CD 7B: “Trip to Washington” - March 3, 1949 Mr. Aldrich is putting his foot down. The Aldrich Family Homer is not going to be accompanying the family on their upcoming trip to Program Guide by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. Washington, D.C. Friends and family soon start to put pressure on Sam to take Homer along. Featuring Howard “Hen-reeeeeeeee! Henry Aldrich!” Smith, Ethel Wilson, Bernard Lenrow, Judith Abbott, Parker Fennelly, Norman In the mid-1930’s, a struggling actor-turned-playwright named Clifford Tokar, and Meredith Willson and His Goldsmith seriously considered trading half-interest of a play he’d recently Talking People. written to a clothier in exchange for a heavy coat in order to brave the winter elements. Goldsmith’s success in show business was best described by the old CD 8A: “Blind Date” - April 7, 1949 saw that “if it weren’t for bad luck, he’d have no luck at all.” He had no reason Homer asks Henry to take Agnes’ cousin to believe that his play, What a Life!, would catch fire any more than his previous Martha to a school dance. Henry’s all creations—but it did. It premiered at New York’s Biltmore Theater on April 13, too willing to help out his old chum… 1937 and ran for 538 consecutive performances. but a talk with his father about blind dates starts to give him pause. Featuring Katharine Raht and Ezra Stone One of the characters in the play, who answered to “Henry Aldrich,” was played by Judith Abbott. a young actor named Ezra Stone. Stone had performed in previous presentations (including Room Service and Brother Rat), and though only in his teens, served CD 8B: “Date With a Tall Girl” - April 28, 1949 as a production assistant Henry’s made a date to take a girl named Helen to a dance…before he realized to George Abbott…the that she’s taller than him. Henry and Homer try to figure out how to make up the legendary producer who difference in height, but only succeed in making Mr. Aldrich think he’s shrinking! had agreed to take on Featuring Judith Abbott, Howard Smith, and Leona Powers. Goldsmith’s play. Abbott wasn’t convinced at first that Stone was right for the part, and was leaning toward hiring Eddie Bracken. But, when Stone mimicked the www.RadioSpirits.com vocal patterns of a former PO Box 1315, Little Falls, NJ 07424 schoolmate whose voice had a tendency to crack © 2013 RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. For home use only. in moments of stress, he Unauthorized duplication prohibited. soon convinced Abbott that he was the one. Program Guide © 2013 Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. and RSPT LLC. All Rights Reserved. Stone’s Aldrich received enthusiastic notices from 45712 critics. The actor found his signature role in Henry Aldrich, and would bring the character to radio as the CD 5A: “Cousin Lionel” - chief protagonist of one of medium’s most beloved and enduring family situation January 6, 1949 comedies: The Aldrich Family. Henry and Charlie Clark have a million dollar bet that Henry has a more famous Entertainer Rudy Vallee, the host of The Royal Gelatin Hour, had seen What ancestor than Charlie. It’s fortuitous that a Life! and asked Goldsmith to pen a number of eight-to-ten minute sketches Cousin Lionel of the Royal Canadian based on the play for his Thursday night program. These sketches featured Stone, Mounted Police is paying the family a actress Leah Penman (who played Henry’s mother), and others from the stage visit. Featuring Norman Tokar, Judith production. Kate Smith, whose popular Kate Smith Hour also aired on Thursday Abbott, Bernard Lenrow, and Meredith nights, followed suit and made the Aldrich Family a feature on her show for Willson and His Talking People. 39 weeks during the 1938-39 season. Kate’s sponsor, General Foods, believed that The Aldrich Family could stand on its own as a half-hour program, and CD 5B: “Dinner Date With Kathleen” underwrote the series during the summer of 1939, when it aired as Jack Benny’s - January 20, 1949 replacement. In the fall of 1939, the program landed a spot on NBC Blue’s Kathleen is coming over to dine with the schedule, and would become a radio staple for the next thirteen years. Aldriches, and Henry wants everything to be just right. Maybe he should have The premise of The Aldrich Family was quite simple: the show’s main character, told his mother that Homer and Agnes a “typical teenager” named Henry, went through the painful awkwardness of have been invited, too. Featuring Mary adolescence with often hilarious results. Henry was a decent, likeable sort who Shipp, Judith Abbott, and Meredith managed to turn everything he touched into catastrophe. Within the course of a Willson and His Talking People. Mary Shipp is featured as Kathleen half-hour, he could start out by placing a simple phone call and somehow manage to tie up every phone in Centerville (the fictional town in which he lived). He CD 6A: “Formal Wear” - January 27, 1949 had the usual teenage difficulties with girls and money, and often found himself Henry has tickets to the dance, but no tuxedo. Homer has a tux, but can’t afford up to his neck in trouble through no fault of his own. He was completely without admission to the event. After the boys agree to talk to each other’s fathers, their malice, and rarely did any of his mischief drift into serious areas where the law situations are reversed. Featuring Norman Tokar, Mary Shipp, Howard Smith, might have to get involved. His father, Sam Aldrich, was an attorney, and well Judith Abbott, Ward Wilson, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. adept at keeping his son on the straight-and- narrow. Henry’s devoted mom was Alice, and CD 6B: “Shoveling Snow” - February 3, 1949 his older sister was Mary. He got along fairly Henry and Homer team up to shovel the snow off the Aldrich’s and Brown’s well with everyone in the house, although driveways. A deal struck with Willie Marshall traps the two of them into Mary enjoyed seeing her brother squirm as he whitewashing his aunt’s basement. Featuring Norman Tokar, Howard Smith, tried to extricate himself from the each weekly Leona Powers, Parker Fennelly, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. complication. CD 7A: “Geometry Homework” - February 10, 1949 Classic film fans will no doubt recognize this Henry and Homer have planned to go ice skating with Kathleen and Agnes, but family comedy concept as being similar to the Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich insist that Henry get his geometry homework done before Andy Hardy movies that were produced by engaging in recreation. Mr. Aldrich plans to help Henry…until Homer’s father MGM at this time, beginning with A Family invites him to go bowling. Featuring Howard Smith, Parker Fennelly, Thelma Affair in 1937. Indeed, there were unquestionably Ritter, Mary Shipp, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. a great deal of similarities between Andy and Ezra Stone stars as Henry Aldrich Henry. Both of their fathers were employed in 2 7 CD 2A: “Henry Forgets To Mail A Letter” - October 23, 1941 the legal profession (the senior Hardy A letter that Henry forgot to mail ends up soaking wet and delivered to the wrong was a judge), their families were the party. Will there be hard feelings? Will there be anyone to deliver the lecture to same size and included a spinster aunt his mother’s women’s club? Will Henry be able to put things right? (Milly with the Hardy family, Harriet with the Aldriches), and each of the CD 2B: “Muscle Building Course” - November 6, 1941 boys ran around with a sidekick that Henry’s attempts to become better acquainted with Nancy Adams are being was not much help when it came to stymied by the athletic Bill Turner, Center High’s big man on campus. Henry staving off any potential calamity. (It decides that a muscle building course will help him get the inside track in the should be noted, however, that Henry’s competition for Nancy’s attention. Featuring Bernard Lenrow. bosom buddy Homer Brown was a far more interesting personage than Andy CD 3A: “Girlfriend” - January 22, 1942 Hardy’s chum “Beezy” Anderson.) Henry needs twenty-five cents to take Loretta to the dance…and a ride to the country club as well. Mr. Aldrich is dragooned into providing the loan, and The misadventures of Andy Hardy and pressed into service as chauffeur. Featuring George Powers. Henry Aldrich both made for big screen entertainment. Henry Aldrich became a CD 3B: “Selling Christmas Cards” - June 18, 1942 fixture at the flickers beginning in 1939 Henry and Homer are going to sell Christmas cards to raise money for war with an adaptation of What a Life, which bonds…but, their samples appear to have been lost in the mail. The usual chaos premiered five days after the radio show ensues. finished its summer run. The movie, Poster for the first Henry Aldrich movie,What a Life written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, starred former Our Ganger Jackie CD 4A: “Baby Sitting or Movies” - October 21, 1948 Cooper as Henry…with future gossip maven Hedda Hopper as his ma. A follow- Kathleen wants Henry to take her to the new Walter Pidgeon film that’s playing up to the film, Life with Henry, was released in 1941 with an original screenplay in town. Unfortunately, Mr. Aldrich has made arrangements for Henry to look co-written by Aldrich Family creator Goldsmith. This film again featured Cooper, after the Ferguson baby so that the parents can play bridge. Featuring Ethel reprising his role as Henry. (Eddie Bracken, who lost out on the role of Henry on Wilson, Norman Tokar, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. stage, played Henry’s sidekick “Dizzy” Stevens in this one.) After those two films, Henry became the protagonist (as played by Jimmy Lydon) in an entertaining CD 4B: “Detention or Basketball series of B-pictures that began in 1941 with Henry Aldrich for President and Game” - October 28, 1948 concluded in 1944 with Henry Aldrich’s Little Secret. Most of these programmers Henry breaks a glue pot in shop class were scripted by Val Burton, directed by Hugh Bennett, and featured a healthy and his teacher assigns him detention dose of physical humor, frequently culminating in wild slapstick finishes. for the afternoon, ruining his plans to go with Kathleen to the basketball game. Within two years of its premiere as a stand-alone program, The Aldrich Family But, Mr. Nelson starts to reconsider was so popular with radio audiences that its ratings often matched the numbers the punishment when he realizes that of the big-time radio comedians like Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Edgar Bergen he won’t get to attend the game with & Charlie McCarthy. The Aldrich Family moved to NBC in July 1940, landing a a pretty teacher he fancies. Featuring Thursday night time slot for General Foods (Jell-O and Postum) at 8:30pm. It then Mary Shipp, Bernard Lenrow, and shifted to CBS for two seasons, beginning in the fall of 1944, on Friday nights at Meredith Willson and His Talking 8pm. It moved back to NBC in 1946 for a five-year-run back on Thursday nights. People. Its last season on the air was on NBC during the 1952-53 season, as a sustained Jackie Kelk stars as Homer Brown program heard on Sunday evenings at 7:30pm. 6 3 Henry Aldrich was the role Ezra Stone was born famous, but he did direct several episodes of the to play, and play it he did through most of the series. In fact, Stone found his calling behind program’s long run. However, when he was the camera in later years, and became a well- called on by Uncle Sam in 1942, he relinquished known TV director for such shows as I Married the part to Norman Tokar, who took over the role Joan, The Munsters and Julia. from 1942 to 1943. (Tokar was frequently heard on the show as Willie Marshall, one of Henry’s Henry Aldrich had a lot of competition in the schoolmates…and in addition penned many “typical teenager” sweepstakes during his radio of the show’s scripts in its later years with Ed heyday: there was also That Brewster Boy and Jurist.) The voice of Pinocchio, Dickie Jones, Archie Andrews (based on the popular comic replaced Tokar from 1943 to 1944, and then the book/comic strip), A Date with Judy, Meet role of Henry was handed off to Raymond Ives. Corliss Archer and Junior Miss. I have had Ezra finally returned to The Aldrich Family in more than one old-time radio fan tell me that Dickie Jones, Katharine Raht, and House November of 1945 and continued doing his they find The Aldrich Family corny and far too One of Dell’s 1950’s Henry Aldrich Comics covers Jameson perpetually puberty-cracked voice until 1951. sentimental, but I have a genuine affection for the series. Its performances are It would be Bobby Ellis as Henry in the 1952-53 season, because he was also earnest, the writing well-done, and the program itself harkens back to a sweetly playing the role on television. simpler time. We think you’ll agree once you start listening to these wonderful shows in this collection of classic broadcasts. In the role of Homer Brown, Jackie Kelk almost went the distance (he was replaced in 1952 by John Fiedler, Jack Grimes and Michael O’Day. At the same time that The Aldrich Family was on the air, Kelk could also be heard as Jimmy The Aldrich Family Olson on The Adventures of Superman. (Kelk observed in later years that he Starring looked more like Henry Aldrich than Stone did, saying “Ezra was this little fat Ezra Stone man who wore a vest and smoked cigars.”) The Aldrich Family inspired a great deal of stability in its casting. After a few broadcasts as Mrs. Aldrich, Leah Featuring Penman handed the role to Katharine Raht, who played Alice until 1951. The House Jameson, Katharine Raht, and Jackie Kelk same goes for Mr. Aldrich, who was played by House Jameson for the same length of time. (Clyde Fillmore was Sam in the early broadcasts of the show.) With Tom Shirley and Regina Wallace starred as Mr. & Mrs. Aldrich in the show’s Harry Von Zell and Dan Seymour announcing final radio season. CD 1A: “ Rabbits and Pigeons” - February 20, 1940 By the end of the 1940’s, Henry was not only popular on radio and in the movies, Henry has hit upon a surefire idea to generate needed revenue for his mother’s but he also conquered the world of comics. Dell Comics published a Henry Aldrich birthday gift: he’s going to raise rabbits! A chat with the plumber convinces comic book series that ran for 22 issues between 1950 and 1954. He also, as Henry that carrier pigeons might be a better way to go. Featuring Alan Reed. noted earlier, made the transition to television. The Aldrich Family premiered on NBC-TV on October 2, 1949 and ran for four seasons as a live situation comedy. CD 1B: “Henry’s Hot Idea Cools Off” - November 7, 1940 Though a few holdovers from the radio program were featured—including Mr. Aldrich lectures Henry on the importance of doing things when he’s told, like Jameson as Mr. Aldrich, Kelk as Homer, Leona Powers as Mrs. Brown, Howard making sure there’s coal for the furnace. Henry gets the idea that there might Smith as Mr. Brown, and Ethel Wilson as Aunt Harriet—the show went through be some money to be made in taking care of other people’s furnaces. Featuring five Henrys: Robert Casey, Richard Tyler, Henry Girard, Kenneth Nelson and Norman Tokar. Bobby Ellis. Ezra Stone was not called on to reprise the role that made him 4 5 Henry Aldrich was the role Ezra Stone was born famous, but he did direct several episodes of the to play, and play it he did through most of the series. In fact, Stone found his calling behind program’s long run. However, when he was the camera in later years, and became a well- called on by Uncle Sam in 1942, he relinquished known TV director for such shows as I Married the part to Norman Tokar, who took over the role Joan, The Munsters and Julia. from 1942 to 1943. (Tokar was frequently heard on the show as Willie Marshall, one of Henry’s Henry Aldrich had a lot of competition in the schoolmates…and in addition penned many “typical teenager” sweepstakes during his radio of the show’s scripts in its later years with Ed heyday: there was also That Brewster Boy and Jurist.) The voice of Pinocchio, Dickie Jones, Archie Andrews (based on the popular comic replaced Tokar from 1943 to 1944, and then the book/comic strip), A Date with Judy, Meet role of Henry was handed off to Raymond Ives. Corliss Archer and Junior Miss. I have had Ezra finally returned to The Aldrich Family in more than one old-time radio fan tell me that Dickie Jones, Katharine Raht, and House November of 1945 and continued doing his they find The Aldrich Family corny and far too One of Dell’s 1950’s Henry Aldrich Comics covers Jameson perpetually puberty-cracked voice until 1951. sentimental, but I have a genuine affection for the series. Its performances are It would be Bobby Ellis as Henry in the 1952-53 season, because he was also earnest, the writing well-done, and the program itself harkens back to a sweetly playing the role on television. simpler time. We think you’ll agree once you start listening to these wonderful shows in this collection of classic broadcasts. In the role of Homer Brown, Jackie Kelk almost went the distance (he was replaced in 1952 by John Fiedler, Jack Grimes and Michael O’Day. At the same time that The Aldrich Family was on the air, Kelk could also be heard as Jimmy The Aldrich Family Olson on The Adventures of Superman. (Kelk observed in later years that he Starring looked more like Henry Aldrich than Stone did, saying “Ezra was this little fat Ezra Stone man who wore a vest and smoked cigars.”) The Aldrich Family inspired a great deal of stability in its casting. After a few broadcasts as Mrs. Aldrich, Leah Featuring Penman handed the role to Katharine Raht, who played Alice until 1951. The House Jameson, Katharine Raht, and Jackie Kelk same goes for Mr. Aldrich, who was played by House Jameson for the same length of time. (Clyde Fillmore was Sam in the early broadcasts of the show.) With Tom Shirley and Regina Wallace starred as Mr. & Mrs. Aldrich in the show’s Harry Von Zell and Dan Seymour announcing final radio season. CD 1A: “ Rabbits and Pigeons” - February 20, 1940 By the end of the 1940’s, Henry was not only popular on radio and in the movies, Henry has hit upon a surefire idea to generate needed revenue for his mother’s but he also conquered the world of comics. Dell Comics published a Henry Aldrich birthday gift: he’s going to raise rabbits! A chat with the plumber convinces comic book series that ran for 22 issues between 1950 and 1954. He also, as Henry that carrier pigeons might be a better way to go. Featuring Alan Reed. noted earlier, made the transition to television. The Aldrich Family premiered on NBC-TV on October 2, 1949 and ran for four seasons as a live situation comedy. CD 1B: “Henry’s Hot Idea Cools Off” - November 7, 1940 Though a few holdovers from the radio program were featured—including Mr. Aldrich lectures Henry on the importance of doing things when he’s told, like Jameson as Mr. Aldrich, Kelk as Homer, Leona Powers as Mrs. Brown, Howard making sure there’s coal for the furnace. Henry gets the idea that there might Smith as Mr. Brown, and Ethel Wilson as Aunt Harriet—the show went through be some money to be made in taking care of other people’s furnaces. Featuring five Henrys: Robert Casey, Richard Tyler, Henry Girard, Kenneth Nelson and Norman Tokar. Bobby Ellis. Ezra Stone was not called on to reprise the role that made him 4 5 CD 2A: “Henry Forgets To Mail A Letter” - October 23, 1941 the legal profession (the senior Hardy A letter that Henry forgot to mail ends up soaking wet and delivered to the wrong was a judge), their families were the party. Will there be hard feelings? Will there be anyone to deliver the lecture to same size and included a spinster aunt his mother’s women’s club? Will Henry be able to put things right? (Milly with the Hardy family, Harriet with the Aldriches), and each of the CD 2B: “Muscle Building Course” - November 6, 1941 boys ran around with a sidekick that Henry’s attempts to become better acquainted with Nancy Adams are being was not much help when it came to stymied by the athletic Bill Turner, Center High’s big man on campus. Henry staving off any potential calamity. (It decides that a muscle building course will help him get the inside track in the should be noted, however, that Henry’s competition for Nancy’s attention. Featuring Bernard Lenrow. bosom buddy Homer Brown was a far more interesting personage than Andy CD 3A: “Girlfriend” - January 22, 1942 Hardy’s chum “Beezy” Anderson.) Henry needs twenty-five cents to take Loretta to the dance…and a ride to the country club as well. Mr. Aldrich is dragooned into providing the loan, and The misadventures of Andy Hardy and pressed into service as chauffeur. Featuring George Powers. Henry Aldrich both made for big screen entertainment. Henry Aldrich became a CD 3B: “Selling Christmas Cards” - June 18, 1942 fixture at the flickers beginning in 1939 Henry and Homer are going to sell Christmas cards to raise money for war with an adaptation of What a Life, which bonds…but, their samples appear to have been lost in the mail. The usual chaos premiered five days after the radio show ensues. finished its summer run. The movie, Poster for the first Henry Aldrich movie,What a Life written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, starred former Our Ganger Jackie CD 4A: “Baby Sitting or Movies” - October 21, 1948 Cooper as Henry…with future gossip maven Hedda Hopper as his ma. A follow- Kathleen wants Henry to take her to the new Walter Pidgeon film that’s playing up to the film, Life with Henry, was released in 1941 with an original screenplay in town. Unfortunately, Mr. Aldrich has made arrangements for Henry to look co-written by Aldrich Family creator Goldsmith. This film again featured Cooper, after the Ferguson baby so that the parents can play bridge. Featuring Ethel reprising his role as Henry. (Eddie Bracken, who lost out on the role of Henry on Wilson, Norman Tokar, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. stage, played Henry’s sidekick “Dizzy” Stevens in this one.) After those two films, Henry became the protagonist (as played by Jimmy Lydon) in an entertaining CD 4B: “Detention or Basketball series of B-pictures that began in 1941 with Henry Aldrich for President and Game” - October 28, 1948 concluded in 1944 with Henry Aldrich’s Little Secret. Most of these programmers Henry breaks a glue pot in shop class were scripted by Val Burton, directed by Hugh Bennett, and featured a healthy and his teacher assigns him detention dose of physical humor, frequently culminating in wild slapstick finishes. for the afternoon, ruining his plans to go with Kathleen to the basketball game. Within two years of its premiere as a stand-alone program, The Aldrich Family But, Mr. Nelson starts to reconsider was so popular with radio audiences that its ratings often matched the numbers the punishment when he realizes that of the big-time radio comedians like Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Edgar Bergen he won’t get to attend the game with & Charlie McCarthy. The Aldrich Family moved to NBC in July 1940, landing a a pretty teacher he fancies. Featuring Thursday night time slot for General Foods (Jell-O and Postum) at 8:30pm. It then Mary Shipp, Bernard Lenrow, and shifted to CBS for two seasons, beginning in the fall of 1944, on Friday nights at Meredith Willson and His Talking 8pm. It moved back to NBC in 1946 for a five-year-run back on Thursday nights. People. Its last season on the air was on NBC during the 1952-53 season, as a sustained Jackie Kelk stars as Homer Brown program heard on Sunday evenings at 7:30pm. 6 3 his signature role in Henry Aldrich, and would bring the character to radio as the CD 5A: “Cousin Lionel” - chief protagonist of one of medium’s most beloved and enduring family situation January 6, 1949 comedies: The Aldrich Family. Henry and Charlie Clark have a million dollar bet that Henry has a more famous Entertainer Rudy Vallee, the host of The Royal Gelatin Hour, had seen What ancestor than Charlie. It’s fortuitous that a Life! and asked Goldsmith to pen a number of eight-to-ten minute sketches Cousin Lionel of the Royal Canadian based on the play for his Thursday night program. These sketches featured Stone, Mounted Police is paying the family a actress Leah Penman (who played Henry’s mother), and others from the stage visit. Featuring Norman Tokar, Judith production. Kate Smith, whose popular Kate Smith Hour also aired on Thursday Abbott, Bernard Lenrow, and Meredith nights, followed suit and made the Aldrich Family a feature on her show for Willson and His Talking People. 39 weeks during the 1938-39 season. Kate’s sponsor, General Foods, believed that The Aldrich Family could stand on its own as a half-hour program, and CD 5B: “Dinner Date With Kathleen” underwrote the series during the summer of 1939, when it aired as Jack Benny’s - January 20, 1949 replacement. In the fall of 1939, the program landed a spot on NBC Blue’s Kathleen is coming over to dine with the schedule, and would become a radio staple for the next thirteen years. Aldriches, and Henry wants everything to be just right. Maybe he should have The premise of The Aldrich Family was quite simple: the show’s main character, told his mother that Homer and Agnes a “typical teenager” named Henry, went through the painful awkwardness of have been invited, too. Featuring Mary adolescence with often hilarious results. Henry was a decent, likeable sort who Shipp, Judith Abbott, and Meredith managed to turn everything he touched into catastrophe. Within the course of a Willson and His Talking People. Mary Shipp is featured as Kathleen half-hour, he could start out by placing a simple phone call and somehow manage to tie up every phone in Centerville (the fictional town in which he lived). He CD 6A: “Formal Wear” - January 27, 1949 had the usual teenage difficulties with girls and money, and often found himself Henry has tickets to the dance, but no tuxedo. Homer has a tux, but can’t afford up to his neck in trouble through no fault of his own. He was completely without admission to the event. After the boys agree to talk to each other’s fathers, their malice, and rarely did any of his mischief drift into serious areas where the law situations are reversed. Featuring Norman Tokar, Mary Shipp, Howard Smith, might have to get involved. His father, Sam Aldrich, was an attorney, and well Judith Abbott, Ward Wilson, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. adept at keeping his son on the straight-and- narrow. Henry’s devoted mom was Alice, and CD 6B: “Shoveling Snow” - February 3, 1949 his older sister was Mary. He got along fairly Henry and Homer team up to shovel the snow off the Aldrich’s and Brown’s well with everyone in the house, although driveways. A deal struck with Willie Marshall traps the two of them into Mary enjoyed seeing her brother squirm as he whitewashing his aunt’s basement. Featuring Norman Tokar, Howard Smith, tried to extricate himself from the each weekly Leona Powers, Parker Fennelly, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. complication. CD 7A: “Geometry Homework” - February 10, 1949 Classic film fans will no doubt recognize this Henry and Homer have planned to go ice skating with Kathleen and Agnes, but family comedy concept as being similar to the Mr. and Mrs. Aldrich insist that Henry get his geometry homework done before Andy Hardy movies that were produced by engaging in recreation. Mr. Aldrich plans to help Henry…until Homer’s father MGM at this time, beginning with A Family invites him to go bowling. Featuring Howard Smith, Parker Fennelly, Thelma Affair in 1937. Indeed, there were unquestionably Ritter, Mary Shipp, and Meredith Willson and His Talking People. a great deal of similarities between Andy and Ezra Stone stars as Henry Aldrich Henry. Both of their fathers were employed in 2 7 CD 7B: “Trip to Washington” - March 3, 1949 Mr. Aldrich is putting his foot down. The Aldrich Family Homer is not going to be accompanying the family on their upcoming trip to Program Guide by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. Washington, D.C. Friends and family soon start to put pressure on Sam to take Homer along. Featuring Howard “Hen-reeeeeeeee! Henry Aldrich!” Smith, Ethel Wilson, Bernard Lenrow, Judith Abbott, Parker Fennelly, Norman In the mid-1930’s, a struggling actor-turned-playwright named Clifford Tokar, and Meredith Willson and His Goldsmith seriously considered trading half-interest of a play he’d recently Talking People. written to a clothier in exchange for a heavy coat in order to brave the winter elements. Goldsmith’s success in show business was best described by the old CD 8A: “Blind Date” - April 7, 1949 saw that “if it weren’t for bad luck, he’d have no luck at all.” He had no reason Homer asks Henry to take Agnes’ cousin to believe that his play, What a Life!, would catch fire any more than his previous Martha to a school dance. Henry’s all creations—but it did. It premiered at New York’s Biltmore Theater on April 13, too willing to help out his old chum… 1937 and ran for 538 consecutive performances. but a talk with his father about blind dates starts to give him pause. Featuring Katharine Raht and Ezra Stone One of the characters in the play, who answered to “Henry Aldrich,” was played by Judith Abbott. a young actor named Ezra Stone. Stone had performed in previous presentations (including Room Service and Brother Rat), and though only in his teens, served CD 8B: “Date With a Tall Girl” - April 28, 1949 as a production assistant Henry’s made a date to take a girl named Helen to a dance…before he realized to George Abbott…the that she’s taller than him. Henry and Homer try to figure out how to make up the legendary producer who difference in height, but only succeed in making Mr. Aldrich think he’s shrinking! had agreed to take on Featuring Judith Abbott, Howard Smith, and Leona Powers. Goldsmith’s play. Abbott wasn’t convinced at first that Stone was right for the part, and was leaning toward hiring Eddie Bracken. But, when Stone mimicked the www.RadioSpirits.com vocal patterns of a former PO Box 1315, Little Falls, NJ 07424 schoolmate whose voice had a tendency to crack © 2013 RSPT LLC. All rights reserved. For home use only. in moments of stress, he Unauthorized duplication prohibited. soon convinced Abbott that he was the one. Program Guide © 2013 Ivan G. Shreve, Jr. and RSPT LLC. All Rights Reserved. Stone’s Aldrich received enthusiastic notices from 45712 critics. The actor found