Saddle up, pardners...you are about to embark on a journey which will take you to a different time and place, as you listen to 10 film adaptations which take place during the early days of America's history. These stories will transport you to the old South, the early American west, and to parts in between. You'll thrill to exciting tales of outlaws and cowboys, mid-western plains folk, and native American tribes. Here are the original broadcasts of The Lux Radio Theatre, reintroducing you to the classic films you love to watch.
In this volume you'll hear Gary Cooper reprising his role as The Virginian, with Charles Bickford taking over for Walter Huston as the evil Trampas. Fredric March fills in for Gary Cooper as Wild Bill Hickok in The Plainsman, also starring Jean Arthur as Calamity Jane, from the original Cecil B. DeMille production.
And for comedy we present the bucolic radio comedy star, Bob Burns as The Arkansas Traveler, complete with his trademark Bazooka. Bob gets to relate tales of his infamous relatives, which was his stock in trade in his heyday. Barbara Stanwyck reprises her starring role in Edna Ferber's sprawling, So Big from the William Wellman film, co-starring with Preston Foster and Fay Wray. Edward Arnold stars as the tragic “Silver King" in Silver Dollar, playing the role originally portrayed by Edward G. Robinson in the Warner Brothers film, with Anita Louise in support. Loretta Young filling in for Bette Davis appears in the classic tale of the old south, Jezebel, where Young plays the title role which had won Davis her second Oscar.
Loretta Young, Robert Preston, and Edward Arnold introduce you to The Lady From Cheyenne, in an adaptation of Frank Lloyd's classic Universal western, in which the main character fights for equality for women. Meanwhile, Burt Lancaster takes over in the role originally played by James Stewart in Broken Arrow, also starring Jeff Chandler and Debra Paget from the original film. And as the icing on the cake, Bob Hope and Lucille Ball reprise their roles in Fancy Pants, a remake of the classic Leo McCarey classic, Ruggles of Red Gap. Last but not least, James Stewart and Stephen MacNally reprise their roles from the Anthony Mann classic, Winchester '73.
The Lux Radio Theatre - Tales of Old - Americana At Its Best is a rare collection of true Americana that no fan of classic period films and of classic radio should miss. Restored to sparkling digital audio quality by Radio Archives.
Nick Santa Maria, a published film historian and author is the Project Producer for this series.
#105 The Virginian
Starring Gary Cooper and Charles Bickford
Monday, November 2, 1936 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#135 The Plainsman
Starring Fredric March and Jean Arthur
Monday, May 31, 1937 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#204 The Arkansas Traveler
Starring Bob Burns and Jean Parker
Monday, January 30, 1939 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#210 So Big
Starring Barbara Stanwyck and Preston Foster
Monday, March 13, 1939 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#213 Silver Dollar
Starring Edward Arnold and Anita Louise
Monday, April 3, 1939 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#283 Jezebel
Starring Loretta Young and Brian Donlevy
Monday, November 25, 1940 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#312 The Lady from Cheyenne
Starring Loretta Young and Robert Preston
Monday, June 16, 1941 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#730 Broken Arrow
Starring Burt Lancaster and Debra Paget
Monday, January 22, 1951 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#755 Fancy Pants
Starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball
Monday, September 10, 1951 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#764 Winchester '73
Starring James Stewart and Stephen MacNally
Monday, November 12, 1951 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap