''Stella Dallas'' was an America radio

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

that ran from October 25, 1937, to December 23, 1955. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' described the title character as "the beautiful daughter of an impoverished farmhand who had married above her station in life." She was played for the entire run of the series by

Anne Elstner Anne Elstner Matthews (January 22, 1899 – January 29, 1981) was an American actress best known for her role in the radio soap opera '' Stella Dallas'' during its entire run from 1937 to 1955. For 18 years, Elstner voiced the serial's title char ...

. Her husband Stephen Dallas was portrayed at various times by Leo McCabe, Arthur Hughes and Frederick Tazere. Initially, Joy Hathaway played Stella's daughter Laurel with

Vivian Smolen Vivian Smolen (March 7, 1916 – June 11, 2006) was an actress in the era of old-time radio. She is best known for her work in soap operas, especially portraying Sunday Brinthrope, the title character in ''Our Gal Sunday'' and Laurel, the daughte ...

later taking over the role. Laurel's husband was Dick Grosvenor (played by

Carleton Young Captain Carleton Scott Young (October 21, 1905 – November 7, 1994) was an American character actor who was known for his deep voice. Early years Born in Fulton, Oswego, New York, Young was the second and only surviving child of St ...

Macdonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. For almost three decades, he was the show's central cast member. ...

, Spencer Bentley, George Lambert and Michael Fitzmaurice). The series was created and produced by the husband and wife team of

Frank Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curr ...

and

Anne Hummert Anne Hummert (née Schumacher) (January 19, 1905 – July 5, 1996) was the leading creator of daytime radio serials or soap opera dramas during the 1930s and 1940s, responsible for more than three dozen series. Biography She was born in Baltimore ...

, based on the 1923 novel '' Stella Dallas'' by

Olive Higgins Prouty Olive Higgins Prouty (10 January 1882 – 24 March 1974) was an American novelist and poet, best known for her 1923 novel '' Stella Dallas'' and her pioneering consideration of psychotherapy in her 1941 novel ''Now, Voyager''. Life and influ ...

. The 15-minute drama began on October 25, 1937, as a local show on WEAF in New York City, in the wake of the successful movie version starring

Barbara Stanwyck Barbara Stanwyck (; born Ruby Catherine Stevens; July 16, 1907 – January 20, 1990) was an American actress, model and dancer. A stage, film, and television star, during her 60-year professional career she was known for her strong, realistic sc ...

, and it was picked up by the

NBC Radio The National Broadcasting Company's NBC Radio Network (known as the NBC Red Network prior to 1942) was an American commercial radio network which was in operation from 1926 through 2004. Along with the NBC Blue Network it was one of the first t ...

network beginning June 6, 1938, running weekday afternoons. The program's opening told the premise of the drama: :We give you now ''Stella Dallas'', a continuation on the air of the true-to-life story of mother love and sacrifice, in which Stella Dallas saw her own beloved daughter, Laurel, marry into wealth and society and, realizing the differences in their tastes and worlds, went out of Laurel's life.Luther F. Sies, ''Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960'', McFarland & Company, 2000, p. 554. . The radio play inspired the name of the home furnishing store Stella Dallas in Dallas, Texas.

Non-acting personnel

Announcers for ''Stella Dallas'' were

Ford Bond David Ford Bond (October 23, 1904 – August 15, 1962) was an American radio personality. He was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1930s and 1940s, earning him a spot on the '' This Is Your Life'' television show. For his wor ...

Frank Gallop Frank Gallop (June 30, 1900 in Boston, Massachusetts – May 17, 1988 in Palm Beach, Florida) was an American radio and television personality. Radio Early days Frank Gallop went into broadcasting by chance. Born and raised in Boston's Back ...

Howard Claney Howard Moorhead Claney (April 17, 1898 - April 30, 1980) was an American actor, an announcer on old-time radio, and a narrator of films. Early years The son of William J. Claney and Mary J. Claney, he was born in the Manchester neighborhood of ...

Jimmy Wallington Jimmy Wallington was an American radio personality. After playing small roles in a few Hollywood films, he was the announcer for several popular radio shows in the 1940s and 1950s. For his work on radio, Wallington has a star on the Hollywood Wa ...

, Jack Costello, and Roger Krupp. Directors included Ernest Ricca, Richard Leonard, and Norman Sweetser.

References

External links

*
Hummerts' Mill
, ''Time'', January 23, 1939. {{US radio soaps American radio dramas American radio soap operas NBC radio programs

Non-acting personnel

See also

References

External links