''Young Doctor Malone'' (a.k.a. ''Young Dr. Malone'') is an American

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 ...

, created by

Irna Phillips Irna Phillips (July 1, 1901 – December 23, 1973) was an American scriptwriter, screenwriter, casting agent and actress. She is best remembered for pioneering a format of the daytime soap opera in the United States geared specifically toward wo ...

, which had a long run on radio and television from 1939 to 1963. The producer was

Betty Corday Betty Corday (born Elizabeth Shay; March 21, 1912 – November 17, 1987) was a Broadway dramatic actress and long-time American television producer. She co-created and executive produced the long running NBC drama ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1966 ...

(1912–1987), who also produced ''

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 later was a co-creator with husband

Ted Corday Theodore "Ted" Corday (May 8, 1908 – July 23, 1966) was a Canadian-American producer, director and co-creator of soap opera for NBC, most notably the hit series ''Days of Our Lives''. Biography Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Corday graduated ...

NBC Daytime NBC Daytime was the daytime programming block of NBC. It historically featured many soap operas, game shows, and talk shows. Its main competitors were CBS Daytime and ABC Daytime. Game shows were discontinued from NBC Daytime's lineup in 1994 a ...

's ''

Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

''. Sponsored by

General Foods General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the United States by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The company changed its name to "General Foods" in 1929, after several corporate ...

and

Post Cereals Post Consumer Brands (previously Post Cereals and Postum Cereals; also known as simply "Post") is an American breakfast cereal manufacturer headquartered in Lakeville, Minnesota. The company, founded in 1895 by C. W. Post, owns a large portfoli ...

, the radio serial began on the

Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American Commercial broadcasting, radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the N ...

on November 20, 1939. The 15-minute program aired daily at 11:15am, continuing until April 26, 1940. Without a break, it moved to

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 Entertainm ...

on April 29, 1940, where it was heard for two decades, first airing at 2:00pm weekdays (1940–1944) and then 1:30pm (1945–1960). In 1945,

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer hea ...

assumed sponsorship of the program.

Radio

When the serial began,

Alan Bunce Alan Coe Bunce (June 28, 1900 – April 27, 1965) was an American radio and television actor. Bunce was best remembered for playing the role of Albert Arbuckle alongside Peg Lynch on the sitcom ''Ethel and Albert'' from 1944-50 on radio and ...

portrayed small-town physician Dr. Jerry Malone, who dispensed prescriptions and advice to the folks of Three Oaks. Others heard in the title role were Carl Frank, Harold Miller, Charles Irving (during the mid-1940s) and

Sandy Becker George Sanford Becker (February 19, 1922 – April 9, 1996), who was known professionally as Sandy Becker, was an American television announcer, actor, and comedian who hosted several popular children's programs in New York City. The best known ...

(beginning in 1947). With organists Charles Paul and Milton Kaye providing the background music, the storylines focused on Jerry, his wife Ann Richards Malone (

Elizabeth Reller Elizabeth Reller (December 4, 1913 - July 14, 1974) was an American actress, best known for her work in old-time radio. She was active from 1935 until 1948. Early years Reller was born in Richmond, Indiana, descended from a Quaker family whos ...

, Barbara Weeks) and their daughter Jill, initially portrayed by child impersonator Madeleine Pierce. As Jill grew up, she was played by Joan Lazer and Rosemary Rice. Malone's mother (

Evelyn Varden Evelyn Varden (born Mae Evelyn Hall;"Girl Claims Oil La ...

, Vera Allen) usually intruded with a few choice words on the activities of her son. When Jerry made trips to New York, Three Oaks businessman Sam Williams (

Berry Kroeger Berry Kroeger (October 16, 1912 – January 4, 1991) was an American film, television and stage actor. Career Kroeger was born in San Antonio, Texas. He got his acting start on radio as an announcer on ''Suspense'' and as an actor, playing fo ...

) let Ann know his true feelings for her. During World War II, Jerry was believed to be dead after he was shot down over Germany. In the early 1950s, after Ann's death, Jerry married Tracey (

Joan Alexander Joan Alexander (born Louise Abrass; April 16, 1915 – May 21, 2009)
''

Gertrude Warner Gertrude Warner (April 2, 1917 – January 26, 1986) was an American voice talent who played multiple characters on radio productions during the Golden Age of Radio. Early life Warner was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1917. Her father was ...

). Ron Rawson was the announcer. James Young (who went on to produce and direct ''General Hospital''), Ira Ashley, Stanley Davis, Walter Gorman and Theodora Yates directed scripts by Frank Provo, Ian Martin, Richard Holland, David Driscoll, Julian Funt, David Lesan and Charles Gussman, who also wrote for ''The Right to Happiness'' and ''The Road of Life''. In the early 1950s, Procter & Gamble had 13 soap operas on the air but decided to expand the audience in June 1952 by recording the live CBS broadcasts of ''

The Brighter Day ''The Brighter Day'' is an American daytime soap opera which aired on CBS from January 4, 1954, to September 28, 1962. Originally created for NBC Radio by Irna Phillips in 1948, the radio and television versions ran simultaneously from 1954&nda ...

'' and ''Young Dr. Malone'' and airing them one day later on

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 ...

. The radio program ended on November 25, 1960, known as "the last day of radio soap opera" because CBS cancelled several other series on that day, including ''

Ma Perkins ''Ma Perkins'' (sometimes called ''Oxydol's Own Ma Perkins'') is an American radio soap opera that was heard on NBC from 1933 to 1949 and on CBS from 1942 to 1960. It was also broadcast in Canada, and Radio Luxembourg carried it in Europe. The ...

'', ''

The Second Mrs. Burton ''The Second Mrs. Burton'' is an American radio soap opera, broadcast daily five days a week on CBS Radio from January 7, 1946, to November 25, 1960. It was the final serial broadcast on a national radio network, after ''The Right to Happiness' ...

'' and ''The Right to Happiness''. File:Young Doctor Malone radio 1.jpg, Pictured from left:

Elspeth Eric Elspeth Thexton Eric (September 15, 1907 – June 15, 1993) was an American actress in old-time radio, "usually cast as the other woman in soaps and serials".DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 ...

(Lucia Standish), Barbara Weeks (Anne Malone), Sandy Becker (Dr. Jerry Malone). When the Malones move from Three Oaks to New York City, Lucia offers to sell them a home at a bargain price because she has designs on Jerry. File:Young Doctor Malone radio 2.jpg, Pictured from left: Barbara Weeks (Anne Malone) and Berry Kroeger (Sam Williams). Separated from Jerry, Sam Williams makes his feelings for Anne known; she is torn by the thought of deciding between him and Jerry.

Television

Chase Crosley Patty McCormick Young Doctor Malone 1962

The television series was broadcast on NBC from December 29, 1958, to March 29, 1963. The TV storyline was set in fictional Denison, Maryland and concentrated on the later lives of father and son doctors, Dr. Jerry Malone ( William Prince) and Dr. David Malone (John Connell) at Valley Hospital. Jerry's wife, Tracey, was played first by

Virginia Dwyer Virginia Dwyer Gorman (December 19, 1919 – August 20, 2012) was an actress known for her roles in several daytime soap operas. From 1954 to 1962, she had roles on at least five daytime programs, including ''The Road of Life'', ''The Secret Sto ...

, then for most of the show's run by

Augusta Dabney Augusta Keith Dabney (October 23, 1918 – February 4, 2008) was an American actress known for her roles on many soap operas, such as the wealthy but kindly matriarch Isabelle Alden on the daytime series ''Loving''. She played the role from 1983 ...

. Prince and Dabney became real-life husband and wife in 1964. The show was a sophisticated blend of hospital drama, family life and urbane humor. Tracey's father, foundry president Emory Bannister (Judson Laire), regretted his second marriage to neurotic social-climber Clare (

Lesley Woods Lesley Woods (August 22, 1910 – August 2, 2003) was an American radio, stage and television actress. She was a graduate of the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago. Personal life Woods was married to actor Richard McMurray. Sam McMurray is her s ...

). After Emory died, Clare married a kindred spirit, slithery operator Lionel Steele (Martin Blaine), who later realized he had a conscience. Lionel's nephew Larry Renfrew (

Dick Van Patten Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, businessman, and animal welfare advocate, whose career spanned seven decades of television. He was best known for his role as patriarch Tom Brad ...

) was a small-time wheeler-dealer who married the Malones' daughter Jill (Freda Holloway,

Kathleen Widdoes Kathleen Effie Widdoes (born March 21, 1939) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Emma Snyder in the television soap opera ''As the World Turns'', which earned her four Daytime Emmy Award nominations. Widdoes was also nomi ...

, Sarah Hardy) while

Diana Hyland Diana Hyland (born Diane Gentner; January 25, 1936 – March 27, 1977) was an American stage, film and television actress. Early years Hyland was born Diane Gentner to John Theodore and Mary (Gorman) Gentner in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Sh ...

—Van Patten's future on-screen wife on ''

Eight Is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who ...

''—played Gig Houseman, David Malone's wife. Tracey's fragile sister Faye (Chase Crosley, Lenka Petersen) married Jerry's friend and colleague, Dr. Stefan Koda (Michael Ingram). Soap veteran William Post, Jr. played Jerry's other close friend and advisor, attorney Harold Cranston, who harbored feelings for Tracey. Other actors who appeared on the TV show included Peter Brandon,

Nicolas Coster Nicolas Dwynn Coster (born December 3, 1933) is a British-American actor, most known for his work in daytime drama and as a character actor on nighttime television series, such as ''Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the A ...

Louis Edmonds Louis Stirling Edmonds (September 24, 1923 – March 3, 2001) was an American actor from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was best known for his roles in ''Dark Shadows'' and ''All My Children''. Edmonds appeared in the musical ''Ernest in Love'' in ...

, Hugh Franklin,

Joan Hackett Joan Ann Hackett (March 1, 1934 – October 8, 1983) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She starred in the 1967 western ''Will Penny''. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Golde ...

Luke Halpin Luke Austin Halpin (born April 4, 1947) is a former American actor, stuntman, marine coordinator, diver and pilot. He became a child actor at the age of eight and is widely known for his role as Sandy Ricks in the feature films '' Flipper'' and ...

, Emily McLaughlin,

Joyce Van Patten Joyce Benignia Van Patten (born March 9, 1934) is an American film and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in films like ''The Bad News Bears'' (1976), ''St. Elmo's Fire'' (1985) (as Mrs. Beamish), and as Rob Schneider's septuagenaria ...

and Ann Williams.

References

Listen to

''Young Dr. Malone'' on complete broadcast day: June 6, 1944''Young Dr. Malone'' preempted by ''CBS News Roundup'' on June 7, 1944

External links

Bunce family papersRadio Back When
*
Young Dr. Malone novelette, Radio and Television Mirror, April 1940, page 17
{{US radio soaps 1958 American television series debuts 1963 American television series endings 1930s American radio programs 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs 1960s American radio programs American radio soap operas American television soap operas NBC original programming Black-and-white American television shows English-language television shows Television series created by Irna Phillips NBC Blue Network radio programs CBS Radio programs

Radio

Television

See also

References

Listen to

External links