Pre-Kris Kringle!

What do we make of this press photo?

The photo is dated December 19, 1941.

Here's the caption (bad editing and all):

Edmund shows Gwenn (center) shakes hands with a member of the cast of a play that the blind children also gave at the party. Ted Donaldson, stage starlet, who plays "Tiny Tim" in the Dicken's play, is seated to left of Gwenn, who plays "Scrooge". 

Yup, that's definitely Edmund Gwenn and Ted Donaldson, but in what presentation were they playing Scrooge? Was it at the same party? Did it happen on December 19?

I need to know when and where to set my time machine!

"Stars Over Hollywood" (December 22, 1951) - Part 4

A few things about the "Stars Over Hollywood" show and its adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" starring Edmund Gwenn.

Mr. Gwenn apparently made an annual tradition of appearing on this show with this adaptation. Not quite the level of Lionel Barrymore, but I bet fans enjoyed hearing this each year.

The show was on Saturday mornings, so I imagine that familes would have listened to it together at times, but you can tell by the Carnation Evaporated Milk commercials that this show is largely aimed at housewives. You wouldn't find commericals for food products to be targeted as such these days, but things were different in 1951 and the sponsor certainly wasn't thinking that audiences from 2020 would be listening.

The announcer, Art Balinger, is very jovial and gets the plugs in very well. I love how he gives Edmund Gwenn a cup of coffee with the sponsor's product in it as well as some carnations.

The 1953 broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" uses the same script, including the "curtain call" with the coffee and Mr. Gwenn's quip that you can also put it in tea!

As seen by the above ad, Carnation was also sponsoring George Burns and Gracie Allen on TV. It looks like George got the coffee and Gracie the carnations:

Speaking of George and Gracie, earlier in their career their radio series was sponsored by Campbell's Soup (pre-Orson Welles) and on their program of December 23, 1936, they presented Gracie's version of "A Christmas Carol!" It's loaded with mid-1930s references, but I "get" most of them!

As a bonus, here's that sketch!

"Stars Over Hollywood" (December 22, 1951) - Part 3

A few words about the cast and crew of the "Stars Over Hollywood" broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" from December 22, 1951 starring Edmund Gwenn as both Charles Dickens and Ebenezer Scrooge.

I think he's really good in both roles. His Dickens as narrator sounds so friendly and his Scrooge is suitably Scroogey until the end.

Edmund Gwenn will always be best remembered for his Oscar winning role as Kris Kringle in the 1947 movie "Miracle on 34the Street." That's a movie that's still revived more than most movies from the 1940s.

D.A. Jerome Cowan grills Edmund Gwenn while judge Gene Lockhart looks on.

A fun note is that the judge at Kris Kringle's hearing is played by Gene Lockhart, who had played Bob Cratchit in the 1938 movie version of "A Christmas Carol" from MGM!

Eric Snowden on "Leave it to Beaver" in 1957.

The Bob Cratchit we have on this "Stars Over Hollywood" show is, I think Eric Snowden. He's credited by the announcer at the end and it sounds like him as Bob.

The interesting thing is that he had played that same role on Ronald Colman's 1941 recording of "A Christmas Carol" Decca Records! He also played Bob on Colman's 1949 "Favorite Story" radio broadcast.

Things get a bit more intriguing when we learn that the director of this 1951 "Stars Over Hollywood" episode is Hans Conreid, better known as an actor. Hans had played the Ghost of Christmas Past on the Ronald Colman record, so both he and Eric Snowden were on that project. Did Hans remember Eric from that and recommend him for this job? Hmmm...

Things get further entangled as Jay Novello is also credited on this show. He had played Bob Cratchit on Basil Rathbone's recording of "A Christmas Carol" for Columbia Records in 1942!

Edmund Gwenn collects his Oscar along with Loretta Young, Ronald Colman and Celeste Holm.

While we're throwing around connections, when Edmund Gwenn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 1947, the Best Actor winner was Ronald Colman!

OK, my head's officially spinning now!

"Stars Over Hollywood" (December 22, 1951) - Part 2

The "Stars Over Hollywood" broadcast of December 22, 1951 starring Edmund Gwenn is another one of those fun little 20-plus minute radio adaptations.

I'm always wondering if there's going to be a little twist and this actually has a good one: (spoiler) Edmund Gwenn also plays Charles Dickens! The framing story has Dickens trying to write the story while his landlady is knocking at the door looking for the rent. That's just plain awesome!

With this additional bit added in, plus the commercials for Carnation Evaporated Milk, there's not a lot of time to tell the story, but they get the usual highlights in there.

Scrooge deals with his nephew Fred and Bob Cratchit at his office. No time for the charity guys, but that's how it goes.

Marley's Ghost comes along and warns Scrooge about the other spirits, who will come on successive nights.

With the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge visits his childhood home and we're told he recalls some incidents, but we don't hear about those. We do visit Fezziwig's party (with Dick Wilkins) and Scrooge realizes he should treat Bob Cratchit better.

The Ghost of Christmas Present brings Scrooge to Bob Cratchit's house to see Christmas dinner and the spirit tells Scrooge he has the power to alter Tiny Tim's future. Tiny Tim has an odd delivery when he says his famous line.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows Scrooge his own grave. Scrooge catches on hat his name is on there after reading only "E-B-E-N" Dickens says the spirits replies are "only eerie sounds in the night."

Nothing surprising with any of the ghosts, as those are the highlights you most want.

Dickens talks a lot during the wrap up and adds a few details about Scrooge buying a lot of presents including a turkey for the Cratchits and food for Fred's Christmas dinner. He also mentions that he raises Bob's salary and helped Tiny Tim get well.

"Dickens" also hints that it could have been a dream! Don't go there, fake Dickens!

I think the whole thing is a lot of fun!

And that recipe in the middle for turkey hash and cream? Yes, please!

"Stars Over Hollywood" (December 22, 1951) - Part 1

"Stars Over Hollywood" (December 22, 1951)
Director: Hans Conreid
Scrooge: Edmund Gwenn

We hang around the early 1950s to visit another old-time radio version of "A Christmas Carol" This time we have Edmund Gwenn starring on the December 22, 1951 episode of "Stars Over Hollywood."

Edmund Gwenn is best-known for his Oscar winning portrayal of Kris Kringle in the 1947 Christmas movie classic "Miracle on 34th Street," so it may seem surprising to hear him play Scrooge, but he was a versatile actor.

It seems that any self-respecting British actor would have a go at Scrooge, but this version also has a little twist!

Give it a listen and we'll discuss...