Old Time Radio Shows

 Who could be better at celebrating a holiday which is all about fun than Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, the Great Man Himself ? During the program's long run (1941-1957) we got to hear Gildy's “dirty laugh” at quite a few Halloween gatherings. One of our favorites was from 1943. The character of Throckmorton Gildersleeve first appeared on Fibber McGee and Molly October 3, 1939, as a collector who hires McGee to get “Killer” Canova's autograph. Harold Peary had been with Fibber McGee and Molly for many seasons, but the character of Gildy was such a good fit that he became a regular foil for Fibber. It was a pretty even match as to who would get the better of whom, but we were usually treated at least once with the catchphrase “You're a haaaard man McGee!” Fibber McGee and Molly When Kraft Foods began looking for a project to promote Parkay Margarine in 1941, a program centered around Peary's Gildersleeve was ready to go. Moving from Wistful Vista to Summerf...

The USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR-300) is the lead ship in her class of Maritime Preposition Ship. The Maritime Prepositioning Ships carry enough ammunition and equipment to support an Marine Task Force for 30 days, allowing for the rapid deployment of men, knowing that their equipment will meet them in theater within days of call up. It is one of the few vessels in the Navy inventory which went against long standing Naval tradition to be named for a person who was living at the time of commissioning. This is all the more appropriate when you consider that Bob Hope's first war-time performance was at sea. Hope was on board the RMS Queen Mary in September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland, beginning WWII. In order to help calm the panicking passengers, hope volunteered to give a special performance, singing "Thanks for the Memory" with rewritten lyrics. Bob Hope would be best known for his work to entertain the troops. John Steinbeck , who was a War Correspondent during the War, ...

A frequent star of the old time radio shows the "Colgate Comedy Hour" and host of the "Fred Allen Radio Show," today in 1956, comedian Fred Allen died at age 61.