Favorite Story

Favorite Story was an American old-time radio dramatic anthology series that was nationally syndicated by the Ziv Company from 1946 to 1949. The program featured adaptations of classic stories and literary works, with each episode presented as the “favorite story” of a celebrity guest.

The series was hosted by acclaimed actor Ronald Colman, whose presence and creative input helped make the show appealing to both listeners and station executives.

The Stars

While Favorite Story did not have any regular characters, the program’s host, Ronald Colman, was a constant presence throughout the series. Colman not only hosted the show, but also acted in some episodes and provided creative input to the script writers, helping to adapt the classic stories for the radio format. Colman’s star power and reputation helped make the program appealing to both stations and audiences.

In addition to Colman, the series featured a rotating cast of talented actors who brought the various stories to life. These included character actors such as Jeff Corey, Edna Best, Lionel Stander, Vincent Price, John Beal, Howard Duff, William Conrad, and Janet Waldo.

The scripts were crafted by the acclaimed writing team of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, who also produced and directed the program.

Key Dates

• Favorite Story debuted on June 25th, 1946 and ran for four seasons.
• Its final episode aired on April 19th, 1949.

Other Information

During its run, the program featured 118 episodes, each presenting a classic story or literary work as selected by a celebrity guest.

While the series was advertised as featuring the “favorites” of these guests, it was later revealed that the guests were often asked to choose from a predetermined list of stories rather than their true personal favorites.

In addition to its impressive roster of talent, Favorite Story was notable for its use of classic literary works as the basis for its episodes. Rather than relying on original stories, the program adapted well-known tales from the public domain, including works such as Alice in Wonderland, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, and Oliver Twist. This approach not only added an air of prestige to the series, but also allowed the Ziv Company to avoid paying royalties for the rights to broadcast the stories.

The half-hour format of Favorite Story was well-suited to the adaptation of short stories, but the program also managed to condense classic novels into its compact runtime, often to great effect. As one critic noted, the series “managed the incredible feat of jamming a classic novel into half an hour and still giving us a rewarding experience.”

Despite the program’s popularity and critical acclaim, Favorite Story was ultimately a product of its time, reflecting the tastes and sensibilities of the post-war era. The series’ reliance on literary classics and its emphasis on high-brow entertainment may not resonate as strongly with modern audiences, but it remains an important and influential example of the golden age of American radio drama.