Family Theater Productions
Radio
In 1945, Father Peyton persuaded the Mutual Broadcasting Company network to give him a free half-hour for a program to pray for and support families. It was scheduled for Mother’s Day, May 13. He recruited Bing Crosby, one of the country’s biggest stars, to give a talk, and the parents and sister of the famous five brothers who died on the same ship during World War II to lead families in praying a decade of the Rosary. Less than a week before the program, the Germans surrendered, and President Truman declared May 8 as VE Day and May 13 as a national day of prayer and thanksgiving for the end of the war in Europe and for those who lost their lives. More than 300 stations picked up the show, which got excellent reviews by newspapers.
Family Theater Classic Radio
With this success, Father Peyton asked Mutual for a weekly half-hour program. Mutual eventually agreed as long as the series was nonsectarian, featured Hollywood stars and was well-written and produced. It was and the series went on to win 14 awards including the best radio program of the year in 1947-1951 by several trade magazines and daily newspapers. It became one of the longest running weekly dramatic radio programs, airing for 22 years. More than 550 programs featured over 400 Hollywood stars. More »
Voz Latina
Father Peyton produced a few radio specials in the years after the series, but it wasn’t until 26 years later and five years after his death that Family Theater in 1996 returned to producing a dramatic radio series, but this time in Spanish.
Today in dozens of cities in the United States, Puerto Rico, Europe, Central and South America, Spanish-speaking people are listening to and enjoying the serialized dramas for and about U.S. Latinos. More »
Behind the Scenes
07/16/10 - Family Theater Productions' intern Hai-Tan Le edits a trailer with the assistance of Father David Guffey, CSC, the Catholic media ministry's Director of Film and Television. »