The Lord of the Rings (1979 radio series)
Encyclopedia
In 1979 the US National Public Radio broadcast a radio dramatization of J. R. R. Tolkien
's The Lord of the Rings
. It was produced by The Mind's Eye
and has since been made available by several different companies.
It is sometimes confused with the later BBC production in 1981, but is distinguished by the fact that the most widely circulated US edition comes in a wooden box, whether on compact discs or cassette tapes. The Mind's Eye cast for The Hobbit (a separate production) recorded their tracks separately (unlike the BBC production which, like most British radio serials, assembled the cast to record their dialogue together)but the adaptation for The Lord of the Rings was recorded en group and received much praise as being better than the BBC productions ("a masterpiece" (The Courier), "spirited production, stirring music" (Washington Post", "The best available"(Booklist}.
The cast includes Ray Reinhardt (Bilbo), James Arrington
(Frodo), Pat Franklyn (Merry), Mac McCaddon (Pippin), Lou Bliss
(Sam), Bernard Mayes
(Gandalf), Gail Chugg (Narrator), Bernard Mayes
(Tom Bombadil), and Tom Luce (Strider/Aragorn). Additionally, Franklyn, McCaddon, Chugg , Reinhardt, Bob Lewis, John Vickery
, Erik Bauersfeld and Carl Hague were credited for "additional voices".
The radio script of The Lord of the Rings was written by Bernard Mayes
, was an abridged version of the book, and emphasized dialogue over description. The broadcasts totaled more than 11 hours. The budget was small and production time was limited. The cast were local theater players, and the production used stock music and homemade sound effects
. The script of The Lord Of The Rings is notable for including the Tom Bombadil scenes, unlike most other adaptations of the book.
Radio drama was a rarity in the United States at that time, and this production was popular at the time of its broadcast. It was later overshadowed by the BBC radio dramatization. The Mind's Eye also produced a six-hour adaptation of The Hobbit
.
The Mind's Eye adaptation has also been identified with Soundelux
, and, most recently, with Highbridge. The name changes correspond to the companies which owned the rights at different times.
The newer editions of the drama on compact disc and MP3 have a somewhat shorter running time than the original cassettes, omitting or condensing a considerable amount of dialogue and narration.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. It was produced by The Mind's Eye
The Mind's Eye (radio company)
The Mind's Eye was a theater company which produced dramatized radio adaptations of various written works, most notably the 1979 National Public Radio broadcast of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and in 1980, The Hobbit. Its works have been distributed by , Soundelux, and Highbridge Audio...
and has since been made available by several different companies.
It is sometimes confused with the later BBC production in 1981, but is distinguished by the fact that the most widely circulated US edition comes in a wooden box, whether on compact discs or cassette tapes. The Mind's Eye cast for The Hobbit (a separate production) recorded their tracks separately (unlike the BBC production which, like most British radio serials, assembled the cast to record their dialogue together)but the adaptation for The Lord of the Rings was recorded en group and received much praise as being better than the BBC productions ("a masterpiece" (The Courier), "spirited production, stirring music" (Washington Post", "The best available"(Booklist}.
The cast includes Ray Reinhardt (Bilbo), James Arrington
James Arrington
James Arrington is an American stage actor, director, playwright and scholar. His plays are about the people or the culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
(Frodo), Pat Franklyn (Merry), Mac McCaddon (Pippin), Lou Bliss
Lucille Bliss
Lucille Bliss is an American actress and voice artist. A New York City native, she has appeared in films and on television shows, including The Smurfs as Smurfette, Nickelodeon's Invader ZIM and Walt Disney's Cinderella...
(Sam), Bernard Mayes
Bernard Mayes
Anthony Bernard Duncan Mayes is a retired teacher, broadcaster, university dean, lecturer and author. Born in Britain, Mayes is now a citizen of the United States of America. He lives in San Francisco...
(Gandalf), Gail Chugg (Narrator), Bernard Mayes
Bernard Mayes
Anthony Bernard Duncan Mayes is a retired teacher, broadcaster, university dean, lecturer and author. Born in Britain, Mayes is now a citizen of the United States of America. He lives in San Francisco...
(Tom Bombadil), and Tom Luce (Strider/Aragorn). Additionally, Franklyn, McCaddon, Chugg , Reinhardt, Bob Lewis, John Vickery
John Vickery
John Estill Vickery is an American stage and film actor known for his work in Babylon 5 and Star Trek. Vickery grew up in Oakland, California. He attended the University of California at Davis, where he pursued a degree in mathematics...
, Erik Bauersfeld and Carl Hague were credited for "additional voices".
The radio script of The Lord of the Rings was written by Bernard Mayes
Bernard Mayes
Anthony Bernard Duncan Mayes is a retired teacher, broadcaster, university dean, lecturer and author. Born in Britain, Mayes is now a citizen of the United States of America. He lives in San Francisco...
, was an abridged version of the book, and emphasized dialogue over description. The broadcasts totaled more than 11 hours. The budget was small and production time was limited. The cast were local theater players, and the production used stock music and homemade sound effects
Foley (filmmaking)
Foley is a term that describes the process of live recording of sound effects that are created by a Foley artist, which are added in post production to enhance the quality of audio for films, television, video, video games and radio....
. The script of The Lord Of The Rings is notable for including the Tom Bombadil scenes, unlike most other adaptations of the book.
Radio drama was a rarity in the United States at that time, and this production was popular at the time of its broadcast. It was later overshadowed by the BBC radio dramatization. The Mind's Eye also produced a six-hour adaptation of The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
.
The Mind's Eye adaptation has also been identified with Soundelux
Soundelux
Soundelux is an audio post production company based in Hollywood, California. Founded by Lon Bender and Wylie Stateman in 1982, Soundelux is currently a member of the CSS Studios, LLC consortium of sound companies....
, and, most recently, with Highbridge. The name changes correspond to the companies which owned the rights at different times.
The newer editions of the drama on compact disc and MP3 have a somewhat shorter running time than the original cassettes, omitting or condensing a considerable amount of dialogue and narration.