''Lone Journey'' is an American

soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...

radio program.

Information

''Lone Journey'' debuted on May 27, 1940, on NBC. The show was called, "the distinguished American radio novel" and was advertised as "thrilling romance on a Montana ranch". Notably, the show did not make much use of cliffhangers to lure viewers in. The show used

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

as its setting and was based on real people and real situations that the show's writers, Sandra Michael and Peter Michael, had experienced. Sandra had prior experience writing the radio daytime soap opera ''Against the Storm''.

Plot

Wolfe Bennett and wife Nita are unhappy with their lives in Chicago. They decide to make a change and purchase the "Spear T-Ranch" in Judith Mountain, Montana.

Broadcast history

*May 27, 1940 - June 25, 1943 - NBC, weekdays at 5:15 p.m. *1941-42 - NBC, weekdays at 11:30 a.m. *1942-43 - Dreft, weekdays at 10:45 a.m. *April 1, 1946 - September 26, 1947, weekdays at 10 a.m. *September 30, 1946 - CBS and Carnation, weekdays at 2:30 p.m. *July 2, 1951 - June 27, 1952 - ABC and Lever Brothers, weekdays at various times between 11a.m. and noon

Cast

The main characters had a variety of actors play their roles throughout the show's history: *Wolfe Bennett was played by

Les Damon Lester Joseph Damon (March 31, 1908 – July 21, 1962) was an American character actor best known for his nearly 30 years performing on radio. Out of all his appearances on radio, Damon was best remembered for his roles as Nick Charles on ...

Staats Cotsworth Staats Cotsworth (February 17, 1908 – April 9, 1979) was an American 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. ...

(1946–47, 1951–52), Henry Hunter and Reese Taylor *Nita Bennett was played by

Claudia Morgan Claudia Louise Morgan (June 12, 1911 – September 17, 1974) was an American film, television, and radio actress. She was best known for debuting the role of Vera Claythorne in the first Broadway production of Agatha Christie's ''Ten Little Ind ...

, Betty Ruth Smith,

Eloise Kummer Margery Eloise Kummer (June 17, 1916 – August 24, 2008) was an American radio and television actress. Early years Kummer was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Kummer. After graduating in 1933 from Sheboygan H ...

and

Betty Winkler Betty Winkler (April 19, 1914 Berwick, Pennsylvania – June 6, 2002 Miami, Florida) was an American radio actor. She studied acting at the Cleveland Play House, Cleveland Playhouse. She was a radio performer in Chicago and New York City in the ...

*Mel Tanner was played by Wylie Adams and DeWin Mcbride *Enor was played by Cameron Andrews and

Bob Jellison Robert Dow Jellison"Illinois, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP79-2YNK : Sat Mar 09 16:08:44 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert Dow Jellison and National Broadcasting Co, 16 ...

*Wolfe's mother was played by Nancy Osgood *Sydney Sherwood was played by Charlotte Holland and Laurette Fillbrandt *Lance McKenzie was played by John Larkin ''Lone Journey's'' announcers included

Durward Kirby Homer Durward Kirby (August 24, 1911 – March 15, 2000; sometimes misspelled Dirwood Kirby or Durwood Kirby), was an American television host and announcer. He is best remembered for ''The Garry Moore Show'' in the 1950s and ''Candid Camera'' ...

Nelson Case Nelson Case (February 3, 1910 – March 24, 1976) was an American radio and television announcer. Case was the son of Walter and Ethel Case. His father was a newspaperman, and his mother was a driving force in the Long Beach Community Players. H ...

, Richard Stark and Charles Woods

References

{{US radio soaps American radio soap operas 1940s American radio programs 1940 radio programme debuts 1952 radio programme endings NBC radio programs ABC radio programs CBS Radio programs

Information

Plot

Broadcast history

Cast

See also

References