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''Bachelor's Children'' is a domestic daytime drama broadcast that originated on Chicago's WGN in 1935–36, continuing on CBS and NBC until September 27, 1946. It followed the daily travails of two friends, Dr. Bob Graham and Sam Ryder, and the two women they loved. When Dr. Bob was a young man doing military service, his sergeant took care of him during a difficult time. Years later, the sergeant's dying request was that Bob become guardian of his two young daughters. Dr. Bob fell in love with Ruth Ann, and Sam fell in love with her twin sister, Janet. In a typical episode, Janet and Dr. Bob are together in his living room. Janet, who has been reading an art magazine, asks him if she can move one of his pictures to a place on the wall where it will get better light. Bringing a ladder from the pantry, he starts to help her. However, he has to leave when he receives a telephone call about a baby who has swallowed a button. Sam comes in to help Janet who is on the ladder. When she falls from the ladder, he catches her, and resting in his arms, she realizes for the first time that she has always loved him.
Hugh Studebaker Hugh Studebaker (May 31, 1900 – May 26, 1978) was an American actor, born in Ridgeville, Indiana, who starred in old-time radio programs. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Studebaker. Early years As a student, Studebaker was the male lead ...
had the role of Dr. Bob and
Olan Soulé Olan Evart Soule (February 28, 1909 – February 1, 1994) was an American actor, who had professional credits in nearly 7,000 radio shows and commercials, appearances in 200 television series and television films, and in over 60 films. Soul ...
portrayed Sam Ryder. Also in the cast were Marjorie Hannan and Patricia Dunlap. Russ Young and Don Gordon were the announcers.


Scripts and sponsors

The series was scripted by Bess McAllister Flynn, who lived in Des Plaines, Illinois during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1939, she reworked her plotlines into a book, ''Bachelor's Children: A Synopsis of the Radio Program'', which summarized the story from the beginning to March 1, 1939. Published as a promotional product by Old Dutch Cleanser, the 25-page book included photographs of Bess Flynn, as well as the program's leading characters: Dr. Bob, Ruth Ann, Janet, Ellen, Russ, Sam and the dog Rusty. The dedication read: :This story of ''Bachelor's Children'' is dedicated to the radio audience of America by the makers of Old Dutch Cleanser in the interest of better cleaning. The loyalty and friendly interest of this great audience is evidenced by the thousands upon thousands of letters we have received. We trust that ''Bachelor's Children'' will entertain you in the future as it has in the past, and that Old Dutch Cleanser will merit your continued use. On CBS, ''Bachelor's Children'' was sponsored by Old Dutch Cleanser from 1936 to 1941. In 1941–42, on NBC, it was sponsored by Colgate. Wonder Bread was the sponsor when the show returned to CBS from 1942 to 1946.


Awards and honors

The program received the ''Movie-Radio Guides 1941 Award as "radio's best daytime serial program," recognized as the "most representative script on the way of life of an average American family." It was also "the only serial chosen by the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs for transmission to Latin America."


See also

*
List of radio soaps Radio daytime drama serials were broadcast for decades, and some expanded to television. These dramas are often referred to as "soaps", a shortening from "soap opera". That term stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that h ...


References


Listen to


''Bachelor's Children'' (September 21, 1939)''Bachelor's Children'' episodes on Old Time Radio Researchers Group website


External links



{{US radio soaps American radio soap operas 1930s American radio programs 1940s American radio programs CBS Radio programs NBC radio programs 1935 radio programme debuts 1946 radio programme endings