The 14 Missing Welles/Mercury Radio Programs

[Wich2]

Caroming off of the recently released BURLESQUE and PATRIOT recordings, is this where the updated list stands now (8/17/21)?

Of the 85 hour-long radio programs produced by the Mercury Theatre for the "Mercury Theatre on the Air" and "Campbell Playhouse" series (these are the) missing or not in circulation.

MERCURY THEATRE ON THE AIR

Sept. 11th, 1938
Julius Ceasar by William Shakespeare
(Only the broadcast itself is lost. The rehearsal for the program still survives.)(I BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY NOW HAVE TWO VERSIONS OF THIS - ONE OF WHICH, IS EITHER A DIFFERENT REHEARSAL, THE BROADCAST, OR A GOAT-GLAND MIX?)

*

Sept. 18th, 1938
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

*

Oct. 2nd, 1938
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

*

Nov, 27h, 1938
Clarence by Booth Tarkington

*

Dec. 4th 1938 (SHOULD BE DEC. 2?)
The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

*

CAMPBELL PLAYHOUSE

Dec. 16th 1938
Call It a Day by Dodie Smith

*

Dec. 30th 1938
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
(Not entirely lost, since a copy is held by the Library of Congress, but not in circulation.) (WE SHOULD APPROACH THEM AGAIN)

*
Jan. 20th 1939
The Chicken Wagon Family by Barry Benefield.

*

February 24th, 1939
State Fair by Phillip Duffield Stong

*

March 2nd, 1939
Royal Regiment by Gilbert Frankau

*

April 7th, 1939
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

*

April 28th, 1939
Black Daniel by Honore Morrow

We're getting there. SO much progress, from the Ur-days of classic radio collecting.

- Craig

[Dan_UK]

"Come and Get It", Dec 31, 1939 isn't on the list. Does that mean a recording is available? That's one I thought was lost.

[Wich2]

Dan, I just copied The Chief's list from the previous page, and updated/annotated it.

Sadly, I believe you are right that COME AND GET IT has still not answered that call.

- Craig

[Le Chiffre]

Thanks for the correction, Dan. I've gone ahead and updated the original post.

You're right, Craig. I should contact the Library of Congress again about Farewell to Arms.

[Dan_UK]

I should contact the Library of Congress again about Farewell to Arms.

Supposedly University of Michigan has Chicken Wagon Family so might be good to contact them as well.

Or wouldn't it be better to tell Lilly and let them contact them, as they're more likely to succeed.

[Wich2]

Supposedly University of Michigan has Chicken Wagon Family

???

Tell us more.

[Le Chiffre]

If I remember correctly, they don't have it. It was a case of a disc labeled incorrectly. I'd be happy to be misremembering, though.

Good idea about Lilly.

[Dan_UK]

Supposedly University of Michigan has Chicken Wagon Family

???

Tell us more.

Just repeating what I read somewhere.

[JourneyIntoWelles]

Have there been any updates on the missing Orson Welles radio episodes? Have any additional ‘lost’ broadcasts been discovered?

[Terry]

The Lady Esther Hitch-Hiker (courtesy of Wich2) is the most recent find I'm aware of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYrqodpp_hw