August 29: Happy Birthday, Willard Waterman

August 29, 1914 marked the entry into the world of one Willard Lewis Waterman, who would adorn the airwaves as the star of The The Great Gildersleeve from 1950-'57. The Great was otherwise known as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, the water commissioner of Summerfield, with his bellowing calls and inimitable laugh. 

Fans of the show may recall the Jolly Boys Club, Floyd the Barber, Police Chief Gates, Eve Goodwin, and Leila Ransom.

When replacing Harold Peary with Waterman, Gildersleeve was getting a seasoned and popular radio actor. He had already rocked the mic on such series as Those Websters and The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters.

It's our pleasure to commemorate what would've been the ninety-ninth birthday of a great character actor.

November 16: Happy Birthday, Jim Jordan

Jim Jordan, one of the great--and pioneering--comedy minds of all time, was born on this day in  1896.

In his early days in radio, being able to perform as many voices as possible was important, and a way for a comic actor to maximize his earnings.  One of the first voices Jordan nailed down was an old man's, and from that he developed the character Luke Grey.  Radio aficionados and historians know that Luke Grey was the star of the 15-minute WMAQ program called "Smackout."  Grey was a corner store owner and teller of tall tales who would excuse his not having what the customer was looking for by saying he was "smack out."

Fibber McGee grew out of Luke Grey a few years later.  Phrases like "Tain't funny, McGee," and "You're a hard man, McGee" began to resound throughout the land, and the popular show ran from 1935-'59.  In addition to Jordan's title character and his wife Molly, the show gave us endearing characters such as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, Mayor LaTrivia, Beulah, Dr. George Gamble, Foggy Williams, and of course, Wallace Wimple.

Popular features of the show include Fibber's loaded and dangerous closet, his penchant for remembering a supposedly-glorious past, a longtime grudge against Otis Cadwallader, and all of the unfunny ("tain't funny, McGee") moments.

Happy birthday, Fib--uh, that is, Jim Jordan!