Radio Joan
Joan was introduced to radio performances in 1935 by her second husband Franchot Tone (pictured at right), and she continued to do radio shows through the 1960s.
Listed below, chronologically, are Joan's RADIO appearances that I know about. (Please e-mail me if you have info on any others.)
For info on Joan's RECORDINGS, click here. (This page includes a link to read the full transcript of Joan at Town Hall in 1973.)
Click here to see the Old Time Radio Catalog listing of early Joan shows available for purchase.
Lux Radio Theater: "Within the Law"
Broadcast
Information: CBS. October 14, 1935. 60 mins.
Notes:
Also featured Raymond Bramley.
Leo on the Air:
"Love on the Run"
Broadcast
Information: 1936. 15 mins.
Notes:
Short promo
distributed by MGM to promote the upcoming film of the same name.
Shell
Chateau Program
Broadcast Information: NBC-Red Network. Saturday, July 4, 1936. 9:30pm.
Notes: MC'd by Smith Bellow. Joan's first radio appearance with Franchot Tone after their October 1935 wedding.
Lux Radio Theater: "Chained"
Broadcast Information: CBS. July 27, 1936. 60
mins.
Notes: Stars Joan as "Diane Lovering"
and Franchot Tone as "Michael Bradley."
Rupert
Hughes' Caravan Theater: "Elizabeth the Queen"
Broadcast Information: CBS. Tuesday, October 27, 1936. 9:30pm Eastern.
Description of Program: Joan co-stars with husband Franchot Tone in a play by Maxwell Anderson that originated on Broadway, starring Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt.
Lux Radio Theater:
"Mary of
Scotland"
Broadcast Information: CBS. May 10, 1937. 60 mins.
Description
of Program:
Starring Joan as Mary, Queen of Scots; Franchot Tone as the
Earl of Bothwell; and Judith Anderson as Queen Elizabeth.
Lux Radio Theater/Music
Box Theater (sources vary):
"Anna Christie"
Broadcast
Information: CBS. February 7, 1938. 60 mins.
Description of
Program:
Starring Joan as Anna Christie, with Spencer Tracy as Matt Burke,
George Marion as Chris, and Marjorie Rambeau as Marthy.
Good News of
1938
Broadcast Information: NBC. Thursday May 19, 1938. 60
mins.
Description of Program:
Identified variously as The Maxwell
House Hours, The Maxwell House MGM Hours, Film Stars on Parade and Good News of
1938, the show, according to Variety, had a substantial budget ($25,000 per
episode) for talent. The host for this program was Robert Young. Also featured
Fanny Brice, Frank Morgan, Hanley Stafford, Douglas McPheil and Meredith Wilson.
Young introduces a new feature called "The MGM Theater of the Air" and their
first performer is Joan. The first "play" is titled "Dark World". Joan plays the
part of Carol Matthews, a patient who has just died in the hospital. One of her
nurses, Amy, bemoans the fact that Carol led such a miserable, lonely and
unhappy life. The scene changes so that we the listener can hear Carol's final
thoughts. She says that the visits and attention that Amy gave her made a big
difference in her life and that thanks to Amy, she was never unhappy. After the
"play" finishes, Young asks Joan to give a "curtain speech". Joan says
"Oh, Bob...you know working in pictures how little practice we get making
curtain speeches. But I would like to say that I'm extremely proud that I was
chosen to innaugurate your MGM Theater of the Air." Joan later returns to
chat with Young and Frank Morgan and helps Morgan to prove that he does indeed
know Joan (she calls him "Ducky Morgan"). During this
session, Joan seems to crack up laughing (it sounds genuine) and has a hard time
reading her lines. Eventually, it becomes clear that Joan thinks he's
Ralph Morgan.
Lux Radio Theater:
"A Doll's House"
Broadcast
Information: CBS. June 6, 1938. 60 mins.
Description of Program:
Starring
Joan as Nora Helmer, with Basil Rathbone as Torvald Helmer. Also
featured Sam Jaffee.
Good News of
1939
Broadcast Information: NBC. Thursday, October 20, 1938. 60
mins.
Description of Program:
Identified variously as The Maxwell
House Hours, The Maxwell House MGM Hours, Film Stars on Parade and Good News of
1938, the show, according to Variety, had a substantial budget ($25,000 per
episode) for talent. The host for this program was Robert Young. Also featured
Judy Garland, Fanny Brice, Billie Burke, Frank Morgan and Hanley Stafford. Joan
is featured in the "The MGM Theater of the Air" drama entitled "The Moon is on
Fire", written by John Lee Mann and Patsy Ruth Miller. The director is Edgar
Selwin. Joan performs with Young (as "Bill") and plays an unnamed character in a
story of two young "pals" who crash their plane in to the ocean. They struggle
to come to terms with their imminent deaths on the slowly sinking plane.
Together, Joan and Robert Young sing "Come Josephine" as the plane finally
sinks. Later, Joan performs with Billie Burke and Fanny Brice in a skit titled
"If Women Went on Hunting Trips as Men Do". The best line of the skit is
delivered by Joan when she says, "Hold this
cigar while I fix my girdle." Finally, with Judy
Garland leading the procession, the cast sings "The Bumpy Road to Love" with
Joan doing a brief duet with Frank Morgan.
Good News of
1939
Broadcast Information: NBC. November 17, 1938. 60
mins.
Description of Program: Unknown
The Screen Guild
Theater: "Variety Review 1"
Broadcast
Information: January 8, 1939. 30 mins.
Description of
Program:
Also featured George Murphy, Jack Benny, Reginald Gardiner, Judy
Garland, Ralph Morgan and the Oscar Bradley Orchestra.
Silver Theater:
"Train Ride"
Broadcast Information: May 7, 1939. 30 mins.
Description
of Program:
Starring Joan as "Mary Crane." CBS presented this dramatic anthology series featuring guest
stars from Broadway and Hollywood, hosted by Conrad Nagel and sponsored by the
International Silver Company. Also featured John Hiestand and Carlton
Kadell.
Screen Guild
Theater: "None Shall Part Us"
Broadcast
Information: October 15, 1939. 30 mins.
Description of
Program:
Starring Joan as "Sarah Farrington," with Lew Ayres
as Michael Farrington, Ronald Colman as Captain Alan Harcourt, and
Montague Love as Sir George Packman.
Arch Oboler's
Plays: "Baby"
Broadcast Information: March 2, 1940.
NBC show airing Saturdays at 10pm. 30 minutes.
Every Man's
Theater: "Two"
Broadcast
Information: November 22, 1940.
Description of Program:
The
story of two people left in the world after an atomic holocaust. Also featured
Raymond Edward Johnson.
Mail
Call
Broadcast Information: 1942
Maxwell House
Coffee Time, aka Maxwell House Good News
Broadcast
Information: Unknown: Sometime between 1945 and 1949. 60
mins.
Description of Program:
This comedy-variety series featured
numerous show-business luminaries as guest hosts, including Louis B. Mayer. Joan
was one of the many famous stars who made an appearance on the program. Also
featured Raymond Edward Johnson
The Screen Guild
Theater: "Dark Victory"
Broadcast
Information: March 17, 1949. 30 mins.
Description of
Program:
Also featured Robert Young and Paula Winslow.
Suspense: "The
Ten Years"
Broadcast Information: June 2, 1949. 30 mins.
Description
of Program:
Starring Joan as "Clara." According to the Vintage Radio Logs website, Joan
refused to do this show unless it was transcribed. Being a film actress, and
used to having mistakes edited out, she didn't want to look bad on live
radio.
The George Fisher Show: Christmas With the Crawfords
Broadcast Information: December 24, 1949.
Description of Program: Joan and oldest kids Christina and Christopher are interviewed by Fisher on Christmas Eve. (Cathy and Cynthia are also in attendance.) Go to the putfile.com site to hear the entire interview. (A full transcript can also be found in Christina's Mommie Dearest, pp. 82 - 88 of the hardcover.)
United Nations
Radio: "Document A/777"
Broadcast
Information: April 17, 1950. 60 mins.
Description of
Program:
Written, directed, and produced by Norman Corwin.
Screen Director's
Playhouse: "Flamingo Road"
Broadcast
Information: May 26, 1950.
Description of Program:
Starring
Joan as "Lane Bellamy" and David Brian as "Dan Reynolds,"
both reprising their film roles.
Hollywood Star
Playhouse: "Statement in Full"
Broadcast
Information: January 15, 1951. 30 mins.
Suspense: "Three
Lethal Words"
Broadcast Information: March 22, 1951. 30 mins.
Description of Program:
Starring Joan as "Jane Winters."
Screen Director's
Playhouse: "The Damned Don't Cry"
Broadcast
Information: April 5, 1951, 60 mins
Description of
Program:
Starring Joan as "Lorna Forbes" and Frank Lovejoy as
"George Castleman." Also featured Paul Frees.
The Cancer
Show
Broadcast Information: April 13, 1951. 30
mins.
Description of Program:
Also featured Jimmy Durante, Eddie
Jackson, Garry Moore, Judy Holiday, Mindy Carson. During the program, Joan gave
the following speech:
"I'd like
to take a moment to tell you something that may someday save your life. If
recognized in time, cancer can be and is being cured. Yes, every
day lives are being saved. Saved because people have knowledge about it. The
magnificent work of the American Cancer Society has brought this knowledge to
millions of Americans. And with it has come the hope for the ultimate victory
over this dread disease. Victory through the vast programs of the American
Cancer Society. Education. Research. Service. These are the weapons in the 1951
cancer crusade. Support the American Cancer society. That is the way to guard
your family. Please send your generous contribution to Cancer, care of your
local post office. And please send it now."
Notes:
This was a special show that pre-empted "Nero
Wolfe."
The Screen Guild
Theater: "Secret Heart"
Broadcast
Information: May 10, 1951. 60 mins.
Stars Over
Hollywood: "I Knew This Woman"
Broadcast
Information: October 6, 1951. 30 mins.
Description of
Program:
Featuring Joan as herself. Sponsored by Carnation Milk.
Stars Over
Hollywood: "When the Police Arrive"
Broadcast
Information: March 1, 1952. 30 mins.
Description of
Program:
Starring Joan as "Florence Jennings." Sponsored by Carnation Milk.
Calvacade of
Stars
Broadcast Information: March 27, 1955. 30
mins.
Description of Program:
Joan is featured briefly and says the
following: "I think everyone in the industry has a sincere regard and
respect for the motion picture audience. In the final analysis, it is the
movie-goer who decides what motion pictures shall be. Through the box office and
their likes and dislikes, the audience chooses the stories and the players they
want most. An actor stands or falls by the approval of the audience. It goes
even further than that. Speaking for myself, I feel a deep sense of
responsibility. It matters greatly to me what people think of me on the screen.
And I'm sincerely grateful when they like what I do. I've spent my lifetime
trying to measure up to what the movie-goer expects of me. The most important
reward is something more than merely success. What I truly appreciate is
the approval of the audience. If I have that...I'm happy because motion pictures
are my life...and a good life too."
Pepsi
Promo
Broadcast Information: 1960
Description of Program:
Radio promo record. "Joan Crawford Presents Pepsi-Cola's 1960 Radio Selling Team." 33-1/3 rpm. Side One tracks: Joan Crawford; Chet Huntley, NBC; David Brinkley, NBC; Bob and Ray, CBS. Side Two: Joan Crawford; John Daly, ABC; Frank Singiser, Mutual.
Eternal Light:
"Message to the World"
Broadcast
Information: June 5, 1960. 30 mins.
Description of
Program:
Jewish Theological Seminary. Jewish literature, history and
music. This program told the story of motion-picture executive Nate B. Spingold.
Also featured Franchot Tone.
March
of Dimes Recruitment
Broadcast
Information: Radio promo record to
be broadcast Nov. 15, 1962, to Jan. 31, 1963.
Description of
Program:
33-1/3 rpm volunteer recruitment announcement for the 15th annual Mothers' March. Side B has a minute-long message from Joan, plus 30-second announcements from Helen Hayes and Nanette Fabray, and 15-second announcements from Rosemary Clooney and Bess Myerson.
Arthur Godfrey Morning Show
Broadcast Information: CBS. January 21, 1964. 50 minutes.
Description of Program:
This was the 30th anniversary program for Godfrey's show. His guests were Pat Buttram, Joan, and Jackie Gleason.
United Negro College Fund
Broadcast Information: 1968 radio commercial featuring Joan.
The Old Time Radio Joan Crawford Collection
21 shows - 14 hours - 20 minutes, on one MP3 disc. $5.00.Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Godfrey 640121 30 Years 2
Commercials
Com 23 Love On The Run (1936) Joan Crawford-Clark Gable
Com 25 The Gorgeous Hussy (1936) Joan Crawford-Robert Taylor
Good News
Good News 380519 029 W Joan Crawford
Good News 381020 043 W Joan Crawford
Good News 381117 047 W Joan Crawford
Good News 390302 062 W Joan Crawford
Louella Parsons
Louella Parsons 481109 Joan Crawford
Lux Radio
Lux 360727 091 Chained
Lux 370510 132 Mary Of Scotland
Lux 380207 162 Anna Christie
Lux 380606 179 The Doll House
Screen Directors Playhouse
Screen Dir Phouse 500526 Flamingo Road
Screen Dir Phouse 510405 The Damned Dont Cry
Screen Guild Theater
Screen Guild Theater 390108 001 Variety 1
Screen Guild Theater 391015 026 None Shall Part Us
Silver Theater
Silver Theater 390507 232 The Train Ride
Stars over Hollywood
Stars Over Hollywood 511006 01 I Knew This Woman
Stars Over Hollywood 520301 21 When The Police Come W Joan Crawford
Suspense
Suspense 490602 343 The Ten Years
Suspense 510322 421 Three Lethal Words