While wrapping presents to put under the tree, why not skip the holiday tunes and get in the mood with streaming audio of four vintage Christmas radio shows featuring Orson Welles.
First up are two versions of Charles Dicken’s classic A Christmas Carol as heard on the Campbell Playhouse in 1938 and 1939. The first features Welles in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.The second broadcast has Welles narrating the story and Lionel Barrymore in the lead role. The 1939 broadcast also features Everett Sloane (Marley’s ghost), Frank Readick (Bob Cratchit), Erskine Sanford (Fezziwig) and George Coulouris (Ghost of Christmas Present).
Lady Esther’s Orson Welles Show from December 22, 1941 has a holiday theme. Recorded during the making of The Magnificent Ambersons, it includes actors Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead, Joseph Cotten, Edgar Barrier, Erskine Sanford and Tim Holt.
The program includes a reading from the Gospel of Luke, as well as The Happy Prince.
And radio great Norman Corwin’s The Plot to Overthrow Christmas from 1944 stars Welles and Collins..
Find all four vintage radio broadcasts at wellesnet.com/audio-orson-welles-the-radio-years and at the end of this post
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our faithful supporters.
Streaming audio of four Wellesian holiday radio broadcasts.
Broadcast on December 23, 1938, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” starred Orson Welles as Ebenezer Scrooge. The cast included his wife, Virginia Nicolson, as Belle, and Joseph Cotten as Fred. Also, Arthur Anderson (Ghost of Christmas Past), Eustace Wyatt (Ghost of Christmas Present), Frank Readick (Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come) and Alfred Shirley (Marley).
The Mercury Theatre’s second performance of “A Christmas Carol” aired on December 24, 1939 with Welles as the narrator. Lionel Barrymore starred as Scrooge with Everett Sloane (Marley’s ghost), Frank Readick (Bob Cratchit), Erskine Sanford (Fezziwig) and George Coulouris (Ghost of Christmas Present).
This episode of Lady Esther’s “Orson Welles Show” from December 22, 1941 began with a reading from the Gospel of Luke; Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” starring Orson Welles, Ray Collins, Agnes Moorehead, Joseph Cotten, Edgar Barrier, Erskine Sanford and Tim Holt; and the recitation of a G.K. Chesterton poem. The radio show was recorded during the production of The Magnificent Ambersons.
“The Plot to Overthrow Christmas” was written by radio great Norman Corwin and performed by Welles as Nero and Ray Collins as Santa Claus for “This Is My Best” on December 19, 1944. In his introduction, Welles says “Best is a big word, but it isn’t too big for Norman Corwin, who is certainly beyond all argument the best writer the medium has produced.” Of Collins, he adds, “If you know of a better actor in radio, please send me his name. I could use him in the Mercury.”