Columbia Presents Shakespeare was a summer replacement series that aired on CBS radio in 1937, featuring adaptations of William Shakespeare’s greatest plays. This high-brow programming was part of the network’s efforts to provide more intellectual and cultural content to listeners, in contrast with the more popular entertainment that typically filled the airwaves.
The series brought together some of the most distinguished artists and personalities from the stage, screen, and radio to perform these iconic works. Actors such as Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Tallulah Bankhead, Orson Welles, John Barrymore, and many others lent their talents to bring Shakespeare’s timeless stories to life on the radio.
The Stars
The star-studded cast of Columbia Presents Shakespeare included some of the most renowned Shakespearean actors of the era. Edward G. Robinson, known for his tough-guy roles in films, showcased his versatility by taking on the title role in Hamlet.
Humphrey Bogart, who would later become a legendary leading man, portrayed the tragic hero Othello.
Tallulah Bankhead, a celebrated stage and screen actress, starred as Viola in Twelfth Night, alongside Orson Welles as Malvolio.
Other notable performers included John Barrymore, who had a long and distinguished career on the stage and in films, and Hans Conried, a versatile character actor who appeared in numerous radio, television, and film productions throughout his career.
Key Dates
- The first episode, Much Ado About Nothing, broadcast on July 19th, 1937.
- The final episode, Twelfth Night, airing on August 30th, 1937.
- The series was a replacement for the network’s regular programming, which typically took a break during the summer months.
Other Information
The Columbia Presents Shakespeare series was part of the network’s efforts to provide more high-brow and intellectual programming to its listeners with the goal of making Shakespeare’s works more accessible to a wider audience. This was in contrast to the more popular entertainment that typically filled the airwaves during this era.
The series was also notable for its use of cutting-edge technology at the time. The plays were recorded in CBS’s Hollywood studios, allowing for a level of production quality that was not always possible with live radio broadcasts.
The success of Columbia Presents Shakespeare helped to cement the network’s reputation as a purveyor of quality programming, and the series has since been recognized as an important contribution to the history of radio drama and the preservation of Shakespeare’s works.
The series was well-received and helped to introduce these classic plays to a new generation of listeners.
Five of the Eight episodes are Extant.
