Jeff Chandler stars in the sixth Suspense “musical.” The tragic story of love and violence, is based on the well-known folk song, Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair. That is, loosely based. The Appalachian song has its roots in Scotland. Scripters Morton Fine and David Friedkin shift the story to the Pacific Ocean island of Fiji.
The drama opens with midshipman John Harvison, played by Chandler, as he meets a beautiful native girl, Rachel. He is captivated by her. Harvison ignores a warning from her employer that Rachel is “of evil, and of death.” He is later drawn into a quarrel in which he kills a shipmate in defense of the Rachel’s honor. Harvison and the girl flee together, but soon the island police close in and he must run again. When the danger has passed, he returns, but the she has disappeared. Harvison presses a search for her, from island to island, as the police continue an equally determined search for him. He catches up with her, angry with her for leaving him, and being so alluring that he had pursue her and encounter all the risks to do so. It does not end well.
It’s not a particularly satisfying story, and is actually a dark one, much like Rachel’s hair. Some of the Chandler narrative and dialogue (and breathing) is a bit steamy. In general, the Suspense musicals are more novelty than they are effective (Wreck of the Old 97 excepted). That is especially and unfortunately true for this broadcast.
In a rare occurrence, Harlow Wilcox flubs the opening of the broadcast. Instead of Jeff Chandler’s name at the open, he mistakenly announces “Jeff Alexander” as the star. He may have seen Alexander in the halls of CBS that day. He was a music director at CBS for Hollywood Star Playhouse and other shows, including Amos ’n Andy. Both Wilcox and Alexander were working on that show in Fall of 1953. You can sense some surprise in the studio as Wilcox says it but immediately corrects himself (“I’m sorry, Mr. Jeff Chandler”) and continues on. That’s live radio. It is more surprising that it occurred so infrequently.
The opening announcement of the broadcast was edited to be shorter:
Edited, final: Tonight, with song and story, Auto-Lite tells a classic tale of love and death...
Original: Tonight, with song and story, Auto-Lite tells of a man who couldn’t make up his mind. He was looking for a girl… but he didn’t know if he wanted her to be alive… or dead...
The working title of the script was the same as the song Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair. The title was shortened for the broadcast.
Historical background of the song can be found at Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Is_the_Color_of_My_True_Love%27s_Hair
There are two versions of the song at The Internet Archive. One is performed as a folk ballad by J.J. Niles, recorded in 1941. The other is contemporary to the broadcast, a big band arrangement. It is sung by Kay Malone with background by Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires and music by Marty Gould’s Orchestra
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP531019
THE CAST
JEFF CHANDLER (John Harvison), Lillian Buyeff (Rachel), Betty Harford (Mary), Paula Winslowe (Mrs. Genuit), Martha Wentworth (Supply Woman / Voice), Joseph Kearns (Mr. Genuit / Man), Clayton Post (Red), Jack Kruschen (Old Man / Native), Ben Wright (Ernest / Somerset), Ernest Newton (Vocalist), Larry Thor (Narrator)
COMMERCIAL: Dick Ryan (Mr. McSorley), Harlow Wilcox (Announcer), Sylvia Simms (Operator)
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