Radio Soap Opera Pioneers: Written for Women by Women

By: Leanora Addorisio

Soap opera audiences were originally exposed to their beloved soap operas via radio communication. In fact, radio soap operas developed as a result of 4 factors during the 1930s which included: the established medium of radio as a form of communication in the US, an identification on the part of advertising agencies to become involved in the development of programs that would suit their needs, the socially acceptable domestic role of women and finally, the recognition from advertisers that women were the primary purchasers in their households (Lavin: 1995).

The acknowledgement and demographic of women in the 1930s not only shaped and attracted a female audience composite but also established a niche role for women in the 1930s; female radio soap opera creators. Credited with the creation of initial radio soap operas are pioneers: producer Anne Hummert, author Elaine (Sterne) Carrington, and most importantly, school teacher Irna Phillips (Nachman: 1998)

Anne Hummert in partnership with her husband Frank Hummert, both producers, realized advertiser's needs to reach the domestic housewife demographic of the 1930s through radio when they produced and created various radio soap operas during the 1930s and 1940s. They are credited with producing the following radio soap operas: Betty and Bob, Ma Perkins and The Romance of Helen Trent, and Just Plain Bill. (Lavin: 1995)

Elaine (Sterne) Carrington was credited for the radio soap operas she produced mainly because her scripts identified radical content. Described as a risqué joker, Carrington enjoyed employing sexual content in her radio soap opera serials. Being a radical character herself, Carrington tried to remain genuine to her audience by reciting her scripts in a Dictaphone, breaking for long breaks, and avoiding the act of listening to her own playbacks. Elaine's basic contributions to radio soaps include both Pepper Young's Family and When a Girl Marries. (Nachman: 1998)

The production of female-oriented radio soap operas in the 1930s expanded the role of women to include not only subjugated housewife or caregiver but also active leader and creative genius. Without knowing it at the time, it may also be argued that each of these female producers, through the creation of their scripts, classified sections of their diverse audiences by creating scripts that would engage each audience member differently. In this sense, the creation of "audience" emerged.

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