SHAKESPEARE

Synopsis

Radio variety show. This episode sets up a confrontation between John Barrymore as a stage veteran and Orson Welles as the new star of radio. The programme closes with a performance of IV iii from Julius Caesar, the meeting of Brutus and Cassius before Phillipi.

Series

Rudy Vallee Sealtest Show, The

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

19 Dec 1940 at 22:00 (Channel: NBC Red)

Duration

30 mins

Credits

Director

Ed Gardner

Contributor

Rudy Vallee

Cast

John Barrymore	Caius Cassius
Orson Welles	Marcus Brutus

Additional Details

Production type

Sitcoms/Variety

Plays

Julius Caesar

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

The show can be downloaded from http://www.wellesnet.com/?page_id=206 (accessed 4/2008).

Reviews

Lanier, Douglas ‘WSHX: Shakespeare and American Radio’ in Burt, Richard (ed) Shakespeare After Mass Media. (New York: Palgrave, 2002), pp204-5. Lanier writes ‘the ‘conflict’ and ‘reconciliation’ between competing Shakespeareans Welles and Barrymore, in other words, transforms Shakespeare’s scene into an allegory of the relationship between stage and broadcast Shakespeare’.

Production Company

Name

NBC

Sponsor

Name

Sealtest