The best of old time radio comedy
The McGees and friends go on a fishing trip to Dugan's Lake.
This was the last half-hour episode with an audience and a live band. The economics of network radio were changing, and when the show returned that fall, it was in a 15 minute format without an audience. It continued in that format for several years, and then a couple of more as a series of short sketches on "Monitor" titled "Just Molly and Me".
The cast spofs the 1948 movie "Treasure of the Sierra Madre"; Dennis Day sings "Careless Hands".
Groucho interviews a bachelor and a spinster, a married man and a lady barber, and golfer Paul Runyan and a singing teacher.
Runyan, nicknamed "Little Poison", won several major championships in the 1930s.
Gildy's getting the jitters as his wedding day approaches.
George and Gracie's last show before moving to NBC the next week. It was during that NBC run that they switched from this "bantering with the gang" format, similar to Jack Benny's, to the domestic sitcom setup. They would also switch between NBC and CBS several more times during their radio run.
In the last show of the season, the gang (minus Kenny Baker; Dennis Day would join the show that fall) performs the show from Jack's home town of Waukegan.
The McGees depart from Wistful Vista for Hollywood to appear in the movie "Look Who's Laughing".
The movie starred the Jordans (Fibber McGee & Molly), Hal Peary (Gildersleeve), Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, and Lucille Ball. Pictures of this type, where radio stars get a visual treatment, were fairly common, and this was a typical example of the genre.
This is the audition show (today it would be called a pilot) featuring Eve Arden as Connie Brooks.
Shirley Booth was the producers' first choice to play Connie, but after Booth's audition show, it seemed that she wasn't able to get beyond the financial plight of teachers to find the comedy in the role. Lucille Ball was approached next, but was unavailable. Arden ended up with the role, which suited her wry delivery perfectly, and it became the role with which she was most identified.
This series was Jack Paar's first big national exposure, with a summer replacement series in the Jack Benny time slot. Paar later credited Benny with giving him his first big break, and they enjoyed a good rapport for years.
The Halls try to help a family on relief who've moved their mobile home onto the campus.
When the old string-on-the-doorknob trick fails to remove McGee's ailing tooth, Molly calls Dr. Gildersleeve.
Hal Peary's Gildersleeve character bounced around with several different first names and vocations for a couple of years until he settled in as the McGees' neighbor.
When Walter, Stretch and Harriet start a taxidermy business, Connie joins in to earn money for a trip.
The cast prepares to leave for Waukegan. In his last appearance on the Benny show, Kenny Baker sings "Don't Worry About Me".
Baker would turn up on the Fred Allen show that fall, but only lasted there for a few years. According to an article in Billboard magazine upon his leaving the Allen show, his "prima donna" attitude was one of the reasons for his departure from the Allen show.
He would be replaced by Dennis Day on the Benny show, of course. Day had a tremendous flair for comedy, and remained with Benny for decades.
From Camp Roberts, CA, Bob's guest is his co-star from "The Paleface", Jane Russell.
A mouse has invaded the house, and Molly tasks McGee with getting rid of it in a non-violent way.
Archie tries to use guest Bob Crosby to score points with a girl.
Gildy falsely boasts about having experience as a theater director in order to get a job with a local theater company. Frank Nelson plays one of the members of the company.
McGee and Molly become advice columnists for the Wistful Vista Gazette.
Phil and Remley take in a French orphan and teach him everything they know.
Jack and his gang of regulars parody The Fred Allen Show, and perform a sketch about a murder.
When Gildy falls asleep reading a history book, he dreams about his old school days.
As they prepare for a pot roast dinner, with just enough for themselves, the McGees have to get rid of LaTrivia, who tries to invite himself to dinner.
This episode of Town Hall Tonight features a sketch in which Fred plays a music producer looking for new songs.
With summer vacation approaching, Mary introduces a flashback to the time she and Jack vacationed in Venice.
With Mrs. Carstairs about to visit, Molly asks McGee to clean out the hall closet.
Eve asks Gildy to drive her to the train station to pick up her mother.
On the last show of the season, the cast and crew say goodbye for the summer. Dennis Day sings "Too Young".
Lily wants Montague to befriends the neighbors, until he finds out their daughter's school is puting on an amateur talent show.
McGee tries to take advantage of musical nostalgia by writing an old-fashioned song that can be revived.
