STAGE STRUCK {BROADWAY AND HOLLYWOOD, MGM AND UNITED ARTISTS} (RADIO)
Summary
One in this series of programs about the world of theater, hosted by Mike Wallace, featuring interviews, scenes, and musical numbers from current and upcoming productions. This edition focuses on the relationship between Hollywood films and Broadway, particularly in relation to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists studios. The first segment celebrates the thirty-fifth anniversary of the founding of United Artists studio. Highlights include the following, among others: Wallace interviews Mary Pickford, who discusses why she started a career in film, the story behind the founding of United Artists, her few talking pictures, and D.W. Griffiths and the first close-up, flashback and fadeout in motion picture history; Max Youngstein, Vice President at United Artists, reveals that the key to making special movies is giving producers, directors, and writers complete autonomy; Wallace interviews Stanley Kramer about movies derived from Broadway plays, and borrowing actors, writers and directors from the theater; Humphrey Bogart tells Wallace that he doesn't like acting very much, but prefers doing movies over live theater. The following audio clips are featured: Douglas Fairbanks as Petrucio in "The Taming of the Shrew," Sylvia Sidney and Buster Collier, Jr. in "Street Scene," Lilli Palmer and John Garfield in "Body and Soul," Lloyd Bridges, Frank Lovejoy, and James Edwards in "Home of the Brave," and Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in "The African Queen." The second segment celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio. Highlights include the following, among others: Wallace interviews songwriter and MGM executive Howard Dietz who reveals his role in creating the well-known lion trademark for MGM, and discusses the star system as developed at the studio; the voices of the following stars are heard briefly to illustrate MGM's roster of talent: Greta Garbo, William Powell, Lana Turner, Lionel Barrymore, Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, and Lucille Ball; Walter Pidgeon speaks about his early theater training and his desire to perform on the stage again; Bert Lahr discusses the difference between playing to an audience and a camera; Van Johnson tells how Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz played a big role in getting his career started. The following audio clips are then heard: Greta Garbo and John Barrymore in "Grand Hotel," Charles Laughton as Captain Bligh and Clark Gable as Fletcher Christian in "Mutiny on the Bounty," Judy Garland singing "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz," Bert Lahr singing "I'm the Mountie Who Never Got His Man" from "Rose Marie," and Barbara Stanwyck and William Holden in "Executive Suite." The third segment takes place at the Algonquin Hotel where Mike Wallace covers the voting of the New York Drama Critics' Circle for the awards of the 1953-54 season live; Best New Play By an American Author, Best New Play By a foreign author, and Best Musical of the 1953-1954 season are then awarded. Includes promos.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: April 18, 1954 5:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:01:45
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R78:0217
- GENRE: Radio - Music; Radio - Variety; Radio - Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: CBS - Radio series, 1953-1954
- COMMERCIALS:
- Radio - Promos - " Amos 'n' Andy"
- Radio - Promos - "Our Miss Brooks"
- Radio - Promos - "The Jack Benny Show"
- Radio - Promos - CBS Radio Network
CREDITS
- Howard G. Barnes … Producer
- Ziroto Jr., Bruno, Ziroto Jr., Bruno … Director
- John Dietz … Director
- Bob Corcoran … Writer
- Mike Wallace … Host
- Humphrey Bogart … Guest
- Howard Dietz … Guest
- Van Johnson … Guest
- Stanley Kramer … Guest
- Bert Lahr … Guest
- Mary Pickford … Guest
- Walter Pidgeon … Guest
- Max Yougstein … Guest
- Desi Arnaz
- Lucille Ball
- John Barrymore
- Lionel Barrymore
- Lloyd Bridges
- Buster Collier
- James Edwards
- Douglas Fairbanks
- Clark Gable
- Greta Garbo
- Judy Garland
- John Garfield
- D.W. Griffiths
- Katharine Hepburn
- William Holden
- Charles Laughton
- Frank Lovejoy
- Lilli Palmer
- William Powell
- Mickey Rooney
- Sylvia Sidney
- Barbara Stanwyck
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Rober Taylor
- Lana Turner