Bright Horizon

Bright Horizon is an old-time radio soap opera in the United States. It was broadcast on CBS August 25, 1941 - July 6, 1945.[1] The program initially had an alternate title, The Story of Michael West.[2]

Bright Horizon
Other namesThe Story of Michael West
GenreSoap opera
Running time15 minutes
Country of originUnited States
Language(s)English
StarringRichard Kollmar
Robert Griffin
Joseph Julian
Sammie Hill
Joan Alexander
AnnouncerMarjorie Anderson
Paul Luther
John Harper
Roland Winters
Grace Russell
Written byJames Hart
Elizabeth Hart
John M. Young
Ted Maxwell
Stuart Hawkins
Kathleen Norris
Directed byHenry Hull
Charles Powers
Day Tuttle
Ralph Butler
Walter Allison Tibbals
Produced byDay Tuttle
Original releaseAugust 25, 1941 (1941-08-25) – July 6, 1945 (1945-07-06)
Sponsored bySwan Soap

Format

Bright Horizon was a spinoff of the Big Sister radio program. To help with the transition, Alice Frost, who played Ruth Wayne in the original series, was heard in the first episodes of the spinoff.[3] Michael West, the main character in the new program, was a singer on Big Sister. With the switch to Bright Horizon, he continued singing but also used his law degree "and gradually became more involved in a law career, at one time considering a run for governor."[4]

In 1942, a review of the program in Billboard said, in part:

The quality is none too high on Bright Horizon, ... but at least the 15 minutes on the shot caught had enough action to sustain a sort of infantile interest, and the acting level was for the most part surprisingly high.[5]

Bright Horizon was sponsored by Lever Brothers, advertising Swan Soap.[2]

Personnel

Characters in Bright Horizon and the actors and actresses who portrayed them are shown in the table below.

CharacterActor
Michael WestRichard Kollmar
Robert Griffin[6]
Joseph Julian
Carol WestSammie Hill
Joan Alexander
LarryFrank Lovejoy
Margaret McCareyLesley Woods
BobbyRonald Liss
BarbaraRenee Terry
Keith RichardsLon Clark
LilyAlice Goodkin
BonnieAudrey Totter
Charles McCareyRichard Keith
PennyWill Geer[1]
Edith BrowningHelen Claire[1]
BobbyRonny Liss[1]

Source: Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows,[3] except as noted.

Others heard on the program were Skip Homeier,[7] Jackie Grimes, Santos Ortega and Chester Stratton.

Announcers were John Harper, Roland Winters, Grace Russell,[1] Paul Luther[5] and Marjorie Anderson. The organist was John Gart.[3] Day Tuttle was the producer.[8] Henry Hull, Charles Powers, Day Tuttle, Ralph Butler[1] and Walter Allison Tibbals[9] were the directors. Writers were James Hart, Elizabeth Hart, John M. Young, Ted Maxwell, Stuart Hawkins and Kathleen Norris.[1]

Sequel

After Bright Horizon's last broadcast, "the program was extended for a few months, with the name changed to A Woman's Life."[4]

See also

References

  1. Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-09-17. Bright Horizon, soap opera.
  2. "Network Accounts" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 18, 1941. p. 65. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  3. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. P. 52.
  4. Reinehr, Robert C.; Swartz, Jon D. (2010). The A to Z of Old Time Radio. Scarecrow Press. p. 47. ISBN 9781461672074. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  5. "Comment". Billboard. October 3, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  6. "Four-Way Pickup". Billboard. March 4, 1944. p. 12. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  7. Lesser, Jerry (July 18, 1942). "Radio Talent: New York". Billboard. p. 7. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  8. "Y & R Lists New Fall Assignments" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 28, 1944. p. 114. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  9. "Our Respects" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 14, 1955. p. 22. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
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