December 25: Happy Birthday, Humphrey Bogart

December 25: Happy Birthday, Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart, born December 25th, 1899, was an American actor dubbed the greatest male star in the history of American cinema by The American Film Institute. Bogart attended a prestigious academy in Andover, Massachusetts as a young man, but he was eventually expelled from the institution. With no other options, Humphrey joined the Navy. While serving, he was injured in the bombing of the USS Leviathan. The partial facial paralysis that resulted from the attack gave him the signature vocal and facial style that he became famous for.

Many people identify Bogart as a film actor, but he actually made numerous radio appearances after moving to Hollywood. Both Lux Radio Theater and Screen Guild Players featured famous actors in their starring roles, and Bogart made numerous appearances on these programs. He also performed on Command Performance, a post World War II program that let Bogart chat with Lauren and Frank Sinatra. In addition to his regular positions, he also had several guest appearances on shows such as Jack Benny.

Bogart, a heavy smoker and drinker, was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in January of 1956. On January 14th, 1957, weighing just 80 pounds, the legendary actor passed away at the age of 57.

“Here’s looking at you, kid” - Casablanca

January 18: Happy Birthday, Cary Grant

January 18: Happy Birthday, Cary Grant

When was the last time you used the word "debonair" in a sentence? It's out of fashion, and not a whole lot of today's men merit the adjective. But it's a word often used to describe Cary Grant, star of Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, and North By Northwest. He was always neatly coiffured, even when being chased by an airplane, and wore a steely look on his placid face.

As for oldtime radio: Cary appeared on several vintage radio programs, chief among them
Lux Radio Theater. He appeared on that series' productions of The Philadelphia Story and Madame Butterfly as well as episodes entitled "The Theodora Goes Wild," "Only Angels have Wings," "Here Comes Mr. Jordan" and "The Awful Truth Stars Cary Grant."

He also starred on several episodes of Suspense, including "On a Country Road," broadcast Nov. 16, 1950. His co-stars were Cathy Lewis and Jeannette Nolan.

It's also worth a note, since it's Grant's birthday, that his 1948 movie Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House was adapted into a radio sitcom.

So put a little grease on your hair, light a pipe, and flash a smile in honor of Cary Grant. He would've been a hundred and eight!

January 19: Happy Birthday, Patricia Highsmith

January 19: Happy Birthday, Patricia Highsmith

Stangers on a Train, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Edith's Diary are the novels of Patricia Highsmith, who was born on this day in 1921. Adaptations of her work crackled over the airwaves in the era of Classic Radio.

In 1951, Lux Radio Theater presented an adaptation of Stangers on a Train, starring Ruth Roman and Ray Milland.

Highsmith walked a tightrope between literary and crime fiction. The themes of lesbianism in her work are part of what lend her work its literary tint. As one can see, her work was widely adapted, not just into old time radio shows but also movies.

August 2: Happy Birthday, Myrna Loy!

Happy Birthday to Myrna Loy today!

Born today in 1905, the film actress was known for her many film roles including opposite William Powell in "The Thin Man" and with Cary Grant in "Mr Blandings."

During the Golden Age of Radio, Myrna Loy also appeared in such radio shows as "Good News", "Lux Radio Theater", "Screen Guild Theater", and "Suspense!"

September 3: Happy Birthday Alan Ladd!

Sept 3: Happy Birthday, Alan Ladd

Alan Ladd (born Alan Walbridge Ladd) debut as a lead in a major motion picture was in 1942 in This Gun for Hire. This collection includes his radio version of This Gun for Hire from Lux Radio Theater. 
Alan Ladd with daughter, AlanaOther films that he starred in include, The Great Gatsby, The Blue Dahlia, and The Glass Key. He continued to star in major roles such as the critically acclaimed Shane in the 1950s and until his death in 1964. Remembered both on screen and on the radio as a top-rate performer.

This collection hopes to honor the work of Alan Ladd on radio. The second volumes contains the complete collection of Box 13, his most memorable role on radio as Dan Holiday. On the first volume there are also examples of some of his best work on the radio from shows such as Burns and Allen, Command Performance, Jerry at Fair Oaks, Lux Radio Theater, Screen Director's Theater, Screen Guild Theater, and Suspense.

July 17: Happy Birthday, James Cagney

You'd have to be a dirty rat to not be familiar with the iconic work of James Cagney, one of Hollywood's notorious and beloved tough guys. He displayed the clench-jawed delivery of his famous lines in such classic films as The Roaring Twenties, Little Caesar, Mister Roberts, and The Public Enemy.

The New York-born son of a bar tender, Cagney also toured in magnificent performances on some of our most beloved radio programs, including Lux Radio Theater, Screen Guild Theatre, and The Gulf Screen Guild Theatre. In this capacity, he starred in several dramas, including some in which he'd already starred in on the silver screen, such as Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Strawberry Blonde, and Angels With Dirty Faces.

April 30: Happy Birthday, Eve Arden

Eve Arden was born--as Eunice Quedens, on this day in 1908. However, we know her as Our Miss Brooks, the star and title character of the long-running radio series about a witty and wise school teacher. The show actually hauled in an award from The National Education Association for its sympathetic portrayal of teachers.

On Our Miss Brooks, Mrs. Brooks interacted with the bio teacher, Mr. Boynton (Jeff Chandler), Principal Conklin (Gale Gordon), and Walter Denton, one of her wacky students, played by Richard Crenna.

For her efforts, Eve Arden won a Radio Mirror magazine readers' poll for best comedienne of 1948-49.

Though her own series was her claim to fame, Arden also guested on The Danny Kaye Show, and The Lux Radio Theater.

January 6: Happy Birthday, Loretta Young

January 6: Happy Birthday, Loretta Young

Born as Gretchen Young on January 6th, 1913, Loretta Young was a famous American actress. After the separation of her parents, Loretta moved to Hollywood along with her mother and sisters at the age of 3. She quickly started acting, playing a small role in The Primrose Ring as a fairy at her young age.

The name “Loretta” was given to her by actress Colleen Moore, who explained that it was the name of her favorite doll. The newly dubbed Loretta Young was a highly prolific actress who made as many as nine movies a year starring alongside big name actors. In 1935, she starred in Gone With the Wind alongside Clark Gable, who she would later have a secret love affair with. The tryst ended up begetting a child, Judith Young.

Loretta won an Oscar for her performance in The Farmer’s Daughter, and she also had starring roles in The Bishop’s Wife and Mother is a Freshman. Eventually, Young’s career moved to television, where she became the host of the Loretta Young Show.

Young made numerous guest appearances on radio programs, including many production of Lux Radio Theater.

Loretta Young passed away on August 12th, 2000 from ovarian cancer.

January 1: Happy Birthday, Dana Andrews

January 1: Happy Birthday, Dana Andrews

Dana Andrews is appropriately called “The Face of Noir.” Born on January 1st, 1909, Dana traveled as a young man to Los Angeles in 1931 to try to make it as a singer. The next nine years of his life were spent working numerous different jobs while he studied opera and acting.  He was sometimes best known for his radio role in I Was a Communist for the FBI.

Finally, Andrews was offered a contract by Sam Goldwyn in 1940. His first roles included The Westerner, Ball of Fire, and The Ox-Bow Incident. One of his most famous roles was an obsessed detective in the movie Laura, a part he would reprise on radio on both Lux Radio Theater and Screen Guild Players. He also starred as a crooked cop in Where the Sidewalk Ends and as a soldier returning home in The Best Years of Our Lives, a part he played again on the radio program Screen Directors' Playhouse.

Alcoholism took hold of Dana and his career in the 1950’s, He was relegated to mostly B-movies. Andrews would make several more guest appearances on radio, and even star in the program I Was a Communist for the FBI for over 70 episodes.

Andrews was finally able to get his alcoholism under control thanks to the discipline of fellow actor Ronald Reagan.

June 15, 1936: Burlesque and the Real Life Couple

 

June 15, 1936: The Lux Radio Theater aired "Burlesque" that starred by Al Jolson and Ruby Keeler.

During their time, Ruby Keeler was a tap dancer who then became a known Broadway star, while  Al Jolson was a highly-celebrated popular singer. The starring of the two in this theater play of  The Lux Radio Theater  was heaven sent not only because of the performance talents of the two but also the fact that off-stage, they were a real couple with an adopted child, though in 1939, Keeler left Jolson.

Enjoy the The Lux Radio Theater broadcast from "Burlesque" from  June 15, 1936: