Family Theater

"You've probably heard the saying that anything can happen in Hollywood. Well that's just nonsense! Hollywood is a very normal place, and except for a minority of people - like my partner, Rodney O'Mara - the entertainment business attracts very few screwballs, creeps or featherheads. To get ahead in movies, radio or television, you've got to have talent, industry, and a level head. So that saying about anything can happen in Hollywood simply doesn't apply... Except for my partner Rodney O'Mara..." As it turns out, the two of them just lost a Hollywood deal to 'Frisco Frank. So they decide that they'll use a different tactic - to find a big name, and build a series around him instead. Or a horse. A horse wouldn't ever turn its back on the agents who made him or her famous... 

Jim Mathews cannot forgive himself for his selfish pride and flees from his home and family though his wife had long forgiven him and always loved him. Cast:James Stewart, Don Ameche, Loretta Young

God in his providence obscures the gold beyond the veil of sorrow, and smiles at men in pity when they seek to penetrate the morrow. With faith that all is for the best let's bear what burdens are presented, that we shall say, let come what may we die as we have lived, contented…

A beautiful story of the love and understanding between a father and son who reach the depths of despair and are rescued by the power of prayer and forgiveness.

If you're married, it's likely you don't have as much trouble getting your husband out of bed in morning, as Jean does with her husband, Don. It's a little bit different for them, as he works nights. Not because he has to, but because he says it's easier to think at night - easier to let the imagination run free - and when you're a cartoonist, that can be pretty important. Jean believes his imagination is wonderful any time of the day though, at least, they would never have gotten married, or even had that first date if it weren't for Don's imagination!

Jane Carson isn't her real name, and her job as a stenographer in the state department isn't her real job. She works for an entirely different branch of the government... 

An unmarried woman inherits a fortune from her deceased Uncle Jim. However, the will contains some strange provisions, calculated to get her married...

At war in Japan when news commentator Dan Coleman raises his head above the sandbags he encounters gunfire which renders him blind. The doctors don't know if they can save his vision and he has to learn to get along with only minimal use of his eyes.

Hosted by Shirley Temple. Little Steve's daddy didn't come back from the war so when he went his mother took him to Webber's department store to see Santa Claus he asked for a daddy for Christmas. His mother had no idea how extra special that Christmas was going to be.

Years before their appearance, Jules Verne foretold the submarine, the balloon, the aeroplane, the telephone, the long range projecto, and many other inventions, but perhaps his best writing achievement was the complex, but very human character, Captain Nemo. In this man we glimpse Homer's Ulysses, Shakespeare's Hamlet, and ourselves, our dreams, our disillusionments, above all our instinctive yearning for good. These are the things that make Captain Nemo and his great adventure timeless...  The story begins in the late 1800s. The seas are no longer safe, with many ships lost. Sailors have returned to port with stories of a vicious giant whale with a long horn, which sinks their ships. A US expedition begins, sent to investigate these mysterious sinkings, where they encounter something entirely different...

Avery Macklemore tells his story which is mighty strange. It's the story of the Big Calm when the winds stopped blowing but it actually started long ago when Miss Keating was a little girl. Mr Macklemore has known her for twelve years since he was at he boarding house and she would tell him the story of how the wind had plagued her all her life.

In this episode, Jack Benny who plays Malcolm. Malcolm is a "teapot" - or that's what he considers himself - very teapotic by nature - even looking a little like one! His wife, is a "coffee pot", a huge, ever simmering, never-empty coffee pot - complete with spout!

Mr. Harrison has loads of good ideas to advance the company he works for but his boss Mr. Tucker is determined to keep him down fearful that Harrison will get his job. Mr. Harrison has a wife and children and can't afford to lose his job so he just ponders on. Then when wealthy millionaire aunt Thelma arrives at the family home, an aunt that Harrison has never heard of, she, without his knowing, helps him make a man of himself by standing on his own two feet and taking a chance he thought he couldn't afford to make. Well who is this aunt Thelma and why has she really turned up at the Harrison family?

By the fall of 1777, the Continental Army seemed on the verge of collapse, and the cause of American independence all but lost. Congress had fled Philadelphia to escape the British, and the desertion of colonial troops mounted by the hour, with winter rapidly approaching. It's the morning of October 15th, and in his headquarters at White Marsh, General Washington is laying plans for the evacuation of his army to a place called Valley Forge...

In the year 300, the capital of the known world was Rome. Outwardly, it gave no sign of the decadence that would finally crumble its Empire. Rome boasted an invincible army, a tradition of law, and a flourishing culture, and the Emperor himself subsidized its theater. Right now, the entertainment for the Romans is the punishment of the citizens who have been found to be Christians...

I Give You Maggie is an original story by Walter Newman. The scene opens in New York City on an October afternoon in the living room of a penthouse overlooking Central Park a party is being held in honor of a young novelist Tom Padget. Mrs Padget and Daphne Lewis are leaving the crowded room. Daphne Lewis is the literary editor for the Times and thinks it will be a good idea to interview Maggie Padget, the woman behind the author...

In this fantasy, Jim and Marian Jordan (better known as Fibber McGee and Molly), play Wallace and Agnes, tourists in Egypt, who encounter an absent-minded genie who grants Wallace wishes in a rather odd way.

At a uranium boom camp in the mountains, the de facto community have decided to take the law into their own hands, and hang Mr Mayfield for robbery. When Judge Arthur arrives, the judge agrees that under his authority, Mr Mayfield should stand trial for grand theft...

Monica used to picture married life in a small town as little more than just a boring existence... Alright for most women really, but a way of life that would never be suitable to a person of such exquisite tastes. Monica had great delusions of what her life should be, and they were all given to her by the same person - her Aunt Virginia. Thankfully, wisdom helped her to change her mind.

Once On A Golden Afternoon was the original title Lewis Carroll gave to his famous story Alice in Wonderland. This is the story of the inspiration behind that wonderful piece of children's literature, which has stood the test of time and is still as enchanting to listen to today. Not only was the name of the story changed but Charles Lutwidge Dodgson chose the pen name Lewis Carroll from the Latin of his name.

The central incident in the story you are about to hear actually took place. The time and the location are authentic but this is not true of the people involved, every one of them is a fictional character. The things that made it, that created the nightmare took shape slowly that morning at widely separated points. At 10:45 a jet interceptor carrying two people took off to make a routine check of its radar equipment. Thirty minutes earlier at forty-five miles to the south a plane left the Santa Monica airport. By 11:15 both planes each unaware of the other crashed midair and landed in a field near a school. This story tells the anguish of two parents whose young daughter goes to that school.

Jimmy is set on going to college to secure his future as a lawyer but his father, Mr Adam Donner, is insistent that his son go and work in the factory like him. His father thinks he is protecting him from the world but his mother thinks he is making a mistake. After Jim and his mother pray for guidance for Father he is visited by a mysterious messenger who opens his mind and shows him the probable outcomes of what decisions are made next in life. Father comes to realize that he has done a good job of raising his son and that his son's future must be his own decision.

It's Family Theater's tenth anniversary, and the first day of its eleventh year on the air. Loretta Young gives an inspiring speech about the United States and sings several patriotic songs about our strength of spirit as a country. Following is a wonderful drama about the Simmons family, and their pioneering search for, and building of a new home.

Merna Fagan and Gloria Duffy used to work in the library together. In the library, there is a public information service, and to answer the questions that people phone in, they employ quite a number of girls who look up the answer and give it to the people. Gloria never had to look them up, and Merna had Gloria!

Will Strickland is the editor of the Hillside Weekly Citizen who receives an interesting visitor from Burma. He is there concerning an incident which occurred during the Spring of 1944, when Will was a lieutenant serving in Burma, who made the sortie into Alunpaya with Sergeant Finley - along with Caruso, their mule.

On boarding a train, Mr George Cory is surprised to find that someone is sat in his allocated seat. Miss Anne MacDowell is the woman, and they quarrel a little when she refuses to move. This brings them to the attention of the conductor, who, instead of demanding one of them move, uses 'deductive reasoning' (something he learned in a Doyle club), to resolve their issue...

After a horrible accident, Al Dana's wife is called to the hospital. Fearing the worst, when she arrives the staff confirm that her husband is alive, but that he is in such a dazed condition that they believed he might have suffered a concussion, even a skull fracture, but after investigation it seems that's not the case. However, his condition isn't improving, and the hospital staff are concerned that he has withdrawn from reality, possibly from the realization that he may be the one responsible for the accident and subsequent fatalities...

n the September of 1949, Edgar McCready gave instructions on caring for his ranch in his absence, hopped into his jeep with a Geiger counter, and drove off in the direction of the hills, to look for uranium, in the hope of increasing an already considerable fortune. By September of 1956, Edgar had not returned, and there was only one conclusion. After being declared legally dead, the ranch and estate went to Mr Leslie Smythe, the new Baron of Bitter Wells, and the new heir to a village of around 6000 residents...

Humboldt has built the biggest aircraft that has ever been built. The Humboldt 7. Mike is one of the engineers working on the project, and he has been having recurring nightmares about it. In his dream, the plane isn't airworthy, but it's too late to stop it because all of its seats are full, and every time in his dream, the plane crashes and everyone dies. Except Mike who is the sole survivor.

This is the story of the motives of Christopher Columbus rather than of his discovery of America. On the morning of October twelfth 1492 the three ships of Columbus' dropped anchor before an island resplendent with the brilliant green of mangrove trees. Then with the captains of the other two ships, a range and a scarlet mantle bearing the royal standard with a figure of Christ on the cross he tlanded on the shores of the new world, planted the cross and named the new island in honor of of the holy saviour, San Salvador.  So it was with the first voyage of Columbus. He made other voyages to and from the new world but his motives remained the same and the only profit he ever gained from the discovery of America were spiritual and the only things he kept in memory of his discovery were his chains and his title - Grand Admiral of the Ocean.

She did not know at first that she was being followed. It had snowed heavily that day, and the streets were deserted. After passing the end of the street, a truckload of soldiers turned the corner. This was Austria in 1944, and so instinctively she drew back into the shadows, even thought it was still an hour until curfew. There were always questions for anyone who was found out on the streets after dark. Continuing her journey, she suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps behind her...

Steven Maynard arrives at the police station to report himself for killing a man. He hit him with the car, and although he stopped for a moment, he made off without checking if the victim was injured - but he's certain that they were dead. The strange thing, is that there has been no body found...

An unmarried woman inherits a fortune from her deceased Uncle Jim. However, the will contains some strange provisions, calculated to get her married...

Gayler has been thrown over by her sweetheart Bob for a prettier girl called Sharron. Aunt Lucy recounts the time she received a similar letter. When Aunt Lucy was a little girl she had an accident that left her face deformed. She intended to have plastic surgery but it was not guaranteed to work and may cause permanent paralysis so she put it off. Then when she gets employment with a kind blind man named Ralph Carlton at his law firm she stops worrying about her appearance. This is a heartwarming story of kindness and beauty that comes from within a person.

Nobody ever thought it could happen. Nobody ever believed there would be war here, in America. We were all sympathetic to the wars in other countries, but we just thought "it can't happen here". But it did. It all began on Thanksgiving day, fifteen years ago. When most families were at home, and with war at the furthest part of their minds. Except Linda, who was 26,000 feet in the air, unknowing that she was much safer than the thousands of families on the ground...

Beverley Compton is the daughter of the Provo Marshall, Colonel Compton, and when she is pulled over for speeding by a young Corporal, she tries to use this status as a way to get out of the citation. What she doesn't realise is that the Corporal, Francis Green, is well aware of who she is, and she's not likely to get any leeway from him - especially now she tried to pull rank!

David Lee was a good friend with Mary but they were not girlfriend and boyfriend. However when David took her out it made Bud Landers mad as he and Mary were going together. Bud was not from a very caring family environment, which often led to prejudice against him, and when a florist shop was robbed Bud was accused and landed him self in jail. David, was determined to prove that Bud was innocent despite the fact that Bud wanted to punch him in the nose.

Tim Striker came from one of Boston's wealthiest families but accepted everyone as an equal. While a senior at manning College Johnny was Tim's roommate. That year a new girl came to manning named Janey Pearce and Johnny fell in love with her and wanted to invite her to the senior dance but Tim had already invited her. Love conquers and Johnny promises her the world with a fence round it. Janey and Johnny get married but times are hard and money is tight. Tim offers to lend $1000 to Janey but only if she realises that Johnny is a weakling and divorce him and marry him but Janey has always loved Johnny and their house with the fence around it is Janey's world and all she has ever wanted.

It's late Autumn of 1950, and in a small mountain lodge in the backwoods of Canada's Quebec province, it's starting to snow. Chris Jordan and his new wife, Mary, are on their honeymoon. Mary's a little worried that they may be snowed in, but Chris is hoping that their honeymoon are going to be extended! Relaxing by the embers of the fire, they are suddenly interrupted by a trapper named Renee, who is delivering a telegram from the nearby village. It's not good news.

It's the tenth round of a boxing match between 'Wild Bill' Callan, and 'Dancing' Art Fuller. 'Wild Bill' was rated to win the fight by a knockout. At the beginning of the fight he appeared to be in top condition, during the weigh-ins that morning he was full of confidence, but something has definitely gone wrong, as from the beginning of the fight he has been on the defensive, rather than the aggressor...

'It's possible to do the right thing, with the best motives in the world, and still regret it.' Mrs Gregg had known Gerald Wright since he was born, sixteen years ago. He and her daughter, Nancy, grew up together but lately Nancy has been giving Gerald the cold shoulder. Later, Gerald telephones a bomb threat to his high school, and chaos ensues.

A story about the last battle of the war, fought by a Yankee soldier and a Confederate officer for three decades, who continue to hate each other long after the American civil war has ended - a hatred which finally leads to a challenge to a duel.

Alice is a young lady interested in a young man, but because of the way society is, she's unable to be bold and tell him how she feels. Frustrated that everything seems to be a man's world, and unhappy with her Mother for not understanding, she goes to see her wise, old grandmother - who has some ideas about how Alice can go about not sitting on her hands waiting for the man to be the aggressor...

After finding a kid asleep in the backseat of a car which didn't belong to him, the police bring him in to book him. The kid won't give his name or address, and in fact isn't being very co-operative, at times being outright rude. However, after a long talk with the Sergeant of the station, it transpires that the boy wishes to divorce his parents...

Tom has requested a transfer from his parish and the Bishop informs him that it has been approved and he is to become the Pastor of Creighton, a thriving parish with the generosity of its parishioners. Tom should be pleased but he is pensive to be leaving Hooker Town, a town he has come to know as his home. He did however request the transfer and explains to the Bishop that it was part of a bargain. Here is his story of the people he has come to know and love in Hooker Town.

Mary's father, Morton Jones, is acting as a subject in a controlled laboratory experiment for the betterment of mankind. He has ingested lysergic acid and right now is hallucinating...

When Maria Petlov was kidnapped and held by a foreign embassy, there were three men who took part in her rescue. Each had their own reasons, but her husband was the one who formulated and carried out the plan, to storm the embassy and take the ambassador and his family hostage...

In the early life of our nation, the years following the war of 1812 a movement began in America when a few intrepid men set out to really discover the prize that had been worth fighting for in two long and bloody wars. This is the story of a young man who was involved in that movement; a young man who made his mark in America because of a promise made to a friend and because he and God had different ideas about the manner of his keeping it...

Don Moffat is a good agent who helps Arlen when he was a humble comedy act earning tips for a living to be a successful television act earning three grand a week. When the success goes to Arlen's head and everyone who got him there walks out on him because of his big shot attitude, instead of giving up on him Moffat cuts him back down to size before the fame destroys him.

May 1849 aboard the clipper ship Sally M bound out of New York for San Francisco via the Cape. A fine mist dampens the leathery faces of two men standing on the quarterdeck staring out across the choppy waters.  Captain Bolan and Mr. McDougal are discussing the use of the Sally M for the gold rushers. Mr. Spelvin is a passenger who has put up the money to charter the clipper and is planning to fiddle his fellow passengers out of their life savings.

An ancient philosophy taught that all life is a series of cycles. The philosophy was wrong - but many things in this life are in cycles - like human relations for instance. The children learn how to live and work, the adults do live and work, and the old people, well, there are some who only sit and remember, but there are others who complete the cycle... They try to help the children learn.