Young Doctor Malone
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Young Doctor Malone (aka Young Dr. Malone) was a soap opera, created by Irna Phillips, which had a long run on radio and television from 1939 to 1963.
Sponsored by General Foods and Post Cereals, the radio serial began on the Blue Network November 20, 1939, with Alan Bunce as the small town physician, Dr. Jerry Malone, who dispensed prescriptions and advice to the folks of Three Oaks. The 15-minute program aired daily at 11:15am., continuing until April 26, 1940.
Without a break, it moved to CBS on April 29, 1940, where it was heard for two decades, first airing at 2pm weekdays (1940-44) and then 1:30pm (1945-60). In 1945, Procter & Gamble assumed sponsorship of the program.
Others heard in the title role were Carl Frank, Charles Irving (during the mid-1940s) and Sandy Becker (beginning in 1947). With organists Charles Paul and Milton Kaye providing the background music, the storylines focused on Jerry, his wife Ann (Elizabeth Reller, Barbara Weeks) and their daughter, Jill, who was initially played by child impersonator Madeleine Pierce. As Jill grew up, she was portrayed by Joan Lazer and Rosemary Rice. Malone's mother (Evelyn Varden, Vera Allen) usually intruded with a few choice words on the activities of her son. When Jerry made trips to New York, Three Oaks businessman Sam Williams (Berry Kroeger) let Ann know his true feelings for her. During WWII, Jerry was believed to be dead after he was shot down over Germany. In the early 1950s, after Ann's death, Jerry married Tracy (Joan Alexander, Jone Allison, Gertrude Warner).
Ron Rawson was the announcer. Ira Ashley, Stanley Davis, Walter Gorman and Theodora Yates directed the scripts by David Driscoll, Julian Funt, David Leeson and Charles Sussman (1913-2000). Sussman also wrote for The Right to Happiness and The Road of Life. The producer was Betty Corday (1912-1987), who also produced Pepper Young's Family and later was a co-creator with husband Ted Corday of TV's Days of Our Lives.
In the early 1950s, Procter & Gamble had 13 soap operas on the air but decided to expand the audience in June 1952 by recording the live CBS broadcasts of The Brighter Day and Young Dr. Malone and airing them one day later on NBC.
The radio program ended November 25, 1960, known as "the last day of radio soap opera" because CBS cancelled several other series on that day, including Ma Perkins, The Second Mrs. Burton and The Right to Happiness.
[edit] Television
The television series, scripted by Julian Funt and David Lesan, was telecast on NBC from December 29, 1958 to March 29, 1963. The TV storyline contrasted the lives of father and son doctors, Dr. Jerry Malone (William Prince) and Dr. David Malone (John Connell). Jerry's wife, Tracy, was played first by Virginia Dwyer, then by Augusta Dabney. Prince and Dabney became real-life husband and wife in 1964.
Other actors who appeared on the TV show included Nicolas Coster, Hugh Franklin, Joan Hackett, Luke Halpin, Diana Hyland, Emily McLaughlin, Dick Van Patten, Joyce Van Patten, Kathleen Widdoes, Ann Williams, and Lesley Woods.
