As an Old
Time Radio
hobbyist, I am often asked, "What is your favorite Old Time Radio
Program?"
I would be hard pressed to designate any program as my absolute
favorite but,
certainly, The Great Gildersleeve would be a front runner for that
honor should
I be forced to choose. At the very least I would have to consider it
one of my "desert
island" programs. The show's longevity alone is testimony to it's
broad-based appeal, beginning life in the months just prior to
America's entry
into the Second World War and continuing through the decline of network
radio
through the mid fifties.
Broadcasting's first bona fide spin-off, the program follows the exploits of Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve as he leaves Wistful Vista, where he was the perfect foil for Fibber Mcgee and takes on the stewardship of the estate of his niece and nephew, Marjorie and Leroy Forrester. Elizabeth Thomsen has put together a a wonderful page devoted to the program and its times, The Gildersleeve Project began as one hobbyist's effort to acquire and share this wonderful program with all OTR enthusiasts who enjoy this kind of wholesome family entertainment. Today, Gildersleeve programs in MP3 format are ubiquitous on the web. Wayback.net and the Gildersleeve Project continue to work to improve the quality of programs available to the OTR collecting community. From time to time these improved recordings will be made available through traditional clubs, online sharing groups and other means that may develop in the future.
I hope you find your visit to this site
informative
and pleasant. Please click on the links below to learn more about
the
Great Gildersleeve or to visit one of our recommended OTR sites.