The Second Mrs Burton
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:36 pm
On the Air: Jan. 7, 1946-June 29, 1956, CBS, 2 p.m. ET; July 2, 1956-Jan. 2, 1959, CBS, 2:15 p.m.; Jan. 5, 1959-Nov. 25, 1960, CBS, 1:45 p.m.
Terry Burton: Sharon Douglas, Claire Niesen, Patsy Campbell, Teri Keane ... Stan Burton: Dwight Weist ... Mother Burton: Charme Allen, Ethel Owen, Evelyn Varden ... Marcia Burton Archer: Arline Blackburn, Alice Frost ... Lew Archer: Larry Haines
Announcers: Harry Clark, Hugh James, Warren Sweeney
Theme Song: Original composition
Epigraph: The story of a modern marriage.
Premise: The premise behind the catchy title of this little family-oriented drama was that the second Mrs. Burton was the first one's daughter-in-law! Clever, right? Actually, only partially right. The protagonist here was Terry Burton, whose husband, Stan, had been married earlier, to a woman named Marian. Marian was quite prominent in the story line at the series' inception. But over time she was virtually written out to the point that some memories about her faded. Stan's mom ("Mother Burton"), however, took a more active role in the plot, becoming the stereotypical, overbearing boor that gives mothers-in-law a bad name. This Mrs. Burton was meddling, wealthy and lacking in modesty about her good deeds, yet likable in a strained sort of way. To her credit, easygoing Terry rolled with the punches, humoring the aging widow and turning what could have been trying situations into warm, good-natured experiences. Stan, meanwhile, was habitually agitated with his mother and showed it. This serial had the peculiar aspect of occupying a trio of authors who -- when it was their turn to write -- took the show in contrasting directions, each placing an idelible stamp upon it. Listeners who missed some episodes during scripting changes may have wondered what happened to the drama they had been hearing. The serial also had the arguable glory of being the very last one to be broadcast on network radio -- definitely the worst of times.
Trivia question: Can you name 3 other "family" serials (in addition to Burton) that explored character more than traditional elements of plot and melodrama? In these serials there were few difficulties over which the principals had little control. External forces were simply seldom overbearing. What are their names?
Terry Burton: Sharon Douglas, Claire Niesen, Patsy Campbell, Teri Keane ... Stan Burton: Dwight Weist ... Mother Burton: Charme Allen, Ethel Owen, Evelyn Varden ... Marcia Burton Archer: Arline Blackburn, Alice Frost ... Lew Archer: Larry Haines
Announcers: Harry Clark, Hugh James, Warren Sweeney
Theme Song: Original composition
Epigraph: The story of a modern marriage.
Premise: The premise behind the catchy title of this little family-oriented drama was that the second Mrs. Burton was the first one's daughter-in-law! Clever, right? Actually, only partially right. The protagonist here was Terry Burton, whose husband, Stan, had been married earlier, to a woman named Marian. Marian was quite prominent in the story line at the series' inception. But over time she was virtually written out to the point that some memories about her faded. Stan's mom ("Mother Burton"), however, took a more active role in the plot, becoming the stereotypical, overbearing boor that gives mothers-in-law a bad name. This Mrs. Burton was meddling, wealthy and lacking in modesty about her good deeds, yet likable in a strained sort of way. To her credit, easygoing Terry rolled with the punches, humoring the aging widow and turning what could have been trying situations into warm, good-natured experiences. Stan, meanwhile, was habitually agitated with his mother and showed it. This serial had the peculiar aspect of occupying a trio of authors who -- when it was their turn to write -- took the show in contrasting directions, each placing an idelible stamp upon it. Listeners who missed some episodes during scripting changes may have wondered what happened to the drama they had been hearing. The serial also had the arguable glory of being the very last one to be broadcast on network radio -- definitely the worst of times.
Trivia question: Can you name 3 other "family" serials (in addition to Burton) that explored character more than traditional elements of plot and melodrama? In these serials there were few difficulties over which the principals had little control. External forces were simply seldom overbearing. What are their names?