Lend an ear...a musical ear to these fine examples of tuneful Lux programs, all lovingly restored and sounding better than ever.
First up is Conversation Piece, an adaptation of Noel Coward's hit musical play. It stars Adolph Menjou as a duc who is trying to marry off his protégée and Lily Pons. George Sanders, who appeared as one of a quartet of singers in the stage version, plays a much larger role here. This is George Sanders at the very beginning of his Hollywood career. Next we feature a Nelson Eddy-less Jeanette MacDonald in Tonight or Never, co-starring Melvyn Douglas. Interestingly, Douglas also starred in the original stage version of this show, Helen Gahagan in the MacDonald role. MacDonald trills and thrills as the prima donna of an opera company.
Enter Madame is next, featuring the delightful Grace Moore and as her ardent suitor, Basil Rathbone. Rathbone sheds his villainous mein as he tackles the romantic lead. William Frawley lends fine support in this pre-Fred Mertz performance. Intermezzo stars Ingrid Bergman, who starred in the Swedish version of the film in 1936, as well as in the 1939 Selznick version which introduced her to American film audiences, as a young pianist in love with married violinist, Herbert Marshall in the role originally played by Leslie Howard.
Swing High, Swing Low features Rudy Vallee as a big headed crooner, and Virginia Bruce as his long suffering wife. Rudy gets to sing 4 songs, including the Rodgers and Hart classic, “I Didn't Know What Time It Was”. And Alice Faye stars in an adaptation of her 1940 bio-pic, Lillian Russell, the story of a turn of the century superstar singer. Edward Arnold co-stars as Diamond Jim Brady, a role he was all too familiar with having played the title role in the 1935 film, Diamond Jim with a script by Preston Sturges. Alice warbles some of the songs from the film, and is wooed by a young Victor Mature in the role originally played by Henry Fonda.
Music is on the air. Restored to sparkling audio quality by Radio Archives.
#107 Conversation Piece
Starring Lily Pons and Adolph Menjou
Monday, November 16, 1936 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#117 Tonight or Never
Starring Jeanette MacDonald and Melvyn Douglas
Monday, January 25, 1937 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#158 Enter Madame
Starring Grace Moore and Basil Rathbone
Monday, January 10, 1938 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#248 Intermezzo
Starring Herbert Marshall and Ingrid Bergman
Monday, January 29, 1940 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#252 Swing High, Swing Low - Dress Rehearsal
Starring Rudy Vallee and Virginia Bruce
Sunday, February 25, 1940 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
#278 Lillian Russell
Starring Alice Faye and Edward Arnold
Monday, October 21, 1940 - 60:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lux Soap
