Fibber McGee and Molly: On the Air 1935-1959 (Revised and Enlarged Edition)

by Clair Schulz

"Fibber McGee and Molly" was one of broadcasting's greatest triumphs, reaching its height during the 1940s when millions of Americans tuned in Tuesday evenings to hear radio's royal couple welcome the Old Timer, Gildersleeve, Mrs. Uppington, Mayor LaTrivia, Doctor Gamble, and other visitors who came calling at the most famous address in Comedyland, 79 Wistful Vista.

A listening favorite in many homes from the Depression right into the space age, "Fibber McGee and Molly" was unique in that it aired in three different formats: thirty-minute productions, fifteen-minute episodes, and vignettes heard on NBC Monitor. This guide to over 1200 episodes covers all three formats of the series with entries listing date of broadcast, title, cast, summary, musical numbers, running gags, and comments designed to enhance the enjoyment of listeners and readers.

This revised and greatly-expanded edition contains 300 additional entries (including 20 for which no transcription exists), more appendices (one tabulating all openings of that famous hall closet), and a new selection of photographs to complement the text.

In a time when any TV show lasting five years is hailed as a classic by some pundits, it is well to remember a program that aired from the dark days of the Depression right into the space age. Fibber McGee and Molly was one of broadcasting's greatest triumphs, reaching its height of popularity during the 1940s when millions of Americans tuned in Tuesday evenings to hear radio's royal couple welcome the Old Timer, Gildersleeve, Mrs. Uppington, Doctor Gamble, Mayor LaTrivia, and other visitors who came calling at the most famous address in Comedyland, 79 Wistful Vista. Not only did Fibber McGee and Molly outlast many programs, it was unique in that it aired in three different formats: thirty-minute productions, fifteen-minute shows, and vignettes heard on NBC Monitor. This guide to over 900 episodes currently available covers all three formats with entries listing date of broadcast, title, cast, summary, musical numbers, running gags (including openings of that famous hall closet), and comments designed to enhance the enjoyment of listeners and readers. Featuring rarely-seen photographs of the two stars and a gallery of original cartoons, this book shines a spotlight on what made Fibber McGee and Molly successful: the considerable talents of Jim and Marian Jordan who made us laugh while making it look easy and the skillful hands of Don Quinn, Phil Leslie, and the other writers who concocted radio's tastiest smorgasbord of humor.