Lux Presents.....HOLLYWOOD!

[happyfilmluvguy]

LUX Radio Theater began adapting stageplays to radio, and eventually began adapting movies to it.

I don't have a favorite, I think they're all great, but "It's A Wonderful Life" just seems to be just as good on radio was it was on film. I also had the opportunity of seeing a rendition of this same show on the stage. Ironic really.

What was our favorite adaption from Lux Radio Theater?

 

[Sunny]

I'm partial because I love the film, but "Murder, My Sweet" was really good on the radio. It made a piquant contrast when the audience laughed at some of the witty lines - how often do you get laughs in noir films?

Marriott: I'm afraid I don't like your manner!
Marlowe: Yeah, well I've had complaints about it before, but it just keeps getting worse.

lol

"The Thin Man" adaptation was a lot of fun as well. Golly, how can I pick just one?

 

[The Wolf]

a fave of mine

One of the things I liked about it was alternate casting. As much as I enjoy hearing the original actors reprise their roles, I especially enjoyed hearing Eddie G. Robinson as Sam Spade or Alan Ladd as Rick Blaine, William Powell in Tovarich, all these and more.
I also enjoyed the clever way the "blanket as wall" scene from It Happened One Night was done without visuals.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Alan Ladd playing as Rick Blaine was definitely interesting.

I had been told that some of these shows were used to promote the film's release in the theater. Is this true?

 

[Brian Sheridan]

My Ipod is loaded with Lux Shows from archive.org.

I love "The Thin Man" and "After the Thin Man" because Powell and Loy sound like they are having such a good time.

One show that is interesting is "I Love You Again". The movie version starred William Powell and the Lux version starred Cary Grant.

BRS

PS - I also agree "Murder My Sweet" is great.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Comparing Replacement and Originals

Earlier today I was briefly listening to Lux's adaption of Pinnochio, and thought to myself, I wonder if these are the original voices of the characters from the film. Cliff Edwards did indeed play Jiminy Cricket in this adaption. In Lux's adaption of Casablanca, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are not even there. Alan Ladd and Hedy Lamar play their characters.

So, my question is, what can you compare with the voice actors in the radio adaptions of a film, when they were not the original characters in the film, to the original actors voicing their original roles in the radio adaption?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Usually the Lux shows only featured the top stars of the film -- all the lesser supporting roles would be filled by a stock company of Hollywood radio actors, people like Lurene Tuttle, Wally Maher, Frank Nelson, Florence Lake, and so forth. They usually got paid no more than AFRA scale for their performances -- compared to the big-dollar salaries demanded by the headline stars, but were often far better radio actors than the leads. Many movie people never fully adapted to microphone acting.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I just picked up After The Thin Man from iTunes for $3.00 and it was perhaps the best $3.00 I've spent in quite some time. It is truly enjoyable to listen to, especially with the original stars. As an added bonus, it was interesting to hear Cecil B. Demille's voice.

 

[Feraud]

Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a good one. My Ipod is filled with these classic gems but I wish the sound quality were better.

How do you like those advertisements they stick in the breaks?
The mini-interview with a star or producer turns into a commercial for soap! lol The more things change..

 

[Decobelle]

I love The Thin Man too... there are so many favorites.

One that I though was very interesting, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in Rebecca... with Miss Leigh as Mrs. DeWinter. It facinated me because I knew she had really wanted and auditioned for the part in the film version and didn't get it (obviously).

 

[Hamilton_Honey]

I really love the LUX Theater performance of "It Happened One Night" With Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert - it's every bit as snappy as the film =)

Another favorite of mine is "So Proudly We Hail" With Claudette Colbert and Veronica Lake. I thought the LUX production was surprisingly good - seemed to me like it would be a hard one to translate to radio, but it came off pretty well.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Any others?

 

[pigeon toe]

There's a free Lux Radio Theatre podcast on iTunes if any of you don't know about it! I listen to them at work, it definitely makes the day go faster. I love the advertisements for Lux flakes as well!

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

What has been your favorite adaption?

 

[pigeon toe]

What has been your favorite adaption?

To be honest, I haven't listened to too too many of them yet. And I am totally unfamiliar with the originals! So I don't really know yet. I just recently listened to "The Jazz Singer" because I was familiar with the title (the first sound film, right?), and that was a little corny! Entertaining, but a little much!

Any recommendations? There aren't too many episodes available on the podcast I found, so how do you get yours?

 

[CharlieH.]

I've only been able to listen to two shows, simply because I want to watch the original films first. Right now I'm listening to the adaptation of Pinocchio and so far, it's great!

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I reccomend Pinnochio!

Here is a massive archive of Lux Radio Theater shows.

Everyone is different. Sometimes I listen to the show and then see if the story is worth watching on film, or sometimes it's vice versa.

And instead of downloading them, click on "MP3 via M3U" on the far left and listen to them through there. It sort of acts like a podcast.