Many of the performers on The Great Gildersleeve would not ring any significant bells with anyone who wasn’t an old time radio fan. A few actors, however, went on to rather promising careers from the program. Gale Gordon, known mostly today for his role on I Love Lucy played Gildy’s wealthy, pompous neighbor, Rumson Bullard. Jim Backus also portrayed Bullard beginning around 1952, possibly as training for playing another millionaire he’d make famous on Gilligan’s Island. Richard Crenna, who portrayed Marjorie’s eventual husband Bronco Thompson, went on to have a long and successful movie and television career.
When Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve first debuted, he was the foil for neighbor Fibber McGee on Fibber McGee and Molly. With this interaction being where the character shone brightest at times, it made perfect sense, when Peary moved on to The Great Gildersleeve, to be sure Gildy had a sparring partner to equal McGee. Enter, in the show’s first episode no less, Judge Horace Hooker, as played by Earle Ross. Continual thorns in one another sides, Gildy and Judge Hooker sparred for years, but also proved to be good friends when necessary.
Being a family centered comedy, The Great Gildersleeve often revolved around the lives and antics of Gildy’s well behaved niece, Marjorie, and wiseacre nephew, Leroy. Portrayed originally by Lurene Tuttle, many of the episodes focused on Marjorie involved her suitors, and then her own family once one of the boyfriends, Bronco Thompson, married her. Gildy’s twelve-year-old nephew, Leroy, was actually portrayed by an adult, Walter Tetley. Tetley made a career of playing child roles as voice actor well into his thirties.
Tune in to the twelve original broadcasts in this collection, complete with Kraft Foods commercials, to find out just what sort of love and trouble Gildy gets into. The Great Gildersleeve, Volume 11, restored to sparkling digital quality.
#134 Water Commissioner Is Fired Rain Maker
Sunday, September 10, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#136 Plastic Mouse Trap - Banker's Son
Sunday, September 24, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#137 Gildy Sells His House
Sunday, October 1, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#138 Boy's Club
Sunday, October 8, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#139 Gildy Looks for a Job
Sunday, October 15, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#140 Important Phone Call
Sunday, October 22, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#141 Gildy Back as Water Commissioner
Sunday, October 29, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#142 Election Day - Bet
Sunday, November 5, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#144 Reception for Miss Del Rey
Sunday, November 19, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#145 Reception Aftermath
Sunday, November 26, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#147 Breach of Promise
Sunday, December 10, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
#148 Shadowing
Sunday, December 17, 1944 - 30:00 - NBC, sponsored by Kraft
One of the first radio shows I fell in love with.. 
