Saturday, December 16, 2017

Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas - Day 14: Christmas Card Pictures with Lucille Ball's My Favorite Husband (1950)

Over the past few days, my email inbox has been filled with offers on how to get custom Christmas and holiday cards delivered on the same day for those who have not fully planned ahead.  There is alot going on at the end of the year - I fully get it. I know that finding the perfect card for friends and family can be difficult.  And what picture should you use?  Maybe even a family picture!  While it is very common today, it was very uncommon back during the Golden Age of Radio.  But that just happens to be the scenario that Liz and George find themselves in during the holidays.  Who are George and Liz?  George is Richard Denning...and Liz is Lucille Ball (before her fame really blossomed on TV).  This is the second time I am featuring My Favorite Husband in my series of Christmas on Old Time Radio.  I featured the program last year from 1949 when Lucille Ball is desperately trying to knit a sweater for George.  This year, I return to this classic American comedy to showcase an episode with a gift that I hope none of you get.  If you have Sirius XM, you can listen to Greg Bell's Old time radio channel (#148). Or you can see my previous OTR Christmas entries (or drop to the bottom of this message).


Squirrels in Ann Arbor on a Snowy Autumn Day at the University of Michigan (December 15th, 2017)

Squirrels always make good Christmas Card Subjects - 
Here is one on a snowy day in Ann Arbor - December 15, 2017

My Favorite Husband is the first staring vehicle for Lucille Ball, the great comedienne who was best know on TV for I Love Lucy.  The series was loosely based on Isabel Scott Rorick's humorous books, most notably Mr. and Mrs. Cugat.  For the series, the names would be changed to Cooper.  Broadcast over the CBS Network, the radio show starred Lucille Ball as Liz Cooper and Richard Denning as her husband George Cooper.  They were, as their billing would indicate, "two people who live together and like it." The show was sponsored by Jell-O, though I doubt you would have trouble figuring that out if you listen to the program. Running on the air from 1948 through 1951, the year that  I Love Lucy was first broadcast over television.  This is a fun show and definitely catches Lucille Ball in fine form as one of the greatest comediennes that the United States have produced!

67 years ago TODAY, My Favorite Husband broadcast the episode called Christmas Card Pictures.  Liz started selling personalized Christmas cards and was planning on going from house to house to make some extra money at the holiday.  But she seems to have only made one sale - to herself and George!  In fact - it is not that there are a shortage of potential customers for the cards - but there are a plethora of people trying to sell cards!  But when they decide to get pictures and make the cards themselves....well, you get the idea...comedy ensues!  And when she tries her hand at block printing - or forgets to invert the lettering - there is a nice comedy bit that reminds me of Harry Carey!  But then, she gets the idea about a Christmas card with their picture on it.  So Liz and George decide to go in this direction - only they cannot decide on what picture to choose.

This is a great series and a fun program as we get ready for the holidays.  I hope your cards are ready and if not - you can get them done pretty quickly - from what I am told.

Christmas Card Pictures (December 16, 1950)



Here are some links to programs relating to My Favorite Husband:
      Another 25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2017) & Other Links

      25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2016) 

      25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2015) & Other Links

      25 Days of Old Time Radio Christmas (from 2014)
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