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Arthur Miller’s 1941 Radio Play — “Joel Chandler Harris”


Written on February 1, 2010 at 9:30 am, by Lain

In 1941 Arthur Miller wrote a radio play for Cavalcade of America called “Joel Chandler Harris.” Karl Swenson, he of Little House on the Prairie fame, plays the lead role.

The play runs about 26 minutes and is sort of an “aw shucks!” biography. Still, the writing is well done. The accents, however, are questionable.

“Joel Chandler Harris” by Arthur Miller

The play is based in fact but it isn’t entirely factual. For example, there’s a scene where Harris meets Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain at the White House.  In reality the incident in question did occur, but with only Mark Twain and in New Orleans.

Compared with many of the historical inaccuracies we usually deal with, however, this feels like a case of tomato/tomato.

Related: More episodes of Cavalcade of America (presented by DuPont!), Disney’s 1956 “aw shucks!” biography of young Joel Chandler Harris

Georgia Traveler Features the Wren’s Nest, Amelia, and Curtis


Written on January 7, 2010 at 2:00 pm, by Lain

David Zelski, host of Georgia Traveler at the Wren's Nest

Georgia Traveler, everyone’s favorite travel show not starring Michael Palin Anthony Bourdain Rick Steves, stopped by the Wren’s Nest a few months back for a segment on their “Book Tour” episode.

Amelia did most of the talking:

Amelia on Georgia Traveler

Curtis did most of the storytelling:

Curtis telling stories at the Wren's Nest on Georgia Traveler

And Georgia Traveler did a bang-up job.  Thank you, Georgia Traveler! Watch the entire episode online, here (just click on the “Watch” icon next to the page title).

Our segment starts about 4 minutes in, but the whole episode is worth your time.  They stop by the Uncle Remus Museum, Flannery O’Connor’s Andalusia, the Margaret Mitchell House, and the Grit.

P.S.  Do you know how hard it is to find a screen grab where people don’t look like they’re drooling?  It’s medium-hard!

Uncle Remus by Henry F. Gilbert — the Opera that Wasn’t


Written on January 5, 2010 at 10:22 am, by Lain

Henry F. Gilbert, an important early 20th Century American composer,  collected scores of African-American folk songs and aspired to write an opera called Uncle Remus.

I swear I’m not messing with y’all.

Gilbert never secured the rights to the Uncle Remus tales and couldn’t complete his opera, but he did write its prelude.   Gilbert derived these two songs, performed here by Nadia and Vladimir Zaitsev in 2004, from the prelude –

Nadia and Vladimir Zaitsev — “Uncle Remus”

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Nadia and Vladimir Zaitsev — “Brer Rabbit”

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Thanks to Fleur de Son Classics for permission to use the music.  If you like it, consider ordering the album here.

The Uncle Remus prelude premiered at a Central Park concert in New York in August of 1910.  4,000 people attended.

The Boston Symphony performed the prelude the following year.  Some people objected to the jaunty ragtime rhythms, but most responded positively “to the youthful vigor, the racy humor and the romantic nature of this new music.”   Philip Hale, in the Boston Herald of April 14, 1911, wrote:

“The overture stirred the blood of the audience.  All rejoiced in hearing a new voice with something to say and an original way of saying it.  The fugue did not dampen the interest of the hearers, for the old form was used with dramatic spirit.  No wonder that the audience, surprised and delighted, was for once in no hurry to leave the hall. [...]  The overture is distinctively, but not bumptiously, not apologetically, American.”

Gilbert was one of the first American composers to break free of the Germanic style of classical music.  For Gilbert, African-American folk music was a great source of inspiration and “seemed closely related to the spirit of all America.”

Gosh, sounds a lot like Joel Chandler Harris who, regarding A.B. Frost’s illustrations of Brer Rabbit and his critter friends, remarked: “We shall then have real American stuff, illustrated in real American style.”  Shame he wasn’t around to hear the soundtrack… embedded in a blog post… on the internet. Really woulda blown his mind.

Related: Henry F. Gilbert: a bio-bibliography by Sherrill V. Martin

Happy (Official) Joel Chandler Harris Day!


Written on December 9, 2009 at 2:19 pm, by Amelia

Today would have been Joel Chandler Harris‘ 164th birthday if he had pledged his soul to darkness in favor of eternal life.  But he didn’t!

Nope, instead he passed away in 1908 at the realistic age of 63.

While we at the Wren’s Nest celebrate Joel Chandler Harris and his legacy every day (well, maybe not Sundays and Mondays), December 9th is the day all Georgians are required, by law, to bow down to JCH’s awesomeness.  That’s my interpretation, anyhow.

You see, in 1958 the Governor of Georgia, Marvin Griffin, formally decreed December 9th “Joel Chandler Harris Day” in Georgia.  The official proclamation is below (remember, you can click on the picture for a closer look).

Joel Chandler Harris Day decree

You’ll note that citizens were urged to “participate in this occasion.”  While I’m not quite sure what means exactly, I’m sure if you wrote a collection of folktales cherished by generation upon generation the world over, that would count.

I’m participating and celebrating by coming to work and writing this blog post.  Lain is celebrating by being in a meeting all day.  What are you doing to participate in Joel Chandler Harris Day, the biggest of all the December holidays?

Beatles 3000 — Not So Different than Joel Chandler Harris 2000


Written on December 5, 2009 at 1:26 pm, by Lain

How will the Beatles be remembered in 1,000 years?  Apparently with a lot more Scottie Pippen.

The experts in this clip sound a bit like some of the more opinionated (if confused) people that call us on the phone every day –

Now, I doubt Scottie Pippen will begin popping up in the Brer Rabbit stories anytime soon.  But Disney isn’t exactly doing African-American folklore any favors by locking Song of the South away in its vault.  For better or worse, the film is the most accessible version of (just 3 of) the (195 or so) Uncle Remus tales, and without source material we’re left with speculation and hunches.

All that said, I could probably get behind Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah-Pet-Sounds.

Song of the South Anniversary on WABE’s City Cafe


Written on November 14, 2009 at 2:42 pm, by Lain

Our local NPR affiliate WABE invited me to stutter speak on City Cafe the other day in light of the recent anniversary of Song of the South.

I sat down to speak with the indefatigable John Lemley about the controversy surrounding the film and its relationship with Joel Chandler Harris’s Uncle Remus stories.  Listen to the podcast here.

Unfortunately, while at WABE I did not see Lois Reitzes and thus could not challenge her to a rap battle.

1946 Promotional Program for Song of the South


Written on November 12, 2009 at 10:36 am, by Lain

Today marks the 63rd anniversary of the release of Song of the South.

Weirdly enough, Disney first chose to market the film as an “Old South Romance.”  Here’s the cover from its 1946 program:

Song of the South 1946 Program from the Walt Disney Company and RKO Radio Pictures, Inc

Bizarre, right?  It’s less Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and much more Gone with the Wind.

The program — 16 pages in all — gets a lot more relevant once you get past the cover. I’ve included it in its entirety below.  You’re welcome.

Uncle Remus, Brer Frog, and Brer Terrapin Fishing

I dig this illustration that’s on the inside of the cover.  With this one exception, I’ve tried not to crop much out (as much as our almost-large-enough scanner allowed).

Remember, you can click on the pictures to zoom in and read the (quite lucid and informative, though sometimes not so factually accurate) text.  Enjoy!

Song of the South 1946 Program from the Walt Disney Company and RKO Radio Pictures, Inc (page 3)

Song of the South Promotional Narrative (page 1)

Song of the South Promotional Narrative (page 2)

Song of the South Promotional Narrative featuring Brer Fox and Brer Bear

Song of the South Promotional Narrative featuring Brer Rabbit

Song of the South Promotional Material Featuring Brer Rabbit

Song of the South Promotional Material Featuring Walt Disney

Song of the South Promotional Material -- Credits

Song of the South Promotional Material featuring Uncle Remus

Song of the South Promotional Material featuring Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear

Song of the South Promotional Material featuring Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten

Song of the South Promotional Material featuring Ruth Warrick and the Annoying Dad

Song of the South Promotional Material Featuring Hattie McDaniel, Glenn Leedy, and Lucille Watson

Song of the South Promotional Material Featuring the Music Credits

Song of the South Promotional Material Featuring Uncle Remus Statue

Song of the South Promotional Material Featuring Brer Rabbit

Writing (and Righting) History on Wikipedia


Written on October 13, 2009 at 3:29 pm, by Lain

A few weeks ago I was inspired to start editing the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page when I read an article based on erroneous facts about Harris quite obviously culled from Wikipedia, everyone’s favorite encyclopedic punching bag.

Wren’s Nest Blog Original Gangstas might recall this is not our first encounter with the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page.  Way back in 2007, one ambitious editor included some, uh, fan fiction –

Harris’ page hasn’t been vandalized again, but it has remained far from complete.  The criticism and praise of Harris were irrelevant, and the actual information on his life was minimal.

So, I decided to edit and expand the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page as judiciously as possible, drawing from diverse, respected sources.

Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia Article

For a long time I felt uncomfortable editing Wikipedia on a topic where I have such an inherent, genetic bias.  But, I realized a few things once I started editing:

Please take a look at the article and let me know what you think.  If you’re feeling limber, I encourage you to help edit the article where you see fit.

I’m not quite done — particularly with the journalism section — but it’s a start at least.

Nicknames for Joel Chandler Harris — Redhead — by His Colleagues at the Savannah Morning News


Written on October 7, 2009 at 12:26 pm, by Amelia

Joel Chandler Harris, 1873

  • Pink-Top
  • Red-Top
  • Our friend of the ensanguined fore-top
  • Molasses-Haired Humorist
  • Vermilion-Pate
  • Naughty Boy of the Savannah Morning News

Amazing insight into JCH’s life courtesy of Stella Brewer Brookes and her tome of greatness, Joel Chandler Harris: Folklorist.

I’m pretty sure this also serves as a list of sweet nothings the Pecanne Log ladies whisper into Thomas Wheatley’s ears.

Joel Chandler Harris — Big in Russia, Russian Magazines


Written on October 6, 2009 at 2:49 pm, by Lain

Today when I opened our mail, the first thing I saw was this advertisement on the back of a magazine:

Sova Russian American Magazine

My first thought was, “OMG!  This must be a Russian Mail Order Bride catalog!”  The glee that filled me at this prospect was, in truth, unnerving.

Fortunately, no — this was a copy of Sova Russian-American Magazine, which is not a Russian Mail Order Bride Catalog, but instead a magazine for Russians living in the United States.

Writer Michael Borovsky had sent along his (quite substantial) article on the Wren’s Nest.

Interior of Sova Russian American Magazine article on the Wren's Nest

And that’s just page 2 of 8.  I even made the cut on page 6.  Good thing I showered that day.

Sova Russian American Magazine features The Wren's Nest and Lain Shakespeare

Brer Rabbit has been quite popular in Russia for at least a few decades.  Award winning artist Latif Kazbekov published a version of the Brer Rabbit stories in 1992 with beautiful illustrations.

Brer Rabbit Russian Illustrations by Latif Kazbekov

Now, if only someone could translate the article for me.  In eight pages my dimples must be mentioned, right guys?  Guys?

Previously: Brer Rabbit in Translation, Illustrations from Jump! — the Brer Rabbit Adaptation by Van Dyke Parks and Barry Moser