Dark Victory

Luck presents Hollywood. Luck's Radio Theatre brings you Betty Davis and Spencer Tracey in Dark Victory. Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr Cecil B. DeMille, greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen.

Each year the actors, directors, producers and other members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vote on the outstanding accomplishments of the year in Hollywood. The last Academy Award for the best performances by an actor and an actress went to Spencer Tracy and Betty Davis.

Both these stars are with us tonight, and even the unemotional lights in front of the Lux Radio Theatre have a special glow of pride in our players and our play, Dark Victory. Our stage is set for a prize-winning achievement, and so is the stage in your home when Lux flakes is starred.

Very domestic producers have discovered that casting luck flakes in a leading role is good business at the household box office. If there's a little more gray in my hair this week, believe me, it came from a task of finding the right dramatic material for two such splendid artists as Betty Davis and Spencer Tracy.

In fact, we considered and rejected dozens of plays before selecting the one we think is perfect, dark victory. As a producer, I've always disliked the type of play known as a vehicle, one that's designed for the actor instead of the audience.

And when there are two noted players in the cast, there's a double danger that the play will turn out to be a double vehicle. But Dark Victory has grip and power and human appeal. And when our curtain falls on the third act, I believe you'll agree with me that this play is really a great emotional experience.