Amos & Andy – “New Year's Eve” (Original Air Date: Dec 31, 1943)

Harold’s Old Time Radio – December 31, 2025 Podcast Release

Overview

This classic radio episode of Amos & Andy, originally aired on December 31, 1943, revolves around New Year's Eve with Andy desperate to secure a tuxedo for his big date with Amethyst Dunbar. What begins as a comedic struggle to dress up for the night spirals into a poignant and surreal encounter, as Andy confronts the outgoing year, 1943, personified as a troubled and weary character. Blending humor and history, the episode mixes the show’s trademark wit with a thoughtful reflection on the trials, losses, and small victories of 1943, ultimately delivering a moving allegory about the passing of time and the arrival of hope in the new year.

Key Discussion Points and Story Beats

1. Andy’s Tuxedo Troubles (00:36–06:42)

• Andy’s Predicament: Andy can’t find a suitable tuxedo in town for his New Year’s Eve date.
• Wartime Hardships: Jokes about shortages (“substitutes for everything”) and a “cakeless cake” reference home-front rationing during WWII.
  • Andy: "There was not only fraying on the cuffs, but there was fraying on the frayin." [01:26]
  • Amos: "You know the reason for it all. A certain man is trying to give the world a substitute for freedom..." [02:14]
• Kingfish’s Grievances: Kingfish commiserates about his own tough year, especially with his wife.
  • Kingfish: “It seem like at the end of every year she takes all the little fights that we done had during the year and piles them up into one big one.” [02:49]
• Negotiating a Tuxedo: Kingfish claims he can find Andy a tuxedo—for a price—eventually swindling Andy for $18. [05:57]
  • Andy: “Me paying $18 to rent a tuxedo, it must be love.” [09:51]

2. The Reveal of the Tuxedo Scam (10:05–11:15)

• Lightning delivers the tuxedo; Andy discovers it’s actually Kingfish’s old suit, further showing Kingfish’s opportunism.
  • Andy: “This suit belongs to the Kingfish! And he charged $18 for it.” [11:15]
  • Lightning: “Well, he sure is done pulled a fast one on you.” [11:24]

3. The Surreal Meeting with 1943 (13:14–20:12)

• The Year 1943 Personified: As Andy dozes, “1943” enters, characterized as a hardened, remorseful fugitive awaiting execution at midnight.
  • Year 1943: “You’re talking face to face with a year. 1943. That’s me.” [14:33]
• Confession & Reflection: 1943 recounts a life of hardship, war, and loss, referencing WWII adversaries as characters from his “neighborhood” (Adolf, Benito, Tojo).
  • Year 1943: “I got mixed up with a guy named Adolph... the guy who thought he was too smart to hang wallpaper is going to wind up hanging himself.” [15:38]
  • Amos: “1943, you put out a lot of lights all over this world. But as you leave us tonight, we ought to remember that you left the light burning in the Statue of Liberty.” [18:32]
• Moments of Good in a Bad Year: Despite the suffering, they acknowledge glimmers of hope: the preservation of liberty, the printing of the Bible, a record potato crop, and the discovery of penicillin.
  • Amos: “You look down on a scientist working on some old stale mold and you let that man discover a new drug that will save millions of human lives.” [19:13]
• Passing the Torch: 1943 expresses regret but urges hope and teamwork for 1944, who “will have 24 hours longer… the extra day of leap year.”
  • Year 1943: “And one more thing before I go... if you’ll all pull together... that day can be the day of victory. Well, here I go. God bless you. Happy New Year. Come on in 1944. Goodbye.” [20:14]

4. Dream Ends – Return to Comic Reality (21:42–24:11)

• Andy Wakes Up: Amos wakes Andy, who is disoriented but moved; the segment blurs the line between allegory and reality.
• Finding the Lost Money: In Kingfish’s old tuxedo, Andy discovers $35 that Kingfish had claimed to lose.
  • Andy: “Amos, this is the $35 the Kingfish was telling us about that he never remembered where he put it!” [23:33]
  • The group shares a moment of warmth as Andy finally readies for his date.

5. Heartfelt New Year’s Message from Amos & Andy (24:16–26:16)

• Gratitude to Sponsors & Listeners: In a genuine holiday message, Amos & Andy directly address their audience, thanking sponsors, cast, and especially listeners for their support.
  • Amos: “We are rich in friends. And truthfully, that is the most important thing we know of… from our hearts we want to thank you sincerely.” [25:32]
  • Andy: “We promise you that during the coming year we will redouble our efforts to bring you the best that’s in us.” [26:02]
• A Toast to Victory & Hope: They express hope for Allied victory and peace in the New Year, closing with Auld Lang Syne.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hardship and Humor:
  • Andy: “Soon we'll have a cakeless cake. Oh, this is a bad year. Substitutes for everything.” [02:06]
• On the Siege of 1943:
  • Year 1943: “They thought 1917 was tough, and they thought 1929 was pretty bad.” [14:18]
• Personification of History:
  • Year 1943: “When a year realizes that it only has a few more hours to live, a lot goes through his mind. Especially a year like me.” [15:05]
• Hope Amid Gloom:
  • Amos: “You can find a little good in him… 1943, you put out a lot of lights all over this world. But... you left the light burning in the Statue of Liberty.” [18:20–18:32]
• Passing the Torch to 1944:
  • Year 1943: “Try to remember that even a good year can’t do it all by himself. Give the kid a little help and be patient with him. The tide has already begun to turn.” [20:14]
• On Community and Friendship:
  • Amos: “At the end of the year, everybody sort of takes inventory, and... we find that we are rich in friends. And truthfully, that is the most important thing we know of.” [25:33]

Timeline of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------| | 00:36–06:42 | Andy's search for the tuxedo, led into comic negotiation with Kingfish | | 10:05–11:15 | Andy discovers Kingfish’s scam | | 13:14–20:12 | Surreal sequence: Andy meets and converses with “the year 1943” | | 21:42–24:11 | Andy wakes; lost $35 is found in the tuxedo | | 24:16–26:16 | Amos & Andy deliver their heartfelt New Year's address |

Tone and Language

• The episode mixes light-hearted, rapid-fire banter, with unexpectedly weighty, reflective dialogue.
• The dreamlike sequence with “1943” stands out for its symbolic, earnest, and moving tone, contrasting with the rest of the episode’s comic realism.

Conclusion

This episode is a masterful blend of period humor and wartime commentary, using the familiar struggles of Andy and the gentle wisdom of Amos to reflect on a difficult year. Through comedy, fantasy, and direct audience address, the show underscores a message of endurance, gratitude, and hope—reminding listeners that even the “bad years” contain seeds of goodness and that the potential for a better future depends on everyone pulling together.