radio playhouse

The Day of the Triffids - Part 3 of 6

After being captured by a group of religious extremists, Bill Masen is forced into servitude, chained to a blind man and made to lead him around a devastated and increasingly chaotic London. Meanwhile, Josella, whom Bill had just begun to connect with, has been taken elsewhere by the same group, her fate unknown.
These religious zealots believe the mass blindness is divine punishment for society’s sins, and they reject the utilitarian ideals of Beadley’s group, which they see as immoral. They insist that the sighted must remain with and serve the blind as an act of penance.
Based on the novel by John WyndhamDramatized by: Lance Dann

The Day of the Triffids - Part 2 of 6

Following his eerie escape from the hospital and the discovery of a blinded, panicked London, Bill Masen ventures through the ruined city in search of answers — and other sighted survivors.
He soon rescues Josella Playton, a sharp and capable young woman, from a dangerous situation: she is being forced by a blind man to act as his guide.
Based on the novel by John WyndhamDramatized by: Lance Dann

The Day of the Triffids - Part 1 of 6

The story opens with Bill Masen, a biologist recovering from an eye injury in a London hospital. His eyes have been bandaged for several days following a triffid-related accident. On the night before his bandages are due to be removed, a spectacular meteor shower lights up the sky — visible to nearly everyone on Earth, except Bill, who remains in darkness.
Based on the 1951 novel by John WyndhamDramatized by: Lance Dann.

The Citadel - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired on January 21, 1940,based on the 1937 novel by A.J. Cronin.
The Citadel follows Dr. Andrew Manson, a young and idealistic Scottish physician who begins his career in a Welsh mining town. Confronted with poor working conditions and inadequate medical facilities, Manson strives to improve public health standards. As he gains recognition, he's tempted by the allure of wealth and prestige, leading him to question his principles and the true purpose of his profession.

Theodora Goes Wild - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired on January 14, 1940,
Set in the conservative town of Lynnfield, Connecticut, the story follows Theodora Lynn, a Sunday school teacher and former church organist raised by two spinster aunts. Unbeknownst to her community, Theodora leads a double life as Caroline Adams, the pseudonymous author of a sensational, bestselling novel filled with risqué content that scandalizes the town's literary circle.

There is Always A Woman - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

This radio adaptation aired on December 17, 1939, and is based on the 1938 screwball comedy film of the same name.
In this episode, Welles portrays Bill Reardon, a private detective who decides to return to his job with the district attorney, while his wife, Sally Reardon, takes over the detective agency and becomes entangled in a murder investigation

Vanessa - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired December 10, 1939, adapted from the novel by Hugh Walpole . A the passionate and unforgettable story of Vanessa, Judith's Granddaughter and her n'er-do-well cousin Benjie whom she had sworn in childhood never to betray.

Dodsworth - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired on March 31, 1939, based on the acclaimed 1929 novel by Sinclair Lewis.
Sam Dodsworth is a successful, middle-aged American automobile manufacturer who has just sold his company and is preparing for retirement. At his wife Fran’s urging, they set off on a grand tour of Europe, seeking culture, glamour, and escape from the predictability of American middle-class life.
But their European journey reveals a growing rift between them. Fran, insecure about aging, becomes infatuated with the sophisticated social scene abroad and flirts (literally and figuratively) with the idea of reinvention — often at the expense of her husband. She drifts toward younger, aristocratic admirers and eventually tells Sam she wants to separate.

The Magnificent Ambersons - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Air Date: October 29, 1939, The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington.
The story follows the decline of the once-powerful Amberson family in a Midwestern town as America transitions from the genteel Victorian era into the industrial age. At the center is George Amberson Minafer, a spoiled and arrogant heir who disapproves of his widowed mother’s rekindled affection for Eugene Morgan, a self-made automobile manufacturer.

Escape - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired on June 9, 1939, It was based on the 1926 novel Escape by John Galsworthy, best known as the author of The Forsyte Saga.
The story follows Captain Matt Denant, a decorated World War I officer and honorable English gentleman. One day, while walking through Hyde Park, he intervenes when a young prostitute is being harassed by a plainclothes police officer. A scuffle ensues, and Denant unintentionally kills the officer.

What Every Woman Know - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired on June 2, 1939,the play was originally written by J.M. Barrie (best known as the creator of Peter Pan).
Set in Edwardian Scotland, the story centers on the shrewd and unassuming Maggie Wylie, a plain but intelligent woman from a well-off, respectable family. Her family strikes an unusual bargain with John Shand, a poor but ambitious young man obsessed with self-improvement and politics: they agree to fund his education, on the condition that he later marry Maggie.

Ah Wilderness - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Aired on March 24, 1939.
Set in Connecticut on the Fourth of July, 1906, the play follows the Miller family, focusing on Richard Miller, an idealistic 16-year-old who is intoxicated by poetry, politics, and first love. He’s in love with Muriel, the daughter of a conservative neighbor, and quotes Swinburne and Marx while dreaming of romance and revolution.

Things We Have - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Air Date: May.1939 .
Things We Have a  Story by Orson Welles about the great American dream of personal liberty and independence.

Wickford Point - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Wickford Point aired on May 19, 1939. based on the 1939 novel by John P. Marquand, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer.
The story unfolds through the reflective narration of Jeff Wilson, a writer and outsider who is drawn into the orbit of the decaying but once-prominent Talbot family, who live in a crumbling mansion on Wickford Point, Massachusetts.

Private Lives - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Private Lives by Noël Coward aired on May 12, 1939.
Private Lives is a sparkling, fast-paced romantic comedy centering on Elyot Chase and Amanda Prynne, a formerly married couple who unexpectedly find themselves honeymooning in adjacent hotel rooms with their new spouses — Sibyl and Victor — on the French Riviera.

Showboat - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Show Boat aired on May 5, 1939.
Show Boat tells the sweeping, multi-generational story of life aboard the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River showboat run by the warm and charismatic Captain Andy Hawks and his stern wife, Parthy.

Beau Geste - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Beau Geste aired on March 31, 1939.
The story begins with a haunting mystery: a relief column arrives at a remote desert outpost, Fort Zinderneuf, to find all the soldiers dead — some propped up at their stations, a single shot fired in welcome, and no sign of the garrison commander.
From this chilling tableau, the story flashes back to England, where three orphaned brothers — Beau, John, and Digby Geste — are raised by their wealthy aunt, Lady Brandon, at Brandon Abbas. When a precious family heirloom, the legendary “Blue Water” sapphire, goes missing, Beau takes the blame and vanishes — prompting both his brothers to follow him into the French Foreign Legion.

The Glass Key - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

The Glass Key aired on March 17, 1939.
et in a fictional American city gripped by political tension and backroom deals, the story follows Ned Beaumont, a cool-headed political fixer and gambler. He works for Paul Madvig, a powerful political boss backing a reform candidate, Ralph Henry, in exchange for the chance to marry Henry’s daughter, Janet.
When Henry’s son, Taylor, is found murdered, suspicion begins to swirl around Madvig. Beaumont, loyal but increasingly disillusioned, sets out to uncover the truth — not just to clear Madvig’s name but because something doesn’t sit right with him.

The Green Goddess - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

The Green Goddess aired on March 10, 1939.
Set in a remote and fictional Himalayan kingdom, The Green Goddess is a tale of imperial tension, cultural collision, and survival.
A British airplane carrying Major Crespin, his wife Lucilla, and Dr. Traherne crash-lands near the palace of a local Raja, the ruler of an isolated and exotic Eastern state. The Raja — played with wit and menace by Orson Welles — receives them graciously, but beneath his polite exterior lies a cunning, vengeful man with a deep resentment of British colonialism.

I Lost My Girlish Laughter - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

I Lost My Girlish Laughter aired on March 3, 1939.
old in a uniquely satirical epistolary format — using memos, telegrams, letters, news clippings, and diary entries — the story centers on Madge Lawrence, a smart, sharp-tongued former actress turned secretary to a powerful Hollywood producer, Stanley Shriner.

Mutiny On The Bounty - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Based on the historical novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall ,aired on January 13, 1939.
Set in the late 18th century, the story follows the journey of the HMS Bounty, a British naval ship on a mission to collect breadfruit plants in Tahiti to feed slaves in the West Indies. The ship is under the command of the harsh and tyrannical Captain William Bligh, whose relentless discipline and cruelty push the crew to the brink.

Counselor at Law - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Counselor-at-Law aired on January 6, 1939, and featured Orson Welles in a gripping performance of the fast-paced legal drama originally written by Elmer Rice.
George Simon is a brilliant and successful New York lawyer who has risen from poverty on the Lower East Side to become one of the city's most sought-after attorneys. Jewish, sharp-witted, and proud of his immigrant background, Simon represents everyone from gangsters to widows, navigating a chaotic office filled with secretaries, clerks, and desperate clients.

Christmas Carol - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, aired on December 24, 1939.
The story follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who detests Christmas and lives in bitter solitude. On Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns Scrooge that he will be doomed in the afterlife if he does not change his ways. Marley tells him he will be visited by three spirits.

Vanity Fair - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray aired on March 17, 1939.
The story begins with Becky and Amelia leaving Miss Pinkerton's Academy. Becky, an orphan and a governess by necessity, sets her sights on social climbing. She tries to marry Amelia’s wealthy brother but is rebuffed, then sets her sights on Rawdon Crawley, a dashing but dim-witted soldier. They marry in secret, much to the fury of his wealthy aunt.

The Count Of Monte Cristo - Orson Welles Campbell Playhouse

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, aired on November 25, 1938.
Edmond Dantès, a young and capable sailor in Marseille, is wrongfully imprisoned on the eve of his engagement to the beautiful Mercédès. The conspiracy is driven by jealousy and ambition: Danglars, Fernand, and Caderousse all stand to gain from Edmond’s ruin.