Old Time Radio Show of the Week

This week, we go back to June 14th 1950 for the final performance of Harold Peary as The Great Gildersleeve.   
Harold played Gildy for 13 years on radio, starting on "The Johnson Wax Program starring Fibber McGee and Molly" in 1939 as Throckmorton Gildersleeve 
In 1941 Gildy was "spun off" to his own show, Harold Peary stayed as Gildersleeve until 1950.  He left after the 1949-50 season and was replaced by soundalike Willard Waterman who finished with the radio version in 1957.  Waterman also played Gildersleeve on 39 episodes of the television version for NBC in 1955.

Golden Age of Radio - Halloween #3

Today our Halloween show is from Summerfield and The Great Gildersleeve

Great Gildersleeve Halloween Party

Originally aired 10/29/1947

NBC Radio

The Golden Age of Radio - Fibber McGee and Molly (1947-48 Season)

Tonight's look at the Golden Age of Radio is the NBC cornerstone "Fibber McGee and Molly".

Fibber aired Tuesday nights at 930pm and was the cornerstone of NBC's most popular night or radio.  The evening began with "Amos N Andy" at 9pm (tied for #6 in the season ratings), then "Fibber McGee and Molly" at 930 (#2), followed at 10pm by "The Pepsodent Show starring Bob Hope" (tied at #6) and the night closed out at 1030 with "The Raleigh Cigarette Program starring Red Skelton" (#10).

"Fibber McGee and Molly" starred Jim and Marion Jordan as Fibber and Molly and with a top notch cast that at times included Harold Peary as  The Great Gildersleeve, Gale Gordon as Mayor Latrivia and Foggy Williams the local weatherman.  Also was the great voice man Bill Thompson who was The Old Timer, Wallace Wimple (the inspiration for cartoon's Droopy Dog), Arthur Q Bryan as Fibber's nemesis Doc Gamble (and the original voice of Elmer Fudd).  These and many many other voices made Fibber McGee and Molly second only to Jack Benny (in my opinion) as the greatest comedy of the golden age of radio.

From October 21st 1947
"Late Car Payment"