The Court of Human Relations
| Other names | True Story Court of Human Relations |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| TV adaptations | The Court of Human Relations |
| Starring | Percy Hemus |
| Announcer | Charles O'Connor Paul Douglas |
| Written by | William Sweets |
| Directed by | William Sweets |
| Produced by | William Sweets |
| Original release | January 1, 1934 – January 1, 1939 |
The Court of Human Relations is an American old-time radio human-interest program. It was broadcast on NBC, CBS, and Mutual at various times, beginning January 1, 1934, and ending January 1, 1939. Sometimes referred to as True Story Court of Human Relations, it was radio's first dramatized court program and "one of the first sponsored programs ever carried on CBS."
Episodes of The Court of Human Relations featured actual court cases that were re-created by actors." Michele Hilmes, in Only Connect: A Cultural History of Broadcasting in the United States, described the program as "a forerunner of much of the material on Court TV or Judge Judy."
Material for the program came from articles in True Story magazine, which also sponsored the show. In Media Lost and Found, media historian Erik Barnouw (who directed some episodes of the program) wrote:
In a typical story a young woman tells of being seduced, then abandoned, by some fellow who proves unworthy. She, after bearing a child out of wedlock, is trying hard to put her life together again. The end was always moral, but True Story owed its success to making sure that its readers — later its radio listeners — first savored fully the adventure of a sinful liaison.
Listeners were asked to arrive at their own verdicts for each case presented and to submit those verdicts by mail. The sponsor awarded prizes for the best responses each week. Workers in the Contest Department of McFadden Publications, publisher of True Story magazine, sorted the verdicts that arrived by the thousands weekly. Elizabeth W. Neil, who supervised the processing, said that verdicts arrived "from all sorts of addresses upon all kinds of stationery." She added that people who submitted verdicts include "employees of big business concerns ... housewives ... [and] professional men, lawyers dominating this class."
The program's one continuing character was the judge, played by Percy Hemus. Actors who often appeared in supporting roles included Lucille Wall, Helene Dumas, Florence Baker, Rita Vale, Hanley Stafford, Wilmer Walter, Vera Allen, Alice Reinheart, Ned Wever, and Betty Worth. Announcers were Charles O'Connor and Paul Douglas. Arnold Johnson provided music. William Sweets wrote, produced, and directed.
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