There are straight-faced adaptations of the Nativity, but it's a little more fascinating to discover the few programs which tell stories that were not actually Biblical. The very concept of a radio program hosting a "Christmas episode" was one that came about slowly; certainly in the early 1930s the cast would pause to say "Merry Christmas" when their program fell on the 24th or 25th, but even Jack Benny took some time to develop his annual Christmas shopping trips (not 'til the late 30s). Christmas-themed episodes truly came into vogue during World War II, probably because the absence of so many family members in the listening audience was a powerful emotion to tap into. When the war ended, the trend became, if anything, even grander; virtually every post-war radio program would deliver at least one Christmas episode during the season, even if the show were a detective program (Dragnet, Richard Diamond), a movie adaptation showcase (Lux Radio Theater) or western (Gunsmoke).
We'll begin with author Charles Tazewell, a name we'll be returning to a few times. Tazewell wrote for the radio but the tales I'm featuring were published later on as children' books. We'll start with one of his best-known tales, "The Littlest Angel." The first version was presented in 1940 but we don't have many of the early broadcasts. Perhaps the most amazing version to discover would be the 1945 version. It aired in the timeslot belonging to Inner Sanctum Mysteries and was directed by the show's director Himan Brown and sponsored by their sponsor, Lipton Tea. Other shows would air a Christmas tale in place of their usual fare regardless of the program's typical content - but one understands why they wouldn't want a charming kid-friendly Biblical story to open with the creaking door and a few puns by Mr. Host. Still, I really wish Brown had aired "the Littlest Angel" as an episode of Inner Sanctum Mysteries, the contrast would have been hilarious!
The story concerns the troubles of a child-angel who is homesick for his life on Earth - because like the majority of popular culture surrounding angels this story thinks angels were formerly human (the Bible is very clear that they're a different form of life from humans). With the birth of Jesus, the little angel brings a gift in the hopes of pleasing God.
You can hear a version of "The Littlest Angel" that aired on Family Theater on December 21, 1949 here! Loretta Young narrates the story; the last third of the show features a choir singing Christmas carols.
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