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Golden Radio Hour
Jim Jordan and his wife Marian developed one of radio's most durable comedy partnerships. The Peoria-area performers married in 1918, toured in vaudeville and worked through years of uncertain engagements before finding success in Chicago radio. Their programs evolved into Fibber McGee and Molly, which began nationally in 1935. As Fibber, Jim played an enthusiastic storyteller and schemer whose confidence almost always exceeded his knowledge. The fictional home at 79 Wistful Vista became the center of a richly populated comic community, and the crashing hall closet became one of broadcasting's best-known sound gags. Jordan's performance depended on timing and chemistry with Marian rather than simple punch lines. The series continued in different forms through 1959. After Marian's death, Jim largely retired, later voicing the albatross Orville in Disney's The Rescuers. Jim and Marian Jordan were inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1989.
Only program relationships already supported by the Golden Radio Hour catalog are shown.
Individual appearances are listed only where the imported relationship data supports the connection.
After a mishap involving Gildersleeve and a ladder, Fibber heads to a recording studio to make a record, carrying the quarrel into a new setting.
Fibber and Molly visit the Wistful Vista photo studio to have their portrait taken, giving Fibber another chance to complicate an ordinary errand.
The McGees take a trip to the Wistful Vista amusement park, where Fibber's enthusiasm turns a routine outing into a comic adventure.
Fibber and Molly prepare to leave for Hollywood so Jim and Marian Jordan can make a movie, making the season finale partly about the McGees' own Hollywood departure.
Fibber learns that a shorthand message could be worth fifty thousand dollars to him if he can only get the mysterious note translated.
Fibber takes on the role of Wistful Vista's acting fire commissioner and promptly treats the temporary civic job with his usual outsized confidence.
Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy arrive in Wistful Vista for the premiere of Look Who's Talking, bringing Hollywood excitement into Fibber and Molly's world.
A con man sells much of Wistful Vista half-interests in a supposedly valuable beauty-clay mine, drawing Fibber and his neighbors into the scheme.
Fibber boasts that he can obtain practically anything at forty percent off, a promise that becomes increasingly difficult to live up to.
Fibber and Molly try to identify who sent them a mysterious gift door chime while former neighbor Gildersleeve returns for a Christmas visit.
Fibber and Molly dress up for a night on the town and eventually land at the Cuba Libre, where their evening out becomes the episode's main comic setting.
Fibber continues investigating the mystery of Mrs. Uppington's broken window as the two-part 'pulverized pane' case reaches its conclusion.
During one of Wistful Vista's worst storms, Mr. Spelvin arrives carrying a message from the governor while Fibber and Molly cope with the blizzard at home.
Molly receives a large box of Valentine candy and assumes Fibber sent it, leaving Fibber to deal with the consequences of a gift he may know less about than she thinks.
Fibber proudly announces that he has bought a horse named Lillian, and the new purchase quickly becomes the center of the household's latest commotion.
Horatio K. Boomer returns to Wistful Vista carrying a suitcase, and his arrival gives Fibber and Molly another reason to wonder what the slippery Boomer is up to.
Fibber gets out his tools and tackles the supposedly simple job of building a footstool, with predictable complications once he starts playing handyman.
Fibber decides he has written a song and sets out to make something of his new composition, treating himself as a songwriter before anyone else has agreed.
Fibber becomes wrapped up in a Latherino Soap promotion and tries to turn his enthusiasm for the product into a winning contest entry.
Fibber becomes convinced he is going to receive two free baseball tickets and spends the day anticipating a trip to the game.
Fibber decides his old straw hat can be cleaned up and saved, turning a bit of home maintenance into another McGee project.
With wartime sugar shortages on everyone's mind, Fibber tries to invent his own substitute for sugar.
Fibber becomes convinced that a foreign spy is operating in Wistful Vista and sets out to deal with the supposed threat himself.
Uncle Dennis is finally found after disappearing with the McGees' money, bringing the two-part search to its conclusion.
A pot roast becomes the center of the McGees' day, with Fibber managing to turn dinner into a full household story.
As Fibber and Molly pack for vacation, they discover the suitcase is locked with their clothes inside and scramble to solve the problem before leaving.
The McGees return from vacation only to discover that their camera has been left behind on the train, giving Fibber a fresh problem on the first show back.
Fibber and Molly agree to help Mrs. Uppington's nephew, but even getting started on the favor proves more complicated than expected.
Fibber decides he needs exercise and starts getting himself into shape, with Wallace Wimple volunteering to help with the program.
Wartime mileage rationing leaves Fibber with only four gallons of gasoline a week, forcing him to rethink how freely he can use the car.