RUSC MAILING

Written by Ned Norris

I’ve cued up a dandy from the Damon Runyon Theater, the 1949–50 half-hour series that bottles up Runyon’s Broadway in jaunty “Runyonese,” guided by our amiable narrator Broadway (John Brown), with smart adaptations by Russell Hughes and direction by Richard Sanville.

Our pick: Palm Beach Santa Claus, broadcast October 23, 1949—a holiday farce and society send-up with Runyon’s deadpan warmth. In May, a glamorous gal hails a very large citizen as “Santa Claus,” which sends us back to last December: Fatso Zim (a.k.a. Elmore Zimph), broke in Palm Beach, is hired by the formidable Mrs. Mannering Mim to play Santa at her high-society Christmas party.

Soon we’ve got a phony count (Gregorio), two young lovers on the outs (Betty Lou Clayton and Johnny Ralph), and pride piled higher than tinsel. Our Santa sizes up the room and, with one little change to a gift tag, sets off a brisk, funny snowball of comeuppance and second chances. It’s Runyon through and through—gentle, witty, and humane.

Have a listen, and when you do, please drop a star rating and a comment under the show—I love hearing what you think.

I’ll be adding more Christmas-themed shows each day as we head toward the holiday, and I’ve also switched on the RUSC Christmas Classics Radio stream if you’d like to just let it play.


Happy listening,

RUSC Old Time Radio
www.rusc.com

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