Penny Serenade (1941): Adoption on the Silver Screen

Описание: 004 | Penny Serenade (1941): Adoption on the Silver Screen

The 1941 sentimental classic, Penny Serenade, stars Irene Dunne and Cary Grant as a married couple who replace children more often than they replace the needle on their sitting room Victrola. Join podcast journalist Haley Radke, filmmaker, Kristal Parke, and cultural critic Sullivan Summer as we challenge marriage and adoption propaganda during Hollywood’s Golden Age on this episode of Adoption Pop!
Penny Serenade (1941) was directed by George Stevens, based on the novella by Martha Cheavens.
This episode aired on December 31, 2025. In it we discussed and/or relied upon:
Cinema Geeks Episode 225, Cary Grant Retrospective: Penny Serenade
Adoptee activist Connor Howe posts TikTok and Instagram videos of adoptees meeting adoptive families, without the inspirational background soundtrack.
Georgia Tann may have been the United States’ most notorious child trafficker. Policies and procedures pioneered by her for the purposes of kidnapping and selling children are still used today across the adoption industry.
Actress Jane Biffle played one-year-old Trina Adams in Penny Serenade, her only film credit.
“Irene Dunne Adopts Baby,” New York Times (March 17, 1938)
Marilyn Ann Moss, Giant: George Stevens, a Life on Film (2004)
Marshall B. Jones, Crisis of the American Orphanage, 1931-1940, Social Service Review (December 1989)
Mary Frances Gage Obituary, Los Angeles Times (July 26, 2020)
Mia Laurenzo, “Love Endures All in Penny Serenade,” WLRN (January 30, 2019)
From 1854 to 1929 orphan trains transported children from northern cities to foster homes in rural areas to perform labor. Despite the moniker, many of these children had living parents.
Penny Serenade on IMDB
Peter B. Flint, “Irene Dunne, a Versatile Actress of the 1930’s and 40’s, Dies at 91,” New York Times (September 6, 1990)
Proceedings of the Child Conference for Research and Welfare (1909)
Travis Tritt, “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”
The Adoption Pop! theme music is The Chase by Audiogreen.
We’d love to hear what you thought of this episode, and what you’d like for us to cover in the future. Find, follow, like, and subscribe to Adoption Pop! at our website, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Podcast journalist Haley Radke is at adopteeson.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Filmmaker Kristal Parke is at kristalparke.net, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Cultural critical Sullivan Summer is at sullivansummer.com, on Instagram, and on Substack.