The Great Gildersleeve, a sitcom aired on NBC Radio from August 31, 1941 to 1957, was a spin-off from another popular comedy series Fibber McGee and Molly, or FMAM. It centered on the story of Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve, who was also the main character of the FMAM. Harold Peary, a popular radio and television personality, was given the lead role. The Great Gildersleeve, which was well-accepted back then, was sponsored by Kraft Foods for its product called Parkay Margarine.
In its first three years on air, The Great Gildersleeve was heard for 30 minutes, and then reduced to 15 minutes from 1954 up to its last episode. Although it was actually pretty different from its parent show, The Great Gildersleeve became as successful as FMAM. In fact, it was dubbed as one of the funniest shows ever aired on the radio.
Old Time Radio's first bona fide spin-off, Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve was one of the most popular of the oddball characters that lived in Wistful Vista, the home of Fibber McGee and Molly. He moved to Summerfield, where he and takes on an instant family in the form of Leroy and Margerie Forrester.
Harold Peary had made Gildersleeve into a multi-faceted character.He was shrewd,but in ways that rarely worked out like he planned. He was a ladies man, but mainly in his own mind. He was a public-minded neighbor, but always seemed to be getting into arguments and entanglements with them. The boys down at Floyd Munson's barbershop knew he was a singer, but often he seemed more an opinionated blowhard. And he was a loving uncle to his niece and nephew.
Walter Tetley played Leroy as a classic young wise guy nephew whose "ah, Unk" line was famous. Margerie (first played by Lurene Tuttle, Louise Erickson in the mid-`40s and then Mary Lee Robb) was the all-American girl-next-door type, and had the level head in the family. Birdie was their family cook and maid, played by Lillian Randolph. She ran the house with wit and warmth, while letting the men think they were in charge.
Catching Gildersleeve in his latest scheme were the druggist Peavey with his "I wouldn't say that, Gildersleeve" Rumson Bullard was Rumson Bullard, the pompous, rich neighbor across the street. Gale Gordon played both Mayor LaTrivia and Fogg Williams. Earle Ross was Judge Hooker. Arthur Q. Bryan was Floyd, the barber.
Gildersleeve wasn't married, but had several ladies he was interested in, namely the Widow Ransom. She was a southern belle type, but she also had a cousin, Adeline Fairchild, who got interested in the successful, if somewhat pompous Gildey.
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Please enjoy these 553 old time radio episodes:
Air Date | Title | Synopsis | Rating |
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04.21.1946 | great gildersleeve 207 petition against trolley car house |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Velveeta. A streetcar has been moved onto a vacant lot. Mr. Bullard and Gilde... | |
04.21.1946 | petition against trolley car |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Velveeta. A streetcar has been moved onto a vacant lot. Mr. Bullard and Gilde... | |
04.28.1946 | leroy wants a pony |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Velveeta, Kraft Mustards. Leroy wants a horse, very much!When Judge Hooker ca... | |
05.05.1946 | gildy is in a rut new image |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Velveeta, Kraft Mustards. This is a network, sponsored, quality upgrade versi... | |
05.12.1946 | leilas new boy friend |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Velveeta, Kraft Mustards. Gildersleeve conquers a rival for the hand of fair ... | |
05.19.1946 | leroy learns to dance party for ethel |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Gildersleeve arranges a birthday party for Ethel Hammersch... | |
05.26.1946 | flashback meets leila ransome |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Lying in his hammock, Gildersleeve remembers the day he fi... | |
06.02.1946 | flashback plays cyrano meets eve |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Gildersleeve recalls the time he almost starred in the Sum... | |
06.09.1946 | flashback jolly boys fourth of july picnic |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay. Gildersleeve recalls a Fourth of July picnic held by The Jolly Boys, ... | |
09.18.1946 | great gildersleeve 215 the commissioner turns off the water |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. 8:30 P.M. Gildersleeve decides to turn off the water of th... | |
09.18.1946 | the commissioner turns off the water |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. 8:30 P.M. Gildersleeve decides to turn off the water of th... | |
09.25.1946 | gildys new spruce scent leila engaged |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Gildersleeve gets out of singing for the P. T. A. so he ca... | |
10.02.1946 | leilas wedding invitations |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Leila announces her marriage...and not to the water commis... | |
10.09.1946 | leila leaves town |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Leila's leaving Summerfield to get married, a difficult pa... | |
10.16.1946 | gildy contemplates early retirement |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Gildersleeve is starting to consider an annuity for his re... | |
10.23.1946 | gildy needs a raise |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Things are tough financially...so bad in fact that Gilders... | |
10.30.1946 | great gildersleeve 221 real estate agent hooker as a boarder |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Frizz. Gildersleeve dabbles in the real estate business by trying to ... | |
10.30.1946 | real estate agent hooker as a border |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Frizz. Gildersleeve dabbles in the real estate business by trying to ... | |
11.06.1946 | pajama party marjorie gets engaged |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonnaise, Frizz. A pajama party leads to a possible engagement for Marjorie... | |
11.13.1946 | smitten by an unknown beautiful lady |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonaise, Frizz. The path to a beautiful mystery woman leads through Gildy's... | |
11.20.1946 | gildy takes up the great books |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonaise, Frizz. Gildersleeve tackles Plato's "Republic" in an effort to imp... | |
11.27.1946 | birdie takes a vacation |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonnaise, Frizz. Birdie takes a vacation, and the Gildersleeve family meals... | |
12.04.1946 | jolly boys sponsor an orphan |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonnaise, Frizz. The Jolly Boys adopt an eight-month-old baby girl. A good ... | |
12.11.1946 | leroy afraid of a bully |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonnaise, Frizz. Leroy is being victimized by Craig Bullard, the town bully... | |
12.18.1946 | leroy wants a motor scooter |
+ Sponsored by: Kraft Mayonnaise, Frizz. Leroy would like a motorscooter for Christmas, but Gilders... |
Josh
Joe
Tim
Tim
Linda
David
Steve
Peter
Tim
Tim
Walter
Scott
Lan
Tim
Andrew
Michelle
Mike
Edwin
Deborah
Jim
Marc
Chris
Dainel
Sink
Chris
Brain
Susan
Mike
John
Dennis
George
Eleizabeth
Tracy
Greg
Liz
Mike
GREAT GILDERSLEEVE
Cheri
Jeff
Walt
Jim
Jim
Mike
Joe
James
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