Talented Childrens Screen Test: The Phil Harris (November 20, 1949)

The Phil Harris, old-time radio on Stupid Potato

“Talented Childrens Screen Test” is an episode of The Phil Harris, the old-time radio show, first broadcast November 20, 1949. Listen free on Stupid Potato: no sign-up, no app.

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What happens

Phil Harris and Alice Faye, as Curly and Alice Harris, wait outside their children's school after the first school play. Curly proudly praises the performances of their daughters, Phyllis and Alice. Phyllis then reports that a talent scout from 20th Century Fox wants to sign her to a movie contract. The parents disagree about whether a child should work in pictures, and Curly's friend Frankie Remley becomes involved in the arrangements. The Phil Harris-Alice Faye show aired on NBC on November 20, 1949.

A school and the Harris family home, with a talent scout expected to visit.

Characters: Curly Harris, Alice Harris, Phyllis Harris, Alice Harris Jr., Frankie Remley, Miss Miller

Listen for: Curly's enthusiasm about his daughters' talent, and the argument over whether Phyllis should go into pictures.

Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.