Bob and Ray
Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding made radio itself the subject of their comedy. Rather than building a show around a conventional sitcom family or a parade of punchlines, they treated announcers, interviews, soap operas, public-service messages and broadcasting habits as raw material. Their humor can sound deceptively calm because the delivery stays professional while the premise quietly becomes absurd. The GRH collection is especially valuable because it contains material from different phases of their career, including early WHDH work, recurring serial parodies and later network-era pieces.
Where to Start
Researched entry points from recordings already in the Golden Radio Hour archive.
Matinee With Bob & Ray Whdh 1948-49 – Ray Sings The Whdh Jingle And Because
An early WHDH-era piece that helps establish the local-radio environment from which Elliott and Goulding developed their partnership.
Episode details →Mary Backstayge – Shanghaied To Yokohama
A Mary Backstayge installment that shows how Bob and Ray could turn the conventions of serialized radio drama into an ongoing comic form.
Episode details →Arrive at CBS 6 29 59
A later network-era item whose title places the duo at CBS and gives listeners a useful contrast with the looser early material.
Episode details →Program History
Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding's long-running satirical comedy, built from deadpan sketches that spoofed broadcasting, advertising, interviews, soap operas, and everyday American life.
Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding’s long-running deadpan comedy/satire partnership. The historical broadcasts combined ad-libbed talk, sketches, mock interviews, serial parodies, characters, music and fake/real commercials across local, network and public radio.
The run breaks into several distinct periods: WHDH Boston era (1946 to July 1, 1951) on WHDH, NBC network era (July 2, 1951 to October 9, 1953) on NBC Radio Network, NBC Monitor participation (1955 to 1959) on NBC Radio Network, and Mutual daily era (October 3, 1955 to September 20, 1957) on Mutual Broadcasting System.
The stories often return to Soap opera parody, Mock interviews, Advertising parody, Journalism, Book reviewing, and Sports broadcasting.
The show also sits in a wider radio history that includes Postwar radio culture as material for satire, Bob and Ray across the network-radio/television transition, and Advertising culture and Bob and Ray’s mock commercials.
All Episodes & Recordings
Search this program or browse in its validated catalog order.
Arrive at CBS 6 29 59
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Arrive at CBS 6 29 59.”
Awful Godfrey
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Awful Godfrey.”
Bob Explains How The Hearings Inspired Ray’s Dead-On Impression Of Sen. Mc Carthy
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Bob Explains How The Hearings Inspired Ray's Dead-On Impression Of Sen. Mc Carthy.”
Intro Bob And Fentress Synom
A Bob and Ray program opening/introduction segment featuring “Bob And Fentress Synom”.
Intro Ken Takes The Day Off
A Bob and Ray program opening/introduction segment featuring “Ken Takes The Day Off”.
Mary Backstayge – Shanghaied To Yokohama
A Mary Backstayge installment centers on shanghaied To Yokohama.
Mary Backstayge Flying To Casablanca
A Mary Backstayge installment centers on flying To Casablanca.
Mary Backstayge Greg Changes Mind; Calvin Mows Lawn, Argument
Greg changes his mind while Calvin mows the lawn, and an argument breaks out in the Backstayge household.
Mary Backstayge Mr Amd Mrs. Broadway
A Mary Backstayge installment centers on mr Amd Mrs. Broadway.
Mary Backstayge Searching Food, Water On Unihabited Island; They Hear A Carousel
Stranded on an uninhabited island, Mary Backstayge and her companions search for food and water until the unexpected sound of a carousel gives them a new lead.
Matinee With Bob & Ray Whdh 1948-49 – Ray Sings The Whdh Jingle And Because
A Matinee With Bob & Ray Whdh 1948-49 segment centers on ray Sings The Whdh Jingle And Because.
News Of Bank Branches Moving
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “News Of Bank Branches Moving.”
Public Service Announcement I
A mock public-service announcement concerns I.
Pupi Convention
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Pupi Convention,” as identified by the Complete Collection track listing.
Speak Up (Brother-in-law Cheats On Golf Score)
A Speak Up segment centers on brother-in-law Cheats On Golf Score.
This Is Your Bed, You Made It, Now Lie In It
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “This Is Your Bed, You Made It, Now Lie In It.”
Wally Ballou for Mayor
Wally Ballou's remote report centers on for Mayor.
Welcome To Carnegie Hall
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Welcome To Carnegie Hall.”
Arthur Godfrey For Chesterfields
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Arthur Godfrey For Chesterfields.”
Biff Burns – Female Caddy
Biff Burns' sports report centers on female Caddy.
Chocolate Rabbits
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Chocolate Rabbits.”
Encourage Young Investors
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Encourage Young Investors.”
Introducing Wally Ballou
A field-report/interview comedy segment featuring Bob and Ray reporter Wally Ballou.
Jack Headstrong
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Jack Headstrong,” as identified by the Complete Collection track listing.
Mary Backstayge Calls Chairman Mush
A Mary Backstayge installment centers on calls Chairman Mush.
Mary Backstayge Ralph Crusader’s Investigation Called Off
A Mary Backstayge installment centers on ralph Crusader's Investigation Called Off.
Mary Mc Goon & Arthur Godfrey Sing Barnacle Bill The Sailor
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Mary Mc Goon & Arthur Godfrey Sing Barnacle Bill The Sailor.”
Mr I-Know-Where-They-Are Fernando The Magnificent
Mr. I-Know-Where-They-Are turns his attention to Fernando the Magnificent.
Studio Tour
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Studio Tour.”
The Life & Loves Of Linda Lovely
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “The Life & Loves Of Linda Lovely.”
Today’s Run Down
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Today's Run Down.”
Unknown Inventor Nimble Flick
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Unknown Inventor Nimble Flick.”
Wally Decides to Run
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Wally Decides to Run.”
Webley Webster ( Jealousy Interrupted By Fire Drill)
A Webley Webster segment covers ( Jealousy Interrupted By Fire Drill).
Bob Elliott Soundalike Tryout
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Bob Elliott Soundalike Tryout.”
Calvin Hoogevin Takes The Stand
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Calvin Hoogevin Takes The Stand.”
Commercial (Bert & Harry For Piels Beer)
A Bob and Ray mock commercial promotes (Bert & Harry For Piels Beer).
Dean Archer Armstead Snow Rot
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Dean Archer Armstead Snow Rot.”
Interview Druggists From Somaliland
A Bob and Ray comedy routine centers on “Interview Druggists From Somaliland.”
Linda Lovely Chats With B & R
A Linda Lovely serial installment centers on chats With B & R.
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