CBS Radio Mystery Theater: "A Christmas Carol" (December 24, 1975) - Part 2

If you got the chance to listen to the broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" from the "CBS Radio Mystery Theater" of December 24, 1975, I'm sure you'll agree that it's an interesting adaptation.

In the annals of the show itself, the most noteworthy thing is that host E.G. Marshall appears as a character for the only time, playing the leading role of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Where things get wacky is that he still narrates the story as E.G. Marshall some of the time, but also narrates as Scrooge at other times and also interacts with other characters as Scrooge!

I can't think of another audio adaptation that has quite that dynamic.

Sometimes the star narrates in their usual voice and plays Scrooge with a different voice, such as Orson Wells and Laurence Olivier on radio broadcasts.

We also get the rare Scrooge as narrator, such as with Ronald Colman and Claude Rains on their recordings, but I think Mr. Marshall is the only one to do triple-duty!

E.G. Marshall, of course, had a long and distinguished career in movies and TV, from the mid-1940, through the late-1990s.

E.G. Marshall is on the far right in this scene from "Call Northside 777" (1948) as the new husband of Richard Conte's ex-wife.

He first appeared in small roles in a few movies for 20th Century Fox. I've seen all of them, with his role in "Call Northside 777" (1948) being the most memorable. He's younger than you usually think of him, but still not young. He probably never actually looked young!

E.G. helps his "son" come up with a way to get out of his "Brady Bunch" contact!

Tons of appearances later, he wound up as star of the TV series "The Defenders" (1961-65) with pre-Brady Robert Reed.

He held his own with this crowd!

His portrayal of one of the jurors (#4) in "12 Angry Men" (1957) was a memorable stop along the way.

Still a pro!

Who would've thought that he'd wind up in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1995) so many years later!

Mr. Marshall does a solid job as Scrooge and narrator here. I think he totally outclasses his co-stars.

Next: what kind of a script did they get?