Production The Campbell Playhouse (radio)

orson welles during rehearsal of campbell playhouse (december 1938)

as direct result of front-page headlines orson welles generated 1938 halloween production war of worlds , campbell s soup signed on sponsor. mercury theatre on air made last broadcast december 4, 1938, , campbell playhouse began december 9, 1938.

the series made debut welles s adaptation of rebecca, guest stars margaret sullavan , mildred natwick. radio drama first adaptation of 1938 novel daphne du maurier; author interviewed live london @ conclusion of broadcast.

bernard herrmann had time compose complete score rebecca . absolutely beautiful, said associate producer paul stewart, , first time me benny more guy write bridges. herrmann later used main theme basis of score film jane eyre.

although same creative staff stayed on, show had different flavor under sponsorship. partially due guest star policy relegated mercury players supporting roles. there growing schism between welles, still reaping rewards of halloween eve notoriety, , houseman, became employee rather partner. houseman worked supervising editor on radio shows.

howard e. koch remained on writing staff through glass key (march 10, 1939), when left hollywood. succeeded howard teichmann, wrote show 2 years.

after signing film contract rko in august 1939, welles began commuting hollywood new york 2 sunday broadcasts of campbell playhouse. in november 1939, production of show moved new york los angeles.

screenwriter herman j. mankiewicz put on mercury payroll , wrote 5 scripts campbell playhouse shows broadcast between november 12, 1939, , march 17, 1940. mankiewicz proved useful, particularly working houseman editor. episode mr. deeds goes town includes inside joke: viennese doctor asked certify deeds insane named dr. herman mankiewicz.

after argument on finances december 16, 1939, john houseman resigned mercury theatre , returned new york. 2 months later welles hired him work mankiewicz on new venture, welles s first film project, citizen kane.

after 20 shows, campbell began exercise more creative control on campbell playhouse, , had complete control on story selection. diana bourbon, account executive ward wheelock agency, appointed liaison between welles , campbell. bourbon acted de facto producer, , , welles clashed on story , casting. 1 notable dispute came after broadcast of algiers , employed crafted tapestry of sound create world of casbah. challenged on why background sounds loud, welles responded, told background?

amiable classics chosen on many of welles s story suggestions, including of human hearts; rights many works, including rogue male, wuthering heights , little foxes, not obtained. contract campbell came end, welles determined not sign on season. m sick of having heart torn out of script radio censorship, said. after broadcast of march 31, 1940 — reprise of jane eyre, after welles s suggestion of alice adams not accepted — welles , campbell parted amicably.

the campbell playhouse returned radio november 29, 1940, 30-minute weekly cbs series last broadcast june 13, 1941. program produced diana bourbon. series focus shifted away classic play , novel adaptations lighter, more popular fare, still casts drawn ranks of film actors.