Editing Radio drama (section)

=== 1930–1960s: widespread popularity ===
Perhaps America's most famous radio drama broadcast is [[Orson Welles]]' ''[[The War of the Worlds (radio)|The War of the Worlds]]'' (a 1938 version of [[H. G. Wells]]' [[The War of the Worlds|novel]]), which inspired stories of a mass panic that, though greatly exaggerated, signaled the power of the form.<ref>Kristen Hare, [https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2013/threatened-by-radio-newspapers-exaggerated-war-of-the-worlds-panic/ "Threatened by radio, newspapers exaggerated 'War of the Worlds' panic"], ''[[Poynter Institute]]'', 29 Oct. 2013.</ref>
By the late 1930s, radio drama was widely popular in the United States (and also in other parts of the world). There were dozens of programs in many different genres, from mysteries and thrillers, to [[soap opera]]s and comedies. Among American playwrights, screenwriters and novelists who got their start in radio drama are [[Rod Serling]] and [[Irwin Shaw]].
[[File:Radio program put on by children of Junior Artists Club Federal Art Project WPA Phoenix AZ 1935.gif|thumb|240px|Radio program written and performed in [[Phoenix, Arizona]] by children of Junior Artists Club (Federal Arts Program, 1935).]]

In Britain, however, during the 1930s BBC programming, tended to be more high brow, including the works of Shakespeare, Classical Greek drama, as well as the works of major modern playwrights, such as [[Chekhov]], [[Ibsen]], [[Strindberg]], and so forth. Novels and short stories were also frequently dramatised.<ref>See reviews in ''The Listener''</ref> In addition the plays of contemporary writers and original plays were produced, with, for example, a broadcast of [[T. S. Eliot]]'s famous verse play ''[[Murder in the Cathedral]]'' in 1936.<ref>"The Poetic Quality", Grace Wyndham Goldie. ''The Listener'' (London, England), Wednesday, January 8, 1936; p. 78; Issue 365.</ref> By 1930, the BBC was producing "twice as many plays as London's [[West End of London|West End]]" and were producing over 400 plays a year by the mid-1940s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelprestype/sound/radio/radiodrama/drama.html|title=Radio broadcast recordings|website=The British Library}}</ref>

Producers of radio drama soon became aware that adapting stage plays for radio did not always work, and that there was a need for plays specifically written for radio, which recognised its potential as a distinct and different medium from the theatre. [[George Bernard Shaw]]'s plays, for example, were seen as readily adaptable.<ref>See, for example, "A Listener's Commentary", R. D. Charques. ''The Listener'' (London, England), Wednesday, October 23, 1929; p. 553; Issue 41.</ref> However, in a lead article in the BBC literary journal ''[[The Listener (magazine)|The Listener]]'', of 14 August 1929, which discussed the broadcasting of 12 great plays, it was suggested that while the theatrical literature of the past should not be neglected the future lay mainly with plays written specifically for the microphone.

In 1939–40, the BBC founded its own [[Drama Repertory Company]] which made a stock of actors readily available. After the war, the number was around 50. They performed in the great number of plays broadcast in the heyday of BBC radio drama of the 40s–60s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1j94Sg0D452YpLFz2SLYLpd/the-radio-drama-company|title=Soundstart – The Radio Drama Company|website=BBC}}</ref>

Initially the BBC resisted American-style 'soap opera', but eventually highly popular serials, like ''[[Dick Barton|Dick Barton, Special Agent]]'' (1946–51), ''[[Mrs Dale's Diary]]'' (1948–69) and ''[[The Archers]]'' (1950–), were produced. ''The Archers'' is still running ({{as of|2024|July|lc=yes}}) and is the world's longest-running soap opera with a total of over 18,400 episodes.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6124558.stm The Archers airs 15,000th episode], ''[[BBC News]]'', 2006-11-07</ref> There had been some earlier serialised drama including, the six episode ''The Shadow of the Swastika'' (1939), [[Dorothy L. Sayers]]'s ''[[The Man Born To Be King]]'', in twelve episodes (1941), and ''[[Front Line Family]]'' (1941–48), which was broadcast to America as part of the effort to encourage the US to enter the war. The show's storylines depicted the trials and tribulations of a British family, the Robinsons, living through the war. This featured plots about rationing, family members missing in action and the Blitz. After the war in 1946 it was moved to the [[BBC Light Programme]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irdp.co.uk/britrad3.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611044728/http://www.irdp.co.uk/britrad3.htm |archive-date=June 11, 2011 |title=British Radio Drama – A Cultural Case History |first=Tim |last=Crook |date=1999 |page=3}}</ref>

The BBC continued producing various kinds of drama, including docu-drama, throughout [[World War II]]; amongst the writers they employed were the novelist [[James Hanley (novelist)|James Hanley]]<ref>Linnea Gibbs, ''James Hanley: A Bibliography''. (Vancouver: William Hoffer, 1980), p. 165.</ref> and poet [[Louis MacNeice]], who in 1941 became an employee of the BBC's. MacNeice's work for the BBC initially involved writing and producing radio programmes intended to build support for the US, and later Russia, through cultural programmes emphasising links between the countries rather than outright propaganda. By the end of the war MacNeice had written well over 60 scripts for the BBC, including ''[[Christopher Columbus (radio)|Christopher Columbus]]'' (1942), which starred [[Laurence Olivier]], ''[[The Dark Tower (radio play)|The Dark Tower]]'' (1946), and a six-part radio adaptation of [[Goethe]]'s ''[[Goethe's Faust|Faust]]'' (1949).<ref>[http://www.poets.org/ Poets.org]</ref>

Following World War II the BBC reorganised its radio provision, introducing two new channels to supplement the [[BBC Home Service]] (itself the result of the fusion in September 1939 of the pre-war [[BBC National Programme|National]] and [[BBC Regional Programme|Regional Programmes]]). These were the BBC Light Programme (dating from 29 July 1945 and a direct successor to the wartime [[BBC General Forces Programme|General Forces Programme]]) and the [[BBC Third Programme]] (launched on 29 September 1946).

The BBC Light Programme, while principally devoted to light entertainment and music, carried a fair share of drama, both single plays (generally, as the name of the station indicated, of a lighter nature) and serials. In contrast, the BBC Third Programme, destined to become one of the leading cultural and intellectual forces in post-war Britain, specialised in heavier drama (as well as the serious music, talks, and other features which made up its content): long-form productions of both classical and modern/experimental dramatic works sometimes occupied the major part of its output on any given evening. The Home Service, meanwhile, continued to broadcast more "middle-brow" drama (one-off plays and serialisations) daily.

The high-water mark for BBC radio drama was the 1950s and 1960s, and during this period many major British playwrights either effectively began their careers with the BBC, or had works adapted for radio. Most of playwright [[Caryl Churchill]]'s early experiences with professional drama production were as a radio playwright and, starting in 1962 with ''The Ants'', she wrote nine productions with BBC radio drama up until 1973, when her stage work began to be recognised at the [[Royal Court Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/churchill-caryl.html|title=Caryl Churchill|website=www.doollee.com}}</ref> [[Joe Orton]]'s dramatic debut in 1963 was the radio play ''[[The Ruffian on the Stair]]'', which was broadcast on 31 August 1964.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.irdp.co.uk/radiodrama.htm|title=International radio drama|website=www.irdp.co.uk}}</ref>

[[Tom Stoppard]]'s "first professional production was in the 15-minute ''Just Before Midnight'' programme on [[BBC Radio]], which showcased new dramatists".<ref name="autogenerated1" /> [[John Mortimer]] made his radio debut as a dramatist in 1955, with his adaptation of his own novel ''Like Men Betrayed'' for the [[BBC Light Programme]]. However, he made his debut as an original playwright with ''[[The Dock Brief]]'', starring [[Michael Hordern]] as a hapless barrister, first broadcast in 1957 on BBC Third Programme, later televised with the same cast and subsequently presented in a double bill with ''What Shall We Tell Caroline?'' at the [[Lyric Hammersmith]] in April 1958, before transferring to the [[Garrick Theatre]]. Mortimer is most famous for ''[[Rumpole of the Bailey]]'', a [[British television]] series which starred [[Leo McKern]] as Horace Rumpole, an aging London barrister who defends any and all clients. It has been spun off into a series of short stories, novels, and radio programmes.<ref>"John Mortimer Radio Plays": [http://www.suttonelms.org.uk/jmortimer.html]; filmreference.com/film/69/John-Mortimer.html John Mortimer Biography (1923–2009)</ref>

[[Giles Cooper (playwright)|Giles Cooper]] was a pioneer in writing for radio, becoming prolific in both radio and television drama. His early successes included radio dramatisations of [[Charles Dickens]]'s ''[[Oliver Twist]]'', [[William Golding]]'s ''[[Lord of the Flies]]'',<ref>The Listener (London, England), Thursday, September 1, 1955; p. 349; Issue 1383.</ref> and [[John Wyndham]]'s classic science fiction novel ''[[Day of the Triffids]]''.<ref name="Deacon">{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonelms.org.uk/|title=RADIO DRAMA, APPLES, EKEGUSII, POTATOES, EARLY MUSIC, Mandy Giltjes|first=Alison Deacon, Nigel|last=Deacon|website=www.suttonelms.org.uk}}</ref> He was also successful in the theatre. The first of his radio plays to make his reputation was ''Mathry Beacon'' (1956), about a small detachment of men and women still guarding a Top Secret "missile deflector" somewhere in Wales, years after the war has ended.<ref>"Critic on the Hearth", [[J. C. Trewin]]. ''The Listener'' (London, England), Thursday, June 28, 1956; p. 903; Issue 1422.</ref> [[Bill Naughton]]'s radio play ''Alfie Elkins and his Little Life'' (1962) was first broadcast on the BBC Third Programme on 7 January 1962. In it Alfie, "[w]ith sublime amorality... swaggers and philosophises his way through" life.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.suttonelms.org.uk/BNAUGHTON.HTML|title=Bill Naughton radio drama – DIVERSITY WEBSITE|first=Alison Deacon, Nigel|last=Deacon|website=www.suttonelms.org.uk}}</ref> The action spans about two decades, from the beginning of World War II to the late 1950s. In 1964, Bill Naughton turned it into a stage play which was put on at London's [[Mermaid Theatre]]. Later, he wrote the screenplay for a film version, ''[[Alfie (1966 film)|Alfie]]'' (1966), starring [[Michael Caine]].

Other notable radio dramatists included [[Henry Reed (poet)|Henry Reed]], [[Brendan Behan]], [[Rhys Adrian]], [[Alan Plater]]; [[Anthony Minghella]], [[Alan Bleasdale]], and novelist [[Angela Carter]]. Novelist [[Susan Hill]] also wrote for BBC Radio, from the early 1970s.<ref name="Deacon"/> Henry Reed was especially successful with the [[Hilda Tablet]] plays. Irish playwright Brendan Behan, author of ''[[The Quare Fellow]]'' (1954), was commissioned by the BBC to write a radio play ''The Big House'' (1956); prior to this he had written two plays for Irish radio: ''Moving Out'' and ''A Garden Party''.<ref>''The Columbia encyclopedia of modern drama'', by Gabrielle H. Cody; "Brendan Behan" – RTÉ Archives [http://www.rte.ie/archives/exhibitions/925-brendan-behan/]</ref>

Among the most famous works created for radio, are [[Dylan Thomas]]'s ''[[Under Milk Wood]]'' (1954), [[Samuel Beckett]]'s ''[[All That Fall]]'' (1957), [[Harold Pinter]]'s ''[[A Slight Ache]]'' (1959), and [[Robert Bolt]]'s ''[[A Man for All Seasons (play)|A Man for All Seasons]]'' (1954).<ref>J. C. Trewin, "Critic on the Hearth." ''Listener'' [London, England] 5 Aug. 1954: 224.</ref> Beckett wrote a number of short radio plays in the 1950s and 1960s, and later for television; his radio play ''[[Embers]]'' was first broadcast on the BBC Third Programme on 24 June 1959 and won the RAI prize at the [[Prix Italia]] awards later that year.<ref>[http://www.prixitalia.rai.it/2008/pdf/vincitori_edizionipassate_en.pdf Prix Italia "PAST EDITIONS&nbsp;– WINNERS 1949 – 2007"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303114656/http://www.prixitalia.rai.it/2008/pdf/vincitori_edizionipassate_en.pdf |date=2012-03-03 }}</ref>

Robert Bolt's writing career began with scripts for ''[[Children's Hour]]''.<ref>British Radio Drama – A Cultural Case History by Tim Crook</ref> ''[[A Man for All Seasons (play)|A Man for All Seasons]]'' was subsequently produced on television in 1957. Then in 1960, there was a highly successful stage production in London's West End and on New York's Broadway from late 1961. In addition there have been two film versions: in 1966 starring [[Paul Scofield]] and 1988 for television, starring [[Charlton Heston]].<ref>''A Man for All Seasons'' (1966) – IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060665/]; ''A Man for All Seasons'' (TV 1988) – IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095578/]</ref>

While [[Alan Ayckbourn]] did not write for radio many of his stage plays were subsequently adapted for radio. Other significant adaptations included, dramatised readings of poet [[David Jones (poet)|David Jones]]'s ''[[In Parenthesis]]'' in 1946 and ''[[The Anathemata]]'' in 1953, for the BBC Third Programme,<ref>"Critic on the Hearth", Philip Hope-Wallace. ''The Listener'' (London, England), Thursday, November 28, 1946; p. 767; Issue 933; "Critic on the Hearth", Martin Armstrong. ''The Listener'' (London, England), Thursday, May 14, 1953; p. 815; Issue 1263.</ref> and novelist [[Wyndham Lewis]]'s ''The Human Age'' (1955).<ref>"The Human Age"", Wyndham Lewis.
''The Listener'' (London, England), Thursday, June 2, 1955; p. 976</ref> Among contemporary novels that were dramatised were the 1964 radio adaptation of [[Stan Barstow]]'s ''[[A Kind of Loving (novel)|A Kind of Loving]]'' (1960); there had also been a 1962 film adaptation.<ref>"A Kind of Loving – The Literature of Stan Barstow":[http://www.stanbarstow.info/kindofloving.html]; ''A Kind of Loving'' (1962) – IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056141/]</ref>