''When a Girl Marries'' is an American daytime radio drama that was broadcast on three major radio networks from 1939 to 1957. Created by

Elaine Sterne Carrington Elaine Sterne Carrington (June 14, 1891 – May 4, 1958) was an American screenwriter, playwright, novelist and short story author who found her greatest success writing for radio. Carrington originated radio soap opera in 1932, and wrote more t ...

(who also was responsible for ''

Pepper Young's Family ''Pepper Young's Family'' is a daytime drama series, with various format and title changes during its long run from 1932 to 1959. It was created and written by short story author and playwright Elaine Sterne Carrington. History With Burgess Mered ...

'' and ''

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''), it was the highest rated soap opera during the mid-1940s.

Air dates and audience

The series premiered May 29, 1939, on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

, moving to

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

on September 29, 1941, and then to ABC on July 2, 1951. As it began its third year on the air, the program's audience was estimated at 8 million per week. Sponsors included

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Synopsis

Promoted as "the tender, human story of young married life, dedicated to everyone who has ever been in love," the convoluted plot threads followed a married couple, Harry Davis (John Raby, Robert Haag) and Joan Field Davis (Noel Mills,

Mary Jane Higby Mary Jane Higby (May 29, 1909 - February 1, 1986)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 129. was an American actress in the era of old- ...

), as they confronted endless problems in the small town of Stanwood. Carrington created numerous conflicts by contrasting Harry's impoverished background with Joan's high society family.

Cast and crew

Others in the cast included Michael Fitzmaurice,

Marion Barney Marion Barney (1879 - 1968) was an American character actress known for her long association with the radio programs of Elaine Sterne Carrington. A native of San Francisco, Barney attended the University of California, Berkeley, at the same time ...

, Ellen Fenwick and

Staats Cotsworth Staats Cotsworth (February 17, 1908 – April 9, 1979) was an actor in old-time radio.DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 64. He is ...

. Announcers included

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 ...

Bill Mazer Bill Mazer (born Morris Mazer; November 2, 1920 – October 23, 2013) was an American television and radio personality. He won numerous awards and citations, including three National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's Sportscaster of ...

and

George Ansbro George Ansbro (January 14, 1915 – November 5, 2011) was a radio announcer for NBC and ABC for six decades, working with soap operas, big bands, quiz shows and other programs. Early years Ansbro was born January 14, 1915, in Brooklyn, New ...

. Music was by organist

Rosa Rio Rosa Rio (June 2, 1902 – May 13, 2010) was the stage name of American concert pianist Elizabeth Raub, who also provided scores and arrangement for theater, radio, television and film productions later becoming a teacher of music and voice. She ...

and others.

Internationally

A long-running Australian version was broadcast on the

Major Broadcasting Network The Major Broadcasting Network was an important part of the Australian broadcasting scene from 1938 until the 1970s. History and background In 1938 David Worrall, manager of 3DB Melbourne, launched the Major Broadcasting Network which up until it ...

. Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

transcription discs Electrical transcriptions are special phonograph recordings made exclusively for radio broadcasting,Browne, Ray B. and Browne, Pat, Eds. (2001). ''The Guide to United States Popular Culture''. The University of Wisconsin Press. . P. 263. which wer ...

of many U.S. programs were imported into Australia, but after America entered the war, this became impossible, but scripts were still able to be imported, and the Australian version was based on the U.S. program. A download of the first Australian episode is available on

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TV spinoff

On August 3, 1953, ''Follow Your Heart'' debuted on NBC-TV. Created by Carrington, the program was based on the early scripts of ''When a Girl Marries''. It was off the air by January 8, 1954.

References

External links

4-page photo feature and review of ''When a Girl Marries'' from TV-Radio Mirror magazine

''When a Girl Marries'' "novelette" in Radio and Television Mirror May 1940, page 15
{{US radio soaps 1939 radio programme debuts 1957 radio programme endings 1930s American radio programs 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs American radio soap operas NBC radio programs CBS Radio programs ABC radio programs