Curtain Time (radio program)

{{Infobox radio show

| show_name = Curtain Time

| image =

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| format = Anthology

| runtime = 30 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| home_station = WMAQ
WGN

| syndicates = Mutual
ABC
NBC
CBC

| television =

| presenter =

| starring = Olan Soule
Harry Elders
Nannette Sargent
Beverly Younger

| announcer = Don Gordon
Myron (Mike) Wallace

| writer =

| director = Blair Walliser)
Harry Holcomb
Norman Felton

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| first_aired = July 22, 1938

| last_aired = March 29, 1950

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}}

Curtain Time is a radio anthology program in the United States. It was broadcast on ABC, CBS Mutual, and NBC during the old-time radio era, beginning in 1938 and ending in 1950.Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-4513-4}}. p. 89.

Format

Curtain Time was much like The First Nighter ProgramSies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-5149-4}}. p. 173. in that it simulated a theatrical environment "where listeners were invited to attend the evening's performance."

Versions

=Pre-network=

In 1935, Curtain Time was carried on WMAQ in Chicago, Illinois.{{cite news|title="Along Came Lett" to Be Curtain Time Play Today|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1935/12/29/page/30/article/along-came-letty-to-be-curtain-time-play-today|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Chicago Tribune|date=December 29, 1935|page=Part 3-Page 4}} By October 1937, it had moved to WGN, also in Chicago.{{cite news|title=Curtain Time to Offer 'Shadow of the Crown'|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1937/10/24/page/48/article/curtain-time-to-offer-shadow-of-the-crown|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Chicago Tribune|date=October 24, 1937|page=Part 3-Page 6}} An item in the trade publication Broadcasting in 1938 noted, "[I]t is understood that the show may be extended nationally in late summer."{{cite news|title=More for Korn Kix|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/38-OCR/1938-07-15-BC-OCR-Page-0020.pdf|accessdate=30 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=July 15, 1938|page=20}}

=1938–1939=

Beginning October 14, 1938, Curtain Time was carried on the Don Lee network as well as on WGN. An item in Broadcasting reported that General Mills had begun a 52-week sponsorship of Curtain Time for its Korn Kix cereal.{{cite news|title=Network Accounts|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/38-OCR/1938-10-15-BC-OCR-Page-0073.pdf|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=October 15, 1938|page=73}}

Olan Soule, who later starred in a similar show, The First Nighter Program, usually had the male lead in this season's episodes. The female leads varied, but they included Betty Lou Gerson and Louise Fitch. Other cast members included Alice Hill.{{cite news|title=Behind the Mike|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/39-OCR/1939-10-01-BC-OCR-Page-0050.pdf|accessdate=30 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=October 1, 1939|page=50}} Don Gordon was the announcer, and Blair Walliser was the director. Henry Weber directed the music.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fi5wPDBiGfMC&dq=%22Curtain+Time,+romantic+drama%22&pg=PA187 |last=Dunning| first=John| author-link=John Dunning (detective fiction author) | title=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio| date=1998| publisher=Oxford University Press| location=New York, NY| isbn=978-0-19-507678-3| pages=187–188 | edition=Revised| access-date=2019-10-10}}

=1945–1950=

Harry Elders was the regular male lead, with Beverly YoungerDunning, John. (1976). Tune in Yesterday: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, 1925–1976. Prentice-Hall, Inc. {{ISBN|0-13-932616-2}}. p. 151. and Nannette Sergeant splitting durites as female leads in this iteration of Curtain Time, which was sponsored by Mars, Incorporated. It was carried on ABC July 4, 1945 – June 27, 1946, and on NBC July 13, 1946 – March 29, 1950. The program was also heard in Canada via 29 CBC Trans-Canada stations.{{cite news|title=Network Accounts|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/45-OCR/1945-07-30-BC-OCR-Page-0070.pdf|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=July 30, 1945|page=70}} During the 1946–1947 season, Canadian coverage moved "from 28 CBS Trans-Canada stations to 44 Dominion stations."{{cite news|title=Network Changes|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/46-OCR/1946-12-16-BC-OCR-Page-0064.pdf|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=December 16, 1946|page=64}}

Others often heard in the cast were Betty Winkler, George Cisar, Beryl Vaughn, Sunda Love, Sidney Ellstrom, Maurice Copeland, and Michael Romano. Hosts included Patrick Allen, Vincent Pelletier,{{cite news|title=Mars Switch|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/46-OCR/1946-06-03-BC-OCR-Page-0073.pdf|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=June 3, 1946|page=73}} and Lew Valentine.{{cite news|title=Agencies|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/45-OCR/1945-12-24-BC-OCR-Page-0054.pdf|accessdate=31 January 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=December 24, 1945|page=54}} Mike Wallace (billed as Myron Wallace) was the announcer. Norman Felton and Harry Holcomb were directors. Porter Heaps and Burt Farber were music directors.{{cite news|title=Production|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/46-OCR/1946-02-18-BC-OCR-Page-0062.pdf|accessdate=1 February 2016|agency=Broadcasting|date=February 18, 1946|page=62}}