Episode 9513: The Great Gildersleeve - "Leila's Returning" (09-19-43)

Leila's Returning (Aired September 19, 1943)

The Great Gildersleeve (1941–1957), initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. Built around Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve, a character who had been a staple on the classic radio situation comedy Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve enjoyed its greatest success in the 1940s. Actor Harold Peary played the character during its transition from the parent show into the spin-off and later in a quartet of feature films released at the height of the show's popularity. On Fibber McGee and Molly, Peary's Gildersleeve was a pompous windbag who became a consistent McGee nemesis. "You're a haa-aa-aa-aard man, McGee!" became a Gildersleeve catch phrase.


THIS EPISODE:


September 19, 1943. "Leila's Returning" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Kraft Dinner. Leila Ransom is coming back to Summerfield. Gildersleeve sings, "Speak To Me Of Love." Claude Sweeten (music), Earle Ross, Harold Peary, John Whedon (writer), Ken Carpenter (announcer), Lillian Randolph, Lurene Tuttle, Richard LeGrand, Sam Moore (writer), Shirley Mitchell, Walter Tetley. 31:41. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.