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.