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Ford Theater is an American dramatic anthology radio program that was broadcast on NBC October 5, 1947 - June 27, 1948, and on CBS October 8, 1948 - July 1, 1949. The name was sometimes seen as Ford Theatre.

Overview

The creation of Ford Theater provided "a prestige hour dramatic show" for NBC after it tried to obtain Lux Radio Theatre from CBS or Theatre Guild on the Air from ABC. Plans for the program called for broadcasts of "adaptations of great plays, classic motion pictures, best-selling novels, prize-winning short stories, and an occasional musical". Producers also planned to occasionally broadcast episodes of "outstanding original radio dramas of the past" and to present encore performances of the show's best-received episodes. One such repeat was Norman Corwin's We Hold These Truths, which was originally broadcast on CBS. In another case, the program repeated an episode of Mr. District Attorney, which was purportedly the first time a commercial network series had dealt with antisemitism. The award-winning script was expanded to an hour for the Ford broadcast.

Ford Theater competed with similar programs for programming as well as for audiences. Ford had planned to broadcast an adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street as its Christmas 1947 feature but had to air a different story after Lux obtained radio rights for the film. Confusion about the rights resulted from Ford's agency's negotiating with 20th Century-Fox's Eastern office while Lux's agency negotiated with the studio's West Coast office, neither aware of the other's activity. The fact that negotiations for Lux were concluded earlier resolved the problem. The following year Ford presented an adaption of Camille after Theatre Guild had announced plans to broadcast its own version but had not set a date for it.

NBC version

The first version of the program debuted on October 5, 1947, replacing the NBC Symphony Orchestra's broadcast on Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Howard Lindsay was the master of ceremonies and narrator. Jay Jackson was the announcer, and Ken Banghart was the Ford reporter.

Actors

Launching Ford Theater essentially meant "establishment of a genuine repertory theatre under commercial sponsorship". Producer George Zachary cited disadvantages of the star system:

• The need to tailor parts to stars, thus disrupting characterization as well as proportions of other parts.
• Typecasting of stars limited the kinds of roles that they would accept.
• Some stars were photogenic but did not act well.
• Even experienced stage and film stars often "fare badly in radio".

He added that experienced radio actors create roles, in contrast to "less talented stars who merely play themselves".

Actors who appeared on the show included Ed Begley, Shirley Booth, Les Damon, Paul Douglas, Eric Dressler, Lauren Gilbert, Virginia Gilmore, Wendell Holmes, Muriel Kirkland, John Larkin, Gary Merrill, Claudia Morgan, Arnold Moss, Santos Ortega, Anne Seymour, Everett Sloane, Les Tremayne, Evelyn Varden, and Vicki Vola.

Writers and scripts

Zacharay said initially that eight prominent writers had been commissioned to create original scripts for the series.

The trade publication Variety noted that scripting for Ford Theater departed from the norm for radio programs in two ways. Prior to the show's debut, Kenyon & Eckhardt (the producing agency) announced that each 13-week cycle of the program would include at least two original scripts, with the remaining scripts being adaptations from films, novels, or plays. The agency sought outlines of scripts from freelance writers. A writer whose outline resulted in having a script assigned received $1000. If the script was used in a broadcast, he or received an additional $1000. The agency paid another $1000 if the program used the script a second time. Another break with tradition was that rights to the script reverted to the author after the second performance.

By November 1947, original submissions had not matched the agency's hopes. The New York Times reported that the problem lay not in the number submitted but in their quality: "... several hundred have beeen submitted but only a very small fraction are suitable for broadcast and an infinitesimal number acceptable." The program had met its quota of using two original scripts during its first 13 weeks, but only one was in store for use in the second 13 weeks. The report suggested that the money offered was not comparable to what a similar amount of effort might earn a writer for a work for a film or a play.

Production

Zachary was the producer and director. Writers included Stanley Evans, Will Glickman, Charles Gussman, and Lillian Schoen. Howard Teichmann was script editor. George Faulkner was continuity chief. Lyn Murray was the musical conductor.

Ford's contract with NBC contained a provision that would move the show to an evening time slot if one became available.

The trade publication Billboard noted that putting Ford Theater in the 5-6 p.m. slot strengthened NBC's afternoon schedule and said that the move was likely to increase competition for other networks at that time.

Sponsored by Ford Motor Company, the program contained commercials that were instititutional in nature, in contrast to other programs sponsored by Ford dealers associations, on which commercials "make direct selling pitches".

By March 1948 both NBC and Ford's producing agency were trying to find a better time slot, while Billboard reported that ABC and CBS were trying to find slots for the program on their networks. The agency felt that a better time would increase the show's rating, and it also wanted to move it further from Fred Allen's show, which was heard later on Sundays on NBC and was sponsored by Ford dealers. An article in the trade publication Sponsor noted the prestige value of Ford Theater to the company but added, "However, with a high-pressure, fast-moving vehicle (Fred Allen) on the same network on the same night delivering audiences within the top five in radio, the industry wonders just how long Henry Ford III will be willing to carry the class presentation ..."

The program's billings amounted to $2 million.

CBS version

Ford Theater's premiere on CBS radio occurred on October 8, 1948. The change of networks occurred after NBC was unable to provide an evening time slot for the program. CBS broadcast it on Fridays from 9 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time. The change in networks was accompanied by a change in format, with an increase in budget to $15,000 per episode and an emphasis on well-known stars. The programming also was revised with what Billboard described as "easing up on the artiness" in a way that would "combine the best features of Lux Radio Theatre and Theatre Guild of the Air". The move to CBS was accompanied by the end of that network's Studio One series, with its last episode broadcast on July 27, 1948. Billboard had reported prior to the move that the sustaining Studio One, which had a format similar to Ford Theater, would be unlikely to survive in light of Ford's funding advantage.

Actors who were heard on the CBS version included Jean Arthur, Lucille Ball, Joan Bennett, Jack Benny, Ronald Colman, Bing Crosby, Marlene Dietrich, Bob Hope, Burt Lancaster, Ray Milland, and Claude Rains.

Fletcher Markle directed the series and wrote some of the adaptations used on it. Vincent McConnor was the script editor, and Ian Smith was the continuity editor.

The show's competition included Break the Bank and Eddie Cantor's show.

The program ended with the July 1, 1949, episode as the sponsor chose to focus on the video counterpart, The Ford Television Theatre. It was replaced by This Is Broadway.

Episodes

References

1. ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 257–258. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3.
2. ^ "The News of Radio: Ford Motor Company to Sponsor Series of Dramatic Programs on NBC in Fall". The New York Times. July 14, 1947. p. 34. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
3. "New Ford Drama Seg Spurs Competish for Top Scripts". Billboard. July 19, 1947. p. 6. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
4. ^ Gould, Jack (August 28, 1947). "The News of Radio: Howard Lindsay to Be Master of Ceremonies for 'Ford Theatre' Starting Oct. 5". The New York Times. p. 40. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
5. "Ford Will Repeat 'Mr. D. A.' Show on Anti-Semitism". Billboard. November 15, 1947. p. 5. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
6. "It's K&E Vs. JWT AgainRe 'Miracle'; JWT Wins Via TKO". Billboard. November 22, 1947. p. 5. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
7. ^ "Guild, Ford Vie On Air Vehicles". Billboard. November 6, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
8. "From the Production Centres: In New York City ..." Variety. October 8, 1947. p. 30. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
9. ^ Zachary, George (August 24, 1947). "The Case Against Stars: Producer of 'Ford Theatre' Maintains They Jeopardize Script Values". The New York Times. p. X 7. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
10. ^ "K & E to Pay $2,000 for 'Ford Theatre' Originals, return rights to Scripters". Variety. August 6, 1947. p. 19. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
11. ^ Lohman, Sidney (November 2, 1947). "Radio Row: One thing and another". The New York Times. p. X 11. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
12. ^ Lohman, Sidney (January 25, 1948). "Along Radio Row: One Thing and Another". The New York Times. p. X 11. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
13. "Ford's Buy of Sunday 5-6 Puts New Slant on NBC Sked". Billboard. August 2, 1947. p. 9. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
14. "Ford-Allen Deal May Force Auto Rivals To Add Airers". Billboard. November 8, 1947. pp. 3, 5. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
15. "New Spot Sought For 'Ford Theater'". Billboard. March 6, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
16. "Why Sponsors Change Agencies". Sponsor. December 1947. pp. 15–17. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
17. "NBC Night Roster Gets a Facelift". Variety. June 2, 1948. p. 23. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
18. ^ "CBS Gets 'Ford Theater'; Dampens Hope on 'Studio 1'". Billboard. July 3, 1948. p. 9. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
19. "'Ford Theater' Is Set for CBS Bow Octorber 8". Billboard. June 26, 1948. p. 5. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
20. "'Ford Theater' due for fall facelift". Billboard. June 30, 1948. p. 29. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
21. Wilson, Lyn (November 26, 1948). "Star-Lites". The Phenix-Girard Journal. p. 8. Retrieved November 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "McConnor, Smith Set For 'Ford Theater'". Billboard. July 31, 1948. p. 4. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
23. "Video Factors Snarl Cantor-Pabst Renewal". Billboard. March 5, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
24. "Radio and Television; Conductors Named for 13 Summer Concerts of NBC Symphony Starting June 12". The New York Times. May 26, 1949. p. 58. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
25. "CBS Summer Shows Save Radio Dough". Billboard. June 25, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
26. Gould, Jack (October 12, 1947). "On Rewriting Twain: Ford Theatre's 'Connecticut Yankee' Proves a Disappointment". The New York Times. p. X 11. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
27. "Sunday Highlights". The Springfield Sunday Republican. Massachusetts, Springfield. November 16, 1947. p. 9 B. Retrieved November 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "The News of Radio: Groucho Marx Program Leaving April 21 -- Show Reported as 'Too Successful'". The New York Times. March 15, 1948. p. 42. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
29. "The News of Radio; Bach Aria Group, Directed by Scheide, Begins Series on WABF Easter Sunday". The New York Times. March 22, 1948. p. 40. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
30. "Sunday Highlights". The Springfield Sunday Republican. Massachusetts, Springfield. April 18, 1948. p. 8 B. Retrieved November 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "Colman Stars As Professor". Los Angeles Mirror. January 6, 1949. p. 23. Retrieved November 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• www.example.com