A presentation given at the International Henry James Seminar at Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey, looking at the conventions that shaped American radio drama of the 1940s, with particular reference to Henry James.

1. Henry James on Old-
Time American Radio
Laurence Raw
Başkent University, Ankara,
Turkey

2. The Turn of the Screw, Favorite
Story, ABC, 17 Sep. 1949

3. Portrait of a Lady 2 Oct.
1949
Daisy Miller 17 Jan. 1951
NBC University Theater
of the Air

4. Radio Drama
Soundscapes

5. Actors’ distance from
microphone
Music as a dramatic
participant

7. Colman close to
microphone -
reassuring
Tchaikovsky
Romeo and Juliet
–pastiche theme
music
Henry James’
eerie tale of the
Governess

8. Radio Drama Anthology
Formats

10. Musical Links Between Scenes
from a Live Radio Orchestra

12. Traded on Colman’s Screen
Personality as a Romantic
Hero and Matinée Idol

13. Douglas is
played by
Colman,
setting the
romantic
tone of the
program

14. Augmented by
dramatic music
…

15. And a
happy
ending …
(not in the
James
story)

16. Reassurance

17. NBC University Theater of the Air
V
Education Entertainment

18. 900 pages of
The Portrait
of the Lady
58 minute slot

20. A young woman entrapped in a marriage from which
she cannot escape

21. With Musical
Interludes

22. and a scholarly filling

23. Written,
rehearsed,
broadcast
in 5 DAYS
(1951) 22
minutes
long

24. … a familiar tale of
unrequited love …

25. and death …

26. Some Thoughts On Radio