Connor and Shirley Booth as Liz Imbrie. [4] The play also originally featured a character named Sandy that was eliminated from the screenplay.[ citation needed ]

The original play, starring Hepburn, ran for 417 performances. [4] It earned more than $1 million at the box office sales and later toured, performing another 250 times and returning more than $750,000 in sales.[ citation needed ]

Hepburn had hoped to create a film vehicle for herself that would erase the label of "box office poison" that she had acquired after a number of commercial failures (such as Bringing Up Baby ). Howard Hughes purchased the film rights for the play and gave them to her. Hepburn then sold the rights to MGM's Louis B. Mayer for $250,000 and the power of final approval of the film's producer, director, screenwriter and cast. [10] [14]

Hepburn as Tracy Lord and Stewart as Mike Connor Philadelphia Story 13.jpg
Hepburn as Tracy Lord and Stewart as Mike Connor

Hepburn selected director George Cukor, with whom she had worked for A Bill of Divorcement (1932) and Little Women (1933), and Barry's friend Donald Ogden Stewart, a writer experienced with adapting plays to the screen. [14] Stewart, who won an Oscar for the script, said that "getting an Oscar for The Philadelphia Story was the easiest Oscar you could imagine. All you had to do was get out of the way." He wrote the script while listening to a tape recording of a live performance of the play to ensure that he preserved the lines that received the most laughter. [15]

Hepburn wanted Clark Gable to play Dexter Haven and Spencer Tracy to play Mike Connor, but both had other commitments. [11] The pairing of Cukor and Gable might have been problematic in any case, as they had clashed during the filming of the recent Gone with the Wind , with Cukor replaced by Gable's friend Victor Fleming. [16] Grant agreed to play the part only if he were afforded top billing and that his salary would be $137,000, which he donated to the British War Relief Society. [17]

According to the documentary MGM: When the Lion Roars, after Mayer purchased the film rights, he was skeptical about Hepburn's box-office appeal and took the unusual precaution of engaging two top male stars (Grant and Stewart) to support Hepburn.

The film was in production from July 5 to August 14, 1940, [18] five days under schedule, [10] at MGM's studios in Culver City. [19]

Reception

Release

Theatrical trailer

The film premiered in New York City on December 26, 1940 and was shown in select theaters in December, but MGM had agreed to hold its general release until January 1941 to avoid competition with the stage play [10] that was touring the country. [4] It entered general American release on January 17, 1941. [20] It broke a box-office record at Radio City Music Hall by earning $600,000 in just six weeks.[ citation needed ]

According to MGM records, the film earned $2,374,000 in the U.S. and Canada, and $885,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,272,000. [1]

Critical reception

Grant as C.K. Dexter Haven, and John Howard as George Kittredge Philadelphia Story 12.jpg
Grant as C.K. Dexter Haven, and John Howard as George Kittredge

Writing for The New York Times in 1940, Bosley Crowther wrote that the film "has just about everything that a blue-chip comedy should have—a witty, romantic script derived by Donald Ogden Stewart out of Philip Barry's successful play; the flavor of high-society elegance, in which the patrons invariably luxuriate; and a splendid cast of performers headed by Hepburn, Stewart, and Grant. If it doesn't play out this year and well along into next, they should turn the Music Hall into a shooting gallery ... Metro and Director George Cukor have graciously made it apparent, in the words of a character, that one of 'the prettiest sights in this pretty world is the privileged classes enjoying their privileges'. And so, in this instance, will you, too." [21]

Life named The Philadelphia Story its film of the week in January 1941, describing it as "among the best funny pictures" of the year. [22]

The film has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 101 reviews, with an average rating of 9/10. The consensus reads: "Offering a wonderfully witty script, spotless direction from George Cukor, and typically excellent lead performances, The Philadelphia Story is an unqualified classic." [23] Rotten Tomatoes has also ranked it as the best romantic comedy of all time. [24] The film holds a 96 rating on Metacritic.

The film was the last of four starring Grant and Hepburn following Sylvia Scarlett (1935), Bringing Up Baby (1938), and Holiday (1938).

Awards and honors

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning two (Best Actor and Best Screenplay). James Stewart did not expect to win and felt that the award was given to him as compensation for his role in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington the previous year. [14]

AwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
Academy Awards [25] Best Picture Joseph L. Mankiewicz (for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)Nominated
Best Director George Cukor Nominated
Best Actor James Stewart Won
Best Actress Katharine Hepburn Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Ruth Hussey Nominated
Best Screenplay Donald Ogden Stewart Won
National Film Preservation Board National Film Registry Inducted
New York Film Critics Circle Awards [26] Best Film Nominated
Best Actress Katharine HepburnWon
Online Film & Television Association Awards [27] Hall of Fame – Motion PictureWon

The film was named the third-best of the year by The Film Daily . [28]

In 1995, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. [12]

The film was included in various American Film Institute lists:

Adaptations

Hepburn, Grant and Stewart perform The Philadelphia Story for the Victory Theater radio program in 1942 Hepburn Grant Stewart Radio Publicity Photo.jpg
Hepburn, Grant and Stewart perform The Philadelphia Story for the Victory Theater radio program in 1942

The stars of The Philadelphia Story appeared in a one-hour radio adaptation on the premiere episode of the Department of War's special Victory Theater summer series, [34] [35] [36] airing on July 20, 1942. [37] Lux Radio Theatre produced a second adaptation for its own use on June 14, 1943, starring Robert Taylor, Loretta Young and Robert Young. [10] [38] The film was also adapted for two half-hour episodes of The Screen Guild Theater , first with Greer Garson, Henry Fonda and Fred MacMurray (April 5, 1942), [39] and then with Hepburn, Grant and Stewart reprising their film roles (March 17, 1947). [40]

The film was adapted in 1956 as the MGM musical High Society , directed by Charles Walters and starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm and Louis Armstrong. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Cukor</span> American film director and producer

George Dewey Cukor was an American film director and producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of Production, assigned Cukor to direct several of RKO's major films, including What Price Hollywood? (1932), A Bill of Divorcement (1932), Our Betters (1933), and Little Women (1933). When Selznick moved to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1933, Cukor followed and directed Dinner at Eight (1933) and David Copperfield (1935) for Selznick, and Romeo and Juliet (1936) and Camille (1936) for Irving Thalberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cary Grant</span> English-American actor (1904–1986)

Cary Grant was an English-American actor. Known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, lighthearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing, he was one of classic Hollywood's definitive leading men. He was nominated twice for the Academy Award, received an Academy Honorary Award in 1970, and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 1981. He was named the second greatest male star of the Golden Age of Hollywood by the American Film Institute in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katharine Hepburn</span> American actress (1907–2003)

Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress whose career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited personality, and outspokenness, cultivating a screen persona that matched this public image, and regularly playing strong-willed, sophisticated women. She worked in a varied range of genres, from screwball comedy to literary drama, which earned her various accolades, including four Academy Awards for Best Actress—a record for any performer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spencer Tracy</span> American actor (1900–1967)

Spencer Bonaventure Tracy was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two consecutive Academy Awards for Best Actor, from nine nominations. During his career, he appeared in 75 films and developed a reputation among his peers as one of the screen's greatest actors. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Tracy as the 9th greatest male star of Classic Hollywood Cinema.

<i>Adams Rib</i> 1949 film by George Cukor

Adam's Rib is a 1949 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor from a screenplay written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. It stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn as married lawyers who come to oppose each other in court. Judy Holliday co-stars as the third lead in her second credited movie role. Also featured are Tom Ewell, David Wayne, and Jean Hagen. The music was composed by Miklós Rózsa, and the song "Farewell, Amanda" was written by Cole Porter.

<i>Bringing Up Baby</i> 1938 film by Howard Hawks

Bringing Up Baby is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film tells the story of a paleontologist in a number of predicaments involving a scatterbrained heiress and a leopard named Baby. The screenplay was adapted by Dudley Nichols and Hagar Wilde from a short story by Wilde which originally appeared in Collier's Weekly magazine on April 10, 1937.

<i>Father of the Bride</i> (1950 film) 1950 film by Vincente Minnelli

Father of the Bride is a 1950 American romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli from a screenplay by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Edward Streeter. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor, and follows a man trying to cope with preparations for his daughter's wedding. Father of the Bride was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing, Screenplay, and Best Actor in a Leading Role.

<i>Edward, My Son</i> 1949 film by George Cukor

Edward, My Son is a 1949 British drama film directed by George Cukor for MGM-British Studios that stars Spencer Tracy and Deborah Kerr. The screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart is based on the 1947 play of the same title by Noel Langley and Robert Morley. The title character is never seen in the movie and montages of celebratory cakes show the passage of time.

<i>High Society</i> (1956 film) 1956 American musical comedy film directed by Charles Walters

High Society is a 1956 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Charles Walters and starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra. The film was produced by Sol C. Siegel for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and shot in VistaVision and Technicolor, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garson Kanin</span> American film and theatre director, playwright, screenwriter

Garson Kanin was an American writer and director of plays and films.

<i>Sylvia Scarlett</i> 1935 film by George Cukor

Sylvia Scarlett is a 1935 American romantic comedy film starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, based on The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett, a 1918 novel by Compton MacKenzie. Directed by George Cukor, it was notorious as one of the most famous unsuccessful movies of the 1930s. Hepburn plays the title role of Sylvia Scarlett, a female con artist masquerading as a boy to escape the police. The success of the subterfuge is in large part due to the transformation of Hepburn by RKO makeup artist Mel Berns.

<i>Pat and Mike</i> 1952 film by George Cukor

Pat and Mike is a 1952 American romantic comedy film starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The movie was written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, and directed by George Cukor. Cukor directed The Philadelphia Story (1940) with Hepburn, and Cukor, Gordon and Kanin teamed with Hepburn and Tracy again for Adam's Rib (1949). Gordon and Kanin were nominated for the 1952 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for their work on Pat and Mike.

<i>Holiday</i> (1938 film) 1938 film by George Cukor

Holiday is a 1938 American romantic comedy film directed by George Cukor, a remake of the 1930 film of the same name.

<i>Keeper of the Flame</i> (film) 1943 film by George Cukor

Keeper of the Flame is a 1942 American drama film directed by George Cukor, and starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). The screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart is adapted from the 1942 novel Keeper of the Flame by I. A. R. Wylie. Hepburn plays the widow of a famous civic leader who has died in an accident. Tracy portrays a former war correspondent who intends to write a flattering biography of the dead man, only to find that his death is shrouded in mystery. Screenwriter Stewart considered the script the finest moment of his career, feeling vindicated by the assignment as he believed that Hollywood had punished him for years for his political views. Principal filming began in the last week of August 1942, four months after the release of the novel, published by Random House. The picture was filmed on a sound stage, with no location shooting. Hepburn had already begun a relationship with Tracy, and his heavy drinking led her to become his vigilant guardian during the filming.

The comedy of remarriage is a subgenre of American comedy films of the 1930s and 1940s. At the time, the Production Code, also known as the Hays Code, banned any explicit references to or attempts to justify adultery and illicit sex. The comedy of remarriage with the same spouse enabled filmmakers to evade this provision of the Code. The protagonists divorced, flirted, or even had relationships, with strangers without risking the wrath of censorship, and then got back together.

<i>High Society</i> (musical) 1997 musical

High Society is a musical comedy with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Some updated or new lyrics were provided by Susan Birkenhead. The musical is based on Philip Barry's 1939 stage comedy The Philadelphia Story and the subsequent 1956 musical film adaptation, High Society, which features Porter's songs. The musical includes most of the music featured in the movie, along with several songs selected from other Porter musicals. It premiered on Broadway in 1998 and has since been revived. Another musical adaptation of the story had opened in London in 1987 with a different book by Richard Eyre.

<i>The Actress</i> 1953 film by George Cukor

The Actress is a 1953 American comedy-drama film directed by George Cukor based on Ruth Gordon's autobiographical play Years Ago. Gordon also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Spencer Tracy, Jean Simmons, and Teresa Wright, and features Anthony Perkins in his film debut.

<i>Without Love</i> (film) 1945 film by Harold S. Bucquet

Without Love is a 1945 romantic comedy film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and Lucille Ball. Based on a 1942 play by Philip Barry, the film's screenplay was written by Donald Ogden Stewart.

<i>The Philadelphia Story</i> (play) 1939 play by Philip Barry

The Philadelphia Story is a 1939 American comic play by Philip Barry. It tells the story of a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist. Written as a vehicle for Katharine Hepburn, its success marked a reversal of fortunes for the actress, who was one of the film stars deemed "box office poison" in 1938.

<i>Holiday</i> (play) 1928 play by Philip Barry

Holiday is a 1928 play by Philip Barry which was twice adapted to film. The original play opened in New York on November 26, 1928, at the Plymouth Theatre and closed in June 1929, after 229 performances. It was directed by Arthur Hopkins, set design by Robert Edmond Jones, and costume design by Margaret Pemberton.

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger. Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. Variety film review; November 27, 1940, page 16.
  3. Harrison's Reports film review; December 7, 1940.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Philadelphia Story (1939 play)". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.
  5. Irvine, Ian "The Real Philadelphia Story" at ReelClassics.com
  6. "Waldo Salt". prod-www.tcm.com. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  7. Bradshaw, Peter (February 12, 2015). "The Philadelphia Story review – fun and wit rise like champagne bubbles". The Guardian.
  8. "The New Pictures". Time . January 20, 1941. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  9. Hyde, Douglas (February 23, 2005). "The Hughes-Hepburn affair; Hepburn biographer describes 'tender' relationship". CNN.com.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 TCM Notes
  11. 1 2 3 Hay, Peter (1991). MGM: When the Lion Roars. Turner Publishing. pp. 206–207, 310. ISBN   978-1878685049.
  12. 1 2 "Complete National Film Registry Listing | Film Registry | National Film Preservation Board | Programs | Library of Congress". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  13. Higham & Moseley 1990, p. 129.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Melear, Mary Anne. "The Philadelphia Story". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  15. Eyles, Allen; Gillet, John (1986). "David Ogden Stewart: Politically Conscious". In McGilligan, Patrick (ed.). Backstory: Interviews with Screenwriters of Hollywood's Golden Age. pp. 344–345.
  16. Smith, Dinitia (March 22, 2005). "The Antic Birth Pangs of 'Gone With the Wind'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  17. Eric Page, ‘Cary Grant, Movies’ Epitome of Elegance, Dies of A Stroke’ The New York Times, December 1, 1986. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  18. IMDB Business data
  19. IMDB Filming locations
  20. TCM Overview
  21. Crowther, Bosley (December 27, 1940). "A Splendid Cast Adorns the Screen Version of 'The Philadelphia Story' at the Music Hall". The New York Times . Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  22. "Movie of the week: The Philadelphia Story". LIFE. January 6, 1941. p. 31. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  23. "The Philadelphia Story". rottentomatoes.com. December 1, 1940. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  24. "Best Romantic Comedies". Rotten Tomatoes.
  25. "The 13th Academy Awards (1941) Nominees and Winners". Oscars.org (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences). Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  26. "New York Film Critics Circle Awards: 1940 Awards". New York Film Critics Circle.
  27. "Film Hall of Fame Inductees: Productions". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  28. Aitchison, Marion (January 14, 1942). "Time Reviewers Again Pick Eight Out of Ten Winners". St. Petersburg Times .
  29. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies" (PDF). American Film Institute . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  30. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs" (PDF). American Film Institute . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  31. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions" (PDF). American Film Institute . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  32. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)" (PDF). American Film Institute . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  33. "AFI's 10 Top 10: Top 10 Romantic Comedy". American Film Institute . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  34. "Those Were the Days". Nostalgia Digest. 43 (3): 34. Summer 2017.
  35. "The Definitive Victory Theater Radio Article and Log with The Office of War Information". The Digital Deli Too. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  36. Reinhart, Charles F. (July 20, 2016). "Victory Theatre – The Philadelphia Story". Jimmy Stewart on the Air. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  37. "Victory Theater Premiere Stars Hepburn, Stewart, Grant Tonight". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 20, 1942. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  38. "Monday Selections". Toledo Blade (Ohio). June 14, 1943. p. 4 (Peach Section). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  39. Vincent Johnson (April 4, 1942). "Radio Marks First Observance of Easter with America at War". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 4 (Daily Magazine). Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  40. "Monday Selections". Toledo Blade (Ohio). March 17, 1947. p. 4 (Peach Section). Retrieved July 18, 2021.

Sources

Streaming audio