One of the wonderful things about living near Hollywood is that you get a better crop of actors available for faithful favorites. The Pasadena Playhouse has had Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, Linda Hunt and Phylicia Rashad have trod the boards.
This December, the Playhouse becomes the Lux Radio Theatre during its 1947 presentation of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. Capra's movie was based on a Philip Van Doren Stern story called, "The Greatest Gift."
The original movie was 120 minutes long and starred James Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as his wife Mary Baily and Lionel Barrymore as the grasping Mr. Potter. Henry Travers played the angel who helps George see just how worthwhile his life has been and earns his angel wings. Threatened with financial ruin, George contemplates suicide, thinking his friends and family would ahve been better off if he had never been born. Clarence lets George see how life would have been for his friends in a world where George never existed.
What makes this 70-minute production special is that the actors dressed in period costumes feature some well-known faces. On Dec. 3, Michael Richards, best known for his role as Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld, played George Bailey with Orson Bean as Clarence. Sara Rue who starred in the TV series Less than Perfect played Mary. As with most radio plays, the actors aren't required to memorize the lines. This is a reader's theater with a radio station set and costumes to set the mood.
If you love the 1946 movie and are open to seeing some of your favorite actors taking on those famous roles, director Stuart Ross' production makes a charming variation.
December 9-11
Tom Hatten
Hal Linden
Robert Picardo
Stephanie Zimbalist
December 16-18
Jamie Farr
Sharon Lawrence
Joe Mantegna
Fred Willard
December 19-23
Markie Post
Larry Mantle
December 29 - January 1
Meredith Baxter
Michael Gross
Dick Van Patten
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
fascinating, thanks PT!
2 - Eric Berlin
This is right in my 'hood -- might go check this out. Thanks for the heads up!