The Court of Human Relations is an American old-time radiohuman-interest program and very first court show, pioneering the popular judicial genre that would later transform into televised entertainment. It was broadcast on NBC, CBS, and Mutual at various times, beginning January 1, 1934, and ending January 1, 1939.[1] Sometimes referred to as True Story Court of Human Relations,[2] not only was it radio's first courtroom series,[3] but it was "one of the first sponsored programs ever carried on CBS."[4]
Episodes of The Court of Human Relations featured actual court cases that were re-created by actors."[5] Michele Hilmes, in Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States, described the program as "a forerunner of much of the material on Court TV or Judge Judy."[6]
Material for the program came from articles in True Story magazine, which also sponsored the show. In Media Lost and Found, media historian Erik Barnouw (who directed some episodes of the program) wrote:
In a typical story a young woman tells of being seduced, then abandoned, by some fellow who proves unworthy. She, after bearing a child out of wedlock, is trying hard to put her life together again. The end was always moral, but True Story owed its success to making sure that its readers — later its radio listeners — first savored fully the adventure of a sinful liaison.[7]
Audience responseEdit
Listeners were asked to arrive at their own verdicts for each case presented and to submit those verdicts by mail.[1] The sponsor awarded prizes for the best responses each week. Workers in the Contest Department of McFadden Publications, publisher of True Story magazine, sorted the verdicts that arrived by the thousands weekly. Elizabeth W. Neil, who supervised the processing, said that verdicts arrived "from all sorts of addresses upon all kinds of stationery."[8] She added that people who submitted verdicts include "employees of big business concerns ... housewives ... [and] professional men, lawyers dominating this class."[8]
PersonnelEdit
The program's one continuing character was the judge, played by Percy Hemus. Actors who often appeared in supporting roles included Lucille Wall, Helene Dumas, Florence Baker, Rita Vale, Hanley Stafford, Wilmer Walter, Vera Allen, Alice Reinheart, Ned Wever, and Betty Worth. Announcers were Charles O'Connor and Paul Douglas. Arnold Johnson provided music. William Sweets wrote, produced, and directed.[1]
Broadcast scheduleEdit
Starting Date
Ending Date
Network
Duration
January 1, 1934
April 22, 1934
NBC
45 minutes
May 4, 1934
August 30, 1935
CBS
30 minutes
September 6, 1935
May 26, 1938
NBC
30 minutes
October 9, 1938
January 1, 1939
Mutual
30 minutes
Source:On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio[1]
FilmEdit
In the second half of the 1930s, Columbia Pictures produced a series of short subjects (10 minutes long)[9] based on The Court of Human Relations. The first, "Mad Money",[10] was shown in "125 key cities" beginning on September 4, 1936,[11] with additional episodes scheduled for monthly production. B.K. Blake was the series' producer and director. The films were based on material from True Story and other McFadden publications. The series was promoted on the air during broadcasts of the program.[10]
TelevisionEdit
A daily afternoon version of The Court of Human Relations began on NBC-TV on June 22, 1959, and ended on August 21, 1959.[12] A.L. Alexander was the program's creator, producer, and moderator. The show replaced Haggis Baggis in the network's lineup.[13] Three mediators joined Alexander each day, with two cases presented in each episode.[14] The program was panned by William Ewald, a columnist for United Press International. In a column printed in the June 24, 1959, issue of the New Castle (Pennsylvania) News, he described the show as "just a cheap peep show, a keyhole cavalcade, and a rather mournful reflection on the taste of TV programmers."[15]
In 1960, 50 half-hour episodes of the program were available for syndication.[16]
ReferencesEdit
^ abcdDunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. pp. 182-183. ISBN978-0-19-507678-3. Retrieved 2019-10-30. The Court of Human Relations, dramatized human interest.
^"(photo caption)" (PDF). Radio Index. February 1935. p. 26. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
^Bianculli, David (2016). The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN9780385540285. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
^"True Story Returns" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 1, 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
^Erickson, Hal (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows: Factual and Fictional Series About Judges, Lawyers and the Courtroom, 1948-2008. McFarland. p. 5. ISBN9780786454525. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
^Hilmes, Michele (2013). Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States. Cengage Learning. p. 101. ISBN978-1133307303. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
^Barnouw, Erik (2001). Media Lost and Found. Fordham Univ Press. p. 151. ISBN9780823220991. Retrieved 10 April 2017. Court of Human Relations radio.
^ abSwain, Howard (July 1934). "Ten Million Jurors For True Story Court". Radio Mirror. 2 (3): 36–37, 76. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
^"Court of Human Relations (ad)". Radio Mirror. 6 (5): 89. September 1936. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^ ab"Exploitettes". The Film Daily. September 4, 1936. p. 10. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^"First 'Court' Short Dated". The Film Daily. August 11, 1936. p. 2. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
^McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 183. ISBN0-14-02-4916-8.
^"(untitled brief)" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 13, 1959. p. 82. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
^"A.L. Alexader [sic] Acts As Mediator As New 'Court' Show Has Debut". The Daily Herald. Utah, Provo. June 22, 1959. p. 19. Retrieved April 11, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Ewald, William (June 24, 1959). "Television In Review". New Castle News. Pennsylvania, New Castle. United Press International. p. 28. Retrieved April 11, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^"New programming firm enters the field" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 6, 1960. pp. 84–85. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
External linksEdit
An episode of The Court of Human Relations from the Internet Archive
"Behind the Scenes of the Court of Human Relations" article in Radio Mirror (September 1935)
August 28, 2023
court, human, relations, american, time, radio, human, interest, program, very, first, court, show, pioneering, popular, judicial, genre, that, would, later, transform, into, televised, entertainment, broadcast, mutual, various, times, beginning, january, 1934. The Court of Human Relations is an American old time radio human interest program and very first court show pioneering the popular judicial genre that would later transform into televised entertainment It was broadcast on NBC CBS and Mutual at various times beginning January 1 1934 and ending January 1 1939 1 Sometimes referred to as True Story Court of Human Relations 2 not only was it radio s first courtroom series 3 but it was one of the first sponsored programs ever carried on CBS 4 The Court of Human RelationsOther namesTrue Story Court of Human RelationsCountry of originUnited StatesLanguage s EnglishTV adaptationsThe Court of Human RelationsStarringPercy HemusAnnouncerCharles O ConnorPaul DouglasWritten byWilliam SweetsDirected byWilliam SweetsProduced byWilliam SweetsOriginal releaseJanuary 1 1934 1934 01 01 January 1 1939 1939 01 01 Contents 1 Format 2 Audience response 3 Personnel 4 Broadcast schedule 5 Film 6 Television 7 References 8 External linksFormat EditEpisodes of The Court of Human Relations featured actual court cases that were re created by actors 5 Michele Hilmes in Only Connect A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States described the program as a forerunner of much of the material on Court TV or Judge Judy 6 Material for the program came from articles in True Story magazine which also sponsored the show In Media Lost and Found media historian Erik Barnouw who directed some episodes of the program wrote In a typical story a young woman tells of being seduced then abandoned by some fellow who proves unworthy She after bearing a child out of wedlock is trying hard to put her life together again The end was always moral but True Story owed its success to making sure that its readers later its radio listeners first savored fully the adventure of a sinful liaison 7 Audience response EditListeners were asked to arrive at their own verdicts for each case presented and to submit those verdicts by mail 1 The sponsor awarded prizes for the best responses each week Workers in the Contest Department of McFadden Publications publisher of True Story magazine sorted the verdicts that arrived by the thousands weekly Elizabeth W Neil who supervised the processing said that verdicts arrived from all sorts of addresses upon all kinds of stationery 8 She added that people who submitted verdicts include employees of big business concerns housewives and professional men lawyers dominating this class 8 Personnel EditThe program s one continuing character was the judge played by Percy Hemus Actors who often appeared in supporting roles included Lucille Wall Helene Dumas Florence Baker Rita Vale Hanley Stafford Wilmer Walter Vera Allen Alice Reinheart Ned Wever and Betty Worth Announcers were Charles O Connor and Paul Douglas Arnold Johnson provided music William Sweets wrote produced and directed 1 Broadcast schedule EditStarting Date Ending Date Network DurationJanuary 1 1934 April 22 1934 NBC 45 minutesMay 4 1934 August 30 1935 CBS 30 minutesSeptember 6 1935 May 26 1938 NBC 30 minutesOctober 9 1938 January 1 1939 Mutual 30 minutesSource On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio 1 Film EditIn the second half of the 1930s Columbia Pictures produced a series of short subjects 10 minutes long 9 based on The Court of Human Relations The first Mad Money 10 was shown in 125 key cities beginning on September 4 1936 11 with additional episodes scheduled for monthly production B K Blake was the series producer and director The films were based on material from True Story and other McFadden publications The series was promoted on the air during broadcasts of the program 10 Television EditA daily afternoon version of The Court of Human Relations began on NBC TV on June 22 1959 and ended on August 21 1959 12 A L Alexander was the program s creator producer and moderator The show replaced Haggis Baggis in the network s lineup 13 Three mediators joined Alexander each day with two cases presented in each episode 14 The program was panned by William Ewald a columnist for United Press International In a column printed in the June 24 1959 issue of the New Castle Pennsylvania News he described the show as just a cheap peep show a keyhole cavalcade and a rather mournful reflection on the taste of TV programmers 15 In 1960 50 half hour episodes of the program were available for syndication 16 References Edit a b c d Dunning John 1998 On the Air The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio Revised ed New York NY Oxford University Press pp 182 183 ISBN 978 0 19 507678 3 Retrieved 2019 10 30 The Court of Human Relations dramatized human interest photo caption PDF Radio Index February 1935 p 26 Retrieved 10 April 2017 Bianculli David 2016 The Platinum Age of Television From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead How TV Became Terrific Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group ISBN 9780385540285 Retrieved 10 April 2017 True Story Returns PDF Broadcasting May 1 1934 p 14 Retrieved 11 April 2017 Erickson Hal 2009 Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows Factual and Fictional Series About Judges Lawyers and the Courtroom 1948 2008 McFarland p 5 ISBN 9780786454525 Retrieved 10 April 2017 Hilmes Michele 2013 Only Connect A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States Cengage Learning p 101 ISBN 978 1133307303 Retrieved 10 April 2017 Barnouw Erik 2001 Media Lost and Found Fordham Univ Press p 151 ISBN 9780823220991 Retrieved 10 April 2017 Court of Human Relations radio a b Swain Howard July 1934 Ten Million Jurors For True Story Court Radio Mirror 2 3 36 37 76 Retrieved 12 April 2017 Court of Human Relations ad Radio Mirror 6 5 89 September 1936 Retrieved 13 April 2017 a b Exploitettes The Film Daily September 4 1936 p 10 Retrieved 13 April 2017 First Court Short Dated The Film Daily August 11 1936 p 2 Retrieved 13 April 2017 McNeil Alex 1996 Total Television 4th ed New York New York Penguin Books USA Inc p 183 ISBN 0 14 02 4916 8 untitled brief PDF Broadcasting April 13 1959 p 82 Retrieved 11 April 2017 A L Alexader sic Acts As Mediator As New Court Show Has Debut The Daily Herald Utah Provo June 22 1959 p 19 Retrieved April 11 2017 via Newspapers com Ewald William June 24 1959 Television In Review New Castle News Pennsylvania New Castle United Press International p 28 Retrieved April 11 2017 via Newspapers com New programming firm enters the field PDF Broadcasting June 6 1960 pp 84 85 Retrieved 11 April 2017 External links EditAn episode of The Court of Human Relations from the Internet Archive Behind the Scenes of the Court of Human Relations article in Radio Mirror September 1935 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Court of Human Relations amp oldid 1029375361, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
