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One World Flight

In 1946, Norman Corwin spent 4 months on a flying trip around the world, carrying 225 pounds of recording equipment to 16 countries. What should have been a broadcasting triumph was aired in the same timeslot as Bob Hope, dooming One World Flight to relative obscurity.

One World Flight

12 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 5 hours, 55 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
6 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from January 14, 1947:

"Introduction"



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

Corwin

To help heal the wounds of WWII, this series chronicles Norman Corwin's four-month travels in 1947 and his recorded interviews of different peoples' perspective around the world. 

Wendell Willkie ran for President of the United States in 1940 as a Republican. He was defeated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. After the election he became a devoted internationalist and supporter of Roosevelt, campaigning against Isolationism and speaking out for FDR's Lend-Lease program. In late 1941, as Roosevelt's personal representative, Willkie travelled to Britain and the Middle East; the following year he travelled to the Soviet Union and China. In 1943 he published "One World", in which he recounted his world travels and urged America to accept some form of World Government after the war. The One World Award was later set up in by Willkie. The awardees, who would be selected for exemplifying the One World Ideal, would be awarded a grant for a world tour similar to the one taken by Willkie himself.

The first One World Award was given to Norman Corwin, considered the Poet Laureate of Radio. Of his many works, two that are considered most influential in his receiving the award are We Hold These Truths and On a Note of Triumph. We Hold These Truths was broadcast on Dec 15, 1941, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights. Writing and preparation for the production had begun well before the previous weeks attack on Pearl Harbor, but the National crisis made the program even more poignant. Corwin wrote On a Note of Triumph as a morale booster to the men overseas. Wendell WillkieWhen news that the war in Europe reached him, he thought the program would be scrapped. President Truman insisted that the program was needed "now more than ever." On a Note of Triumphwas first broadcast on VE Day, May 8, 1945.

For the Willkie One World Award trip, Corwin flew from New York in June of 1946 with a recording engineer and 225 pounds of recording equipment. Four months, 42,000 miles, 16 countries, and more than 100 hours of recorder interviews were worked into 13 half hour broadcasts. The interviews, which were often conducted through on the spot interpreters, were worked in along with Corwin's commentary. "Prince and fellah, commissar and coolie, pundit and stevedore" all were interviewed and contributed to the effort. Access was granted to world leaders, and to widows who had lost most of their family to the war. A recurring theme would be apprehension of the things that could lead to another war, this time with atomic consequences.

As an important public service program as One World Flight was, as well as great radio programming, the newtork chose to air the program on Tuesday nights, opposite Bob Hope, a death-watch time slot.

See also: 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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    Great show. An interesting look at the world post WWII. I think history enthusiasts would especially like this show.

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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.



    12 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 5 hours, 55 min
    12 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 5 hours, 55 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 12 shows - total playtime 5 hours 55 minutes
    2. One World Flight 470114 01 Introduction To One World Flight.mp3
    3. One World Flight 470121 02 Great Britain.mp3
    4. One World Flight 470128 03 Western Europe.mp3
    5. One World Flight 470204 04 Sweden And Poland.mp3
    6. One World Flight 470218 06 Czechoslovakia.mp3
    7. One World Flight 470225 07 Italy.mp3
    8. One World Flight 470304 08 Egypt And India.mp3
    9. One World Flight 470311 09 India Shanghai-Far Eastern Cities.mp3
    10. One World Flight 470318 10Phillipines.mp3
    11. One World Flight 470325 11 Australia.mp3
    12. One World Flight 470401 12 New Zealand.mp3
    13. One World Flight 470408 13 Final Summary.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    12 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 5 hours, 55 min
    12 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    total playtime 5 hours, 55 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 12 shows - total playtime 5 hours 55 minutes
    2. One World Flight 470114 01 Introduction To One World Flight.mp3
    3. One World Flight 470121 02 Great Britain.mp3
    4. One World Flight 470128 03 Western Europe.mp3
    5. One World Flight 470204 04 Sweden And Poland.mp3
    6. One World Flight 470218 06 Czechoslovakia.mp3
    7. One World Flight 470225 07 Italy.mp3
    8. One World Flight 470304 08 Egypt And India.mp3
    9. One World Flight 470311 09 India Shanghai-Far Eastern Cities.mp3
    10. One World Flight 470318 10Phillipines.mp3
    11. One World Flight 470325 11 Australia.mp3
    12. One World Flight 470401 12 New Zealand.mp3
    13. One World Flight 470408 13 Final Summary.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



    12 recordings on 6 Audio CDs. Total playtime 5 hours, 55 min
    12 recordings on 6 Audio CDs
    total playtime 5 hours, 55 min

    One World Flight Disc A001

    1. One World Flight 470114 01 Introduction To One World Flight
    2. One World Flight 470121 02 Great Britain

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    One World Flight Disc A002

    1. One World Flight 470128 03 Western Europe
    2. One World Flight 470204 04 Sweden And Poland

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    One World Flight Disc A003

    1. One World Flight 470218 06 Czechoslovakia
    2. One World Flight 470225 07 Italy

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    One World Flight Disc A004

    1. One World Flight 470304 08 Egypt And India
    2. One World Flight 470311 09 India Shanghai-Far Eastern Cities

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    One World Flight Disc A005

    1. One World Flight 470318 10Phillipines
    2. One World Flight 470325 11 Australia

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    One World Flight Disc A006

    1. One World Flight 470401 12 New Zealand
    2. One World Flight 470408 13 Final Summary

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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