Radio
Legends:
Our Miss Brooks, Volume 2
Liner notes written by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.
"Our
Miss Brooks" was one of the last bright lights of radio's Golden Age, premiering
over CBS Radio on July 19, 1948 and lasting until July 7, 1957 (with an
overlapping four-year run over CBS-TV from 1952-56). In retrospect, it's hard to
think of anyone essaying the role of high school English teacher Connie Brooks
other than Eve Arden -- but the first choice for the role was actually Lucille
Ball, who would begin her own successful sitcom, "My Favorite Husband", on CBS
Radio beginning July 23, 1948. Shirley Booth was also auditioned for the part
but, according to producer Harry Ackerman, "All she [Booth] could see was the
downside of the underpaid teacher. She couldn't make any fun of it." Finally,
William Paley, the president of CBS and an Arden fan, cajoled Eve into playing
the part, which Arden agreed to do on the condition that the programs be
pre-taped for broadcast that summer of 1948. (Arden had a previous commitment
she wouldn't shake.) When she returned, she was amazed to discover that "Our
Miss Brooks" had become the smash hit of the summer.
In this more jaded era, it's difficult to discern how much "Our Miss Brooks"
was, in many ways, a sitcom ahead of its time. Arden's Connie Brooks was the
first bright, independent, unmarried, working female comic character to appear
on the airwaves. Quick, outspoken, and funny, even sophisticated, Brooks
possessed one of the fastest tongues of either gender, regularly cutting
everyone down to size with a withering wisecrack or flippant aside. Eve Arden
also demonstrated that there was a different side to teachers than had been
previously displayed; most of the time, they had been stereotyped as asexual
schoolmarms.
Much of Miss Brooks' unique appeal was that, unlike most of the rattlebrained
females that surrounded her in radio comedy, she treated men not only refreshing
suspicion, but also as undeserving equals. She tolerated the befuddled,
hopelessly square biology teacher Philip Boynton (played by Jeff Chandler on
radio, Robert Rockwell on television), but she was clearly superior to that wet
noodle of a beau. She humored the perpetually enraged Mr. Conklin, and pitied
the inept, squeaky-voiced Walter Denton, played by forever-young Richard Crenna,
who tripled as resident nerd Oogie Pringle on "A Date With Judy" and boyfriend
to Marjorie Forrester on "The Great Gildersleeve".
The undefined relationship between Miss Brooks and Mr. Boynton was played mostly
for comedic effect; oftentimes the two of them would address each other as "Miss
Brooks" and "Mr. Boynton," like something out of a Jane Austen novel.
Personally, I never could see what the smart, sexy, take-no-guy's-guff Miss
Brooks saw in Boynton. He was a decent enough sort, but it always seemed that he
was too thick for the sharp educator and she was a little too patient in waiting
for him to exhibit any real interest. In many episodes, Miss Brooks found
herself competing with rival English teacher Daisy Enright (Mary Jane Croft, in
a wonderfully catty portrayal) for Boynton's affections. There must have been a
severe man shortage in that town.
"Our Miss Brooks" was several notches above most radio comedies of that period,
due in part to the talents of director-writer Al Lewis, but what really made it
stand out from the usual sitcom fare was its first-rate cast. Chandler, an
excellent Mr. Boynton, was certainly no stranger to radio, having often acted
under his real name, Ira Grossel. Gale Gordon, whose portrayal of the seething,
blustering principal Mr. Conklin was perhaps his greatest radio role, was also
no slouch on the airwaves, appearing on shows like "Fibber McGee & Molly",
"Burns & Allen", "The Great Gildersleeve", and "My Favorite Husband". In
audition recordings, Conklin had been played by Joe Forte and Will Wright, but
the show's creators wanted an actor with more "pizzazz" and so they contacted
professional stack-blower Gordon. Gordon didn't really want the role, and his
wife suggested that he ask for an outrageous salary - $150.00 a week - in the
hopes that they would leave him alone. To Gordon's chagrin, they took him up on
the offer, and it was his involvement with "Brooks" that kept him from accepting
the part of Fred Mertz when Lucille Ball launched "I Love Lucy" on CBS
Television in October of 1951.
"Our Miss Brooks" was one of the few radio shows to successfully cross over to
television with practically the original cast intact: Arden (who was rewarded
with an Emmy for her work), Gordon, Crenna, Jane Morgan as Mrs. Davis, Connie's
absent-minded landlady, Gloria McMillan as Harriet Conklin, the principal's
daughter and sweetheart to Walter Denton, and Leonard Smith, as school dunce
Stretch Snodgrass, all made the leap to the cathode ray tube; Robert Rockwell
assayed the role of Mr. Boynton, as Jeff Chandler's burgeoning movie career
prevented him from appearing in the TV version. Originally, Dick Crenna was
reluctant to do the series - he was thirty years old by that time and was tired
of playing a 17-year-old juvenile - but he agreed to do the TV show after Arden
talked him into it. It was a solid TV hit for 4 seasons (1952-56) and a movie
version of the show was released by Warner Brothers in 1956.
For fans of radio comedy- as well as for those who simply love to laugh - it's
wonderful to note that a great many "Our Miss Brooks" shows are still around to
enjoy today, with a heavy concentration of the 1948-51 broadcasts and some later
1955 shows in circulation among collectors. I, for one, can think of no
pleasanter pastime than popping a CD in my player and laughing along with
everyone's favorite tart-tongued schoolmarm - particularly in this second Radio
Legends collection from Radio Archives.
Here is the complete content of this 10-CD set:
Mother Away From Mother
Sunday, May 8, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
Friday the 13th
Sunday, May 15, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
A Great Dane Named Peanuts
Sunday, May 22, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
A Quarrel with Mr. Boynton
Sunday, May 29, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
The Key to Madison High
Sunday, June 5, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
The Wishing Well Dance
Sunday, June 12, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
Taking Up Taxidermy
Sunday, June 19, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
A Holiday Weekend at Eagle Springs
Sunday, July 3, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
A Telegram for Mrs. Davis
Sunday, July 10, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
The Conklin Carelessness Code
Sunday, July 17, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Shave Cream,
Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
Pensacola Popovers
Sunday, July 24, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and
Lustre Creme Shampoo
A New Job in Connecticut
Sunday, July 31, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Soap, Lustre
Creme Shampoo, and Colgate Tooth Powder
An Anniversary Weekend at Crystal Lake
Sunday, August 21, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Palmolive Soap and
Lustre Creme Shampoo
A Visit from the Chairman of the School Board
Sunday, September 11, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Lustre Creme
Shampoo, Colgate Tooth Paste, and Palmolive Soap
The Faculty Cheerleader
Sunday, September 18, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Colgate Tooth
Paste, Palmolive Soap, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
Taking the Rap for Mr. Boynton
Sunday, September 25, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Colgate Tooth
Paste, Lustre Creme Shampoo, and Palmolive Soap
Will Stretch Transfer to Clay City High?
Sunday, October 2, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Colgate Tooth Paste,
Lustre Creme Shampoo, and Palmolive Shave Cream
A Note from Mr. LeBlanc
Sunday, October 9, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Colgate Tooth Paste,
Lustre Creme Shampoo, and Palmolive Shave Cream
The Safety Supervisor of Madison High
Sunday, October 16, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Colgate Tooth Paste,
Palmolive Shave Cream, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
A Gift for Mr. Boynton
Sunday, October 23, 1949 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Colgate Tooth Paste,
Palmolive Shave Cream, and Lustre Creme Shampoo
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