THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER
[SHORT-STORY]
When it was first published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1936, Stephen Vincent Benet’s short
story seemed to its initial readers—with its deft mixture of eerie fantasy, folklore and historic
patriotism—an instant and archetypically American classic.
“Raymond Massey (1. to r.) Cliff Carpenter, and Will Geer are playing the parts of Webster,
Jabez Stone and Mr. Scratch respectively, in "The Devil and Daniel Webster" one of the plays
presented by the Protestant Episcopal Church in its series, GREAT SCENES FROM GREAT
PLAYS. Each week scenes from important plays are presented, with stars of real magnitude in
leading parts. Stage, screen and radio contribute outstanding personalities,with the Episcopal
Actors' Guild cooperating.”
[La Crosse Tribune, December 2, 1948—
“Church Offers 10th Program Friday Night.”] “
“The crying need for greater understanding and neighborliness between nations as well as
between individuals was the underlying reason, why "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen
Vincent Benet was chosen as the 10th radio presentation in the series "Great Scenes from Great
Plays" to be broadcast over station WKTY on Friday from 7 to 7:30 p. m., and sponsored by the
Episcopal families in La Crosse.
“Raymond Massey's portrayal of the "Great Arguer," Daniel Webster, who had to take time out
from his historic debates with Henry Clay over the Missouri Compromise to fight a very real and
persuasive "Mr. Scratch" (the Devil) for his neighbor Jabez Stone's soul is excellent drama.
“It adds another star to his many famous historic stage characterizations which began with
"Washington at Valley Forge" and ended with "Abe Lincoln in Illinois." He is equally well-known
well-known for his starring roles on the screen, such as the "Scarlet Pimpernel," Arsenic and Old
Lace"" and the current "Mourning Becomes Electra.’
In Benet's play, that great Christian, Daniel Webster, is portrayed as willing to risk his worldly
wealth and even his soul to save Jabez Stone, a man he hardly knew . . . because he considered
him a good neighbor. He put the desperate need of Jabez before his own interests.”
[CHRONOLOGY]
THE COLUMBIA WORKSHOP (WABC, NEW YORK—CBS)
[Saturday—
August 6, 1938 “The Devil and Daniel Webster”
[“…This whimsical tale deals with a farmer who sold his soul and then
procured the ghost [sic] of Daniel Webster to argue his case against the
devil when the latter appeared to close the deal…”]
SCRIPT: Charles R. Jackson.
PERSONNEL: Bernard Herrmann (musical director).
EXTANT RECORDING
THE WHA PLAYERS (WHA, MADISON)
[Thursday—4:02-4:30 PM]
October 26, 1939 “The Devil and Daniel Webster”
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (KNX, HOLLYWOOD—CBS)
[Sunday—
November 12, 1939 “The Devil and Daniel Webster”
[“…Irving Reis, author of the famous radio play, ‘Meridian 7-1212,’ is to
direct Walter Huston in a Hollywood portion of this week’s production.
Huston, star of stage, screen and radio, is to be heard in a Norman
Corwin adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benet’s ‘The Devil and Daniel
Webster’…”]
SCRIPT: Norman Corwin.
PERSONNEL: Irving Reis (director).
CAST: Walter Huston, et al.
THE CAVALCADE OF AMERICA (KNX, HOLLYWOOD—CBS)
[Monday—
October 20, 1941 “All That Money Can Buy”
[“…Cavalcade of America will present one of the greatest galaxies of stars
ever to be heard on a Cavalcade broadcast when Edward Arnold and
Walter Huston, two of Hollywood's greatest character actors, co-star in
the production of ‘All That Money Can Buy’… Edward Arnold will be cast
as Daniel Webster who said he had "47 things to do and the Missouri
Compromise to straighten out," but when his neighbor called for help he
went off to battle Mr. Scratch (the devil himself) who will be played by
Walter Huston. Supporting these two stars, Jane Darwell, Motion Picture
Academy Award winner for her portrayal of Ma Joad in "Grapes of
Wrath," will play the mother of Jabez Stone who sold his soul to the
Devil. James Craig will be cast in the role of this calculating individual,
with Anne Shirley playing Mary Stone, Jabez' wife.”]
CAST: Edward Arnold (Daniel Webster), James Craig (Jabez Stone), Jane
Darwell (Ma Stone), Walter Huston (Mr. Scratch), Anne Shirley (Mary Stone).
EXTANT RECORDING
TALES FROM FAR AND NEAR (WCCO
[Friday—4:00-4:30 PM]
April 4, 1946 “The Devil and Daniel Webster”
GREAT SCENES FROM GREAT PLAYS (WOR, NEW YORK—MBS)
[Friday—
December 3, 1948 “The Devil and Daniel Webster”
[“…Raymond Massey will play the leading role… The program will
include Daniel Webster’s famous courtroom plea before the ‘jury of the
dead’…”]
CAST: Cliff Carpenter (Jabez Stone), Will Geer (Mr. Scratch), (Raymond Massey
(Daniel Webster), et al.
THE FAMILY HOUR (
[Sunday—
September 18, 1949 “The Devil and Daniel Webster”
[“…Edward Arnold…”]
CAST: Edward Arnold, et al.
AN HOUR OF SHORT STORIES (NORTH TEXAS RADIO FOR THE BLIND, DALLAS)
[Sunday—1:00-2:00 PM]
February 25, 2007 “The Raft” / “The Chaser” / “The Devil and Daniel Webster”