Academy Award Theater was a 30-minute radio anthology series that featured various movies, novels, and plays. Contrary to what its title implies, the show did not necessarily adapt Oscar-winning pieces; rather, anything is fine as long as one of its casts had been nominated in the Oscars.
The show first aired on CBS Radio in March 30, 1946. It was heard every Saturday nights initially, before it moved to a new timeslot at late night Wednesdays. The first episode was Jezebel, which starred movie and theater actress Bette Davis. It was also during that episode when radio actor Jean Hersholt introduced ER Squibb & Sons, a huge drug company, as the show's main sponsor.
Due to high production expenses, which amounted to more than $5000 per week, Squibb quit and decided to end the series after just 39 weeks on air. Academy Award Theater's last episode was aired on December 18, 1946.
Please enjoy these old time radio shows:
| Air Date |
Title |
Synopsis |
| 1946-03-30 |
01 Jezebel |
CBS net. "Jezebel". Sponsored by: Squibb. The first show of the series. A well-done but brief adaptation of the story of the ultimate Southern bitch. Jean Hersholt, president of the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, speaks. The program may be dated March 10, 1946. Anne Revere, Bette Davis (host, narrator), Dee Englebach (producer, director), Frank Wilson (narrator), Hugh Brundage (announcer), Leith Stevens (composer, conductor), Jean Hersholt. |
|
| 1946-04-06 |
02 Kitty Foyle |
+ CBS net. "Kitty Foyle". Sponsored by: Squibb. The famous rags-to riches story of mainline Philadelphia and poor-but-proud Kitty. The program may be dated April 9, 1946. Ginger Rogers. |
|
| 1946-04-13 |
03 Life Of Louis Pasteur |
+ CBS net. "The Story of Louis Pasteur". Sponsored by: Squibb. A dramatization about the great scientist and his fight against ignorance and disease. Paul Muni. |
|
| 1946-04-20 |
04 Great Mcginty |
+ CBS net. "The Great McGinty". Sponsored by: Squibb. The story of a racketeer who became the governor and then decided to go straight. This is a network, sponsored version of cat. #17031. Brian Donlevy.
+ CBS net origination, AFRTS rebroadcast. "The Great McGinty". The story of a racketeer became the governor, and then decided to go straight. AFRTS program name: "Playhouse Twenty-Five." See cat. #93548 for a network, sponsored version of this program. Brian Donlevy. |
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| 1946-04-27 |
05 Snow White And Seven Dwarfs |
+ CBS net. "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs". Sponsored by: Squibb. The famous fairy tale based on the Disney movie with the Disney songs. |
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