If you have never heard of Judy Canova... you are missing a gem of a performer from America's past. Not only was she a very talented comedian, but she was a professionally trained vocalist and actress... appearing on Broadway, films, and on television during the mid-1940's until the late 1950's. She found her fame dressing and acting like a country bumpkin... and she made calico dresses all the rage in fashion at the time. However she managed to always sing one song in each of her radio shows that highlighted her singing talents.
The Judy Canova Show ran for twelve years—first on CBS and then on NBC. Playing herself as a love-starved Ozark bumpkin dividing her time between home and Southern California, Canova was supported by a cast that included the man of 1000 voices, Mel Blanc as Pedro (using the accented voice he later gave the cartoon character Speedy Gonzales); Ruth Perrott as Aunt Aggie; Ruby Dandridge as Geranium; Joseph Kearns as Benchley Botsford; and Sharon Douglas as Brenda. Gale Gordon, Sheldon Leonard, Gerald Mohr, and Hans Conried also appeared sporadically.
During World War II, she closed her show with the song "Goodnight, Soldier" ("Wherever you may be... my heart's lonely... without you") and used her free time to sell U.S. War Bonds.
This is a fun and entertaining show to listen to ... jokes are coming at you fast and furious... for the live audiences it was also a visual pleasure to see all the characters dressed as if they had just come down from the Ozarks. Great fun. Enjoy.