Helpmate (radio program)

This article is about the radio program. For other uses, see Helpmate and Helpmates.

Helpmate is an American old-time radio soap opera. It was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1941, until June 30, 1944.^[1]

Helpmate

Genre	Soap opera
Running time	15 minutes
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
Syndicates	NBC
Starring	Arlene Francis Fern Persons Myron McCormick John Larkin Robert Sloan
Written by	Margaret Lewerth
Produced by	Frank and Anne Hummert
Original release	September 22, 1941 (1941-09-22) – June 30, 1944 (1944-06-30)

Format

In his book, Frank and Anne Hummert's Radio Factory: The Programs and Personalities of Broadcasting's Most Prolific Producers, radio historian Jim Cox wrote that Helpmate focused on the lives of three couples who were neighbors: Linda and Steve Harper, Grace and Clyde Marshall, and Holly and George Emerson.^[2] A Chicago Tribune news item previewing the program described the show as "the story of an unselfish woman who sacrifices much to advance the musical career of the man in whom she believes".^[3]

Personnel

Characters in Helpmate and the actors who portrayed them are shown in the table below.

Character	Actor
Linda Harper	Arlene Francis[4] Fern Persons[4]
Steve Harper	Myron McCormick[4] John Larkin[4] Robert Sloan[5]
Grace Marshall	Judith Evelyn[4] Ruth Perrott[6]
Clyde Marshall	Karl Weber[4]
Holly Emerson	Beryl Vaughn[4]
George Emerson	Sidney Ellstrom[4]
Irene Emerson	Jessie Royce Landis[5]
Holly	Marilyn Erskine[5]
Ed Somers	Richard Widmark[5]

Frank and Anne Hummert were the producers; Margaret Lewerth was the writer.^[1]