C A M P B E L L P L A Y H O U S E --------------- ----------------- 1938 - 1940 First Show: Dec 09, 1938 Last Show: Mar 31, 1940 Number Shows: 56 Audition Show: none Series Description: At the end of the eighteenth show of THE MERCURY THEATER OF THE AIR, Orson Welles announced that the Campbell's Soup Company was to sponsor the series. After four more shows, the series moved from Sunday to Friday and changed its name to THE CAMPBELL PLAYHOUSE. The first show of the new series aired December 9, 1938, at 8:00 PM. The new series retained the hallmarks of the old. Orson Welles was still active, the shows were still sixty minutes long. Although some stories were based on classic books, popular movies were also done. Thanks to Campbell's sponsorship, the listening audience was treated to 56 shows featuring the genius of Orson Welles. Log Comments: Not many vendors seem to carry this series. The Lilly Library at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana has the most complete collection and also has scripts for the shows. Unfortunately, copies are not available from them. Chronological Log: Date Day Num Title Avail ------------ --- --- ------------------------------ ----- Dec 09, 1938 Fri 1 "Rebecca" yes Dec 16, 1938 Fri 2 "Call It A Day" Dec 23, 1938 Fri 3 "A Christmas Carol" yes Dec 30, 1938 Fri 4 "A Farewell To Arms" Jan 06, 1939 Fri 5 "Counselor At Law" yes Jan 13, 1939 Fri 6 "Mutiny on the Bounty" yes Jan 20, 1939 Fri 7 "The Chicken Wagon Family" Jan 27, 1939 Fri 8 "I Lost My Girlish Laughter" yes Feb 03, 1939 Fri 9 "Arrowsmith" yes Feb 10, 1939 Fri 10 "The Green Goddess" yes Feb 17, 1939 Fri 11 "Burlesque" Feb 24, 1939 Fri 12 "State Fair" Mar 03, 1939 Fri 13 "Royal Regiment" Mar 10, 1939 Fri 14 "The Glass Key" yes Mar 17, 1939 Fri 15 "Beau Geste" yes Mar 24, 1939 Fri 16 "Twentieth Century" yes Mar 31, 1939 Fri 17 "Show Boat" yes Apr 07, 1939 Fri 18 "Les Miserables" Apr 14, 1939 Fri 19 "The Patriot" Apr 21, 1939 Fri 20 "Private Lives" yes Apr 28, 1939 Fri 21 "Black Daniel" May 05, 1939 Fri 22 "Wickford Point" yes May 12, 1939 Fri 23 "Our Town" yes May 19, 1939 Fri 24 "The Bad Man" yes May 26, 1939 Fri 25 "American Cavalcade" yes Subtitled "Things We Have" Jun 02, 1939 Fri 26 "Victoria Regina yes ... Off for the Summer ... Sep 10, 1939 Sun 27 "Peter Ibbetson" yes Sep 17, 1939 Sun 28 "Ah, Wilderness" yes Sep 24, 1939 Sun 29 "What Every Woman Knows" yes Oct 01, 1939 Sun 30 "The Count Of Monte Cristo" yes Oct 08, 1939 Sun 31 "Algiers" yes Oct 15, 1939 Sun 32 "Escape" yes Oct 22, 1939 Sun 33 "Lilliom" yes Oct 29, 1939 Sun 34 "The Magnificent Ambersons" yes Nov 05, 1939 Sun 35 "The Hurricane" yes Nov 12, 1939 Sun 36 "The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd" yes Nov 19, 1939 Sun 37 "The Garden of Allah" yes Nov 26, 1939 Sun 38 "Dodsworth" yes Dec 03, 1939 Sun 39 "Lost Horizons" yes Dec 10, 1939 Sun 40 "Venessa" yes Dec 17, 1939 Sun 41 "There's Always A Woman" yes Dec 24, 1939 Sun 42 "A Christmas Carol" yes Dec 31, 1939 Sun 43 "Come And Get It" Jan 07, 1940 Sun 44 "Vanity Fair" yes Jan 14, 1940 Sun 45 "Theodora Goes Wild" yes Jan 21, 1940 Sun 46 "The Citadel" yes Jan 28, 1940 Sun 47 "It Happened One Night" yes Feb 04, 1940 Sun 48 "The Broome Stages" yes Feb 11, 1940 Sun 49 "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" yes Feb 18, 1940 Sun 50 "Dinner at Eight" yes Feb 25, 1940 Sun 51 "Only Angels Have Wings" yes Mar 03, 1940 Sun 52 "Rabble In Armes" yes Mar 10, 1940 Sun 53 "Craig's Wife" yes Mar 17, 1940 Sun 54 "Huckleberry Finn" yes Mar 24, 1940 Sun 55 "June Moon" yes First program before a live audience. Mar 31, 1940 Sun 56 "Jane Eyre" yes (last show) Alphabetical List: This list is intended to be used with the chronological list above. Therefore, not all information from the log above is included in this list. Note that the date format is year-month-day. Title Date Num ---------------------------- -------- --- Ah, Wilderness 39-09-17 28 Algiers 39-10-08 31 American Cavalcade 39-05-26 25 Arrowsmith 39-02-03 9 Bad Man, The 39-05-19 24 Beau Geste 39-03-17 15 Black Daniel 39-04-28 21 Broome Stages, The 40-02-04 48 Burlesque 39-02-17 11 Call It A Day 38-12-16 2 Chicken Wagon Family, The 39-01-20 7 Christmas Carol, A 38-12-23 3 Christmas Carol, A 39-12-24 42 Citadel, The 40-01-21 46 Come And Get It 39-12-31 43 Counselor At Law 39-01-06 5 Count Of Monte Cristo, The 39-10-01 30 Craig's Wife 40-03-10 53 Dinner at Eight 40-02-18 50 Dodsworth 39-11-26 38 Escape 39-10-15 32 Farewell To Arms, A 38-12-30 4 Garden of Allah, The 39-11-19 37 Glass Key, The 39-03-10 14 Green Goddess, The 39-02-10 10 Huckleberry Finn 40-03-17 54 Hurricane, The 39-11-05 35 I Lost My Girlish Laughter 39-01-27 8 It Happened One Night 40-01-28 47 Jane Eyre 40-03-31 56 June Moon 40-03-24 55 Les Miserables 39-04-07 18 Lilliom 39-10-22 33 Lost Horizons 39-12-03 39 Magnificent Ambersons, The 39-10-29 34 Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 40-02-11 49 Murder Of Roger Ackroyd, The 39-11-12 36 Mutiny on the Bounty 39-01-13 6 Only Angels Have Wings 40-02-25 51 Our Town 39-05-12 23 Patriot, The 39-04-14 19 Peter Ibbetson 39-09-10 27 Private Lives 39-04-21 20 Rabble In Armes 40-03-03 52 Rebecca 38-12-09 1 Royal Regiment 39-03-03 13 Show Boat 39-03-31 17 State Fair 39-02-24 12 Theodora Goes Wild 40-01-14 45 There's Always A Woman 39-12-17 41 Things We Have 39-05-26 25 Twentieth Century 39-03-24 16 Vanity Fair 40-01-07 44 Venessa 39-12-10 40 Victoria Regina 39-06-02 26 What Every Woman Knows 39-09-24 29 Wickford Point 39-05-05 22 References: * "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All Circulating Shows", by Jay Hickerson, 27436 Desert Rose Ct., Leesburg, FL 34748 * Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Lilly Library web site (http://www.indiana.edu). * OTR club and vendor catalogs or web sites: * Radio Showcase, Steve Kelez, PO Box 4357, Santa Rosa, CA 95402 * Radio Historical Association of Colorado, PO Box 1908, Englewood, CO 80150 * Crabapple Sound, Henry Hinkel, 254 Florida Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010 * Great American Radio, Gary Kramer, PO Box 504, Genesee, MI 48437 * Jerry Haendiges Productions, Jerry Haendiges, 13808 Sunset Dr., Whittier, CA 90602 * Radio Memories, Ted Davenport, 1600 Wewoka St., North Little Rock, AR 72116 Other Logs or Books: * MERCURY THEATER OF THE AIR log, Jay Hickerson, 27436 Desert Rose Ct., Leesburg, FL 34748 (includes Campbell Playhouse) * CAMPBELL PLAYHOUSE log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr., Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com) * "This Is Orson Welles" by Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonathan Rosenbaum (Editor), 1992, revised 1998, Da Capo Press, ISBN: 030680834X Reader Feedback: * John B. White, Jr. sent correct titles for May 5, 1939 and May 26, 1939 based on information in "This Is Orson Welles", a book of interviews with Welles (see "Other Logs or Books" section above). Last Update: Jul 25, 2007 This log is informational only. It does not imply that I or my references have these shows for trade or sale. The shows may still be protected under copyright law and should be obtained only from authorized dealers. The log may be freely reproduced and published on a no-profit basis. Please send error corrections or additional information to Frank M. Passage, 109 Elmwood Road, Verona, NJ 07044 (email: wb2ntp@arrl.net).