Claudia
Volume 10



The Soap Opera as we know it today is not much different than when it began back in the golden age of Radio. The only real difference between then and now is that shows are no longer sponsored by soap companies, hence the name originally attached to these episodic programs full of villains, passion, twists and turns, scandal and rumor and murderous melodrama. In 1947, however, a show that broke the mold and still stands out as a unique example of the soap opera hit the airwaves thanks to the sponsorship of Coca Cola. And this new take on soap operas had a name. Claudia.

"Claudia" told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, newlyweds, just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren't suffering from any medical problems, suspicions, or ungrateful children. Instead, they were simply facing the many challenges of any new marriage in the years following World War II - finding an apartment, getting used to each other's quirks, and learning to live together as husband and wife.

The very elements that made Claudia different from other soap operas quickly became its strengths. There were very few "tune in tomorrow" hooks that most soaps used to lure listeners back. People came back to "Claudia" for the interesting, fully developed characters, the lighthearted banter, and the familiarity of their day-to-day situations. Given this, most modern listeners view "Claudia" as a continuing daytime situation comedy, rather than as a soap opera -- and enjoy it immensely.

Based on the literary works of Rose Franken, "Claudia" began as short stories. Immensely popular, those grew into a series of best selling novels and then in 1941, were adapted into a Broadway play, with a young actress named Dorothy McGuire in the title role. Claudia was a breakout role for McGuire; one that brought her to Hollywood to reprise the role in the 20th Century Fox film version, released in 1943 and co-starring Robert Young as David. Based on that film's success, 1946 found them together again in "Claudia and David," a sequel to the earlier film. Due in large part to the success of the two "Claudia" movies, in 1947, the D'Arcy advertising agency decided to bring the characters to radio in a five-a-week quarter-hour serial on behalf of its client, Coca-Cola. This was the third attempt to bring the story of Claudia to radio and would be followed by a try as a TV series as well.

The title character and her husband are the best part of the show. Claudia, a bit younger than her years, is often impulsive, sometimes irresponsible, usually perky, and just a bit flighty. Her father had died when she was still a young girl and, as an only child, had been raised by her widowed mother. As she matures, she becomes a unique mixture of enthusiasm, incompetence and over-confidence -- deeply in love with her somewhat older husband David, but frequently naive and too likely to trust in her insecurities rather than her instincts.

Claudia's loving and patient husband David came from a substantial family and he had trained to be an architect until World War II interrupted his plans. Like many a returning veteran, he's working to get ahead in his field, but he sometimes questions whether he's chosen the right career path.

Due to the diligent work of Radio Archives, all 390 episodes of the series, which had an eighteen-month run, have been located and preserved to the highest standard. Claudia, Volume 10 continues the story of Claudia and David, showing not only the success of the program, but also the level of writing involved. Clearly the characters, especially the two leads, grow and mature over the course of the series, as clearly heard in this latest volume!

Heard today, "Claudia" remains wonderful entertainment, notable for both its lighthearted tone and the believable interplay between its characters and will make a fine addition to any Old Time Radio Fan's collection!

#266 David Coming Home From the Hospital

Monday, October 4, 1948 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola