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Columbia Presents Corwin

Hailed as "the poet laureate of radio", Norman Corwin created this WWII collection featuring his brilliant writing on topics that mattered the most in his day.

Columbia Presents Corwin

31 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 15 hours, 30 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
16 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from May 13, 2045:

"On a Note of Triump"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Norman Corwin
Norman Corwin, often hailed as "the poet laureate of radio", was one of those rare artists whose genius was recognized in his own time. Corwin began his career as a journalist and settled in as one of CBS's most important writers before WWII. During the 1938-39 season, the Tiffany Network aired Norman Corwin's Words Without Music.

Norman CorwinDuring 1941, Corwin was given complete control of The Columbia Workshop for a period of six months. Marketed as "26 By Corwin", the project required Corwin to conceive, write, cast, rehearse, produce and broadcast an original radio play every seven days. Perhaps Corwin's biggest triumph of 1941 was "We Hold These Truths", which had been written to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. Pearl Harbor was bombed a week before the broadcast was scheduled. Inquiring whether it would be appropriate to continue with the project with War news filling the airwaves, FDR himself said, "now more than ever". In 1942, the network sent Corwin to work with Edward R. Murrow reporting on conditions in wartime London in An American In England.

With war related work beginning to wind down, CBS was ready to begin taking advantage of Corwin's artistic prowess again. Columbia Presents Corwin was intended as a showcase of the writer/producer's work during the 1944 and 1945 seasons. The effort was not meant to be as intense as 26 By Corwin. In fact, several of the episodes over the two seasons featured reused scripts.

Norman Corwin & Orson WellesBoth the reused scripts and the original episodes reflected the high standards of Corwin's writing. "26" had opened with a whimsical play called "A Radio Primer" that poked fun at the self-importance of the Radio Industry. For Columbia Presents, Corwin opened the series with "A Movie Primer". One of the lessons in this Primer was "K Is for Kiss. Kisses are where movies have it all over radio." The program reflected Corwin's wide ranging in social issues, along with the laughs. A series of three episodes explored world cities, Cromer, England, New York and Tel Aviv, and how the War affected them. An artistic highlight of the show was "An American Trilogy" featuring the works of Carl Sandburg, Thomas Wolfe and Walt Whitman.

The War was drawing to a close, and for Corwin there were still serious thoughts to think. The episode "Untitled" was a study of an average soldier who dies in battle for his country. "Home For The Fourth" explores the things that make America great, and why our boys were continuing the fight.

Corwin's most famous broadcast, "On A Note Of Triumph", was written and broadcast at this time but was not part of Columbia Presents. "A Note" was a celebration of Victory in Europe, but Corwin was well aware the job was not finished. "Fourteen August" was the VJ day broadcast and took the form of a soliloquy by Orson Welles. Welles acknowledged that victory came because "God and Uranium" were on our side. The original broadcast was only 15 minutes but was later rebroadcast with Welles and Olivia de Havilland. As the War ended, Corwin chose to close down the series and move on to other projects.

These recordings are also included on Volume 2 of the Corwin Collection.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    CBS began the series, Columbia Presents Corwin, in 1945. Orson Welles did a special reading about the fall of Japan, titled, Fourteen August.

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    31 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 15 hours, 30 min
    31 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 15 hours, 30 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 31 shows - total playtime 15 hours 30 minutes
    2. CW 440307 001 Movie Primer.mp3
    3. CW 440314 002 Long Name None Could Spell.mp3
    4. CW 440321 003 Lonesome Train.mp3
    5. CW 440328 004 Savage Encounter.mp3
    6. CW 440404 005 Odyssey Of Runyon Jones.mp3
    7. CW 440411 006 You Can Dream, Inc.mp3
    8. CW 440418 007 Untitled.mp3
    9. CW 440425 008 Dorie Got Medal.mp3
    10. CW 440502 009 Cliche Expert.mp3
    11. CW 440509 010 Cromer.mp3
    12. CW 440516 011 New York Tapestry For Radio.mp3
    13. CW 440523 012 Tel Aviv.mp3
    14. CW 440530 13 Untitled.mp3
    15. CW 440606 014 American Trilogy 1 Carl Sandburg.mp3
    16. CW 440613 015 American Trilogy 2 Wolfiana.mp3
    17. CW 440620 016 American Trilogy 3 Walt Whitman.mp3
    18. CW 440704 017 Home For Fourth.mp3
    19. CW 440718 018 Moat Farm Murder.mp3
    20. CW 440725 019 El Capitan And Corporal.mp3
    21. CW 440801 020 Pitch To Reluctant Buyers.mp3
    22. CW 440808 021 Very Fine Type Girl.mp3
    23. CW 440815 022 There Will Be Time Later.mp3
    24. CW 450513 On Note Of Triumph.mp3
    25. CW 450703 001 Unity Fair.mp3
    26. CW 450710 002 Daybreak.mp3
    27. CW 450717 003 Undecided Molecule.mp3
    28. CW 450724 04 New York Tapestry For Radio.mp3
    29. CW 450807 006 Savage Encounter.mp3
    30. CW 450814 007 Fourteen August.mp3
    31. CW 450821 008 Laffair Gumpert.mp3
    32. CW 460202 0000 Homecoming.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    31 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 15 hours, 30 min
    31 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 15 hours, 30 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 31 shows - total playtime 15 hours 30 minutes
    2. CW 440307 001 Movie Primer.mp3
    3. CW 440314 002 Long Name None Could Spell.mp3
    4. CW 440321 003 Lonesome Train.mp3
    5. CW 440328 004 Savage Encounter.mp3
    6. CW 440404 005 Odyssey Of Runyon Jones.mp3
    7. CW 440411 006 You Can Dream, Inc.mp3
    8. CW 440418 007 Untitled.mp3
    9. CW 440425 008 Dorie Got Medal.mp3
    10. CW 440502 009 Cliche Expert.mp3
    11. CW 440509 010 Cromer.mp3
    12. CW 440516 011 New York Tapestry For Radio.mp3
    13. CW 440523 012 Tel Aviv.mp3
    14. CW 440530 13 Untitled.mp3
    15. CW 440606 014 American Trilogy 1 Carl Sandburg.mp3
    16. CW 440613 015 American Trilogy 2 Wolfiana.mp3
    17. CW 440620 016 American Trilogy 3 Walt Whitman.mp3
    18. CW 440704 017 Home For Fourth.mp3
    19. CW 440718 018 Moat Farm Murder.mp3
    20. CW 440725 019 El Capitan And Corporal.mp3
    21. CW 440801 020 Pitch To Reluctant Buyers.mp3
    22. CW 440808 021 Very Fine Type Girl.mp3
    23. CW 440815 022 There Will Be Time Later.mp3
    24. CW 450513 On Note Of Triumph.mp3
    25. CW 450703 001 Unity Fair.mp3
    26. CW 450710 002 Daybreak.mp3
    27. CW 450717 003 Undecided Molecule.mp3
    28. CW 450724 04 New York Tapestry For Radio.mp3
    29. CW 450807 006 Savage Encounter.mp3
    30. CW 450814 007 Fourteen August.mp3
    31. CW 450821 008 Laffair Gumpert.mp3
    32. CW 460202 0000 Homecoming.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    31 recordings on 16 Audio CDs. Total playtime 15 hours, 30 min
    31 recordings on 16 Audio CDs
    total playtime 15 hours, 30 min

    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A001

    1. CW 440307 001 Movie Primer
    2. CW 440314 002 Long Name None Could Spell

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A002

    1. CW 440321 003 Lonesome Train
    2. CW 440328 004 Savage Encounter

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A003

    1. CW 440404 005 Odyssey Of Runyon Jones
    2. CW 440411 006 You Can Dream, Inc

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A004

    1. CW 440418 007 Untitled
    2. CW 440425 008 Dorie Got Medal

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A005

    1. CW 440502 009 Cliche Expert
    2. CW 440509 010 Cromer

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A006

    1. CW 440516 011 New York Tapestry For Radio
    2. CW 440523 012 Tel Aviv

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A007

    1. CW 440530 13 Untitled
    2. CW 440606 014 American Trilogy 1 Carl Sandburg

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A008

    1. CW 440613 015 American Trilogy 2 Wolfiana
    2. CW 440620 016 American Trilogy 3 Walt Whitman

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A009

    1. CW 440704 017 Home For Fourth
    2. CW 440718 018 Moat Farm Murder

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A010

    1. CW 440725 019 El Capitan And Corporal
    2. CW 440801 020 Pitch To Reluctant Buyers

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A011

    1. CW 440808 021 Very Fine Type Girl
    2. CW 440815 022 There Will Be Time Later

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A012

    1. CW 450513 On Note Of Triumph

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A013

    1. CW 450703 001 Unity Fair
    2. CW 450710 002 Daybreak

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A014

    1. CW 450717 003 Undecided Molecule
    2. CW 450724 04 New York Tapestry For Radio

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A015

    1. CW 450807 006 Savage Encounter
    2. CW 450814 007 Fourteen August

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Columbia Presents Corwin Disc A016

    1. CW 450821 008 Laffair Gumpert
    2. CW 460202 0000 Homecoming

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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