The Platinum Blog Starring Jean Harlow

Madame Sans-Gêne

Movie stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood were often heard on the radio airwaves, performing shortened versions of film scripts in front of live audiences as a way to promote the studios and the stars themselves.

Jean Harlow's one radio performance was that of the title role in "Madame Sans-Gêne" for Lux Radio Theatre on December 14, 1936.  Hosted by director Cecil B. DeMille, the cast also included Jean's "Personal Property" co-star, Robert Taylor, plus Claude Raines and C. Henry Gordon.

Anecdotage.com, sourcing the Economist, December 22, 2001, reports this funny behind-the-scenes story from the broadcast:

In 1936, Jean Harlow starred in a multi-part Lux radio play called "Madame Sans-Gêne" opposite Robert Taylor. Hours before each episode began to air, a vast queue would form outside the studio at the Music Box Theatre in Hollywood. Seating inside was limited and as many as 1,000 people were turned away. They did not always go quietly...

During a broadcast one evening, the overflow crowd refused to disperse and finally crashed through the cordon of police and into the theatre while the show was in progress.

Incredibly, despite the thunderous noise, listeners were unaware that anything unusual had happened: at the precise moment the riot started, the script had called for a mob scene!

"Madame Sans-Gêne" is a comedy set during the French Revolution and is based on the life of Catherine Hubscher, a laundress who washed and ironed Napoleon's clothes and became the wife of the Marshal of France.  She earned the nickname, Madame Sans-Gêne (Mrs. No Embarrassment, or Mrs. Devil May Care) due to her penchant for free speech and improper manners at court.

The story originated in play form in 1893, which also spawned a novel, opera and several films, including a 1924 version starring Gloria Swanson and a 1961 version starring Sophia Loren.

Thanks to the continuing Old Time Radio (OTR) enthusiast preservation movement, Jean's performance, which is currently in the public domain, has been preserved in many formats over the years.

Here for your listening enjoyment, is Jean Harlow and company

in "Madame Sans-Gêne." (Click link to launch MP3 in browser.)

For those of you who'd like your own copy - I got mine from Ebay seller Adam's Old Time Radio Shows.  It came on Lux Radio Theare Disc #6, which includes 49 other episodes - all for the low price of $4.99, with free (and speedy delivery) shipping.   

Starr Talk with Sonny Starr

If you're a member of our Jean Harlow Yahoo! Group (and if not, you should be!) then you're very familiar with Ace Collins, a distinguished contributor since January 2007. 

Ace is not only an accomplished best-selling author, he's also a long time Harlow fan and collector. His posts and comments are always delightfully insightful and uplifting to read.  So it was a thrill to recently hear him speak about Jean on the wonderful classic Hollywood radio program, Starr Talk with Sonny Starr.

Sonny Starr, who produces his show from Springfield, Ore., is among the rare breed of radio broadcasters dedicated to keeping Hollywood history alive on the airwaves for all of us to enjoy. Show engineer, John Brambora, is also an important part of the show as he adds facts and commentary to the stimulating conversations.

Sonny's guest list reads like a Who's Who of film, television and music: Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Jane Russell,  Margaret O'Brien, Terry Moore, Pat Boone, Andy Williams, Frankie Avalon, James Arness, Shirley Jones, Tony Dow, Dick Van Patten and Paul Petersen, just to name a few.

Starr Talk airs live each Sunday evening at 9 pm KKNX Solid Gold Radio 84 AM in Eugene, Ore.  You can also listen online by following this link.  Additionally, Sonny provides free copies of his archived show ($5 shipping/handling fee applies) so if there's one you missed be sure to go to his website and put your request in.

On May 25th, Ace, Sonny and John joined forces to present a wonderful tribute to Jean.   Sonny tells me that Jean's unique-for-it's-time combination of spot-on comic timing and sex appeal, as well as the plethora of work she left behind despite her tragic early death at age 26, made her a topic of intrigue for his show.  He noted that Ace's contributions and Jean's loyal, strong fan base resulted in the tribute receiving the highest ratings for any of his shows to-date.

And because Sonny is so enthusiastic about this tribute show, and in order to share it with as many Harlow fans as possible, he kindly and generously sent me a copy with his permission to publish it online here at The Platinum Page.

Thank you, Sonny!  And thank you, Ace, for always being a true ambassador of Jean's memory!

Starr Talk with Sonny Starr
Tribute to Jean Harlow
Guest: Ace Collins
Original Air Date: Sunday, May 25, 2008

Segment 1 (Introduction)

Segment 2 (Interview with Ace Collins)

Segment 3 (Sonny and John discuss Jean's career)

Segment 4 (Wrap up)