Thu 23 Mar 2017
An Old Time Radio Review by Michael Shonk: BRIGHT STAR (1951).
Posted by Steve under Old Time Radio , Reviews[7] Comments
BRIGHT STAR. Syndicated, Frederic W. Ziv Company; September 24, 1951. Voice Cast: Irene Dunne as Susan Armstrong and Fred MacMurry as George Harvey. Announcer: Harry Von Zell.
Syndication studio Frederic W. Ziv Company is best remembered for its several low budget syndicated TV series such as Sea Hunt and Highway Patrol. The company also had its successes in radio, and many of those series would continue their success in TV, shows such as Boston Blackie and The Cisco Kid.
Despite the falling popularity of radio in the 1950s due to the rising interest in TV, Ziv found a way to convince famous movie stars to star in transcribed radio series. Their first success was with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in Bold Venture (reviewed here and its TV version reviewed here ).
Next Ziv convinced Irene Dunne and Fred MacMurray to star in the radio series Bright Star. This was Ziv’s first comedy. Unlike many other Ziv’s radio series, Bright Star apparently was never adapted for television.
So how was Ziv able to convince such famous movie stars as Bogart, Bacall, Dunne and MacMurray to star in a weekly radio series? They gave them a huge amount of money.
According to Broadcasting (August 13,1951) Dunne and MacMurray each were paid $300,000 for a 10 year radio contract with an opt-out clause after 52 episodes. Three episodes were taped each week with a budget of $12,500 per half-hour episode. Broadcasting claimed this was the second highest budget in radio next only to Bold Venture. Billboard (August 18, 1951) claimed Bright Star was higher than Bold Venture by $2,500.
Both Broadcasting and Billboard reported writers were to include Milton Geiger, Carl Gass, and Richard Powell. Henry Hayward would direct. Broadcasting added that additional cast members would include Elvia Allman and Michael Miller.
Bright Star was about the daily operation of the small town newspaper, the Hillsdale Morning Star. Susan Armstrong voiced by Irene Dunne was the paper’s publisher and editor. George Harvey voiced by Fred MacMurray was the paper’s top reporter. As required by romantic comedy rules the two constantly argued when not trying to romance the other.
George and the Informer:
George was getting increasing attention due to a series of articles he was writing exposing a mob leader. Susan began to worry when George refused to tell her his source.
This was one of the better episodes but still far from great radio. The soft character humor ruled over any realism in the plots. Not surprisingly after fifty-two episodes were transcribed the two stars opted out of their contract and the series ended.
According to Broadcasting (September 10. 1951) Ziv claimed Bright Star that was due to debut in two weeks had been sold in 183 cities including 21 of the 63 television cities in the United States. While not the success of Bold Venture, which was in 427 stations when it debuted in March 1951 (Broadcasting April 2, 1951), the transcribed episodes of Bright Star would remain on the air for years.
It was the fifties and the networks were turning their attention from radio to television. As Billboard examined in its October 16, 1954 issue, this left the local radio stations searching for programming. Ziv’s transcribed radio series became popular with stations and local advertisers. Shows such as Bright Star would continue to air on the radio at least into the mid-50s.
March 23rd, 2017 at 7:56 pm
BRIGHT STAR proved successful enough radio series for Ziv to continue with the contract offering stars a large amount of money for a ten year contract with a opt –out after 52 episodes. In January 1952 Ziv would offer a similar deal to writer Matt Cvetic for the radio rights to his book I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI and to star Dana Andrews (“Broadcasting” 1-7-52).
Ziv would have much of radio scripted programming to itself as more small time radio syndicators turned to TV or dropped out of the business. CBS and ABC had been slow to enter the TV network world but by the 1950s it was obvious the TV business was the future. In 1954 Billboard had awarded Ziv the number one film syndicator just ahead of NBC with everyone else trying to catch up.
Hopefully someone will write a book about shows that aired on both radio and TV and Ziv will have its chapter.
March 23rd, 2017 at 8:33 pm
If I were younger, I think I might try.
But if I were a lot younger, what would I care about old time radio?
March 23rd, 2017 at 9:27 pm
Sounds like all concept and too little execution.
March 23rd, 2017 at 9:42 pm
Steve, I suspect the OTR (Old Time Radio) crowd is not interested in early TV and early TV fans not interested in radio. Shame since the two forms shared the audience during the 50s.
I was in my teens when I got hooked on OTR and my younger sister followed. There is much that would appeal to the conservative young person seeking old fashioned rural comedy and superhero stories.
But getting any youngster even when we were ones to try anything our parents or grandparents liked is a challenge. Black and white films, pulp magazines, and radio seem to be fading away. But then something like the superhero craze hits and modern comic readers learn of Doc Savage and The Shadow.
This vanishing of pop culture is always sad. Saving it is one of the more positive parts of this place.
March 23rd, 2017 at 9:49 pm
David, not sure what you mean, but this was the closest to a romantic screwball comedy I find in films to be done for radio. Problem with those you have to want the two people to get together, never felt that way about Susan and George.
March 24th, 2017 at 10:39 pm
michael
Just meant it sounded like a good idea for a romantic screen style comedy with an out standing pair of leads who knew that genre, but no one seems to have actually known how to pull that off on radio in an ongoing series.
As you said, if the listener doesn’t care about the protagonists that much there is no investment, and even with Dunne and MacMurray there has to be something to work with.
It sounds like the radio drama equivalent of high concept being fumbled because all the talent, and that was impressive talent at several levels, never got beyond the concept to the meat.
March 25th, 2017 at 12:29 am
I agree. You also have to wonder how committed the stars were knowing they would get $300,000 and could quit after 52 episodes. Neither star had starred in a radio series before.
Bogart and Bacall did BOLD VENTURE radio to pay for their kid’s college.
It makes me think of Woody Allen doing all those TV commercial in Japan.
The premise now is predictably out of date with the man trying to be the boss over the woman who is his boss. Screwball comedies work best when the woman chased the man who runs.