Harold's Old Time Radio

Avalon Time – First Broadcast

Date: March 17, 2026
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Main Cast (Episode): Del King, Red Foley, Red Skelton, Jeanette, Peter Grant

Episode Overview

This episode of "Avalon Time," rebroadcast by Harold's Old Time Radio, revisits an iconic variety radio show from the Golden Age. Listeners are transported to a time before television, when families gathered around the radio for a lively hour of music, comedy, and sponsor jingles. This inaugural "Avalon Time" broadcast features the debut of the legendary comedian Red Skelton and star singer Red Foley, delivering lighthearted banter, musical performances, and clever skits. The episode also spotlights the era’s unique style of live advertising, seamlessly woven into the entertainment.

Key Discussion Points and Highlights

1. Red Skelton’s Debut and Comedy Segments

• Red Skelton's Introduction: The episode highlights Red Skelton as a new member of the cast.
  • Del King: “First tonight we want you to meet a new member of the cast, one Red Skeleton, who certainly needs no introduction.” [00:25]
  • Red Skelton: “Listen, Del, I need plenty of introduction.” [00:38]
• Opening Jokes and Skelton’s Playful Banter
  • Skelton cracks quick, self-deprecating jokes about radio feuds and his dog (“I got a wire haired terrier that won’t bark. I took him back and had him rewired for sound.” [00:58]).
  • Del King and Skelton riff on a joke about giving away too many dogs:
    • Del King: “Well, you can go right over to my house and you can have all of them back.” [02:04]

2. Musical Performances

• Red Foley’s Songs
  • Foley delivers a smooth rendition of “Singing in the Saddle,” accompanied by a light-hearted introduction trading barbs with Skelton:
    • Red Skelton: “Well, singing in the saddle’s all right if your horse is named Avalon. Well, we got that plug in.” [05:37]
• Jeanette’s Classic Jazz
  • Jeanette performs “Honeysuckle Rose” [09:19-11:34], praised for her vocal warmth:
    • Red Skelton: "That really was lovely, Jeanette." [11:36]
• The Avalon Orchestra
  • The episode offers a swingin’ interpretation of “Beale Street Blues” by Phil Davis and the Avalon Orchestra [21:20-23:26].
• Group and Choral Numbers
  • Red Foley and chorus perform “Throw Another Log on the Fire” [23:41-26:18]
  • The neighbor boys sing the spiritual “Down by the Riverside (I Ain’t Gonna Study War No More)” [17:10-19:10]

3. Sponsor Integration and Reader Letters

• Avalon Cigarettes
  • Praise for Avalon’s affordability is seamlessly woven into both narrative and comedy.
    • Announcer: "Millions are switching to Avalons because they are a superior quality cigarette. 100% union made... Avalon's cost 3 to 5 cents less than popular priced brands." [08:23]
  • Listener letter testimonial:
    • Read by Red Foley (as John T. Youngblood): “When I bought a pack of Avalons, I smoked one and I could hardly believe it. … I knew absolutely I had found a fine, mild smoke. I’m smoking Avalons from now on.” [08:05]
  • Ongoing references to getting your “change” with Avalons and promotional jingles:
    • Secretary: “And don’t forget your change.” [20:56]
    • Announcer/Singers: “So why not always travel on with Avalon?” [27:15]
• Comedy Integrating Advertisement: Skelton jokes about mentioning Avalons to avoid offending anyone:
  • Red Skelton: “Well, I don’t guess anybody gets sore if I mentioned Avalon Cigare. Oh, gee, there goes the sponsors.” [16:34]

4. Skits and Lighthearted Routines

• Hotel and “Professor” Gags
  • Skelton recounts his stay at a quirky hotel and banters with a character posing as a confused quizmaster (“professor”), poking fun at radio quiz formats and wordplay:
    • Red Skelton: “What is an armature? … That’s a guy that sings on Major Bowes’ program.” [12:59]
• Secretary Skit
  • A rapid-fire job interview ends with the punchline:
    • Secretary: “Well, that’s fine. I’m hired.” [14:17]
  • Skelton dictates absurdist letters and jokes about his family's “cleaning” business.

5. Memorable Quotes and Running Jokes

• Meta-Humor About Radio Feuds and The Cast
  • Red Skelton: "If Fred Allen thinks that he can stir up a lot of free publicity by slanderously attacking me in one of those radio feuds, gee, I wish he'd do it." [00:58]
• Sponsor Parody and Playful Advertising
  • Red Foley: “Say, Red Skelton, I sure enjoyed your singing tonight.”
  • Red Skelton: “Well, thanks a lot, Red Foley… why don’t you read the folks that telegram you saved from Fred Allen, huh?” [27:54, 28:05]
• Playful Outtro:
  • Del King (meta): "My first program, and I never met so many touchy people in my life. I’ll tell a story. Once upon a time, there were two goldfish..." [16:38]

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Red Skelton: “Say, what is this, a microphone or a microphone?” [00:58]
• Red Skelton: “I got a wire haired terrier that won’t bark. I took him back and had him rewired for sound.” [01:29]
• Jeanette: “Well, that typewriter's making an awful lot of noise.”
  Red Skelton: “Well, something's got to click on this program.” [15:15]
• Red Skelton: “What is a pop fly? That’s a male insect with a blessed event. Thank you so much. Do you enjoy home cooking? Yes, I do. You should go home sometime.” [15:25]
• Red Foley (as John T. Youngblood): “I knew absolutely I had found a fine, mild smoke. I’m smoking Avalons from now on.” [08:05]
• Red Skelton (reading Fred Allen’s telegram): “Why should I pan you in a feud? Why, in one week I could knock you flatter than my voice. So I'll panic you on the back. Best of luck, Brick Top. Signed, Fred Allen.” [28:05]

Segment Timestamps

• [00:25] – Show intro, Del King welcomes Red Skelton
• [01:00–03:00] – Skelton’s first comedy routine: his dog and banter with Del King
• [05:00] – Foley and Skelton interact, setup for “Singing in the Saddle”
• [09:19] – Jeanette sings “Honeysuckle Rose”
• [11:36] – Skelton’s hotel routine and professor quiz segment
• [14:00] – Skelton's secretary skit: comical job interview and letter dictation
• [17:10] – The neighbor boys chorus: “Down by the Riverside”
• [21:20] – Avalon Orchestra plays “Beale Street Blues”
• [23:40] – Red Foley and chorus: “Throw Another Log on the Fire”
• [26:50] – Sponsor segment wraps up with Avalon jingle
• [27:54] – Red Foley and Red Skelton: Fred Allen telegram bit
• [28:38] – Outro and sign-off

Tone and Language

The entire episode is delivered in the playful, earnest, and slightly vaudevillian style that defined early radio comedy and variety shows. Banter is light, jokes are rapid-fire and family friendly, and musical interludes are sincere yet upbeat. Sponsor plugs are delivered with good humor and often winkingly blended into the skits and routines.

Conclusion

“Avalon Time – First Broadcast” offers a nostalgia-tinged journey through classic radio entertainment: a blend of comedy, heartfelt singing, and clever ad integration. Red Skelton’s debut is a highlight, with his nimble wit evidencing why he would become a comedy legend. The musical numbers harken back to the era’s popular tunes, while the sponsor content provides a charming historical glimpse into how advertising flowed naturally with variety programming.

Listeners are left with a sense of lightness, fun, and community—echoing the spirit of radio’s golden days.