O. Henry's Last Leaf

“O. Henry’s Last Leaf” is a radio program from the American radio anthology series Radio Tales. The anthology series adapted classic works of American and world literature for the radio. The series was a recipient of numerous awards, including four Gracie Allen Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television (in 2004, 2003, 2001, and 1998), a New York Festivals WorldMedal, and a Golden Reel Merit Award. The "O. Henry’s Last Leaf" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the classic short story “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of “O. Henry’s Last Leaf” was first broadcast via NPR on December 31, 1996. The program encompassed one half-hour installment that was distributed to NPR member stations as part of the NPR Playhouse cultural series. Since November 28th, 2002, the entire Radio Tales series has aired in reruns on the Sonic Theater channel (163) of the XM Satellite Radio service. The “O. Henry’s Last Leaf” program debuted on the Sonic Theater channel on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, 2002.

Production Information

The program was produced and script edited by series producer Winnie Waldron, who also served as the on-air host. Composer Winifred Phillips created over twenty-eight minutes of music for the program, and also performed as the featured actress. “O. Henry’s Last Leaf” was part of the first year of Radio Tales on NPR Playhouse.

Media

The Radio Tales production of “O. Henry’s Last Leaf” was published on audiocassette by Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd in 1996 as a part of its “Paperback Audio” line (ISBN 0886468981) , to coincide with the broadcast premiere of the program via National Public Radio. Since that time, the Radio Tales production of “O. Henry’s Last Leaf” has been available in numerous formats and venues, including burn-on-demand CDs manufactured and distributed by MP3.com and Ampcast.com. Beginning in 2005, programs from the series, including the “O. Henry’s Last Leaf” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site.

Opening narration

Death hangs over a small apartment building in New York City, whose residents struggle to survive a Winter made more severe by poverty. As sickness claims the lives of those around them, these people will discover that the only way to save a young woman on the verge of death is to achieve the impossible.

Plot Summary

Sue and Johnsy (familiar for Joanna) live together in an artist colony in Greenwich Village, where pneumonia is taking its toll. In November, Johnsy is stricken with the disease and gives up all desire to live, instead focusing on an ivy vine she can see on a brick wall opposite her bedside window. Convinced that she will die when the last ivy leaf falls, Johnsy watches the vine incessantly, despite all Sue’s efforts to distract her. This morbid fascination distresses their big-hearted neighbor Mr. Behrman, an old painter scraping by as an artist’s model and still dreaming of painting his ‘masterpiece’. The visiting doctor tells Sue that she must encourage Johnsy to hope for the future, but all Sue’s subsequent attempts are in vain, as Johnsy remains fascinated by the withering vine. Time passes, but a single last leaf remains firmly attached to the vine, much to Johnsy’s growing astonishment. Finally, Johnsy takes this valiant last leaf as a sign that she should not give up hope, and with this new attitude she begins to improve. In the meantime, their neighbor Behrman has been taken to the hospital with pneumonia, where he later dies. It is discovered that he had contracted the disease after staying up all night to paint the perfect image of a single leaf on the brick wall opposite Johnsy’s window.

References

External Links

• O. Henry’s Last Leaf page on Audioville.co.uk
• The Official Radio Tales® Web Site
• Radio Tales® Full Catalog on AudioVille
• XM Satellite Radio's Sonic Theater Channel