Norman Corwin

Norman Corwin, the legendary writer, director and producer of original radio plays for CBS during the golden age of radio in the 1930s and '40s when he was revered as the "poet of the airwaves," has died. He was 101. Corwin, a journalist, playwright, author and Oscar-nominated screenwriter who was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, said his caregiver, Chris Borjas. The cause was not given. With his often poetic words, Corwin moved and entertained a generation of listeners tuned to the CBS Radio Network during the late 1930s and '40s, with landmark broadcasts ranging from celebrations of the Bill of Rights and the Allied victory in Europe to a light-hearted rhyming play about a demonic plot to overthrow Christmas.

Norman Corwin, the legendary writer, director and producer of original radio plays for CBS during the golden age of radio in the 1930s and '40s when he was revered as the "poet of the airwaves," has died. He was 101. Corwin, a journalist, playwright, author and Oscar-nominated screenwriter who was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, said his caregiver, Chris Borjas. The cause was not given. With his often poetic words, Corwin moved and entertained a generation of listeners tuned to the CBS Radio Network during the late 1930s and '40s, with landmark broadcasts ranging from celebrations of the Bill of Rights and the Allied victory in Europe to a light-hearted rhyming play about a demonic plot to overthrow Christmas.

POLITICS HAS its down-ballot races. So do the Oscars. In Mondo Politico, they bring up the rear behind the headliners for president, governor, U.S. Senate. The school board candidates, the sewer bonds, the annexation measures -- they're all vital to governance and good order, but they're dim wattage against star-power politicians.

So they've given up; they're finally done in and the rat is dead in an alley back of the Wilhemstrasse. Take a bow GI. Take a bow little guy. The superman of tomorrow lies at the feet of you common men of this afternoon. This is it kids. This is the day all the way from Newburyport to Vladivostok You had what it took and you gave it And each of you has a hunk of rainbow around your helmet. Seems like free men have done it again.

The first in a series of radio plays by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Norman Corwin will air tonight on KCLU, Ventura County's only locally based public radio station. The 13-part series, drawn from archives of his plays, will air every Thursday at 7 p.m. on 88.3 FM.

It is not a contradiction to see a Macintosh computer and an ancient Smith-Corona typewriter side by side on Norman Corwin's desk. He may be 83, but he has an agenda that will take him into the 21st Century. For him, some things change, and some things just don't--such as his disdain for mediocrity and his love of freedom. More than 50 years ago, Corwin wrote "We Hold These Truths," a radio show celebrating the Bill of Rights, with Orson Welles as host.

A few years ago I conducted a casual and personal search for someone who might be recognized as the sage of Los Angeles. My choice, finally, was Will Durant, author of "The Story of Philosophy," which is still a best seller after 60 years, and (with his wife, Ariel) the 13-volume "Story of Civilization." With sagacious modesty, Will declined the honor, observing that "wisdom is a repeatedly appearing and disappearing mirage on the road of learning. . . ."

Norman Corwin does not much care for ceremonials and tributes. Last month, when he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, the 83-year-old maestro of the airwaves absented himself from the Chicago festivities and Studs Terkel stepped in to read his acceptance speech. But ask the noted playwright-director-author-performer-commentator about his "Plot to Overthrow Christmas," which can be heard Friday in a live performance on KNX-AM (1070) at 8 p.m.--with subsequent airings on KUSC-FM (Dec.

The legendary writer/director Norman Corwin, now 83, will direct a live broadcast of his award-winning "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas" before an audience in the Thousand Oaks Library at 8 p.m. Friday. The radio broadcast was first heard on CBS in 1938. The evening's festivities include a champagne reception to celebrate the donation of Corwin's radio and film scripts to the Thousand Oaks Library Foundation, which is also the recipient of the CBS archives.

Prof. LeRoy Bannerman has sketched Norman Corwin's entire career, from his first childhood experiments at writing to recent television and stage ventures. The bulk of the book covers the three "golden" decades when Corwin's name meant absolute magic to a nationwide radio audience.

POLITICS HAS its down-ballot races. So do the Oscars. In Mondo Politico, they bring up the rear behind the headliners for president, governor, U.S. Senate. The school board candidates, the sewer bonds, the annexation measures -- they're all vital to governance and good order, but they're dim wattage against star-power politicians.

"Corwin," a documentary about famed radio dramatist Norman Corwin, will be screened at the Museum of Television & Radio in Beverly Hills Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The 80-minute program includes interviews with Corwin and excerpts from some of his productions. "Corwin" was written, directed and produced by Les Guthman in conjunction with the USC School of Journalism. It will be a permanent part of the museum's collection of programs.

Just before the presidential election, National Public Radio will air a freewheeling open forum with three national political leaders, debating the role of the federal government, civil liberties, taxes, race, gender, even matters of personal scandal. No, not President Clinton, Republican candidate Bob Dole and a representative of Ross Perot's Reform Party.

The first in a series of radio plays by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Norman Corwin will air tonight on KCLU, Ventura County's only locally based public radio station. The 13-part series, drawn from archives of his plays, will air every Thursday at 7 p.m. on 88.3 FM.

Norman Corwin is probably best known as the dean of the radio dramatists of the so-called Golden Age, a man who understood how to use the medium of broadcasting to create a veritable symphony of human voices. But, as we discover in "Norman Corwin's Letters," Corwin's radio scripts are not his only handiwork. He has written poems, plays, essays and books; he composes word puzzles and off-color limericks.

Norman Corwin does not much care for ceremonials and tributes. Last month, when he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, the 83-year-old maestro of the airwaves absented himself from the Chicago festivities and Studs Terkel stepped in to read his acceptance speech. But ask the noted playwright-director-author-performer-commentator about his "Plot to Overthrow Christmas," which can be heard Friday in a live performance on KNX-AM (1070) at 8 p.m.--with subsequent airings on KUSC-FM (Dec.

So they've given up; they're finally done in and the rat is dead in an alley back of the Wilhemstrasse. Take a bow GI. Take a bow little guy. The superman of tomorrow lies at the feet of you common men of this afternoon. This is it kids. This is the day all the way from Newburyport to Vladivostok You had what it took and you gave it And each of you has a hunk of rainbow around your helmet. Seems like free men have done it again.

Norman Corwin is probably best known as the dean of the radio dramatists of the so-called Golden Age, a man who understood how to use the medium of broadcasting to create a veritable symphony of human voices. But, as we discover in "Norman Corwin's Letters," Corwin's radio scripts are not his only handiwork. He has written poems, plays, essays and books; he composes word puzzles and off-color limericks.

The legendary writer/director Norman Corwin, now 83, will direct a live broadcast of his award-winning "The Plot to Overthrow Christmas" before an audience in the Thousand Oaks Library at 8 p.m. Friday. The radio broadcast was first heard on CBS in 1938. The evening's festivities include a champagne reception to celebrate the donation of Corwin's radio and film scripts to the Thousand Oaks Library Foundation, which is also the recipient of the CBS archives.