Intrigue

The short-lived Summer 1946 program, Intrigue, promised "Tales of Espionage, Manhunts and High Adventure," hosted by--and starring--noted Stage and Screen actor Joseph Schildkraut in what was possibly planned to be eight stirring adventure dramas. This program remains remarkable, if only for Joseph Schildkraut's proposed weekly appearances.   As it turned out, only seven adventures actually aired, and of that seven, Schildkraut appeared in only six of them. We'll never know whether the Summer series was planned for seven weeks or eight weeks, as that detail is lost to Radio History. In any event, we know that by at least August 7, 1946, CBS realized that 1st Anniversary celebrations of the Victory over Japan would sideline the Fourteen August production of Intrigue. It seems that several of the networks underestimated America's need to remember the 1st Anniversary of V-J Day, as they hurriedly assembled 1st Anniversary Memorial celebrations of the historic day.   One of the era's most versatile and accomplished Stage and Screen actors, Mr. Schildkraut's contribution to the prestige of the seven broadcast programs made for wonderful Radio--if the surviving three broadcasts currently in circulation are any measure of the entire run. Theres no question of the patina that Schildkraut's fame leant to the sustaining production. Schildkraut had already won an Oscar for his extraordinary performance as Captain Dreyfus in 1937's The Life of Emile Zola--the first Academy Award ever won by a non-American [Austrian] actor.   Synopsis from http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-Intrigue.html

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

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