LEROYPENNYSAVER&NEWS -AUGUST31, 2014
“Two PeopleWho Live Together and Like It”
byLynneBelluscio
It was before my time, but
“HenryAldrich” was one of the
most popular radio programs
in the 1930s, along with the
“Jack Benny Show” and “My
Favorite Husband,” starring
Lucille Ball. All three programs
weresponsoredbyJell-O. Itwas
the Golden Age of Radio and
fewof us remember a timewhen
familieswouldgather in the front
parlor to listen to the radio.
But you will have a rare
opportunity to gather at 58 On
Main onFridaynight,September
12at 7pmorSaturday,September
13at 2:00pm for a smatteringof
radio programs. Jim Delooze
has gathered several programs
together foranentertaining radio
show. Tickets are available for
only $5 at the Jell-OGallery or
atBarista’sat58Main. Proceeds
willbenefit theHistoricalSociety.
The Aldrich Family was
developed fromaBroadwayplay,
and first was included in short
episodeson theKateSmithShow.
Then itwasasummer replacement
for the JackBennyShow.
In 1939, it became a weekly
show on Tuesday nights.
The show opened with
Henry’s mother shouting
“H-e-n-r-y - Henry
Aldrich.” And Henry
wouldshoutback inahigh
pitched adolescent voice
“Co-m-i-n-g Mother!”
The Aldrich family
lived at 117 Elm Street
in Centerville. Henry’s
fatherwasa lawyerandhis
motherwasahomemaker.
Henry was an awkward
teenagerwhobumbledhis
way througheachepisode,
butendearedhimself to the
audience each week. The
radioshowdeveloped into
comic books, television
andmovies.The last radio
programwas in 1953.
“MyFavoriteHusband”
aired in 1948 and ran
for three years, starring
LucilleBall as LizCugat.
Thenameof her character
changed to Liz Cooper
after confusionwith band
leader Xavier Cugat. The
Coopers lived at 321
BundyDrive in thefictitious city
ofSheridanFalls andwerebilled
as “twopeoplewho live together
and like it.”
For several years, the show
was sponsored by Jell-O and
each episode included at least
three Jell-O commercials,
including Lucy’s greeting - -
“Jell-O Everybody!” In 1953,
it was suggested that the show
would go to television, but Lucy
refused to appear on a television
show without her husband
Desi Arnaz, so “My Favorite
Husband”appearedon television
without Lucy. Instead she and
Desi starred in “I LoveLucy.”
Probably the radio program
most closely associated with
Jell-O was the “Jack Benny
Show”,whichfeatured thepenny-
pinching, comedian who played
the violin terribly, and who was
always 39. He was joined on
the air with Mary Livingston,
“Rochester” his chauffeur,
Dennis Day, the band leader
Phil Harris, and the announcer,
DonWilson, who was often the
brunt of Benny’s jokes. It was
DonWilson’svoice that sangout
the familiar “J –E –L –L –O.”
“The Jack Benny Show”
was sponsored by Jell-O from
1934 until 1942. It was said
that the program created such a
demandforJell-O thatproduction
was unable to keep up. When
World War II broke out, the
sugar shortage created a terrible
problem for Jell-O and General
Foods changed the sponsorship
of the program to Grape Nuts,
anotherGeneral Foods product.
So if you’re looking for a little
nostalgia, and a timewhen radio
wasentertaining, joinusat58On
Main foraglimpseof theGolden
Age ofRadio.
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