ONE MAN'S FAMILY

One Man’s Family was the saga of the Barbours: Father Henry, Mother Fanny, and children Paul, Hazel, Claudia, Clifford and Jack. The show debuted in 1932 over NBC as a weekly, 30-minute drama.

One Man’s Family was the brainchild of writer Carlton E. Morse, a former journalist from San Francisco. Morse was interested in creating a serial which would reflect his belief that the family unit was a primary source of moral and spiritual strength. Inspired by John Galsworthy’s novel The Forsyte Saga, Morse divided his show’s stories into “Books,” with each episode a “Chapter.”

As with most serial dramas, One Man’s Family had its share of intrigue and heartbreak, but most of the drama centered around universal family matters and the differences that arise between generations. During the show’s 27-year-run, the Barbours aged, married, went to war, watched children and grandchildren grow up, and pondered the decisions made by their “bewildering offspring.”

In 1950, One Man’s Family became a nightly, 15-minute serial. The show aired in this format until it left the air in 1959.

Carlton E. Morse died on May 24, 1993.

One Man’s Family was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1995.

Photograph courtesy of Photofest.
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