"Duffy's Tavern" (December 21, 1945)

"Duffy's Tavern" (December 21, 1945)

NBC
Scrooge: "Archie" (Ed Gardner)

It seems like a while since we've listened to an old radio show, so let's pay a visit to "Duffy's Tavern" for this 1945 broadcast, which features a takeoff of "A Christmas Carol" as part of the gang's holiday entertainment:

I'd say that the gang's version of "A Christmas Carol" most reminds me of the one from 1977's "The Honeymooners Christmas Carol" special in the way that both "Archie" and "Ralph" extensively reworked the story, each in his unique way.

As for oddball Tiny Tim interpretations, "Finnegan" might even be wackier than "Norton!"

I like the "Duffy's Tavern" series a lot and this episode gives the cast a real chance to shine!

I also enjoyed the harp playing of the great Robert Maxwell, who was only 24 years old at that time.

As a bonus, here's a video of Mr. Maxwell from a dozen years later, once more playing "White Christmas," this time on the Ed Sullivan show:

Good fun all around!

The Caltex Theater - "Scrooge the Miser" (195?) - Part 3

So, how does "The Caltex Theater" presentation of "Scrooge the Miser" compare to "A Christmas Carol" itself?

(We'll have to presume that John Crane's adaptation for radio is close to Eric Jones-Evans's play.)

Actually, despite it having a different title, "Scrooge the Miser" is quite faithful to the book, using chunks of the text as dialogue, but there is one huge difference...

That huge difference being that Scrooge is only visited by one spirit: Marley's Ghost!

Marley's Ghost shows Scrooge the past, present and future just like those respective spirits would, so I really wonder why Eric Jones-Evans made that choice unless it was to make a stage production of the play easier to manage.

The script really doesn't take a lot of liberties otherwise, but let's take a closer look at the proceedings.

There's no narrator, so it's left to the characters to have some expository dialogue which works just fine.

The opening scene in the office is pretty typical with one difference being that Scrooge tells Bob to come in on Christmas morning to finish up an invoice. That's similar to the 1958 Vanguard Records recording with Siobhan McKenna, but who knows which came first?

Also reminiscent of that album is that it seems Scrooge's office and living quarters are in the same building, as soon as Bob leaves, Scrooge settles down with his bankbooks and falls asleep. So no door knocker!

Marley's Ghost wakes him up and gives him the usual warning, then explains that he will conduct him to the past, present and future.

Marley's Ghost just has a couple of scenes from the past to show Scrooge. They see young Scrooge at school and they talk about Fan coming in, but we don't hear her. Marley's Ghost says that Fan died shortly after the birth of Scrooge's nephew "Frederick." That echoes the 1951 Alastair Sim movie "Scrooge" but the book itself doesn't specify how or when Fan died, just that she was a woman and had one child.

They also witness Scrooge's breakup with Belle.

That's all for the past, but Scrooge is already regretful and seems well on his way to repentance. I always miss Fezziwig if he's not included, though!

Since they don't have to switch spirits, Scrooge and Marley's Ghost get to Christmas Present and Bob's house pretty quickly. Before they go in, Marley's Ghost needles Scrooge about Bob's low salary and Scrooge is too humbled to disagree.

The Cratchit family Christmas dinner is the only scene from the present, but what's kind of odd is that they fade in and out from it. Scrooge has to ask Marley's Ghost to show him more a couple of times.

No Ignorance and Want, so Scrooge and Marley's Ghost go straight to Christmas Yet to Come, which gets the most scenes.

Since Marley's Ghost is still handling things, he talks about what they're seeing, dropping hints that would be spoilers if Scrooge were quicker on the uptake!

They see a couple of businessmen talking about Scrooge's death, interestingly saying "The Devil got his own" in case we don't know who Old Scratch is!

The scene at Old Joe's place is also similar to the one from that 1958 Vanguard record in that it's only Mrs. Dilber as the charwoman who has all of the items.

Curiously, Old Joe is wary of buying the items as he knows they were stolen. This version of Old Joe has scruples?

They next return to the Cratchit house after Tiny Tim's death. It's always a bit clunky in versions such as this where Bob mentions running into Fred and how it seems as if Fred knew Tiny Tim when the opening scenes show Bob and Fred as being well-acquainted with Fred asking about Tiny Tim's health. 

In the book it's clear that Fred had only met Bob the one time in Scrooge's office on Christmas Eve, so Bob's words about Fred in the future make more sense.

Anyway, Scrooge sees his own grave and begs for another chance.

He then awakes in his own room, saying it was a dream. That always bugs me because although in this version they don't see a lot of visions, there are still details about the Cratchit family he wouldn't know and thus wouldn't be able to dream about.

I can understand to an extent as Scrooge was asleep when Marley's Ghost appeared, but still!

Everything is set up for the ending, which is handled much better than on that 1958 record I keep referring to!

Scrooge confirms with a passing boy that it's Christmas and dispatches him to buy the turkey. He also spots the charity guy across the street and has the boy send him over, allowing Scrooge to make a donation.

Since Scrooge is already in the office building, he's waiting with the turkey when Bob shows up late for work. He pretend to be  angry but gives Bob the turkey, raises his salary and offers to help Tiny Tim.

Bob invites Scrooge to Christmas dinner, but Scrooge respectfully declines, explaining that he'll join him next year but this year he's going to Fred's house. Scrooge quotes Tiny Tim and we're done!

This ending reminds me quite a bit of the final scene of Basil Rathbone's 1942 recording (which was on Christmas afternoon) and it's equally touching.

All in all, except for just the one ghost, the whole thing is a faithful and entertaining adaptation!

The Caltex Theater - "Scrooge the Miser" (195?) - Part 2

If you got the chance to listen to "The Caltex Theater" broadcast of "Scrooge the Miser," I'm sure you'll agree it's a good production!

There's something of a mystery about the date of the broadcast, à la that AFRTS show with Otto Kruger as Scrooge, but not as much mystery as that Mystery Broadcast!

I don't know much about Australian radio shows and I've barely heard of Caltex, but I thought it would be easy to do an internet search and find a list of "Caltex Theater" shows and dates. But, nope!

The best guess seems to be that it's from the 1950s, but as I look for clues, I come away more confused than before!

If we listen carefully to announcer Ric Hutton, we get a few breadcrumbs...

One thing we hear is that "Scrooge the Miser" is a new play by Eric Jones-Evans, so it should just be a matter of determining when it was published.

That wasn't as easy as I thought either, but I found a couple of references to 1962, including this title page:

I'd be willing to go with 1962 as the year of the broadcast, except for one big but...

Another key is that we know the part of Scrooge is played by John  Alden (who does a great job).

Now, you say "John Alden" to an American and we would most likely think of the pilgrim who was in the love triangle with Priscilla Mullins. But radio wasn't invented yet in the 1620s, so this would be a different John Alden!

A quick search does reveal that there was an Australian actor named John Alden who appeared on the radio in addition to his stage roles. Fair enough, but this gentleman passed away in November 1962.

So, the "Caltex Theater" show can't be from 1962, as he wasn't around for Christmas of that year. And even if the show was prerecorded, they wouldn't broadcast it as is, with Mr. Alden taking a curtain call and all.

And we're back where we started - a mystery!

The Caltex Theater - "Scrooge the Miser" (195?) - Part 1

"Scrooge the Miser" (195?)

The Caltex Theater
Scrooge: John Alden

We run across another mystery broadcast of sorts. A mystery at least as far as the date. Maybe from the mid-1950s?

We do know that it's "Scrooge the Miser" from the Australian radio series "The Caltex Theater" and that it's good!

Give it a listen:

Next: The mystery!

Bonus Orson Welles!

Since we just heard Bill Johnstone as The Shadow/Lamont Cranston and had previously heard Bret Morrison in the role, I feel like we should give Orson Welles equal time!

Orson was the first actor to portray The Shadow when It became a half-hour crime-solving show and he played the part up until shortly before his (in)famous "War of the Worlds" broadcast.

He didn't have a Christmas episode of "The Shadow," but here's "Death House Rescue," from September 26, 1937, Orson's first appearance on the show:

Of note is that the cast includes future star character actors Agnes Moorehead as Margo Lane and Ray Collins as Commissioner Weston!

"The Shadow" is always fun and it's even more fun to hear Orson Welles so early in his career!

Bonus Bill Johnstone!

I had mentioned that Bill Johnstone, the narrator of Lionel Barrymore's 1949 broadcast of "A Christmas Carol," had portrayed The Shadow on the Mutual Broadcasting System radio series of the same name.

He took on the part of as Lamont Cranston/The Shadow after Orson Welles had left the series. What happened to him anyway?

So, as we had done with Bret Morrison, let's hear a Christmas episode of "The Shadow" starring Bill Johnstone!

Here's "Joey's Christmas Story" from December 22, 1940:

Of note is that the cast also includes Agnes Moorehead as Margo Lane and Keenan Wynn as Shrevie!

As the announcer said, it's a heartwarming Yuletide adventure!

"A Christmas Carol" - Mutual Broadcasting System (December 25, 1949) - Part 3

A few odds and ends concerning Lionel Barrymore's 1949 broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" sponsored by Capehart...

The sponsor and network information got a blurb in "Billboard":

This was Lionel Barrymore's first time playing Scrooge on the Mutual network, after having appeared on CBS, NBC and ABC in the past.

Announcer Gene Baker indicates that it's Mr. Barrymore's fifteenth year playing Scrooge, but I think it's his fourteenth time, if my math is right. He started in 1934, didn't do it in 1936 or 1938, so 1949 would be his fourteenth time, right?

And you have to chuckle that Gene basically says Capehart is to television sets as Barrymore is to acting and Dickens was to literature!

Announcer Baker was probably most famous for his announcing duties on the radio and TV versions of "Queen for a Day," which was popular at the time, but can be cringe-worthy today. The show, not Gene himself, as he was excellent at his job.

The casts of radio shows don't always get mentioned on the air, but Gene Baker does us a solid by rattling off a bunch of names, most of them recognizable as busy radio actors, although he doesn't indicate who played which part.

A couple of names jump out because we've run into them before.

First is Eric Snowden, who had played Bob Cratchit opposite Ronald Colman on his 1941 album and his 1949 "Favorite Story" syndicated broadcast. It sounds to me like he's paying Bob here as well!

And Joe Kearns was also on the "Favorite Story" show, so the two of them worked on at least two radio versions of "A Christmas Carol" in 1949 alone! 

I wonder if they thought anything of it or were just so busy going from show to show that it was another day's work!

Another notable name in the cast is the narrator, Bill Johnstone. He's most famous for his work on another Mutual show: "The Shadow!"

So, radio Shadows Orson Welles, Bret Morrison and Bill Johnstone all got a crack at narrating "A Christmas Carol" at some point!

One more tie-in with 1949 is courtesy of Lyn Murray, the music director. He conducted his singers on the carols that were included on the B-side of the LP of Basil Rathbone's recording of "A Christmas Carol" which was first reissued in that form in 1949!

Throw in Ronald Colman's version being issued on LP in 1949, as well as Edmund Gwenn starting his run as Scrooge on "Stars Over Hollywood" and it was a big year!

"A Christmas Carol" - Mutual Broadcasting System (December 25, 1949) - Part 2

If you got the chance to listen to Lionel Barrymore's annual portrayal of Scrooge for 1949's "Capehart Christmas Hour," I'm sure you'll agree it's another solid job!

This is his first time on Mutual, after having appeared on CBS, NBC and ABC in the past.

Announcer Gene Baker indicates that it's Mr. Barrymore's fifteenth year playing Scrooge, but I think it's his fourteenth time, if my math is right. He started in 1934, didn't do it in 1936 or 1938, so 1949 would be his fourteenth time, right?

Anyway, one thing I like about the shows is that it's not the same script every year and it's always fun to see what might be different.

These half hour versions don't leave room for a lot of material, and this one cuts out a lot, so we'll just do a quick review of what was included.

The introductory scenes in the office and with Marley's Ghost are as expected. They take up about half the show, so the other spirits don't get much time.

An interesting bit is the narrator indicating that Scrooge went to bed without undressing. OK, thanks for letting us know!

The Christmas past sequence only includes the scene of Scrooge and Belle's breakup. He does call her Belle. The spirit does mention that it's but one shadow, but Scrooge doesn't want to see anything else.

This may be the only version to have this as the one and only scene from the past.

Christmas present has to include the Cratchit family's Christmas dinner with Tiny Tim and all, and indeed this one does so, and it's the only scene in the segment.

We get a little bit of Martha here as she talks about Tiny Tim with Mrs. Cratchit rather than Bob and the Mrs. doing so.

One of the younger Cratchit kid flubs a line by saying, "Here they come, Mother - Father and Tiny and Tim" then quickly says "and Tiny Tim." It's cute!

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come doesn't get any lines, but does get to show Scrooge two scenes: the Cratchit house after Tiny Tim's death and Scrooge's lonely grave.

We're running short on time, so on Christmas morning when Scrooge engages the boy to by the prize turkey, he also tells him that he's going to look after Tiny Tim and raise Bob Cratchit's salary. 

Not that the kid really cares, but, hey, for half a crown he'll go along with it!

So, a quick run-through with Lionel Barrymore in good form.

I think at this point in time, the idea was that everyone already knows the story, so you just relax and enjoy whatever scenes are presented.

And Lionel's little speech about world peace at the end still rings true, doesn't it?

"A Christmas Carol" - Mutual Broadcasting System (December 25, 1949) - Part 1

"A Christmas Carol" (December 25, 1949)

"Capehart Christmas Hour"

Mutual Broadcasting System

Director: Dick Mack

Scrooge: Lionel Barrymore

Here's another Lionel Barrymore performance as Scrooge (his 14th), this one from the "Capehart Christmas Hour" as broadcast on the Mutual Broadcasting System on December 24, 1949:

He's always good!

Bonus Jimmy Stewart - Winchester '73!

I had mentioned when discussing James Stewart's radio series "The Six Shooter" that the actor had within the past couple of years prior adopted a somewhat grittier persona in a series of westerns beginning with "Winchester '73" in 1950.

"Winchester '73" happens to be one of my favorite movies ever and I like his characterization of Lin McAdam, the protagonist, a lot.

The Britt Ponset character from "The Six Shooter" makes me think that's what Lin McAdam would be like if he rode around having adventures. A pleasant fellow with a strong moral compass who doesn't look for trouble but does what he needs to do.

To his credit as an actor, Jimmy Stewart did not bring that same characterization to every western he made. In fact, he's a little different in each one with multiple levels of shading.

Here's the trailer for a re-release of "Winchester '73":

Makes me want to watch it again!

I notice that Millard Mitchell doesn't get mentioned in the trailer, but I think he steals the movie as Jimmy's saddle pal High-Spade.

Unfortunately, Mitchell had passed away in 1953, which was probably before this reissue.

For more fun, here's the "Lux Radio Theater" adaptation from November 12, 1951:

Good to hear Jimmy Stewart and Stephen McNally reprising their roles from the movie and interesting to hear Julia Adams in the Shelly Winters role. Lots of solid radio actors in support, including William Conrad and Bill Johnstone.

I would say that if you haven't seen the movie yet, do so before you listen to the radio adaptation!

"The Six Shooter" (December 20, 1953) - Part 3

A few words about the cast of "The Six Shooter" episode "Britt Ponset's Christmas Carol" and some other things...

The series ran on NBC for one season of 39 episodes from 1953-1954 and it came along at kind of an interesting time.

Television had been making serious inroads by this point and the biggest effect was that if people were watching TV, they were no longer listening to the radio.

So, one thing that radio tried was having stars such as James Stewart headline shows. He was a big movie star at the time, so it's not like he needed the work.

Another trend was for shows to be transcribed, i.e. recorded in advance, which allowed the stars to work on the shows on their own schedule, as opposed to needing to block out a set time for a live broadcast.

Also, by 1953 Jimmy Stewart had become comfortable in the western movie genre. He was a non-traditional hero in his first western, "Destry Rides Again" (1939), but established a rugged new persona with his next western, "Winchester '73" (1950).

So, add it all up and we have Jimmy Stewart in a transcribed western radio show!

As expected, he does a great job on the show with his unmistakable voice and deceptively folksy demeanor.

The announcer on "The Six Shooter" was Hal Gibney, and if his name wasn't familiar, a lot of people knew his voice as the announcer for the radio and TV versions of "Dragnet." You know, "...Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent..."

For this particular episode, announcer Gibney tells us that Scrooge was played by Howard McNear. He was a busy radio actor, appearing as Doc on "Gunsmoke" at this time, but was later best-known for his role as Floyd, the nosy Mayberry barber on "The Andy Griffith Show" TV series.

No one else is credited, but the voice of the Johnny character is easily recognizable as that of Dick Beals, who was 26 years old at the time, but did a great kid voice for a really long time, not unlike Walter Tetley. 

When I hear that voice, I immediately think of Davey from "Davey and Goliath," whose voice Dick provided up through 1965's "Christmas Lost and Found." He also had a long run voicing "Speedy Alka Seltzer" for TV commercials.

Dick Beals also popped up in 1953 as the window boy in Lionel Barrymore's 1953 broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" on the "Hallmark Hall of Fame." Have we listened to that yet?

We're fortunate that every episode of "The Six Shooter" survives and it's still great entertainment!

"The Six Shooter" (December 20, 1953) - Part 2

If you got the chance to listen to the "Britt Ponset's Christmas Carol" episode of "The Six Shooter" radio series, I'm sure you'll agree that it's actually fairly straightforward adaptation!

If you haven't heard it yet but would like to, you should go back and listen, as there are some SPOILERS regarding the framing story. 

The set-up of Jimmy Stewart's Britt Ponset character telling the story to a young boy named Johnny allows the story to follow the typical plot points with a western twist rather than having a "real" Scrooge-like character within the show's universe undergo a similar conversion. I think that approach works really well.

Johnny's aunt is actually a bit Scroogey until she has a change of heart, even though she's not the one that hears the story!

In any event, Britt's version of the story is pretty faithful to the book, just transplanting it to the western United States.

The Scrooge character is generally just referred to as "Eben," but we do learn that his full name is "Ebenezer Scrooge" when he sees it on his tombstone. He's a wealthy rancher here.

The Bob Cratchit stand-in is named "Bob" with a son named "Tim" and the Jacob Marley character is "Jake," but we don't hear their last names. And Belle is still Belle, but she's the schoolmarm!

I don't think any of the other characters are named.

The biggest change plot-wise is that Bob, Eben's ranch foreman, lives with his family in a shack on one of the ranches and Eben demands that he tear it down, on Christmas Day, which would leave the family homeless. 

This establishes the Scrooge character as really mean and heartless as opposed to just a miserly businessman.

This does allow for a nice moment at the end when Eben goes out to the shack on the morning after Christmas, feigning anger at Bob for not having torn down the shack, but surprising him by telling him the reason the shack needs to go is so Eben can build a house for Bob and his family!

There's one other change that might be unique to this version, which occurs in the future sequence. Among the people reflecting on Eben's death are Belle and her husband! 

I don't recall otherwise ever hearing (or seeing) their scene in the future.

A fun bit concerns the Christmas party at the house of Eben's nephew. The game the guests play is pin the tail on the donkey, with said donkey having Eben's face. The best part is that when Eben goes to the party on Christmas in "real" time, he insists that they use that they still use that donkey for their game!

The whole thing's a lot of fun and it hits the right emotional notes as well!

"The Six Shooter" (December 20, 1953) - Part 1

"The Six Shooter" (December 20, 1953)

Director: Jack Johnstone

Scrooge: Howard McNear

It seems like a good time for an old-time radio adaptation of "A Christmas" (although it's always a good time)!

Here's one with a western twist from the NBC show "The Six Shooter," as broadcast on December 20, 1953.

The episode is called "Britt Ponset's Christmas Carol."

Give it a listen:

Pretty cool!

A Little More 1930s!

Here's an ad from "The Saturday Evening Post" issue of December 26, 1936:

Of note is that this is the broadcast in which John Barrymore filled in for Lionel due to Lionel's wife passing away the day before. That was a last-minute change, so it wasn't reflected in the ad.

I think it's interesting that the ad copy uses the word "pathetic" to describe Tiny Tim.

Here's what the dictionary says:

pa·thet·ic

Learn to pronounce

adjective

1. 1.

   arousing pity, especially through vulnerability or sadness.

   "she looked so pathetic that I bent down to comfort her"
2. 2.   miserably inadequate; of very low standard.

        "he's a pathetic excuse for a man"

They're going with the first definition, but I think in 2022 the second is more common but we really don't think of Tiny Tim that way!

And here's the 1935 ad for the show:

I've always liked that depiction of Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim!

The "Real" 1931 Broadcast!

Having beaten the "Mystery Broadcast" of "A Christmas Carol" into the ground, I thought it appropriate to talk about what we know of the real BBC broadcast of December 24, 1931.

Here's the listing from the December 188, 1931 issue of "Radio Times":

So, what we know is that there was a "Christmas Eve" show that ran for about an hour and part of said show was an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" titled "Scrooge" with Malcolm Keen in the Scrooge part.

This is exactly how I want my early 1930s British actors to look!

Things get extremely intriguing with Malcolm Keen, as he was apparently featured in two early TV adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" as well!

The first was an episode of "Fireside Theatre" from December 25, 1951 in which Mr. Keen portrayed Marley's Ghost opposite Ralph Richardson as Scrooge!

The next year on December 24, 1952 Keen played the part of Scrooge himself on an episode of the "Kraft Theatre" series!

I don't know if either of those TV versions are still out there, but I'd love to see them!

Back to the 1931 broadcast, it's interesting that the adaptation itself is called "Scrooge," which seem so British, as the 1935 Sir Seymour Hicks, the 1951 Alastair Sim and the 1970 Albert Finney movies were all named "Scrooge."

Of further note, the narrator on the Mystery Broadcast does not refer to that adaptation as "Scrooge" per se, so that's another strike!

On the other hand, the 1931 broadcast and the Mystery Broadcast both have a character named Alice. Hmmm...

I think we need that time machine to ever have a chance to hear the 1931 broadcast!

Mystery Broadcast - Part 3!

We now return to the Mystery Broadcast...

So, what is the deal with this recording of "A Christmas Carol" anyway?

Well, most sources say it's a BBC broadcast from 1931.

There was such a broadcast, but I'm inclined to think this is not it.

For one thing, the cast isn't overly British sounding. The kid voices in particular sound American to me, but why would a British production want American voices in a story that takes place in England?

And "John," the husband of Scrooge's former fiancée, mentions Santa. That doesn't seem British at all!

Also, the quality seems a little too good for a 1931 broadcast. I'm inclined to think this is from a transcription disc rather than a recording of a live broadcast.

There are no credits at all, so no help there. 

If we knew who was portraying Scrooge we'd have something to go on, but it's probably not the actor's real voice, but rather someone using his stock gruff voice.

So, I'm thinking an American transcription from later in the 1930s.

But it's a mystery!

Paging Sherlock Holmes, Nick Carter and Richard Diamond!

Mystery Broadcast - Part 2!

If you got the chance to listen to the "Mystery Broadcast" of "A Christmas Carol," I'm sure you'll agree it's a good adaptation!

Right now is as good a time as any to run down the elements from the book that were included and anything that might have been added.

It runs about 40 minutes, so there's plenty of time to include most of what needs to be included.

We start off with some carolers singing "Silent Night" before a jaunty narrator sets the scene with some dialogue right from the book mixed with some new material. 

The opening scene in Scrooge's office contains just about everything we would expect, with the coal business, Fred's visit and (in this case just one) charity solicitor.

Curiously, Scrooge does not make his "surplus population" remark even through the charity guy puts it right over the plate for him to swing at!

After reluctantly giving Bob the day off, the scene changes to Scrooge already in bed when Marley's ghost arrives.

Marley's Ghost gives Scrooge the usual warning and tells him the other three spirits will all come that same night, but only giving the start time (one o'clock) for the first.

The Ghost of Christmas Past shows up on cue and we get a few scenes.

The transition to each scene is accompanied by a kind of siren sound, which is pretty effective.

First is young Ebenezer at school. Fan comes in and interestingly, Ebenezer said he was waiting for her and asks if they're going home. I always got the impression from the book that he was surprised that Fan showed up to take him home.

The schoolmaster gets a couple of lines here for a change!

Next up is Fezziwig's Christmas party, at which the spirit gets in a good dig at how Fezziwig was a kinder master than "the surviving partner of Scrooge and Marley!"

The breakup scene is next and, most intriguing of all, his former fiancée's name is Alice, just like in the 1951 Alastair Sim movie version! Must be a coincidence, right? 

Unlike that Alice, we do see this one married and her husband is named John here. Alice says she's very happy and says, "To think what I might have been," in an unusually direct reference to her prior betrothal.

Next up is the Ghost of Christmas Present and Scrooge actually asks the spirit to show him some happiness and goodness and love, showing that he's on the way to reformation.

Naturally they stop off at Bob Cratchit's house and Scrooge seems excited to see him. The Cratchits do about everything you'd expect.

They also visit Fred's party where Scrooge and the spirit watch Fred and the guests play the yes or no game, then toast Scrooge.

Before the spirit leaves, he brings Scrooge down an alley to show him Ignorance and Want. It's very unusual for them not to be hiding in the spirit's robe (when they're included at all).

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come then appears and he does talk in this adaptation.

The spirit shows Scrooge the businessmen as expected, but things take an interesting turn when they actually see two women (presumably the charwoman and laundress) helping themselves to Scrooge's possessions rather than having them selling them to Old Joe.

They then go back to the Cratchit house where we learn that Tiny Tim has died. The spirit then shows Scrooge his own grave and Scrooge pleads for mercy.

Since this spirit talks, he confirms that if Scrooge departs from his course, the ends will change. Good to know!

As with many adaptations, things take a wacky turn on Christmas morning!

Scrooge is aware it's Christmas morning, as the spirits all came on Christmas Eve, so he didn't have to ask anyone. 

It's kind of confusing, but apparently a boy who works for the poulterer knocks on Scrooge's door, mistakenly thinking that Scrooge had ordered a turkey. He hadn't, but he does have the boy bring this turkey back, then deliver the prize turkey to the Cratchits. I don't know why they did it this way. 

What's also odd is that the boy says he brought Scrooge the biggest turkey they had, yet he's not talking about the prize turkey!

Next Fred shows up to ask Scrooge one more time if he'll come to dinner. Scrooge agrees to come, then sends Fred to find the charity solicitor after he tells Fred that he plans to surprise Bob at the office the next morning.

An abrupt cut with no siren-type sound effect finds Scrooge and Bob at the office where Scrooge raises Bob's salary and quotes Tiny Tim's famous line.

The carolers start singing "O Come All Ye Faithful" and we're done!

So, a pretty straightforward adaptation with a few little wrinkles to keep it interesting.

As the narrator said, it's a special radio treat!

Mystery Broadcast - Part 1!

We have an interesting adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" to listen to...

It's a radio broadcast that's something of a mystery. It's perhaps the BBC program from December 24, 1931, but perhaps not. Probably not.

But give it a listen:

Next: Let's discuss!

"...And Marley?"

OK, Lou Costello got me to thinking, so I had to do it!

Here's the radio team of Fibber McGee and Marley:

Looks like Marley's about to say, "Tain't funny, McGee!"

More A & C!

Here's a fun little clip from Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's radio show of December 24, 1947, as broadcast on the ABC network:

Lou never gets very far with his stories!

I appreciate all the refences to other radio comedy teams. How can you not love Fibber McGee and Marley?

Here's the whole show if you're interested:

I recognize some of the bits from other shows (including Costello singing about a "slight Christmas"), as the boys were never shy about recycling material, but I don't recall the routine about Lou trying to tell the story of "A Christmas Carol" from anywhere else.

Good fun!