Podcast Summary: Make Believe Town Hollywood – "A Very Important Appointment" (1948-08-08)

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Title: Make Believe Town Hollywood – A Very Important Appointment
Original Air Date: August 8, 1948
Summary Date: November 12, 2025
Duration: ~29 minutes

Episode Overview

This episode of Make Believe Town Hollywood presents "A Very Important Appointment," a dramatic, nostalgic look into the life of Evelyn Dennis—a Hollywood star struggling with her career choices and haunted by a pivotal promise she made as a young girl. The story delves into the dreams, disillusionments, and defining moments that shape a woman's path from obscurity to stardom. Set against the glittering but uncertain backdrop of post-war Hollywood, the episode examines themes of ambition, regret, and the enduring power of formative relationships.

Key Discussion Points and Plot Highlights

1. Introduction and Framing of the Story (00:35–02:43)

• Narrator (Richard Evans) sets the stage for this story of Hollywood romance and ambition.
• Virginia Bruce (as herself) introduces the character of Evelyn Dennis, a fictionalized film star, hinting at a secret from her past that profoundly shaped her life.

2. Evelyn Dennis' Career Crossroads (02:43–05:15)

• On a Hollywood soundstage, director Richard Evans offers Evelyn the lead in a sure-hit film, "Dark Alibi," but she dreams of something more challenging and transformative.
  • Quote: "I've been in Hollywood for six years and I've played the same part in every picture... I want to play comedy. I want to play vital lassie women."
    – Evelyn Dennis ([03:43–03:55])
• Discussion on the risks of career change, especially for women in Hollywood.
  • Quote: "All you need is one real flop and they'll all be too scared to take another chance on you. You'll be finished."
    – Richard Evans ([04:14–04:26])
• Evelyn reveals she has "a very important appointment" that evening—something deeply personal.

3. Flashback: Evelyn's Youth as Eva Deutsch (06:41–13:45)

• The story flashes back ten years to Eva's life as a lonely, bookish teenager in Venice, California.
• Eva's strained social life and intellectual leanings create distance from her peers but closeness to her mother.
  • Quote: "They're not just any books, Ma. They're plays. Shakespeare and Eugene O'Neill. If I'm going to be an actress, I've got to study them, don't I?"
    – Eva ([08:24–08:32])
• Eva's ocean-side encounter with Lee Lawrence, a compassionate older boy and aspiring aviator, who recognizes her loneliness and intellect.
  • Quote: "Maybe because I was so much like you when I was a kid. Lonely and defiant and living within myself. Maybe I want to get you out of it before it hurts you too much."
    – Lee Lawrence ([12:19–12:35])
• The idea of striving for something great despite others' disbelief brings them together.

4. Forming the Pact (13:45–15:33)

• Lee and Eva make a solemn pact: to meet in ten years, June 1st, 1949, to see what became of their dreams.
  • Quote: "Let's make a pact. No matter what happens, we'll meet here June 1st, 1949."
    – Eva ([13:56–14:16])
• Their signature on a slip of paper cements the emotional core of the episode.

5. Eva's Early Steps Towards Acceptance (16:02–19:43)

• Eva pushes past social rejection to join her school's Dramatic Society, eventually landing a significant role.
  • Quote: "You need more than talent in this world, you know. You got to have lots of stuff to plug."
    – Ms. Mason ([17:07–17:09])
• Her budding friendship with Lee helps her gain confidence and acceptance among her peers.

6. Emotional Confession and the Bond Between Lee and Eva (19:53–21:14)

• Eva's romantic feelings surface in a tender, awkward confession to Lee.
  • Quote: "I love you. I'll never love anyone like I love you. Wait for me to grow up."
    – Eva ([20:36–21:01])
• Lee, recognizing her youth and sincerity, promises to wait.

7. Return to the Present: Fulfilling the Appointment (21:14–24:07)

• Now a famous actress, Evelyn/Eva returns to the Venice cottage for the promised reunion.
• She discovers Lee is married, and the emotional weight of unfulfilled dreams and changed circumstances comes crashing down.
  • Quote: "You never told me. And you promised you'd wait. We had a pact. You didn't mean to come back at all, did you?"
    – Eva ([23:44–23:56])

8. Aftermath and Reflection (24:07–27:30)

• Back in the taxi, Evelyn contemplates whether Lee's absence was really neglect or something more complicated—a commentary on lost ideals and adulthood.
  • Quote: "Sometimes a guy starts out with big ideals. He wants to do something he knows he can't do. Then maybe he gets scared to take the chance. So he takes the sure thing instead."
    – Taxi Driver ([24:42–25:02])
• Subtle revelation that the taxi driver may actually be Lee, now beaten by life but still compassionate.
• The encounter inspires Evelyn to take a risky new role in Shakespeare’s "The Taming of the Shrew," reigniting her passion and self-belief.

9. The Story’s Uplifting Conclusion (27:30–28:28)

• Virginia Bruce closes the episode, reflecting on the lesson: behind every Hollywood glamour story, there are hidden struggles, lost dreams, and the courage to risk failure for something greater.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Career Risks in Hollywood:
  "All you need is one real flop and they'll all be too scared to take another chance on you. You'll be finished."
  – Richard Evans ([04:14])

• Youthful Dreams and Friendship:
  "Let's make a pact. No matter what happens, we'll meet here June 1st, 1949."
  – Eva ([13:56])

• Bittersweet Realization:
  "You never told me. And you promised you'd wait. We had a pact."
  – Eva ([23:44])

• Life’s Choices and Regrets:
  "Sometimes a guy starts out with big ideals... Then maybe he gets scared to take the chance. So he takes the sure thing instead. And for the rest of his life he feels cheated."
  – Taxi Driver ([24:42])

• Moving On:
  "I've made up my mind. I'm doing the Taming of the Shrew."
  – Evelyn Dennis ([26:25])

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:35] – Show introduction and dramatic setup
• [03:43] – Evelyn laments typecasting and yearns for change
• [06:41] – Flashback begins: Eva’s life in Venice, CA
• [12:19] – Lee confides in Eva about loneliness and dreams
• [13:56] – The ten-year pact is made on the beach
• [17:07] – Eva’s teacher encourages her persistence
• [20:36] – Eva’s emotional confession to Lee
• [21:14] – Evelyn/Eva arrives at the fateful appointment
• [23:44] – Discovery of Lee’s marriage
• [24:42] – Taxi driver soliloquies on ambition and regret
• [26:25] – Evelyn resolves to pursue her passion, inspired

Tone and Language

The episode is narrated in a dramatic, nostalgic style typical of Golden Age radio. The dialogue is heartfelt, occasionally wistful or melancholic, and imbued with the optimism, innocence, and hard-edged realism of postwar Hollywood. The “meta” moments where characters reflect on Hollywood’s nature add an extra layer of insider commentary.

Final Thoughts

A Very Important Appointment stands as a poignant meditation on the risks and rewards of following one's dreams, the long shadows cast by youthful promises, and the bittersweet nature of growing up. Through Evelyn's story, the episode reminds the listener: taking a chance, despite fear or the lure of comfort, is what truly gives life (and Hollywood tales) their meaning.

Cast Highlights:

• Lorene Tuttle as Evelyn
• Howard Culver as Lee
• Music by: Ivan Ditmars
• Script by: Betty Julius
• Produced & Directed by: Ralph Rose

For Tomorrow: A reversal: a wife spearheads her husband’s accidental career in pictures.