Retro Radio Podcast

After an opening flub, Bob “New Draft” Hope jokes about the requirement to register for the draft. Jokes include topics about the weather, and Springtime rains, dating, rubber shortages, Spring fever, being healthy, and being cheerful. All manner of gardening jokes, and those on victory gardens abound.

Francis Langford is joined by the Six Hits and a Miss to sing, I Remember April and You. Before getting back to the script, Bob recognizes a fellow vaudevillian from their early years. Laird Cregar joins Boot joke about appearances, woman drivers, fashion, and being heavy. Laird tells how he got into show biz, and the film he’s in now. Has playing detectives made Laird a good one in real life? Starlets, leading ladies, and co-stars are topics, as are dressing rooms, and love scenes. Bob tells about his own beginnings in Hollywood. How has Laird been dealing with success? Skinny Ennis comes out to meet the hefty Lars. Let the fat jokes, and skinny jokes begin. Not to mention scrawny verses large, the battle of good physiques, being healthy, and the like. Skinny Ennis is joined by the Six Hits and a Miss to sing, Somebody Else.

Bob and Skinny discuss a stolen spare tire, jokes include bicycles, changing tires, and ads in the paper may have a lead to the stolen tire. Colonna is an all-round police officer who takes their call. The investigation is on and includes jokes on being scared, swamps, bravery, Ghosts, and all manner of spookiness. Laird is the creepy owner of a mansion of spooky madness. Colonna arrives to add to the zaniness. Even if he arrests Laird, how will they get the large man to jail? Is the house haunted? Will Bob get his tire?

Note: Alvea Almon plays several voices in the show.

After a visit from Alice’s brother Willie, she insists that Phil do his civic duty and give blood to the Red Cross. The situation is set for Phil to recruit Remley into doing all they can think of to resist as they let their childish fears and cowardice run wild. Phil sings, You Can’t Do Wrong Doing Right.

All their best foot dragging and excuses won’t keep Alice from dragging them to the Red Cross office. She has decided to give blood herself, and plays the more sane role in the process in the much needed public service. Alice sings, If I Were a Bell.

To add to their goofiness, Julius shows up at the blood donation center, where he says he volunteers for the Red Cross. How convenient, but he gives the guys a hard time before they finally go through with the ordeal. Of course it’s all been in fun, and at the end Phil gets serious to encourage everybody to give blood and help out.

Classic line: when Frankie gets his finger pricked to determine what his blood type is, and he responds in great agony, “Now I know what a woman goes through during child birth!” For all the women out there, I’ll say it for you… Somebody slap that guy. But that’s not the only classic moment, the show is full of them.

That fearless adventurer, the unsung hero of the program, Jack Benny is introduced. He tells about the trip with Rochester, and the Maxwell. Fending off howling wolves, surviving driving rain, driving on through the night, but can Don Wilson derail the dramatic tale? The benefit for the audience of 9000 is to raise money for the March of Dimes. Will Phil Harris get his own big introduction? The guys discuss the hotels where they’re staying. Mary enters with a poem on her lips, and adds to the joke about Don and Phil staying in the bridal suite. Phil plays, Ten Speed .

The featured attraction is a murder mystery play. Parts are assigned, and Dennis Day gets in his jokes on where he’s staying, and on Jack’s trip. Mary complains that Jack has to dramatize everything, even playing his fiddle at home. Rochester phones in to give an update on the broken down Maxwell. After an interruption from a Mexican hairless, Dennis Day sings, Good Night My Beautiful.

The play begins, Murder on the Bay Bridge, or It Wasn’t a Seagull that Got Him. Dennis is traffic cop, Captain O’Benny fields calls, and with detective Wilson, they head to the Bay Bridge. Mary is the victim’s wisecracking widow who demands to talk to her lawyer, Phil. Will the arrest be a cut and dried affair, or will a case of vertigo cause trouble for Jack?

Rochester drives in with the Maxwell to put and to Jack’s queasiness at the height of the bridge.

Anticipation is in the air as the young couple sit in the parlor, heads together, and talking in hushed tones. Though Gildersleeve wonders what they’re up to, Birdie knows. They ain’t counting the days til Christmas, they’re naming the day!

When Gilda confirms the activity, the focus shifts on where to have the event. Bronco is willing to do the traditional thing, and let his bride do the planning. So does Gildy, at least in words. He sets about taking over the plans, but soon we hear from the Thompson’s, Bronco’s parents.

The clash with the headstrong Mrs Thompson, and the absent minded Mr Thompson leads to a frustrated Gildy seeking solace at Peavy’s drugstore. In the meantime, the youngsters have fled to do some ice skating, but is it more than that?

Worry runs rampant as Gildy frantically searches for Marjorie. Has she eloped? The plans now are meaningless as both sets of parents grieve that they drove their children to run away to elope.

In the end, truth is revealed, and the May 1st wedding is still on, and Marjorie announces her preference for the location.

Bonus Tracks:

It’s just Keith, sharing a source to get your own CD quality sets of the Great Gildersleeve from RadioArchive.com. There’s no kick back for Retro Radio Podcast, just some good old pulp fiction, and lots of classic radio shows for download, or on disc.

Keith also shares a little added trivia about some of the stars in the show, and the story arc of the pending marriage.

Great Gildersleeve – Wedding Day Set for Marjorie and Bronco. ep352, 500215 (retro614)

http://retro-otr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/614GreatGildersleeve500215ep352WeddingDaySetForMarjorieAndBronco.mp3

1950, Gildersleeve, Weddings, Planning, Bossy, Marriage

Anticipation is in the air as the young couple sit in the parlor, heads together, and talking in hushed tones. Though Gildersleeve wonders what they’re up to, Birdie knows. They ain’t counting the days til Christmas, they’re naming the day!

When Gilda confirms the activity, the focus shifts on where to have the event. Bronco is willing to do the traditional thing, and let his bride do the planning. So does Gildy, at least in words. He sets about taking over the plans, but soon we hear from the Thompson’s, Bronco’s parents.

The clash with the headstrong Mrs Thompson, and the absent minded Mr Thompson leads to a frustrated Gildy seeking solace at Peavy’s drugstore. In the meantime, the youngsters have fled to do some ice skating, but is it more than that?

Worry runs rampant as Gildy frantically searches for Marjorie. Has she eloped? The plans now are meaningless as both sets of parents grieve that they drove their children to run away to elope.

In the end, truth is revealed, and the May 1st wedding is still on, and Marjorie announces her preference for the location.

Bonus Tracks:

It’s just Keith, sharing a source to get your own CD quality sets of the Great Gildersleeve from RadioArchive.com. There’s no kick back for Retro Radio Podcast, just some good old pulp fiction, and lots of classic radio shows for download, or on disc.

Keith also shares a little added trivia about some of the stars in the show, and the story arc of the pending marriage.

Watson talks to announcer, Harry Bartell, about his Christmas plans, then relates a Christmas tale where he played Santa to impress the nieces of their housekeeper, Mrs Hudson. Taking the bag of presents to distribute, Holmes is asked to attend a party in disguise. Agreeing to go to Whitticomb’s party, Sherlock wears his own Santa suit.

Distributing his gifts after a brush with the cult, Disciples of the Octagonal Square, Watson discovers a problem. Meanwhile, Holmes has his own difficulties with the mystery he has afoot. What does his have to do with the Disciples of the Octagonal Square? What kind of gifts are cuff links and jewelry for little kids? Pretty, but not too practical as toys.

Santa Clauses seem to be running rampant, but mixed up presents may mean danger for an unwitting Watson if Holmes can’t get to him in time. Moriarty seldom leaves things to chance, and Holmes takes a choir of caroling cops to sing in the streets. Crossed up crooks are captured, jewels are swapped for toys, and all have a Merry and safe Christmas. Well… all but the crooks.

A surprise party for Jingles has been in the works for weeks. For now, Jingles is clueless as to why he and Bill have to ride so hard to town. The surprise in the presidential suite, with new clothes and other surprise gifts are what’s needed to get Jingles happy, but there could be trouble afoot.

With Jingles in his new clothes, he and Bill rides, and they stop along a creek to water the horses. Alerted to danger, an explosion sends a rock slide their way, but can our heroes react in time? A chase is on for the bushwhacking sidewinders who put a hole in Jingles new hat.

Eaves drop in on the camp of the bad guys to listen to the dastardly deeds they’ve been up to. What do they plan to do with their hostages? A valuable mine is on the Daniels ranch. Gunplay, ambushes, standoffs, and a face off on a mountain ledge is what it takes to bring the badges down. Jingles birthday has been restored and is a happy once again.

Thomas Appleby was 70 when he married his 39 year old bride. When he died from a crushed skull at age 75, neighbors had only sympathy for his wife, until she confessed to the murder. Later, when thinking more sober thoughts, Mrs Appleby adjusts her story. Had her husband been struck before she found him? Who is young George, and what relation does he have to the Appleby’s?

With a tearful, emotional goodbye, the 18 year old whimpered like a young puppy, when Alma Appleby is hauled away on her confession. Was the murder of the grumpy old man justifiable? Suicidal, but fearful of death, did the killer do him a favor? As vocal as she is over it, is Alma covering up for someone?

The open and shut case bothers the inspectors of Scotland Yard. In what is clearly a matter of love, should they lay some blame at the foot of another man? Young George claims it wasn’t his aunt Alma, but does he really know who it may be? Is his confession just a cover up? Soon there are multiple confessions. will the truth be learned, or does it really matter?

Having convinced the town their treasure expedition was a success, the only hope to make good is for their man back at the excavation site to send them some treasure. Has any packages came? Cedric is trying to get sleep, since he works nights in the defense plant. Will Lum be able to get him to stay awake long enough to report on the latest word from the treasure site.

Lum begins to think they all should be bored for the simples for trusting their treasure map with the farmer back in Tennessee. Lum is sure, after the fact, that he friendly farmer is a crook.

Abner gets confused about crying over spilled milk. Doubts rage that the farmer is honest. Will he really send them half of all he digs up? Imaginations run wild about the jewels, and treasures that are being withheld.

Is there anybody Abner can trust?

Cedric enters with a box from Tennessee. Are the gents all rich now? Are they convinced the farmer is now the most honest man alive?

Refusing to leave his house, the doctor can’t help his aging patient, played by Ernest Chapel, the way he would like. The wound received from the old, black powder gun stands to cause infections. Are there really ghosts in the house, or is Erneest just delirious?

Noises are described. Beating on doors, hammering, a woman crying, finding a door, where there isn’t any door. Is the door locked? Does someone need help? What would happen if the ghost came out?

More ghostly encounters reveal footsteps in the snow outside. then the nearly unintelligible voices become more real. What message do they have for Ernest?

Is he just dreaming? The ghost comes every night. With the lure of the ghostly visitor,, can Ernest stay, or should he go? What would that mean for him, no matter how he decides?

Narcotics detail. Drug dealers have targeted high school students to sell them marijuana.

Ken has been picked up after joy riding in his dad’s car, and on charges of drug possession. Joe Friday goes into voiceover to describe how he feels about the low life people who stoop to selling drugs to kids. Nice boys who start to act differently, or strange, can be a sign they are into the drug culture. What will Joe and Ben find out from Ken’s school friends?

The cops check out the local malt shop, where Ben reads the crazy ingredients in an ice-cream dish known as, the Idiots Special. Bob seems amazed to learn his friend Ken is into marijuana, but why is he evading the need to open his own locker? A supplier is named, and the cops are soon knocking on the door of a mule, but who is the big tomato?

The flow of marijuana continues, despite choking off one supplier, more keep feeding the drugs into it. Informants point to a main connection, but its doubtful he’s the big tomato in charge. Weeks pass with little happening. A confrontation with their man leads to a fist fight, Tony Childs, and a few of his men are taken in. Word of a big buy is leaked, and the cops need to work fast. In a climactic finish, Joe and Ben manage to take down the big tomato.