Saturday’s Children, starring Robert Taylor and Olivia de Havilland was broadcast on October 26, 1936 on the Lux Radio Theater. The title comes from a Mother Goose Rhyme:
Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace;
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go;
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for its living;
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.
Saturday’s Children by Maxwell Anderson
Florrie wants her sister Bobby to settle down and resign herself to society’s norm, just as she did. Bobby seems less interested in the idea of marriage and more in her career. She eventually enters into a passionate love affair with co-worker Rims O’Neal that blossoms into matrimonial life. But soon, both parties begin to feel trapped by their new duties as husband and wife. This is where the real drama starts. (adapted from Goodreads)
The radio cast was led by:
Rims O’Neal – Robert Taylor
Bobby Halevy – Olivia de Havilland
Florrie – Mona Barrie
Both Robert Taylor and Olivia de Havilland were relatively new to Hollywood. In 1936 Robert Taylor’s popularity was at a peak. “1936 will go on record as the year of Edward VIII, the Spanish Civil War and Robert Taylor.” London Observer. The radio studio was packed and the applause for Mr. Taylor loud and exuberant. He also got a lot of laughs. The host was Cecil de Mille.
You can listen to Saturday’s Children here.