O. Henry's Thanksgiving (radio)

“O. Henry’s Thanksgiving” is a radio program from the American radio anthology series Radio Tales. The anthology series adapted classic works of American and world literature for the radio. The series was a recipient of numerous awards, including four Gracie Allen Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television (in 2004, [ [http://www.awrt.org/press-releases/2004/Press_Release_%20Announce_Winners.pdf "AWRT Press Release"] AWRT.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] 2003, [ [http://www.npr.org/about/press/030402.gracie.html "NPR Productions Win Gracie Allen Awards"] NPR.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] 2001, [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20011126020253/www.awrt.org/awards/2000GracieWinners.html "2001 Gracie Allen Award Winners"] AWRT.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] and 1998), a New York Festivals WorldMedal, [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20050207122048/http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/res/pdf/2004RPwinners.pdf "2004 Winners, Radio Programming and Promotion, New York Festivals"] NewYorkFestivals.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] and a Golden Reel Merit Award. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010802161539/www.nfcb.org/2001reelsinfo.html "NFCB Announces 2001 Golden Reel Award Winners"] NFCB.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] The "O. Henry’s Thanksgiving" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the classic short story “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen” by O. Henry.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of “O. Henry’s Thanksgiving” was first broadcast via NPR on September 18, 2001 [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Fall 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. IV] . The program encompassed one half-hour installment that was distributed to NPR member stations as part of the NPR Playhouse cultural series. Since November 28th, 2002, the entire Radio Tales series has aired in reruns on the Sonic Theater channel (163) of the XM Satellite Radio service [ [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/features/sonictheater.xmc "Sonic Theater"] XMRadio.com. Accessed May 22, 2008.] . The “O. Henry’s Thanksgiving” program was the first of the Radio Tales series to air on XM Satellite Radio, and debuted on the Sonic Theater channel on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, 2002.

Production Information

The program was produced and script edited by series producer Winnie Waldron, who also served as the on-air host [ [http://www.winifredphillips.com/wp_bio.html "Winifred Phillips Official Site: Biography"] Winifredphillips.com. Accessed May 19, 2008.] . Composer Winifred Phillips created over twenty-eight minutes of music for the program, and also performed as the featured actress [ [http://www.mninter.net/~jstearns/nprPH.html#top "NPR Playhouse - January - March, 2001"] MNinter.net. Accessed March 21, 2008.] . “O. Henry’s Thanksgiving” was part of the sixth year of Radio Tales on NPR Playhouse [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Fall 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. IV] .

Media

The Radio Tales production of “O. Henry’s Thanksgiving” has been available in numerous formats and venues, including burn-on-demand CDs manufactured and distributed by MP3.com [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20031129193548/artists.mp3s.com/artists/33/npr_radio_tales.html "MP3.com: Radio Tales"] MP3.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed July 15, 2008.] and Ampcast.com [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20060212003627/http://www.ampcast.com/music/25229/artist.php "Ampcast.com: Radio Tales"] Ampcast.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed July 15, 2008.] . Beginning in 2005, programs from the series, including the “O. Henry’s Thanksgiving” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site [ [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=537&ProductCategoryId=59 "audioVille | Stor>>Fiction | Radio Tales | Download Audio Books, Podcasts and more in MP3. Comedy, Fiction, sport, news, science, drama."] Audioville.co.uk. Accessed May 24, 2008.] .

Opening narration

Plot Summary

Stuffy Pete is a homeless man with a yearly tradition of meeting an Old Gentleman at a certain park bench every Thanksgiving Day. Each year the Old Gentleman takes Stuffy Pete to a fancy restaurant and treats him to a huge holiday dinner. But this year, a pair of wealthy ladies have already taken him in and fed him to within an inch of his life. Stuffy Pete is therefore stuffed, and sitting on the very park bench of previous tradition, when the Old Gentleman appears as usual. Stuffy doesn’t have the heart to disappoint the kindly old man. He goes with the Old Gentleman to their traditional restaurant, and eats a second huge holiday dinner while his elderly benefactor watches and smiles. The two men part ways. Later that day, Stuffy is brought to the hospital, the victim of his two holiday dinners. Soon after, the old gentleman is brought to the hospital. He’d been too proud to admit it, but he hadn’t eaten a thing in three days.

References

External Links

* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=537&ProductCategoryId=59 O. Henry’s Thanksgiving page on Audioville.co.uk]
* [http://www.radiotales.com/ The Official Radio Tales® Web Site]
* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view_productcategory.php?Id=59 Radio Tales® Full Catalog on AudioVille]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=163 XM Satellite Radio's Sonic Theater Channel]