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One Man's Family
The show, written by Carlton E. Morse, told the stories of the Barbour family as they grew and changed against the backdrop of an ever-evolving world. The shows began airing in 1932, and followed the ups and downs of San Francisco stockbroker Henry Barbour, his wife Fanny, their five children and succeeding generations all the way up until 1959. Anthony Smythe played Henry Barbour to perfection for the show's entire 27-year run, taking him from strict patriarch to adoring great-grandfather. The family even had a stint on television - on NBC primetime from 1949 - 1952 and as a daytime serial from 1954 - 1955. The whole goal of the show was to emphasize the value of family - something that writer Morse believed had deteriorated after the war. So, with John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga as his model, Morse created an epic family tree complete with distinct personalities and realistic, often dramatic, situations. From secret elopements to adoptions to sudden death, One Man's Family struck a brilliant balance between the stark realism of the world and human nature with warm, familial sentimentality. It was a combination that worked for nearly three decades, causing America to become so involved with the Barbours it was almost as if they were, well, family. Memorabilia from One Man's Family is not very common, but is still reasonably priced when found. And because the show is such a landmark in the history of radio, any pieces would certainly prove a good investment.
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