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| Music director Bernard Katz goes over music cues with Lionel Barrymore. |
So, that 1944 episode of "Globe Theatre" featuring an edited version of Lionel Barrymore's "A Christmas Carol" adaptation from is "The Mayor of the Town" series is an interesting thing.
The question, though, is what episode of "The Mayor of the Town" is this? As I undertand it the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) would record the Christmas episodes of various shows (Crosby, Hope, Benny, etc.) then use them the following December for their transcriptions.
This would seem to indicate that this is the 1943 episode of "Mayor" used by the AFRS in 1944, as they wouldn't have had time to edit the 1944 show into the "Globe Theatre" format.
But we were just listening to the 1943 recording, weren't we? This version is extremely similar, but it's not the same performance. Some of the actors are different. I don't think Marley's Ghost is played here by Hans Conreid. This actor doesn't roll his Rs in that theatrical manner.
The Cratchit kids sound a bit different, but I think Mrs. Cratchit sounds even more like Agnes Moorehead!
The biggest difference as far as the story itself goes is that this 1944 "Globe Theatre" show does not include the scene with Belle and her husband. I presume this scene was edited out for time constraints.
The AFRS guys had to do a lot of editing with the network shows they recorded, as they needed to get rid of the commericals. This was especially hard for a show like "Fibber McGee and Molly," where our friend Harlow Wilcox would sneak the Johnson's Wax commercials into the conversation!
The AFRS guys had to do a lot of editing with the network shows they recorded, as they needed to get rid of the commericals. This was especially hard for a show like "Fibber McGee and Molly," where our friend Harlow Wilcox would sneak the Johnson's Wax commercials into the conversation!
In any event, I think they do a good job with the show here and Herbert Marshall as the host gives it an extra touch of class!
One thing I feel the need to mention is that I recognize the theme song of "Globe Theatre" as "A Handful of Stars," which was a hit for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra in 1940. This song actually has a couple of connections that are somewhat interesting.
It was introduced in the MGM movie "Hullabaloo" in 1940. I've seen that movie on TCM and it's a very forgettable B-picture starring Frank Morgan, but it was directed by Edward L. Marin, who had directed the 1938 movie version of "A Christmas Carol" and features Reginald Owen in a small role!
Also in another small part was Cy Kendall, who played the Ghost of Christmas Present on Ronald Colman's 1941 recording!
Here's Glenn Miller's record of "A Handful of Stars" as a bonus:
One thing I feel the need to mention is that I recognize the theme song of "Globe Theatre" as "A Handful of Stars," which was a hit for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra in 1940. This song actually has a couple of connections that are somewhat interesting.
It was introduced in the MGM movie "Hullabaloo" in 1940. I've seen that movie on TCM and it's a very forgettable B-picture starring Frank Morgan, but it was directed by Edward L. Marin, who had directed the 1938 movie version of "A Christmas Carol" and features Reginald Owen in a small role!
Also in another small part was Cy Kendall, who played the Ghost of Christmas Present on Ronald Colman's 1941 recording!
Here's Glenn Miller's record of "A Handful of Stars" as a bonus:
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