Desc | Aldrich Family | Comedy | Old Time Radio Downloads

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Get ready with those belly rolls, because Henry is in for another bout of chaos!

The show began when Rudy Vallee saw it as a play and encouraged Clifford Goldsmith, the writer, to perform it on The Rudy Vallee Show. After rave reviews, The Aldrich Family went on to perform for 39 weeks on The Kate Smith Hour.In 1939, it became so popular that The Aldrich Family took their own prime time slot on Sunday evenings. The show was a big success. By 1941, it rated in the top ten with Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Fibber McGee and Molly.

In the show, Ezra Stone starred as 16-year old Henry Aldrich, also known as "Penrod of the '40s." In his 13 years, Henry Aldrich had more disasters, chaos, and craziness than a closet full of squirrels let loose in a glass house. Henry accidentally managed to create hilariously disastrous situations out of anything he could get his hands on, whether it be a telephone or a flat tire.

See also: Meet Corlis Archer, A Date with Judy and My Son Jeep.

The Aldrich Family was a teenage sitcom that featured "America's favorite teenager" Henry Aldrich, portrayed by Ezra Stone (until 1942), Norman Tokar (1942-1943), Dickie Jones(1943-1944), Raymond Ives (1944-1945), and Bobby Ellis (1952, both in radio and television). Debuting as a replacement for Jack Benny's Show, the series started airing on July 2, 1939. Months later, it moved to another timeslot and remained there until the show ended in April 19, 1953. During the show's first two years, it was one of the highest-rating radio shows, alongside Fibber McGee and Molly, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope.

The series was best known for its opening exchange between Henry and his mother, which goes as "Henreeeee! Aldrich!" to which the teen responded, "Com-ing, Mother!" Click here to read more about Aldrich Family

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Please enjoy these 133 old time radio episodes:

Air Date	Title	Synopsis
10.05.1952	aldrich family (553) class debt chairman	+ Can Henry be trusted in the barber shop? Three times? The
09.28.1952	aldrich family (552) he man or mouse	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Henry feels the need to develop muscles and brawn, and gets into a complicate...
09.21.1952	aldrich family (551) the barter system	+ Henry and Homer are paid for their summer jobs in corn instead of money. They try to get rid of ...
06.28.1951	aldrich family (550) everyone expects a surprise party	+ NBC net, WNBC, New York aircheck. Sponsored by: Sanka, Jell-O. There's going to be a surprise part...
04.19.1951	aldrich family (540) henry alters the school paper	+ Program #170. , AFRS rebroadcast. Henry makes a few changes in Willie Marshall's school gossip co...
09.14.1950	aldrich family (509) contest to win money for motor scooter	+ NBC net, CBC Dominion net rebroadcast. Sponsored by: Jell-O. Henry learns that the way to a motor ...
04.23.1940	aldrich family coupon craze	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O. Henry and his pal Feddy are saving breakfast cereal coupons to get a boat w...
02.26.1941	aldrich family (xxx) pen pal
12.15.1949	aldrich family (478) homers party	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O. Henry is going out to a party at Homer's house. A typical teenage boy like...
12.09.1949	aldrich family (477) grouse for dinner	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O (Meredith Willson and His Talking People). Mr. Aldrich is in the kitchen, co...
05.05.1949	aldrich family (462) homer engaged to agnes	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O, Minute Rice. Homer finds himself engaged against his will and Henry tries t...
04.28.1949	aldrich family (461) date with a tall girl	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O. Henry has a date with a girl...a very tall girl! Ezra Stone receives a plaq...
04.21.1949	aldrich family (460) henry takes gladys to school play	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O, Minit Rice. Mr. Aldrich needs some peace and quiet. Henry is taking Gladys ...
04.14.1949	aldrich family (459) henry the shortstop	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O, Minute Rice. Henry starts the day with a bowl of Grape Nuts, then announces ...
04.07.1949	aldrich family (458) blind date	+ Program #15. , AFRS rebroadcast. Henry receives a letter from Myrtle, a girl he's never seen, and...
03.03.1949	aldrich family (453) planning a trip to dc	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O ( ). The Aldrich family and Homer are preparing for a trip to Washington, D....
02.17.1949	aldrich family (451) mrs aldrich's antique chairs	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O (Meredith Willson and His Talking People). Mrs. Aldrich has bought five anti...
02.10.1949	aldrich family (450) henry the procrastinator	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O ( ). Henry's report card shows that he's
02.03.1949	aldrich family (449) shoveling snow	+ , Nostalgia Broadcasting Corporation syndication. Faced with the job of shovelling snow, Homer ...
01.20.1949	aldrich family (447) dinner date with kathleen	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O ( ). Kathleen Anderson is coming to the Aldrich's for dinner.
01.13.1949	aldrich family (446) french notes	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O. Homer and Henry borrow a set of notes for the French exam scheduled for tom...
12.30.1948	aldrich family (444) new years eve party	+ , Nostalgia Broadcasting Corporation syndication. Plans for New Year's keep changing.
12.23.1948	aldrich family (443) christmas program	+ Sponsored by: Jell-O (one commercial deleted). Henry wants binoculars for Christmas, Homer wants ...
N/A	aldrich family mary's new dress	+ , AFRS rebroadcast. Mary has gotten a new dress, and it's not such a nice dress. On the other han...
N/A	aldrich family (xxx) homer expects a horse from agnes	+ Homer and Agnes have broken up. It will take a horse to get them together.

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A big favorite. The best part for me is Jackie Kelk as Homer...so funny.

Frank

so much has mebeen lost to syndication.

John

As much as I try to like this show, I really couldn't get into it like other OTR sit-coms. I think it is because Henry addressed his parents as Mother and Father, and that sounded too formal and unnatural to me.

Scott

Going to have to find the movies

Chris

A big favorite. The best part for me is Jackie Kelk as Homer...so funny.

Frank

HenRYYYYYYYY!!!!!! Henry Aldrich!! (Coming, Mother.) Love it!

Frank

The Aldrich Family was silly stuff, but Stone and Kelk were so incredibly talented. They truly captured adolescent angst and always seemed to have a good reason for causing the chaos they reated every week. House Jameson was also a great straight man.c

Kenneth

Betty Field is great in the early show as Henry's girlfriend. She was a beautiful and very talented actress.

Frank

My favorite OTR show... It's surprising

James

I was fortunate to see Ezra Stone do a live re-creation of the show. Fantastic.

Bob

I love this show. It fascinates me to see the faces and place them with the characters. Henry and Homer look totally different than I imagine.

Melyssa

it is one of my favorites

Steven

I love Aldrich Family

Malyssa

I listened to it it wasn't too bad. I just couldn't listen to too many shows in a row.

Chris

Its pretty adolescent but enjoyable. Very similar to Archie Andrews

Andy

I started listening to the Aldrich Family jusst the other night. Pretty good. smile emoticon

Dennis

The Aldrich Family, a popular radio teenage situation comedy (1939-1953), was also presented in films, television and comic books. In the radio series' well-remembered weekly opening exchange, awkward teen Henry's mother called.

Jim

This situation comedy was a long- lasting radio, movie and TV series. The radio series was broadcast on NBC and CBS (1939-1953), mostly starring Ezra Stone as Henry Aldrich except 1942-1943 when Stone was serving in the Army during WWII. Stone was replaced by Bobby Ellis (1952-1953).

ALDRICH FAMILY