List of Plays Produced for Radio by May Weissenberg and in which she acted. (Incomplete).


May Weissenberg at rehearsals possibly for the radio play How He Lied to Her Husband.(written in 1904) A piece d'occasion in one act by George Bernard Shaw.
He ... Alan Rose; She ... May Weissenberg; Her Husband ... John Des. Scene: Her flat in Cromwell Road, South Kensington. Produced by Crawford McNair. Broadcast December 9, 1938.
(Photo: U.S. Library of Congress, Washington DC)


May Weissenberg had three radio personalities:

Mrs. Weissenberg as one of the announcers on the English programmes;
May Harlevan, (her name "Weissenberg" translated into Hebrew) as one of the producer of serious English plays; and as
May Merry (abbreviated from her maiden name of Merimsky) as producer and also actress in the English Children's Hour plays.


Palestine Post, Tuesday June 16, 1936

7:00 -7:15 pm
Rudyard Kipling, by May Weissenberg


Palestine Post, September 3, 1937

HANSEL AND GRETEL A play adapted by Beulah Warrack from the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale by Grimm, will be presented during the English Children's Hour over the P.B.S. at 5.30 pm this afternoon. The members of the cast include Louis Denton, Beulah Warrack , Bachevah Benzamini, Aliza Schneerson, Phyllis Somers, and May Merry.


Palestine Post, Friday, September 24, 1937

English Children's Hour

5.30 pm The Jolly Roger (A Play of Exciting Adventure), by May Merry. Part I:
Cast:
Bill ... John Crisp;
John . . . John Leznover;
Mary ... Aliza Schneerson;
Black Dog (A Pirate Chief) ...Michael Bryant
Slit-Gizzard Bill ... Cecil Mansfield
Together with pirate crew.


Palestine Post, Thursday, September 28, 1937

English Children's Hour

5.30 pm The Jolly Roger , by May Merry. Part II:
Cast:
Bill ... John Crisp;
John ... Derek Paynton ;
Mary ... Aliza Schneerson;
Ben Gunn ... Michael Bryant;
Nokopoko ... John Des;
Aviator ... Cecil Mansfield


Palestine Post, November 5, 1937

PBS

English Children's Hour

5.30 pm Story Gun-Powder Plot told by May [Merry].
Play The Mystery of the Missing Guy or The Tragedy of the Top-Hat by May Merry.
CAST:

May Merry
Mary Cudworth
Cynthia Whitfield
Margaret Rose

John ... John Crisp;
Bill ... Mary Cudworth;
Mary ... Cynthia Whitfield;
Mother ... May Merry;
Father ... John Lendrum;
Emeline ... Margaret Rose;
Gardener ... Cecil Mansfield;
Thief ...Michael Bryant;
Police Constable ... Cecil Mansfield;


Palestine Post, Tuesday, November 9, 1937

PBS

English Children's Hour

5.30 pm Emil and the Detectives. Arranged for Broadcasting by Anne Rendall. Produced by May Merry.
CAST:
Frau Tischbein...Ruth Tinklebell;
Emil ... John Crisp;
Frau Jacob ... Hemda Taeni;
The Man in the Bowler Hat ... Cecil Mansfield;
Gus ... John Leznover;
Little Tuesday ... Mary Cudworth;
Pony Hutchen ... Cynthia Whitfield;
Professor ... Pat Gillham;
Cashier ... Michael Bryant;
Manager ... John Lendrum;
Inspector ... Michael Bryant;
Grandmother ... Hemda Taeni;
Narrator ... May Merry ;


Palestine Post, January 4, 1938

English Children's Hour

Heather Teague

5.30 pm. Penny Plain, Twopence Coloured. A Radio Fantasy by Muriel Fayer-Taylor.
Characters: (two Children)
Sylvia...Cynthia Whitfield;
Tony ... John Crisp;
Their Mother ... Heather Teague;
Aunt Ethel ... Lorna Wingate;
Captain Hoochwink ... Cecil Mansfield;
Sam Sneer ... Nina Morton;
Cook ...Lily Jamal;
Chancellor ...Yvonne Fry;
Governess ... May Merry;
Princess ... Mary Cudworth;
Production by May Merry.


Palestine Post, January 5, 1938 Listener's Corner
Yesterdays English Children's Hour featured a play, Penny Plain, Twopence Coloured which was based on a truly original idea: Two children read a picture book together and the pictures come to life. May Merry's production and the direction of the little play were as usual pleasant and skillful.


Palestine Post, January 11, 1938

PBS

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour :

5.30 pm. The Handicapped Dragon, a radio fairy play for 1938, by May Merry.


Palestine Post, January 12, 1938

Listener's Corner
PHILOSOPHY FOR CHILDREN The lively and imaginative play which May Merry presented yesterday in the English Children's Hour was distinguished from its predecessors by a faintly philosophical note. It turns on the story — the very well told and amusing story — of a fairy-tale dragon of old who somehow drops into the modern world and is a little bewildered by it , as well he might be. His cave has central heating which does not prevent him from getting a cold and he has to ask an engineer to repair the heating for him, which he does on condition that he — the dragon— refrains from robbing princesses. It is all a little pathetic, this business of progress I mean, and the dragon has our sympathy. -C.


Palestine Post, Tuesday, February 1, 1938

The Library's Lament, or, Why Don't You?

English Children's Hour 5.30 pm: The Library's Lament, or, Why Don't You? A Real Radio Review, by Heather Teague, May Merry and W.H.G. Popplestone.


Palestine Post, Tuesday, February 8, 1938

PBS

English Children's Hour. Wireless Programmes

5.30 p.m. Heroes of the World. Vasco da Gama. First of a series of plays dealing with Men who made History


Palestine Post, February 9, 1938

Listener's Corner

A new series Heroes of the World, dealing with men who have made history, began yesterday in the English Children's Hour. The first production, a play called Vasco da Gama and dealing, as you may have guessed, with the Portuguese explorer, redounded to the credit of the arrangers and had only the one defect, that of being too short. Otherwise, it was perfect entertainment and the dialogue most lively. -C


Palestine Post, March 8, 1938

P.B.S.

English Children's Hour 5.30 pm: Heroes of the World. Monologue—Jonah and the Granpus, by the lad from Wigan. Marco Polo. Second of a series of plays dealing with The Men who have made History.


Palestine Post, March 9, 1938 Listener's Corner Marco Polo was the subject of the second of the series of plays dealing with men who have made history, which the English Children's Hour is performing. The play and the performance were on the level of Vasco da Gama, another explorer whom the P.B.S. has resurrected. Most of the credit for the success goes to May Merry, who has very ably dramatiised the subject.


Palestine Post, Wednesday, April 21, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Programme

[Broadcast Thursday, April 22, 1938]
9.30 pm. - "Green Judgement" A programme for Shakespeare's Birthday. Arranged and produced by May Weissenberg.


Palestine Post, June 2, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Programme

9.30 pm. "Cavalier Treatment". Sketch by Ruth Belkine.
Cast:

Stephen Sherman

Phyllis ... May Weissenberg;
Peter ... Michael Bryant;
John ... Stephen Sherman;
Waiter ... William von Blaese.


Palestine Post, June 21, 1938

P.B.S.

English Children s Hour 5.30 pm: The Adventures of three Ghosts. A nonsense play by May Merry.


Palestine Post, Tuesday, August 16, 1938

PBS

English Children's Hour 5.30 pm Crackling Rind A play by May Merry, based on Charles Lamb's Dissertation on Roast Pig.


Palestine Post, September 2, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour

5.30 pm. "A visit to Toyland", by May Merry.


Palestine Post, September 7, 1938

Listener's Corner
May Merry's Children's Hours are always lively and amusing. One really sometimes wonders where she gets all that jolly stuff from. Yesterday May ruled the waves and we spent a cheerful 45 minutes at the seaside . Although on the whole we are inclined to regard this as one of the less brilliant Children's Hour programmes, we have to admit that it was a marvellous idea of the Court magician to capture the miserable depression, that spoiled poor little King Paul's holiday with its rain, and to tie it up with that bright high pressure belt from the Azores. Later we heard some new adventures of Tommy the Tug, told by Mrs. Elsie Harvey. The programme was concluded with some fine sailors songs the best one being the Pirates Chorus . —mne.


Palestine Post, September 8, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Programme

10.00 p.m. A Village Wooing a Comedietta for two voices, by George Bernard Shaw. Part I: En Bateau.
She — May Weissenberg.

He — Alan Rose.
Produced by Crawford McNair.

Period--The Present
First Conversation: The Lounge Deck of the Empress of Patagonia, a Pleasure Ship

Part II will be broadcast on September 15, 1938, at 9.45 p.m.
Part III will be broadcast on September 22, at 9.45 p.m.


Palestine Post, September 14, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Children s Hour
5.30 pm The Pied Piper of Hamelin. A Play based on the old legend.


Palestine Post, September 14, 1938

Listener's Corner

The Pied Piper of Hamelin produced by May Merry yesterday in the Children's Hour, justified the reputation of this author and producer for skilful presentation of children's plays. Incidentally, this was the first one for quite a while. We offer the following constructive suggestions. The piper should have played his pipe without piano accompaniment; the rats might have squeaked a little louder; and the children - who followed the piper should have been more audible in every way: too little background noise .It seems a little harsh to criticise ; but then we are not really crticising—merely trying to be helpful. - mne


Palestine Post, September 15, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Programme

9.45 p.m. - A Village Wooing, a Comedietta for two voices by George Bernard Shaw. Part II.
She ... May Weissenberg;
He ... Alan Rose.
Produced by Crawford McNair.

Second Conversation: In a Village Shop and Post Office on the Wiltshire Downs.


Palestine Post, September 20, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour

5.30 pm
The Green Jug, a play by W. E. Cule. The Scene is set in Happiland.


Palestine Post, September 21, 1938

Wireless Programmes

Listener's Corner

The English Children's Hour last night produced a grand performance of May Merry's latest "play" : the story of a young king who had a fairy godmother and who came under the influence of two wicked ministers, and was assisted on the path to virtue by a kitchen maid who needless to say eventually became Queen, and in general kept us in suspense till the end. The child actors can never be praised too much. — mne.


Palestine Post, September 22, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Programme

9.45 p.m. - A Village Wooing, a Comedietta for two voices by George Bernard Shaw. Part III : "Journey's End". She — May Weissenberg. He — Alan Rose. Produced by Crawford McNair.

Third Conversation: In the Same Village Shop and Post Office on the Wiltshire Downs.


Palestine Post , October 7, 1938

[EMPIRE : 9.30 p.m. "Ending It" Adapted for broadcasting from a short story by Val Gielgud.]

Saturday, October 8, 1938 9.30 p.m. "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" A radio play based on the poem by Robert Browning. Produced by May Weissenberg.

Characters:
Pied Piper
Mayor of Hamelin
Notary
Chief Rat
Narrator
Members of the Town Council and Citizens of Hamelin


Palestine Post, October 18, 1938, p. 4

English Children's Hour

5.00 pm. The Fairy of the Well. A Radio Fantasy suggested by the Story of E. Escott-Innman and adapted by May Merry.


Saturday, October 22, 1938, 9:30 PM

Scenes from the Films IV
A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Radio Dramatization of
Baroness Orczy's
The Emperor's Candlesticks
Characters:
The Countess Mironova
Prince Johann
Baron Wolensky
Pavloff
Korum
Production by May Weissenberg


Palestine Post,November 18, 1938

English Children's Hour

5.00 pm Goodness Gracious, Heffelump. Story by May Merry.


Palestine Post, November 22, 1938

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour

5.00 pm: The Cuckoo Clock that went Cuckoo. Play by May Merry.


Tuesday, November 29, 1938, 9:30 PM

9.30 pm The Man Upstairs: An Uncanny Adventure in One-Act by Hugh Beresford.
Adapted for the radio and produced by May Weissenberg.


Palestine Post, December 9, 1938

Wireless Programmes

PBS English Programme

9.30 pm. "How He Lied to Her Husband". (written in 1904) A piece d'occasion in one act by George Bernard Shaw.
He ... Alan Rose;
She ... May Weissenberg;
Her Husband ... John Des.
Scene: Her flat in Cromwell Road, South Kensington. Produced by Crawford McNair.


Palestine Post, February 9, 1939, p.4

9.30 p.m. "Doctor My Book" a Play in One Act, by Alicia Ramsey and Randolph de Cordova. Produced by May Weissenberg.
Characters:
- H.R.H. The Prince of Wales;
Col. The Hon. Frederick Hamilton;
The Rev. Nicodemas Athanasias Ignatius Brown;
Dr. Richard Linton;
Mick O'Brien;
Mr. Abernathy;
Countess Arbuthnot;
Mrs. Gervaise-Danvers;
Miss Julia Gervaise-Danvers;
Mrs. Calthrop (Abernathy's House-keeper).


Palestine Post, February 10, 1939, p. 8

Listener's Corner

"Doctor My Book" a one-acter produced by May Weissberg on the PBS last night gave us some entertaining scenes from the consulting room of the famous Dr. Abernathy, the 18th century doctor, who did not believe in bed-side manner, and was almost as famous for his outspokenness as for his medical skills. Much of this play dealt with food, and people who eat too much, always a popular subject, and there were plenty of good lines. The speaking was good and distinct, particularly on the part of Dr. Abernathy himself, who kept his collective anonymity with the other players, their names being mentioned, but not the parts taken by each. The Irishman with the new leg who found it so difficult to stop talking andgo away was good fun, and the Countess Arbuthnot very clear and musical.


Palestine Post, March 21, 1939

Wireless programmes

English Children's Hour 5.00 pm. The Happy Man. The Story of a King Who Couldn't Smile. Adapted as a Radio Play by May Merry.


Palestine Post, Saturday, April 1, 1939 Wireless Programmes

9.30 pm. "Swings and Roundabouts", A Radio-Fun-Fair devised and produced by May Weissenberg and Ruth Belkine.
The side shows include: History Hotted-Up; Ideas in Ivory; The Garrulities of Mrs. Smith Blunders; and, Competitions Wise and Otherwise.


Palestine Post, April 13, 1939

9.30 p.m. "Ending It" A radio play adapted for broadcasting by Hugh Stewart. From the Short Story by Val Gielgud.
Characters:
Muriel Lethbridge... Dorothy O'Connore;
Guy Martinsell... Michael Hogan;
Proprietor of a Restaurant in Paris: William von Blaese.
Produced by May Harlevan.


Palestine Post, April 21, 1939

9.30 pm. Scenes from The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare - Production by May Harlevan.

10.10 pm. English, Irish and Scottish League Football Results.


Palestine Post, May 11, 1939

Wireless Programmes

9.30 p.m. "Chance" A slightly Macabre Episode, by Monica Marsden (Adapted from an original story by Paul Feakes. Produced by May Harlevan.
Charachters:
Webster the Big Businessman;
Walter Ames;
Evelyn, his wife;
Myers, an American Stockbrocker;
Webster's Secretary;
Telephone Operator.


Palestine Post, June 28, 1939

English Children's Hour.

5.00pm Mac Jehosophat The Pig Who Lived on Boiled Onions. A Story by May Merry.


Palestine Post, July 6, 1939

Wireless Programmes

9.00 p.m. "After the Tempest" A Fantastic Comedy, by Geofrey Trease. The Scene is set on a Pacific Island. The time is 20 years in the future.
Cast:
Lady Marten ... Margaret Fottinger;
Mayor Tony Manners ... Ralph Poston;
The Hon. Freddie Fitzrain ... Harry Cumming-Bruce;
Prudence Marten ... Freda Elyachar;
Nova ... Rowena Matheson-Cullen;
Produced by May Harlevan


Palestine Post, July 14, 1939

English Children s Hour 5.00 pm: The Stream. A Radio Fantasy by Muriel Fayer-Taylor.
Characters: Mary ... Mary Cudworth;
Tony , her brother ... Audrey Thompson;
Their Grandmother ... Flora Moody;
The Voice of the Stream ...Heather Teague;
Mr. Robb — Michael Bryant ;
The Old Man in the Silver Castle ... Ralph Poston.
Produced by May Merry.


Palestine Post, July 14, 1939 , p.11

Friday to Friday: Highlights of the PBS week

Drama will figure largely in the coming week's wireless programmes. In today's English Children's Hour a radio fantasy entitles "The Stream" will be broadcast. It is by Muriel Fayer-Taylor, and the cast includes some well-known Jerusalem radio actors. Arabic listeners will hear on Sunday scenes from "Antara" by Shawki Bay, and Monday brings another play for listeners to the English Children's Hour called "Sabotage." The play is by Monica Marsden, and the thrilling title of the first part is"The Secret Code." The English Hour on Wednesday contains a half-hour play adapted from "The Hand of Vengeance" by Rudolph de Cordova, the production by May Harlevan. Although there will be no actual drama in the Hebrew programmes, Emile Feuerstein will speak about Ernst Toller on Thursday evening. Toller, who died recently, was an important figure in the life of the German working community in pre-Hitler times, and his plays earned him a considerable reputation.


Palestine Post, July 17, 1939, p.4

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour

5.00 p.m . " Sabotage." A Serial Thriller in three Parts by Monica Marsden . Part I — The Secret Code .
Cast :
Mary ... Mary Cudworth;
Michael ... David Lipsicas;
Mrs. Donnington ... Heather Teague; Mr . Donnington ... Michael Bryant; Sam ... Ralph Poston.
Produced by May Merry.


Palestine Post, July 19, 1939, p. 4

Wireless Programmes

English Programme

9.00 pm. - "The Hand of Vengeance." A radio play adapted by Rudolph De Cordova from the story of the same name by Alicia Ramsey and Rudolph De Cordova. Produced by May Harlevan.
Characters:
William Haddon ... Leslie Vernon;
Doctor Waring ... Michael Bryant;
Ram Koosh (Haddon's Servant) ... Ralph Poston.
The scene is set in Walter Haddon's Bungalow in Dinajpur, India.


Palestine Post, July 24, 1939, p.4

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour

5.00 pm "Sabotage" — A Serial Play in Three Parts by Monica Marsden. Part 2, A Strange Message.
[Produced by May Merry.]


Palestine Post, July 27, 1939

Wireless Programmes

9.00 pm. - "Arrested Development" Radio farce by Anthony Gittins, produced by May Harlevan. Characters:
Production Manager ... Julian Meltzer;
Authoress ... May Harlevan;
Typist ... Rowena Matheson-Cullen;
Mr. Hop, Director ... Stephen Sherman;
Mr. Skip, Art Director ... Harry Zindler;
Mr. Jump, Scenario Writer ... Solomon Eskolsky.
The scene is set in the studios of the "Superbus" Film Company.


Palestine Post, July 28, 1939

Listener's Corner

"Arrested Development" was the title of a farce by Anthony Gittins, broadcast in the English programme. The setting is an American film studio, and the action consists of tearing to pieces a story by a well-known novelist and making a sensational film out of the shreds. According to the author, the people who make films are the last word in ignorance and imbecility. - Crystal Set.


Palestine Post, July 31, 1939

Wireless Programmes

English Children's Hour

5.00 pm. "Sabotage." A Serial Thriller in three Parts by Monica Marsden. Part III — The Round Up .
Cast :
Mary ... Mary Cudworth;
Michael ... David Lipsicas;
Dr . Donnington ... Michael Bryant;
Inspector Martin ... Ralph Poston;
Jake .. Stephen Sherman;
The Chief ... William von Blaese;
A Sergeant—Budge Hallett.
Produced by May Merry.