1979 Mind’s Eye Radio Drama

Release Date: 1979
Reader: Full Cast
Language: English
Adapted By: Bernard Mayes
Organization
: Mind’s Eye Radio
Copyright: © 2001 HighBridge Audio
ISBN: 9781611748741
Duration: 10 hours 28 minutes
Unabridged: No
Country: USA
Licenced: Yes
Formats: Cassette, CD, Digital

Mind’s Eye Radio, in 1979 and following on from an earlier adaptation of The Hobbit, produced this adaptation of The Lord of the Rings for U.S. National Public Radio, featuring local Virginia amateur theatre actors and a low-budget approach with home-made sound effects and library music. Apparently it was deliberately constructed to emulate the style radio dramas of the 1930s and 40s.

This version, adapted by Bernard Mayes (a founding chairman of NPR), is known for its serious pronunciation issues, including Frodo and other characters’ names. The adaptation did however tackle each element of the story including the character Tom Bombadil, a role often omitted in other versions.  

The copyright passed first to Soundelux Audio Publishing and then to HighBridge Audio who are the current holders. In the 45 years since it’s creation it has been continuously available in a large variety of releases – most notably the wooden box releases.

1A Long Expected Party23:23
2The Shadow of the Past14:15
3Three is Company7:23
4Short Cut to Mushrooms5:22
5A Conspiracy Unmasked3:58
6The Old Forest5:34
7In the House of Tom Bombadil7:21
8Fog on the Barrow-Downs8:37
9At the Sign of the Prancing Pony5:50
10Strider7:00
11A Knife in the Dark11:28
12Flight to the Ford14:30
13Many Meetings11:11
14The Council of Elrond21:08
15The Ring Goes South10:24
16A Journey in the Dark8:02
17The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm10:10
18Lothlórien5:03
19The Mirror of Galadriel8:31
20Farewell to Lórien and The Great River7:10
21The Breaking of the Fellowship8:20
22The Departure of Boromir6:01
23The Riders of Rohan9:01
24The Uruk-Hai9:22
25Treebeard17:24
26The White Rider15:55
27The King of the Golden Hall18:00
28Helm’s Deep13:01
29The Road to Isengard13:29
30Flotsam and Jetsam5:01
31The Voice of Saruman10:59
32The Palantir11:14
33The Taming of Sméagol16:48
34The Passage of the Marshes10:00
35The Black Gate Is Closed5:13
36Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit7:02
37The Window on the West6:39
38The Forbidden Pool7:13
39Journey to the Cross-Roads1:22
40The Stairs of Cirith Ungol5:26
41Shelob’s Lair11:08
42The Choices of Master Samwise8:38
43Minas Tirith9:25
44The Passing of the Grey Company16:32
45The Muster of Rohan6:30
46The Siege of Gondor20:07
47The Ride of the Rohirrim6:32
48The Battle of the Pelennor Fields13:17
49The Pyre of Denethor5:07
50The Houses of Healing17:54
51The Last Debate10:41
52The Black Gate Opens10:47
53The Tower of Cirith Ungol and The Land of Shadow15:23
54Mount Doom27:23
55The Field of Cormallen10:29
56The Steward and the King4:29
57Many Partings8:13
58Homeward Bound3:21
59The Scouring of the Shire and The Grey Havens27:29
10:27:44

Credits:

James ArringtonFrodo Baggins, Saruman
Erik BauersfeldBoromir, Theoden
Lou BlissSam
Gail ChuggNarrator, Gimli, Gollum, Barliman Butterbur
Pat FranklynMerry, Ioreth
Carl HagueElrond, Beregond
Karen HurleyEowyn
Matthew LocricchioEomer
Bernard MayesGandalf, Tom Bombadil
Mac McCaddonPippin, Galadriel
Tom LuceStrider/Aragorn, Treebeard, Denethor
Ray ReinhardtBilbo Baggins
John VickeryLegolas, Faramir, Wormtongue, Mouth of Sauron