Premier Collections: 
Claudia, Volume 1
Liner notes written by John Olsen and Harlan Zinck

Click to listen to an audio sample

In "Soapland," his five-part New Yorker overview of daytime serial programs first published in 1948, writer James Thurber probably best defined the successful radio soap opera. He wrote:

"A soap opera is a kind of sandwich, whose recipe is simple enough... Between thick slices of advertising, spread twelve minutes of dialogue, add predicament, villainy, and female suffering in equal measure, throw in a dash of nobility, sprinkle with tears, season with organ music, cover with a rich announcer sauce, and serve five times a week. It is the hope of every advertiser to habituate the housewife to an engrossing narrative whose optimum length is forever and at the same time to saturate the consciousness with the miracle of a given product, so that she will be aware of it all the days of her life and mutter its name in her sleep."

Thurber was, of course, writing about mainstream daytime programs - shows which had been filling the airwaves since the early 1930s and, by 1948, had become a major profit center for radio networks, advertisers, production companies, and the actors and actresses who frequently subsidized their theatrical work by appearing on anywhere from one to ten soaps a week. By 1941, sixty-five daily quarter-hour programs could be heard on network radio, reaching an estimated audience of some twenty million -- with some scheduled together in blocks of as many as sixteen soaps in a row.

For the most part, their content was predictable, but deeply engrossing. Aimed straight at the mind and pocketbook of the stay-at-home housewife stuck with the daily drudgery of raising a family and taking care of a home, soap operas played on the apparent human need for intrigue, insider knowledge, gossip, and the satisfaction that comes from knowing that, no matter how tedious or dull or awful your life is, someone out there has it worse than you do. (In broadcasting, this need reached its peak - or its nadir, depending upon your point of view - in such latter-day television free-for-all's as "The Jerry Springer Show," where each day nearly every viewer could feel superior to at least one of the low-end guests.) In their hey-day, radio soap operas reflected a daily mix of "strum und drang" that always walked a fine line between vague plausibility and chew-the-scenery, over-the-top melodrama. On a typical day in Soapland, for instance, "Stella Dallas" could be heard commandeering a submarine in order to rescue her kidnapped daughter Lollie-Baby from the clutches of a lustful sheik while, on "Rosemary," the story of young Rosemary Dawson's "struggle to find happiness as the wife of a returned war veteran" afflicted with frequent bouts of amnesia, the heroine's husband is getting along well with his wife and family until he hears Rosemary sing "Night and Day" and, out of the blue, suddenly remembers that he has a former wife as well as a daughter. On "Young Doctor Malone," Dr. Jerry Malone is being tried for a murder he didn't commit, while also suffering from a case of hysterical paralysis and simultaneously dealing with frequent attacks of amnesia. (Thurber nominated Malone for a "True Christian Martyr Award" and also noted that, in Soapland, amnesia "strikes almost as often...as the common cold in our world. There have been as many as eight or nine amnesia cases on the air at any one time.")

But, in 1947, a new soap opera debuted that was far different - far more quiet and gentle and down-to-earth - than its strife-ridden forbears.

"Claudia" told the tale of Claudia and David Naughton, newlyweds, just beginning their married life. Young, enthusiastic, and very much in love, they weren't suffering from any medical maladies or suspicions of infidelity. Instead, they were simply facing the many challenges of any new marriage - finding an apartment, getting used to each other's quirks, and learning to live together on a daily basis.

Lacking many of the characteristics of a traditional soap opera, "Claudia" didn't offer the anguish and heartbreak that typified such long-running soaps as "Valiant Lady," "Backstage Wife," and "Ma Perkins" - and, being sponsored by Coca-Cola, it even lacked the traditional sponsorship of a soap company. But the very elements it was lacking quickly became its strengths: with very few of the "tune in tomorrow" hooks that most soaps used to lure listeners back the next day, people returning to "Claudia" instead came back for the interesting, fully developed characters, the light-hearted banter between them, and the familiarity of their day-to-day situations. Rather than suffering with or feeling superior to them, the characters were, instead, simply the sort of people you enjoyed spending time with. Given this, it may be best to view "Claudia" as a continuing daytime drama, rather than as a soap opera -- and a fairly light drama, at that.

"Claudia" was based on the literary works of Rose Franken, a writer, novelist, playwright, and theatrical director who had first written about the Naughton's in the mid-1930s. By the end of the decade, the highly popular short stories had been brought together into a series of best-selling novels which, in 1941, were adapted by Franken into a Broadway play. "Claudia," which opened at the Booth Theater on February 12, 1941, starred Donald Cook as David and a young actress named Dorothy McGuire in the title role. Claudia Naughton was a breakout role for McGuire, whose previous stage experience had been understudying and playing small parts in touring companies. The sincerity, simplicity, and captivating charm which she brought to the part made the play a long-running hit and soon brought her to Hollywood to reprise the role in the 20th Century Fox film version, released in 1943 and co-starring Robert Young as David. Based on that film's success, in 1945, RKO Pictures starred McGuire and Young in "The Enchanted Cottage" and 1946 found them together again in "Claudia and David," a sequel to the earlier film.

Due in large part to the success of the two "Claudia" movies, in 1947, the D'Arcy advertising agency decided to bring the characters to radio in a five-a-week quarter-hour serial on behalf of its client, Coca-Cola. First heard on Monday, September 29, 1947. Kathryn Bard was cast as Claudia and Paul Crabtree as David, with Joe King announcing. As with most shows sponsored by Coke, the organ theme was the "Coca Cola Waltz," a tune very familiar to radio listeners thanks to Coke's earlier sponsorship of such popular shows as "The Victory Parade of Spotlight Bands," Spike Jones' "Spotlight Review," and "Songs by Morton Downey." But this daily serial was not the first time that "Claudia" had been heard on the air nor, in fact, would it be the last. In June of 1941, "Claudia" had appeared as a weekly skit on the "Kate Smith Hour," quickly transitioning into Smith's summer replacement series that same year. In 1952, after the radio serial had left the air, "Claudia" came to television in a half-hour series, seen in a short run on NBC from January through March and later switching to CBS until June.

Heard today, "Claudia" remains wonderful entertainment, notable for both its light-hearted tone and the believable interplay between its characters. Claudia, a bit younger than her years, is often impulsive, sometimes irresponsible, usually perky, and just a bit flighty. Her father had died when she was still a young girl and, as an only child, had been raised by her widowed mother. As a newlywed who married when she was just eighteen, she occasionally ponders whether she is still a "mama-baby," tied to her mother's apron strings and relying too much on Mama's continuing support and advice. As she matures, she becomes a unique mixture of enthusiasm, incompetence and over-confidence -- deeply in love with her somewhat older husband David but frequently naive and too likely to trust in her insecurities rather than her instincts.

Claudia's loving and patient husband David came from a substantial family and he had trained to be an architect until World War II interrupted his plans. Like many a returning veteran, he's working to get ahead in his field, but he sometimes questions whether he's chosen the right career path - particularly when considering the success of his older brother Hartley, an influential banker. In the first forty episodes of "Claudia," heard here for the first time in sixty years, you'll listen in as Claudia and David spend the first days of their marriage living with Claudia's mother, then as they find their first apartment and move out on their own. You'll shed a tear as they remember the nation's sacrifices on Armistice Day. You'll laugh as David teaches Claudia to drive. You'll be there as Claudia learns to cook, as she adopts two kittens and as she learns to be a good wife to David. You'll meet Claudia's mother, Mrs. Brown, neighbor Bertha, building supervisor Fritz, David's co-worker Roger, and his brother Hartley. You'll get to know all these people and their share their lives for fifteen minutes each day. That's the way "Claudia" was originally intended to be heard -- and that's the way we recommend you enjoy it today.

One of the sad things about radio show preservation is the fact that so many long-running series exist today only in fragments - a broadcast here and a broadcast there, rather than long continuous runs of a particular program. This is particularly the case when it comes to soap operas, where it is difficult to get into a storyline when so few consecutive episodes exist. Happily, that is not the case with "Claudia"; Radio Archives has been able to locate and preserve the entire eighteen-month run of the series - 390 episodes in all - with no missing shows, allowing you to enjoy the complete series on a day-by-day basis. This Premier Collection offers the first 40 shows of "Claudia," with the remaining episodes to be issued in many upcoming volumes -- a real treasure for radio enthusiasts to play and enjoy for many years to come.

Here is the complete content of this new Premier Collection - all taken directly from original 16" syndication recordings and completely restored for outstanding audio fidelity:

Meet the Naughtons (#1)
In the first episode of the series, we meet newlyweds Claudia and David Naughton who, due to the post-war housing shortage, have decided to move in with Claudia's mother. But is the apartment too small for the three of them?
Monday, September 29, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Let Them Eat Cake (#2)
In the little apartment the following morning, Mama is still asleep on the couch so Claudia decides to make breakfast herself. Her other project for the day: bake a cake.
Tuesday, September 30, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Wedding Presents (#3)
In this episode we meet Minerva, the laundry and cleaning lady who comes in on Wednesdays. Later that evening, Claudia and David go through their wedding presents, deciding which to keep and which to return.
Wednesday, October 1, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Many Happy Returns (#4)
Claudia has vowed to return Aunt Louisa's silver soup tureen but, while at the store, she runs into Aunt Louisa and ends up buying a second tureen to cover her reason for being there. Now...how will she explain this to David?
Thursday, October 2, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The New Apartment (#5)
David surprises Claudia and Mama when he shows them a new furnished apartment he has sublet. It's only a block away from Mama's apartment and they can move in in a week. But, once the euphoria wears off, Claudia finds herself reluctant to leave Mama alone.
Friday, October 3, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

It's a Lock (#6)
While waiting to move into their new apartment, the lock on the old apartment door needs fixing. After fussing with the sticky lock one too many times, Claudia and David decide to replace it -- but how can such a simple task get so complicated?
Monday, October 6, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Introspection (#7)
After a satisfying day, Claudia and David take a nighttime stroll, during which David discusses his uncertainty about whether he's going in the right direction professionally. Later, they step into a cathedral and ponder, "Are we too happy?"
Tuesday, October 7, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Mama's Early Birthday (#8)
As a birthday gift, Claudia and David decide to take Mama out to eat. It's not really her birthday, mind you, but that's not stopping them; however, the cost of the meal just might!
Wednesday, October 8, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Claudia Worries (#9)
As the day approaches when Claudia and David move into their own apartment, Claudia begins to get cold feet. Her worries increase as the evening lengthens and David still hasn't arrived home.
Thursday, October 9, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Moving Day (#10)
The day has finally arrived when Claudia and David will move out of Mama's apartment and into their own...and Claudia has to cover her disappointment when she sees the new apartment for the first time. But, undaunted, she vows to make it into a home.
Friday, October 10, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The First Quarrel (#11)
The new bathroom is too small. Claudia's breakfast is a disaster. And David's razor blade has been used to scrape loose paint. All add up to the makings of a really good quarrel, but Claudia has a solution: buy a really big dog!
Monday, October 13, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Dog Days (#12)
Claudia visits the pet shop to pick out a surprise for David: Major, a dog that turns out to be a 150-pound monster. But that doesn't discourage Claudia and, when David comes home to find Major waiting for him, he instantly falls in love. But...will the downstairs neighbors feel the same way about the animal as David does?
Tuesday, October 14, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Life With Major (#13)
Even though he weighs in at 150 pounds, Major is still just a puppy -- and he behaves like one, too: barking, breaking things, eating the goldfish... But Claudia and David have fallen in love with him. So what are they to do when they receive word that Major's previous owner now wants him back?
Wednesday, October 15, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Salmon on Sale (#14)
Claudia and Mama are shopping at the new supermarket and, to save money, Claudia decides to buy a salmon steak for David's supper. Problem is, she has no idea whether he likes salmon or not.
Thursday, October 16, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Dinner Plans (#15)
Claudia's upstairs neighbor, Bertha, helps her prepare a salmon mousse for tomorrow's dinner. It's an important dinner, too, since it's the first time that Mama will be dining in their new apartment.
Friday, October 17, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Salmon Mousse (#16)
Claudia has been preparing all day for dinner so, when Mama arrives, Claudia hopes that Mama and David will be won over by her salmon mousse.
Monday, October 20, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Return of the Wedding Presents (#17)
When David and Claudia moved out of Mama's apartment, they left behind four barrels of wedding presents and, tonight, Mama intends to have the presents delivered, unpacked, and arranged in their new apartment while Claudia and David are out for dinner. But the best laid plans...
Tuesday, October 21, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Leaky Faucet (#18)
David is smoking his pipe and reading the evening paper, but Claudia insists on talking and interrupting his reading. To distract her, he decides to fix a leaky faucet...but it seems that he doesn't have the proper tools, so he tries to make do with the materials at hand.
Wednesday, October 22, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Beginning of Our Home (#19)
While shopping downtown, Claudia and Mama stop in at an antique shop where Claudia falls in love with an old broken down chair. She decides to purchase it -- the very first piece of furniture of their very own.
Thursday, October 23, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Family Finances (#20)
Claudia gets a letter from the bank, reporting that she has overdrawn their checking account. To prevent future financial problems, David shows Claudia how to keep track of her expenses. Later, Claudia discovers a mouse in the kitchen and decides to make it her pet.
Friday, October 24, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The New Car (#21)
David invites Claudia to visit him at his office for the very first time and introduces his wife to his secretary, Miss Miller. After the two of them leave the office to go for a walk, David has a surprise for Claudia: a new car of their very own.
Monday, October 27, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Driver's Test (#22)
David drives Claudia down to take her driver's license test in their new car and, as they drive along, he quizzes her on how well she knows the driving laws...but is upset to discover that she doesn't know as much about them as he thought she did.
Tuesday, October 28, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Trip (#23)
Driving back from Connecticut, Claudia, David, and Mama stop at an old inn for dinner and pie. When they're ready to leave, they discover the car is out of gas, which forces them to stay at the inn overnight.
Wednesday, October 29, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

David's Shirt (#24)
When Mama stops by for a visit, she finds that Claudia is organizing the closets. She's trying to show Mama what a good housekeeper she is but, when she starts to iron one of David's shirts, she burns a hole in it...and blows out a fuse...
Thursday, October 30, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

A Beautiful Sunday (#25)
Sunday morning starts out with David fixing breakfast for Claudia, a task for which he is woefully unprepared, after which the two of them go out for a stroll and stop by Mama's apartment to share the evening meal with her.
Friday, October 31, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Driving Downtown (#26)
Claudia's driver's license has arrived in the mail, so she decides to drive Mama downtown to visit David's office. Since she is forced to park in a "no parking" zone, she leaves Mama in the car...and, when she returns, the car is gone, and Mama is, too!
Monday, November 3, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Roger's Visit (#27)
An older architect who works with David visits the Naughton's apartment and brings them a present: a thousand-year-old miniature Chinese porcelain Mandarin.
Tuesday, November 4, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Broken Mandarin (#28)
David and Claudia visit the zoo, watch the feeding of the seals, and buy peanuts for Tillie, the young elephant. When they arrive home, Bertha is just finishing up cleaning...and accidentally breaks the porcelain Mandarin that David co-worker gave them. (The sound effects man got a real workout in this episode!)
Wednesday, November 5, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Engagement Ring (#29)
Claudia never had an engagement ring. At a jewelry store, she falls in love with a "miserable little ring," so David decides to buy it for her. When they show it to Claudia's mother, however, Mama mistakenly thinks that, since she never had an engagement ring either, they have in fact bought it for her!
Thursday, November 6, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Mama is Ill (#30)
After washing the dinner dishes, David and Claudia decide to take in a movie and call Mama to invite her to go along...but she doesn't answer.
Friday, November 7, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

David's Cold (#31)
At morning breakfast, David starts sneezing. Seems that he's caught Mama's cold, but won't admit how sick he is. When he arrives home after work, though, he's obviously quite sick...but, knowing his masculine pride, Claudia has to trick him to staying in bed.
Monday, November 10, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Armistice Day (#32)
In an unusually somber episode, Claudia talks with a woman who lost both a husband and a son in the two world wars. It's a touching tribute to the sacrifices of war and, out of respect for the day, the program foregoes the usual Coca Cola commercials.
Tuesday, November 11, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

The Kittens (#33)
David's cold is much better, but Claudia is still hovering over him so he hatches a plan to give her something else to worry about. He stops at the pet shop and buys her two very young orange kittens that haven't even been weaned yet. That should keep his wife busy!
Wednesday, November 12, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

A Sick Kitten (#34)
David awakes to find Claudia sleeping on the sofa, where she has kept an eye on the new kittens all night. It seems that one of the two kittens has fallen ill, so Claudia calls Mr. Flannery, owner of the pet shop, to find out what to do.
Thursday, November 13, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Stolen Car (#35)
Claudia and David arrive home at midnight and decide to leave their car parked on the street instead of in the garage. At 3:30 AM, the police department calls to report that their car was stolen, but that it has been recovered. But reclaiming it may be a problem.
Friday, November 14, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

A Small Death (#36)
While Claudia is out buying some fish for dinner, her sick kitten dies. The death of the small animal affects her deeply but, when David arrives home, she tries to hide her feelings. Despite her best efforts, however, David senses her pain over the loss of the tiny creature.
Monday, November 17, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Hartley and Julia Return (#37)
David's older brother Harley and his wife Julia have returned from an extended trip to London, so David and Claudia stop by their richly-furnished mansion by for a short visit. Afterwards, they return to their own apartment -- which now seems rather bleak by comparison.
Tuesday, November 18, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

Opera Tickets (#38)
As a surprise, Hartley's wife Julia has sent Claudia and David tickets to the opera -- box seats, no less. Claudia is anxious to go and looks forward to wearing an evening gown...but David hates the opera and, what's more, now has to drag out his old tuxedo to see if it still fits.
Wednesday, November 19, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

A Night at the Opera (#39)
As she prepares to attend the opera, Claudia keeps getting interrupted while she washes her hair. David arrives home and brings her an orchid to wear on her evening gown but, as they both get ready for their night at the opera, they realize they'd much rather go to the movies with Mama.
Thursday, November 20, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

An Available Apartment (#40)
As the Naughton's are settling in for the evening, Fritz, the apartment manager, stops by to inform them that a twelfth floor apartment has suddenly become vacant and that can move in on Monday, if they wish. Finally! Not only their own furniture...but also a window with a view!
Friday, November 21, 1947 - 15:00 - Syndicated, sponsored by Coca Cola

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