When a Girl Marries is an American daytime radio drama that was broadcast on three major radio networks from 1939 to 1957. Created by Elaine Sterne Carrington (who also was responsible for Pepper Young's Family and Rosemary), it was the highest rated soap opera during the mid-1940s.[1]
 When a Girl Marries cast member Ellen Fenwick | |
| Genre | Soap opera |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Syndicates | CBS ABC NBC |
| Created by | Elaine Sterne Carrington |
| Written by | Elaine Sterne Carrington |
| Original release | May 29, 1939 – August 30, 1957 |
| Opening theme | Serenade by Drigo |
Air dates and audience
editThe series premiered May 29, 1939, on CBS, moving to NBC on September 29, 1941, and then to ABC on July 2, 1951.[1] The show ended its run on August 30, 1957.[1]
As it began its third year on the air, the program's audience was estimated at 8 million per week.[2]
Sponsors included Prudential Insurance,[3] General Foods and Carnation.[1]
Synopsis
editPromoted as "the tender, human story of young married life, dedicated to everyone who has ever been in love," the convoluted plot threads followed a married couple, Harry Davis (John Raby, Robert Haag) and Joan Field Davis (Noel Mills, Mary Jane Higby), as they confronted endless problems in the small town of Stanwood. Carrington created numerous conflicts by contrasting Harry's impoverished background with Joan's high society family.[1]
Cast and crew
editOthers in the cast included Michael Fitzmaurice, Marion Barney, Ellen Fenwick and Staats Cotsworth. Announcers included Frank Gallop, Bill Mazer and George Ansbro. Music was by organist Rosa Rio and others.[1]
Australian version
editA long-running Australian version was broadcast on the Major Broadcasting Network. Prior to World War II, transcription discs of many U.S. programs were imported into Australia, but after America entered the war, this became impossible, but scripts were still able to be imported, and the Australian version was based on the U.S. program.[4]
Ron Randell starred. Writers included Peter Yeldham.[5]
A download of the first Australian episode is available on YouTube.[6]
TV spinoff
editOn August 3, 1953, Follow Your Heart debuted on NBC-TV. Created by Carrington, the program was based on the early scripts of When a Girl Marries. It was off the air by January 8, 1954.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 717–718. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-07-24.
- ^ "'When a Girl Marries' Drama Celebrates Second Anniversary". Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. May 31, 1941. p. 24. Retrieved December 15, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Behind the Mike" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 15, 1939. p. 52. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
- ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission. (3 August 1946), "WHEN A GIRL MARRIES Serial Drama In Pictures", ABC weekly, Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1400394072, retrieved 28 March 2024 – via Trove
- ^ When a Girl Marries at National Film and Sound Archive
- ^ dedicated to all those who can remember... YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-11.
- ^ Cox, Jim (2015). The Great Radio Soap Operas. McFarland. p. 275. ISBN 978-1-4766-0414-5. Retrieved December 15, 2019.