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44-558: Broadcasting from New York, the series premiered at 2:30 pm, October 14, 1934, on the NBC Blue Network with a production of Seventh Heaven starring Miriam Hopkins and John Boles in a full-hour adaptation of the 1922–24 Broadway production by Austin Strong. The host was the show's fictional producer, Douglass Garrick (portrayed by John Anthony). Doris Dagmar played another fictional character, Peggy Winthrop, who delivered

88-534: A Lux presentation. Fred Allen , Jack Benny (with and without his wife, Mary Livingstone ), and George Burns and Gracie Allen were also among the other radio stars who were invited to do Lux presentations. Lux Radio Theatre once presented an adaptation of the film version of a radio series, The Life of Riley , featuring William Bendix as the Brooklyn-born, California-transplanted, stumbling but bighearted aircraft worker he already made famous in

132-551: A theme song entitled "Diane" which was composed by Ernö Rapée and Lew Pollack. The Broadway play upon which the film is based starred George Gaul and Helen Menken and ran at the Booth Theatre for 704 performances. When the play was adapted for the screen, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell were cast in the lead roles. The pairing proved to be so popular, the two went on to star in 11 more films together and were dubbed "America's Favorite Lovebirds". 7th Heaven features

176-433: A dedication to "Kermit Schafer, Mr. Blooper", and the success of Clark's program led to the development of many imitators which continue to be broadcast as of 2008. Seven Pardon My Blooper albums were released in the late 1950s-early 1960s on Jubilee Records . The first, named Radio Bloopers , sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc . Schafer also issued blooper compilation albums for Kapp Records in

220-493: A long-running series of blooper specials (and a weekly program) beginning in the early 1980s. When Clark picked up the mantle, recordings of bloopers were far more easily obtainable, and in fact were often provided willingly by the producers of films and TV shows as a way of promoting their product. Clark followed in Schafer's footsteps by releasing an album of bloopers from radio broadcasts. Clark's TV blooper shows always carried

264-607: A performance of Leah Kleschna , which was suddenly interrupted by the voice of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Robert Menzies , announcing that Australia was now at war with Germany. In 2018 and as recently as 2020 and 2021 (despite COVID-19 restrictions) a group of entrepreneurs has recreated the Lux Radio Theatre as a theatrical event which toured Australian cities and towns. As in the original radio programs,

308-492: A streetsweeper. To provide an alibi, he suggests Diane move in with him. After ensuring she's not being exploited, Diane agrees to Chico's proposal. Soon afterwards, the police visit Chico's apartment for further investigation, and their strategy succeeds, absolving them both of suspicion. With no more reason to stay, Diane prepares to leave, feeling disheartened after having grown fond of Chico and his apartment. When Chico offers her to stay, she joyfully accepts, feeling that Chico

352-469: A synchronized Movietone soundtrack with a musical score and sound effects. Upon its release, 7th Heaven was a critical and commercial success and helped to establish Fox Film Corporation as a major studio. It was among the first three films to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture (then called "Outstanding Picture") at the 1st Academy Awards held on May 16, 1929. Janet Gaynor won

396-402: A total of $ 14,500. A series of Movietone shorts featuring Ben Bernie and his Orchestra , Gertrude Lawrence , Raquel Meller , and Charles "Chic" Sale preceded the film. Upon its release, 7th Heaven was a critical and commercial success. The New York Times critic stated that the film "grips your interest from the very beginning and even though the end is melodramatic you are glad that

440-671: Is Showing , which were briefly popular in the 1960s. A movie version, Pardon My Blooper , was released in 1974. It made $ 1,473,000 at the box office. These led the way for such later TV shows as TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes hosted by Dick Clark . Schafer himself gained minor celebrity under the nickname "The Blooper Man". Schafer also published a number of books, such as Kermit Schafer's Blunderful World of Bloopers (1973) and Bloopers, Bloopers, Bloopers (1984). Schafer has come under criticism from TV and radio historians who have noted his deceptive presentations in his albums. If Schafer could not obtain an actual audio recording of

484-509: Is a godsend. As they spend more time together, they quickly fall in love, and decide to marry genuinely. News of World War I reaching France arrives, prompting the couple to hold an unofficial wedding in their apartment, with God as their sole witness. Chico is swiftly recruited, forcing him to depart for the battlefield. Upon his departure, a resentful Nana returns, deriding Diane for her marriage and attempting to assault her once more. However, Diane instead triumphs over Nana, expelling her from

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528-472: Is displayed on the wall of the student Watanabe's lodgings in the oldest surviving film by the Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu , Days of Youth: A Student Romance ( Gakusei Romansu: Wakaki Hi , 1929). Filmmaker Damien Chazelle has said the ending of his 2016 musical La La Land was inspired by the ending of 7th Heaven . Kermit Schafer Kermit Schafer (March 24, 1914 – March 8, 1979)

572-1138: Is now the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre . Many of the leading names in stage and film appeared in the series, most in the roles they made famous on the screen. They included Abbott and Costello , Lauren Bacall , Wallace Beery , Ingrid Bergman , Humphrey Bogart , James Cagney , Ronald Colman , Joan Crawford , Adriana Caselotti , Bing Crosby , Bette Davis , Irene Dunne , Deanna Durbin , Henry Fonda , Ava Gardner , Judy Garland , Betty Grable , Cary Grant , Rita Hayworth , Katharine Hepburn , William Holden , Bob Hope , Betty Hutton , Gene Kelly , Hedy Lamarr , Carole Lombard , Myrna Loy , Jeanette MacDonald , Fredric March , Robert Mitchum , Dennis Morgan , Paul Muni , Laurence Olivier , Robert Preston , Tyrone Power , Edward G. Robinson , Ginger Rogers , Mickey Rooney , Frank Sinatra , Red Skelton , Barbara Stanwyck , James Stewart , Gloria Swanson , Elizabeth Taylor , Robert Taylor , Shirley Temple , Spencer Tracy , Lana Turner , John Wayne , and Orson Welles . An Australian Lux Radio Theatre

616-485: The Lady . On several occasions, usually when he was out of town, he was temporarily replaced by various celebrities, including Leslie Howard and Edward Arnold . Lux Radio Theatre strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $ 5,000 an appearance. In 1936, when sponsor manufacturer Lever Brothers (who made Lux brand soap and detergent) moved

660-724: The Lux commercials. Each show featured a scripted session with Garrick talking to the lead actors. Anthony appeared as Garrick from the premiere 1934 episode until June 30, 1935. Garrick was portrayed by Albert Hayes from July 29, 1935, to May 25, 1936, when the show moved to the West Coast. Famed studio executive and film producer and director Cecil B. DeMille took over as the host on June 1, 1936, continuing until January 22, 1945. That initial episode with DeMille featured stars Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable in The Legionnaire and

704-516: The Minor on Lux Radio Theatre . When Joseph Cotten read the names of the next week's cast, he supposedly said, with a mixture of shock and astonishment, that listeners would hear "that new, talented personality... Sonny Tufts ?!" However, this never happened. The legend began as a fake segment on one of Kermit Schafer 's popular "Bloopers" albums, which have been criticized for their recreations, fabrications, and lack of accuracy. In actuality, Tufts

748-636: The United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film entered the public domain in the United States in 2023. In the early 1910s, Chico works in the sewers of Paris . He expresses his desire to be a street sweeper to work above ground and light candles at a nearby church. After a meeting with the church's priest, Chico gets

792-611: The air, but Schafer's is believed to be the first attempt at collecting and presenting them. Other similar famous finds of Schafer's include ABC correspondent Joel Daly intoning, "The rumor that the President would veto the bill is reported to have come from a high White Horse souse ", and veteran radio host Paul Harvey breaking into uncontrollable laughter at a story about a pet poodle. These were collected and released in LP audio collections such as Pardon My Blooper! and Your Slip

836-421: The apartment, and cites Chico’s support for her newfound bravery. As Chico fights in the war, Diane finds work at a munitions factory. During a battle, Chico is gravely wounded and believes he's dying. Diane is told by a soldier that Chico has been officially declared dead, leaving her devastated. When the war ends, Chico returns home, his death having been wrongly recorded, but he is now blind. The film featured

880-507: The cast are all dressed formally, and those purchasing audience tickets were also encouraged to wear their best clothes. Many famous plays, particularly some Agatha Christie mysteries are being performed. A South African version of Lux Radio Theatre ran on Springbok Radio between 1950 and 1985. While having the same name and sponsor, it departed from the American show in that, additionally, British and Australian works were adapted into

924-512: The event (as many of these bloopers occurred live and were not always transcribed onto recordings), he would simply hire actors and recreate the event—without offering any disclaimer. This led to some misrepresentations. For example, the blooper by Harry Von Zell described above was not recorded, so Schafer recreated it. Schafer is historically remembered for an unwittingly libelous dramatization of an incident that never happened. On his vinyl record Pardon My Blooper!, Volume 1 , Schafer replicated

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968-603: The famous radio show host " Uncle Don" Carney , who broadcast on WOR in New York City to millions of children from 1928 to 1947. In Schafer's brief drama, Uncle Don mistakenly believes his microphone is off, then utters a contemptuous indecency. After Schafer's death on March 8, 1979, in Miami , Florida, shortly before his 65th birthday, his title of "Keeper of the Bloopers" passed to Dick Clark , who hosted and produced

1012-569: The film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Movietone sound system. The film is based upon the 1922 play Seventh Heaven , by Austin Strong and was adapted for the screen by Benjamin Glazer . 7th Heaven was initially released as a standard silent film in May 1927. On September 10, 1927, Fox Film Corporation re-released the film with

1056-625: The film opened at the ANTA Theatre starring Gloria DeHaven and Ricardo Montalbán . It closed on July 2, 1955, after 44 performances. On December 9, 2008, 7th Heaven was included in the Murnau, Borzage and Fox DVD box set released by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment . Chinese writer-director Yuan Muzhi 's 1937 film Street Angel has been cited as being influenced by elements of 7th Heaven and another Frank Borzage film Street Angel (1928). The theatrical poster for 7th Heaven

1100-570: The film was produced as a sound feature starring Simone Simon , James Stewart , Jean Hersholt , and Gregory Ratoff , with Henry King directing. Unlike the 1927 version, the sound remake was not as financially successful. 7th Heaven was adapted for the Lux Radio Theatre four times: October 14, 1934, with Miriam Hopkins and John Boles (the show's premiere episode); October 17, 1938, with Jean Arthur and Don Ameche ; October 16, 1944, with Jennifer Jones and Van Johnson (on

1144-421: The first Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film (she also won for her performances in 1927's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans and 1928's Street Angel ). Director Frank Borzage also won the first Academy Award for Best Director while screenwriter Benjamin Glazer won the first Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) . In 1995, 7th Heaven was selected for preservation in

1188-509: The following year, eventually choosing William Keighley as the new permanent host, a post he held from late 1945 through 1952. After that, producer-director Irving Cummings hosted the program until it ended in 1955. For its airings on the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Service (for which it was retitled Hollywood Radio Theater ), the program was hosted by Don Wilson in the early 1950s. During its years on CBS in Hollywood, Lux Radio Theatre

1232-519: The hour-long radio formats. Many of the early episodes were direct rebroadcasts of the Australian programs. Lux Radio Theatre was the most enduring show on Springbok Radio, running from the first night of the network's broadcasting life until six months before it went off the air. On October 2, 1950, Lux Video Theatre began as a live 30-minute Monday evening CBS Television series, switching to Thursday nights during August 1951. In September 1953,

1276-475: The late 1960s and early 1970s. Many of these recordings would be reissued in the 1970s by K-Tel Records. 1970s compilations were also issued on MCA Records; Best of the Bloopers in 1973, and a six-volume All Time Great Bloopers set to mark the 25th anniversary of the first blooper record in 1977. Volumes 5 & 6 contained some previously unreleased material. He produced non-blooper comedy albums, among them Jubilee releases for Will Jordan and Peter Wood in

1320-468: The long-running radio series (and eventual television hit) of the same name. At least once, Lux Radio Theatre offered a presentation without any known performers; its adaptation of This Is the Army during World War II featured a cast of American soldiers. A famous urban legend claimed that actor Sonny Tufts was slated to appear as a guest alongside Joan Fontaine for a production of The Major and

1364-465: The news, begins to beat her. As Diane tries to escape, Chico steps in, intervening in the confrontation and rescuing her. After a brief flirtation, Nana returns with the police intending to arrest Diane. Once again, Chico intervenes, asserting that Diane is not a prostitute but his wife. Despite initial skepticism, the police refrain from arresting Diane due to lack of evidence. Concerned about potential repercussions for lying, Chico fears losing his job as

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1408-479: The recommendation he needs for the street sweeping job. Diane and her sister Nana live together, facing financial difficulties since their parents left them a few years ago. When news arrives that their parents have returned with a fortune, Diane and Nana anticipate a return to comfortable living. However, their father discovers their involvement in prostitution to make ends meet and refuses to accept them back, disowning them instead. Nana, furious at Diane for revealing

1452-710: The show from New York City to Hollywood , the program began to emphasize adaptations of films rather than plays. The first Lux film adaptation was The Legionnaire and the Lady , with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film Morocco . That was followed by a Lux adaptation of The Thin Man , featuring the movie's actual stars, Myrna Loy and William Powell . Though the show focused on film and its performers, several classic radio regulars appeared in Lux Radio Theatre productions. Jim and Marian Jordan , better known as Fibber McGee and Molly , appeared on

1496-456: The show relocated from New York to Hollywood. In August 1954, the show moved to NBC Television as an hour-long show on Thursday nights, telecast until September 12, 1957. James Mason was the host in the 1954–55 season. 7th Heaven (1927 film) 7th Heaven (also known as Seventh Heaven ) is a 1927 American synchronized sound romantic drama directed by Frank Borzage , and starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell . While

1540-416: The show twice and also built an episode of their own radio comedy series around one of those appearances. Their longtime costar, Arthur Q. Bryan (wisecracking Doc Gamble on Fibber McGee and Molly ), made a few Lux appearances, as well. Bandleader Phil Harris , a longtime regular on Jack Benny 's radio program and his wife Alice Faye , who became radio stars with their own comedy show in 1948, appeared in

1584-399: The show's tenth-year anniversary); and finally on March 26, 1951, with Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, recreating their original roles. A television adaptation was aired on October 26, 1953, on the anthology series Broadway Television Theatre . The episode stars Hurd Hatfield and Geraldine Brooks and was directed by Robert St. Aubrey. On May 26, 1955, a stage musical version of

1628-632: The song " Diane " by Ernö Rapée and Lew Pollack , who wrote the song specifically for the film. The song is included on the re-released version of the film. 7th Heaven initially premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles replacing another Fox melodrama What Price Glory? , which had been playing since November 1926. A second opening was held at the Sam H. Harris Theatre in New York City on May 25. Both openings earned

1672-408: The studio re-released 7th Heaven with a synchronized Movietone soundtrack, including a musical score arranged by Ernö Rapée and sound effects. The re-release version premiered at New York City's Roxy Theatre on September 10, 1927. By 1932, 7th Heaven had become the 13th-highest-grossing American silent, earning more than $ 2.5 million at the box office. A comparatively unknown 1937 remake of

1716-438: The sympathetic but self-satisfied Chico is brought back to his heart-broken Diane." The critic also praised Borzage's direction, stating that the director "has given it all that he could put through the medium of the camera." The film went on to play for 19 weeks in New York City and for 22 weeks in Los Angeles. Due to the film's success and the success of other Fox films featuring sound elements ( Sunrise , What Price Glory? ),

1760-562: The union, thus a ban from appearing on the air, DeMille was finished in radio (because he also refused to let anyone else pay the dollar for him). In his 1959 autobiography, DeMille alleged that a former member of the American Communist Party later confided to him that the party had consciously orchestrated these circumstances of his exclusion from radio, as they considered him to be one of their two foremost enemies in radio. Lux Radio Theatre employed several hosts over

1804-433: Was an American writer and producer for radio and television in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for his collections of " bloopers "—the word Schafer popularized for mistakes and gaffes of radio and TV announcers and personalities. Bloopers came into prominence in 1931, when radio announcer Harry Von Zell mispronounced or said the name of the then-President of the United States, Herbert Hoover , as " Hoobert Heever " on

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1848-695: Was broadcast from the CBS Radio Playhouse at 1615 North Vine Street in Hollywood , one block south of the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine. The theater was owned by aviator, industrialist, and film producer Howard Hughes in the early 1930s. When it was purchased in 1954 by philanthropist Huntington Hartford , it was briefly called the Huntington Hartford Theater and then the Doolittle Theater. It

1892-546: Was broadcast on the Major Broadcasting Network during the late 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. It was heard nationwide at 8.00 pm on a Sunday evening. Many U.S. theatrical, movie, television and radio personalities made the long flight to Australia, simply to appear on the Australian version of Lux Radio Theatre. On Sunday evening 3 September 1939 and as part of Lux Radio Theatre, the Major network was broadcasting

1936-681: Was introduced by Cotten on the radio series Suspense , but Cotten's introduction was perfectly normal. A clash over closed shop union rulings favored by the American Federation of Radio Artists ended DeMille's term as host of Lux Radio Theatre . AFRA assessed members a dollar each to help back a campaign to enact closed-shop rulings in California. DeMille, an AFRA member but a stern opponent of closed shops, refused to pay because he believed it would nullify his opposition vote. When AFRA ruled those not paying faced suspension from

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