Sunday, December 24, 2023

1948-11-18 Sorry, Wrong Number

This is the “fifth” production of Sorry, Wrong Number on Suspense. Because of east and west broadcasts in the past and on this date, this is the eighth time Moorehead performs the script on Suspense. This is the final time SWN was performed as a live broadcast.

Sorry, Wrong Number was expected to be an annual event for the series but it did not happen. The last time SWN was broadcast on Suspense was September 1945. Moorehead performed an abridged version (14 minutes long) on Philco Radio Hall of Fame on 1946-03-24. It was likely two broadcasts, east and west. The Philco appearance was the only time the script was performed before a live audience, something she did not like. Moorehead said that presenting SWN on Philco and before live audiences...

  • “are potential program wreckers”

  • “a terrifically nerve-wracking experience... I have to work myself up to such a hysterical pitch for the part that distractions of any kind could ruin the entire effect. People in a studio audience... are apt to get a little hysterical, to laugh at the wrong time, squeal at a sound effect or do something else to destroy the mood... it is unfair to the listeners... I am convinced that studio audiences would be better banned at all dramatic shows.”

It’s not that Moorehead was against performing live with an audience, but she was against performing live for broadcast for such a dramatic offering. Through the 1950s, Moorehead would tour the US in a “one woman show” and included SWN as part of the stage performance.

Another indication of the popularity of Sorry, Wrong Number was its marketing in a different medium. Moorehead performed SWN in a recording studio on 1947-01-27 for a 1947 Decca records release. This became a very lucrative enterprise and created interest in releasing more recordings of radio dramas in the format. Such distribution was attempted with other properties, but SWN was the only production that had strong sales. It was first released as 78s and re-released on long-playing records (LPs) as those replaced 78s. It sold well through the late 1940s and the 1950s. It can be heard at https://archive.org/details/78_sorry-wrong-number_agnes-moorehead-lucille-fletcher-william-spier_gbia8003283 One of the releases was in the late 1950s with other famous stories read by actor James Mason. That releases contents can be heard at https://archive.org/details/JamesMason_Suspense

This page has details of the 13 times Moorehead performed SWN https://sites.google.com/view/suspense-collectors-companion/click-for-home-arrow-for-more/agnes-moorehead-and-sorry-wrong-number

Previous posts about SWN are:

There are two recordings of this broadcast, the network recording and an Armed Forces Radio Service release (#259). The network recording is better than the AFRS one.

This broadcast was originally scheduled for 1948-10-28 but pre-empted for a Thomas E. Dewey speech for his presidential campaign.

LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP481118

THE CAST

AGNES MOOREHEAD (Mrs. Stevenson), Jeff Chandler (George’s Contact / Sergeant Martin), Eleanor Audley (Chief Operator), Ann Morrison (Henchley Hospital voice), Mary Jane Croft (Operator), Ken Harvey (George the killer / Western Union man), Paul Frees (Signature Voice)

COMMERCIAL: Bill Johnstone (Hap), Sylvia Simms (Operator), Harlow Wilcox (Announcer)

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