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We are never conscious that it is a man playing the role we fully accept that it is, in fact, an ape, making the ferocity of the creature all the more terrifying. The believability of the ape in The Ape Song is essential to conveying the story, and Brad Barker does not disappoint. On Jack Benny's Chevrolet Program of March 18th, 1934, Brad Barker played five individual human roles, and also played a horse! Among Barker's extant performances, more than half are animal roles. Barker was not only in demand as a general actor, but also as the go-to guy for animal roles, an actor known in radio as a 'crawk' (a word possibly formed as an onomatopoeia of their 'lines'). Rounding out the cast is one of the most specialized of radio specialists, actor Brad Barker. In fact, radio comedienne Sara Berner, known for her lackadaisical demeanor and distinctive Brooklyn twang, had a lucrative second career as a screamer-for-hire. Radio shows would often bring in a performer who was a specialist, or at least quite adept, in the art of screaming. The character of Cecily also delivers one of the most chilling screams in radio, although we cannot be certain that it is Ruth Yorke who delivers it. The well-tested reserve of her character sets off, by contrast, the high-voltage climax of the story. Supporting Johnson is Ruth Yorke, who provides a comparatively restrained performance as Cecily, Crain's long-suffering wife and the target of his mayhem. #Simian broadcast software free download series#His earlier training on Inner Sanctum provided Johnson with the skills that allow him to turn in a deliciously over-the-top performance, in one of the most over-the-top series in radio. Raymond Edward Johnson's familiarity to radio listeners of the era, as the quintessential horror host of Inner Sanctum Mysteries, certainly would not have hampered his portrayal of a cold-blooded killer. What Folliette fails to consider, however, is that evolution may be a two-way street.Īs self-important hunter Crain Folliette, Johnson brings a healthy dose of superiority to his character, so that we believe him to be capable of murder without remorse. ![]() He has no qualms about forcing the ape to perform a task that he himself would be incarcerated or executed for, demanding that the animal evolve, or perhaps 'devolve', into a state of humanity at its worst. In The Ape Song, big game hunter Crain Folliette (Raymond Edward Johnson) returns from his latest African safari with a live ape, and the intention of having the beast murder his wife. Despite the quaint Darwinian notion that we, as a species, have evolved to a higher level than our simian brethren, we still rob, abuse, and even kill our fellow beings at a rate that would make King Kong blush. The Ape Song makes a strong case for the latter theory. What really separates us? Is it our civilized behaviour, our tacit commitment to the rights of our fellow human beings, and a collective striving for the advancement of culture through science, philosophy, and the arts? If you are interested in purchasing Raduga.Man and Ape.
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