Lorenzo Jones
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:34 pm
On the Air: April 26, 1937-1938, NBC, 4 p.m. ET; 1938-1939, NBC, 11:15 a.m.; 1939-June 29, 1951, NBC, 4:30 p.m.; July 2, 1951-March 26, 1954, NBC, 5:30 p.m.; March 29, 1954-Sept. 30, 1955, NBC, 5:15 p.m.
Lorenzo Jones: Karl Swenson ... Belle Jones: Betty Garde (1937-40), Lucille Wall (1940-51)
Announcers: Don Lowe, George Putnam, Ken Roberts
Theme Song: "Beyond the Blue Horizon"; "Funiculi Funicula" (Denza)
Epigraph: We all know couples like lovable, impractical Lorenzo Jones and his devoted wife, Belle. Lorenzo's inventions have made him a character to the town -- but not to Belle, who loves him. Their struggle for security is anybody's story. But somehow with Lorenzo, it has more smiles than tears.
Premise: One of soap opera's few comedies, this Hummert drama centered on a would-be inventor whose intentions lacked logic and made him "a character to the town -- but not to Belle, who loves him." Belle Jones, Lorenzo's faithful helpmate, stood by her man against the town fathers (and mothers) who frequently had reason to question his competency. Belle often wondered to herself about Lorenzo's dreams of instant fame and fortune. Such ill-fated ideas were seldom realistic. Lorenzo, an amateur detective, was also instrumental in capturing a crook now and then. But he usually realized little more for his efforts than the security of a job at Jim Barker's garage, where he toiled as an auto mechanic while daydreaming of future gizmos. To his credit, the impractical idealogue wasn't disheartened by his failures. Never a quitter, he believed that success was just around the corner. Such perseverance, and having a good woman at his side, allowed him to dream on. Even when the series took a melodramatic turn in its final three years, the character's fans were rewarded with a redeeming spirit of optimism that sometimes eluded the heroes and heroines of their other favorite serials. The net result was more smiles than tears.
Trivia question: What other early soap opera was forced into a title change by Lorenzo Jones and under what circumstances?
Lorenzo Jones: Karl Swenson ... Belle Jones: Betty Garde (1937-40), Lucille Wall (1940-51)
Announcers: Don Lowe, George Putnam, Ken Roberts
Theme Song: "Beyond the Blue Horizon"; "Funiculi Funicula" (Denza)
Epigraph: We all know couples like lovable, impractical Lorenzo Jones and his devoted wife, Belle. Lorenzo's inventions have made him a character to the town -- but not to Belle, who loves him. Their struggle for security is anybody's story. But somehow with Lorenzo, it has more smiles than tears.
Premise: One of soap opera's few comedies, this Hummert drama centered on a would-be inventor whose intentions lacked logic and made him "a character to the town -- but not to Belle, who loves him." Belle Jones, Lorenzo's faithful helpmate, stood by her man against the town fathers (and mothers) who frequently had reason to question his competency. Belle often wondered to herself about Lorenzo's dreams of instant fame and fortune. Such ill-fated ideas were seldom realistic. Lorenzo, an amateur detective, was also instrumental in capturing a crook now and then. But he usually realized little more for his efforts than the security of a job at Jim Barker's garage, where he toiled as an auto mechanic while daydreaming of future gizmos. To his credit, the impractical idealogue wasn't disheartened by his failures. Never a quitter, he believed that success was just around the corner. Such perseverance, and having a good woman at his side, allowed him to dream on. Even when the series took a melodramatic turn in its final three years, the character's fans were rewarded with a redeeming spirit of optimism that sometimes eluded the heroes and heroines of their other favorite serials. The net result was more smiles than tears.
Trivia question: What other early soap opera was forced into a title change by Lorenzo Jones and under what circumstances?