Chandu the Magician (radio)
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Audio CD collection cover
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| Country |  United States |
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| Language(s) | English |
| Announcer | Howard Culver |
| Director(s) | Cyril Armbrister |
| Air dates | 10 March 1932 to 6 September 1950 |
Chandu the Magician, one of the longest running radio adventure serials,[citation needed] was heard on several different networks and aired in two distinctly different series, one in the 1930s and a revival 12 years later in the 1940s and 1950s. The series was created by Harry A. Earnshaw (1878–1953) and Raymond R. Morgan.[citation needed]
Contents
Radio version
The original version
Launched in 1931 on KHJ in Los Angeles, the series was soon heard through the West Coast when broadcast on the Don Lee Network. It was then heard, starting in February 1932, over WOR in the East. Nationally, it aired over Mutual starting October 8, 1932. The series was sponsored by White King Soap in the West and by Beech Nut Gum in the East.[1][page needed]
Gayne Whitman played the lead role of American-born Frank Chandler, who had learned occult secrets from a yogi in India. Known as Chandu, he possessed several supernatural skills, including astral projection, teleportation and the ability to create illusions. Chandu's goal was to "go forth with his youth and strength to conquer the evil that threatens mankind".[citation needed] His sister, Dorothy Regent, was portrayed by Margaret MacDonald.[citation needed]
Cyril Armbrister directed the scripts by Vera Oldham which took Chandu to far-flung locales, both real and mythical. Romantic interludes for Chandu were introduced with Egyptian Princess Nadji (Veola Vonn). Music was first furnished by Felix Mills and then Raymond Paige.[1] According to Veola Vonn, the program was broadcast from the KHJ building on Melrose Avenue;[citation needed] the KHJ building is still standing, although the KHJ studios are long gone.[citation needed]
In 1932, Walter Winchell noted, "One of the smaller radio chains has a feature called Chandu, which is Hindu-Chinese for an opium preparation. In fewer words--Dope".[citation needed]
In 1935, the production moved to WGN Chicago with a new cast, including Howard Hoffman in the title role and Cornelia Osgood as Dorothy. Her children, Bob and Betty, were played by Olan Soule and Audrey McGrath. This series came to an end in 1936,[1] WGN's productions of Chandu were transcribed in the Chicago facilities of the World Broadcasting System for use on other stations. In April 1935, they were being broadcast on one other station, WJR in Detroit, Mich.[2]
Revival
Twelve years later, the series was revived on the Mutual-Don Lee Network on June 28, 1948 as a 15-minute weekday program, starring Tom Collins as Chandu and Luis van Rooten as the villainous Roxor plotting world domination.[citation needed] With Howard Culver as the announcer and music by organist Korla Pandit, that series continued until January 28, 1949.[citation needed] The serial continuity was dropped February 2, 1949 in favor of 30-minute episodes, each with a self-contained storyline, continuing in that format until April 28, 1949.[citation needed] Culver often read commercials with Pandit's organ music in the background.[citation needed]
On October 15, 1949, Chandu the Magician moved to ABC where it was heard Saturdays at 7:30pm until June and then on Wednesdays at 9:30pm. The last broadcast was September 6, 1950.[1]
Film adaptation
In 1932 Chandu the Magician was produced as a film, with Edmund Lowe as Chandu and Bela Lugosi as Roxor. In The Return of Chandu (1934) Lugosi portrayed Chandu. On February 26, 1934, the "Looking Back" column in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, noted:
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"Radio fans who have been enjoying the Chandu the Magician broadcasts, which have been sponsored by the National Grocery and Reliance Coffee, will be happy to know that the program has been made into a talking picture. The broadcast which is regularly heard over KFQD, can be seen at the Empress Theater for this premier production."[3]
Original series episodes
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Revival episodes
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References
External links
- Articles with unsourced statements from July 2013
- Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from June 2015
- Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015
- American radio dramas
- Fantasy radio programs
- Mutual Broadcasting System programs
- 1931 radio programme debuts
- 1950 radio programme endings
- ABC radio programs
