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← All Cavalcade of America episodes

Starring Gene Herschel as Christopher Ludwig in The Battle of the Ovens, an original radio play on the cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont Company, maker of better things for better living through chemistry. Our play tonight on cavalcade has three central characters, a baker, the American Revolution and the local dress. The baker's name was Christopher Ludwig. He lived in Philadelphia. He was an elderly man by no means faint and yet he is not merely Christopher the…

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Synopsis

In The Battle of the Ovens, we meet Christopher Ludwig, an elderly baker in Philadelphia, who is deeply affected by the ongoing American Revolution. As he sits by his window at night, he listens to the sounds of soldiers marching, feeling a mix of pride and despair. At 61, he feels the weight of age and longs to contribute to the fight for liberty, yet he remains confined to his bakery, watching the world change around him.

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Credits

  • Audio from Internet Archive (OTRR_Cavalcade_of_America_Singles). Curated by OTRR. Goldie does not claim ownership of this broadcast.
  • Historical context from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

CALV_420622_284_The_Battle_of_the_Ovens.mp3

Cavalcade of America, Episode 284

The Battle of the Ovens

Monday, June 22, 1942 · 29:27

Cavalcade of America, Episode 284

The Battle of the Ovens

Monday, June 22, 1942 · 29:27

Summary

In The Battle of the Ovens, an elderly baker named Christopher Ludwig grapples with his desire to contribute to the American Revolution while confronting the moral dilemmas of wartime profiteering. As he watches young soldiers march off to war, he feels a deep yearning to take action rather than remain a passive observer.

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That night in history

Headlines

  • 1942 — World War II: Erwin Rommel is promoted to Field Marshal after the Axis capture of Tobruk.
  • 1942 — The Pledge of Allegiance is formally adopted by U.S. Congress.

On the air that night›

  1. Cavalcade of AmericaThe Battle of the OvensCurrently listeningEpisode 284
  2. Lux Radio TheatreBedtime StoryEpisode 357
  3. The Lone RangerBadlands for BadmenEpisode 1469