CBS Radio Workshop - Single Episodes
Old Time Radio Researchers Group
CBS RADIO WORKSHOP
CBS Radio Workshop was a revival of the Columbia Workshop of the late thirties. All 86 episodes survive today. The series aired from 27 Jan 1956 until 22 Sep 1957, of course on CBS. The original idea for the show came from Irving Reis back in the thirties. What he wanted was an experimental workshop, a sustaining program where actors, writers and technicians could produce scripts the sponsors might be afraid to try. The time was right in the late fifties to try this concept again, however, under different circumstances. By this time television was taking the big money so why not try this concept again since most of the big sponsors were already transitioning over. William Froug, a CBS vice president was the force behind this revival. He grew up with the old Columbia Workshop and pitched the idea to Howard Barnes. Howard agreed with the idea and William Froug chose Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" as the first program. Aldous Huxley narrated and William Conrad announced this radio adaptation of "Brave New World". The series brought together the cutting edges of writing, music, and sound. Overall it was a big hit with radio personnel and listeners. So much so that the east coast wanted in too. Thus the series alternated between the west and east coast production centers. Why not spare a little time and give a listen to some outstanding radio drama. Take the challenge and compare the CBS Radio Workshop with the original, Columbia Workshop. You decide for yourself which series is better. This is the CBS Radio Workshop, dedicated to man's imagination, the theater of the mind. From the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. See "Note" Section below for more information on the OTRR.
This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.
Chapters
Reviews
The Duke
SaraBellePalsy
I would love to find out HOW this got on the air in 1956, and what the ramifications were to CBS (if any) Also, if there was a lot of reaction in the media - Anyone?
Great Radio Program
jtyroler
This was a wonderful program that covered so many things and genres - comedy, science fiction, drama, reality, etc. with a very diverse group of voice actors and non-actors. In this series, you would have heard William Conrad, Herbert Marshall, Vincent Price, then Senator John F. Kennedy, and many others, including Aldous Huxley discussing Brave New World. This might have been one of radio's last attempts at relevance against television and this was an excellent attempt to get people away from their large 12" screens for an hour.
Announcers for this great series:
PDGazette2
I found these two men most common to this show: Hugh Douglas Date of Birth: 8/3/1915 Birthplace: Chicago, IL Date of Death: 9/1/1993 Profession: announcer http://www.otrrpedia.net/getpersonF.php?PN=1839 William Conrad Date of Birth: 9/27/1920 Birthplace: Louisville, KY Date of Death: 2/11/1994 Profession: actor and announcer http://www.otrrpedia.net/getpersonF.php?PN=1428
NPR's genealogy
LibriVox populi
They were doing 'experimental' before we were born. Let's not forget that about so-called 'old time' radio. I'm starting to wish I was born a lot earlier. thanks wonderful otrrg (old time radio researchers group)!!
A LibriVox Listener
Most of these are really well done! Some episodes have lost so much fidelity as to be rendered unlistenable, but they are far and few between. These are worth a listen!
wonderful variety
mara
you don't know what to expect from each story. very well done! great that these recordings can be listened to again after all these years.
radio gold
superguinea
these are great. i just wish i can find out the owner of the voice of the person that opens each show
What a jewel! I will be coming back to this one!
Lisa Chicola