Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio — Charlie McCarthy Show 39-10-22 Ep129 (Olivia De Havilland)

Date of Episode: October 9, 2025
Main Theme:
This episode offers a charming window into the Golden Age of Radio, replaying a classic “Chase and Sanborn Hour” broadcast from October 22, 1939, featuring Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, Nelson Eddy, Dorothy Lamour, musical guests, and special guest star Olivia de Havilland. The show skillfully blends comedy, music, dramatic storytelling, and vintage advertisements, capturing family entertainment before the dominance of television.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Opening Banter & Running Gags (01:06–02:35)

• Charlie McCarthy (Edgar Bergen’s ventriloquist dummy) and Nelson Eddy kick off the show with playful insults and comedic exchanges, including reading a mock letter from Don Ameche warning Eddy about Charlie’s antics.
• Charlie responds with bravado and wit, highlighting his trademark mischievous tone:
  • "I am waiting for your return, at which time I will be most happy to clip you. So help me and mow you down. Insincerely yours, Charlie. Lil Wood mug us." (01:54)
• The banter establishes the light-hearted, quick-paced rhythm familiar to fans.

2. Musical Interludes (02:35, 05:06, 19:21, 45:47, 57:08)

• The show features spirited musical numbers, including “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp,” “My Love of Londonderry,” “A Man and His Dream,” “Go Fly a Kite,” and a medley of Victor Herbert’s songs.
• These segments both entertain and evoke the era’s musical tastes:
  • Nelson Eddy introduces “My Love of Londonderry”: "Inspired by the old and familiar Londonderry air, Helen Boardman Knox made it into a romantic love song..." (05:06)

3. Charlie and Bergen’s "Breakup" Comedy (09:34–18:46)

• The classic ventriloquist team playfully explores a “breakup” plot:
  • Charlie claims he’s quitting Bergen for “the Great Frederick”—a supposedly superior ventriloquist, magician, fire eater, and used car salesman. Bergen tries to talk Charlie out of it, but Charlie insists:
    • "Your gravy train has been derailed, brother." (10:57)
    • "Mr. Bergen, you are a man of fine character and probably honesty. Probably honest. Yes. I give you the benefit of the doubt." (16:26)
  • Charlie promises to finish the show and arrange for Bergen to meet Frederick “next Sunday.”
• This segment showcases the duo’s wordplay and satirical take on show business ego.

4. Special Dramatic Sketch: "Stormy Quarrel" with Olivia de Havilland (23:35–34:25)

• Olivia de Havilland stars in an original, atmospheric radio play set during a thunderstorm, sharing scenes with Gordon Oliver and Fred Mackay.
  • The story involves Mary Roberts (de Havilland), her marital spat, a mysterious stranger seeking “Lucia Adams,” and a Civil War ghost story set in a storm-battered Virginia home.
  • Tension builds around a local legend: "Death will follow stormy quarrel." (29:00)
  • A supernatural twist helps avert tragedy when the husband is saved from a washed-out bridge by the stranger’s warning.
  • The ending blurs reality and legend:
    • "George, look...The triangular fragment isn't missing anymore." (34:03)
• The sketch’s gothic tone, sound effects, and acting provide gripping contrast to the show’s humor.

5. Comedy with Billy Gilbert – "The Dog Kennel Routine" (38:26–44:42)

• Billy Gilbert joins for a comic discussion about his “kennels” (mispronounced as “canals”), a failing dog business, and his confusion over breeds.
  • Eddie and Lamour riff on the humor:
    • "I'm not good enough for you, Snooty?" (41:32, Gilbert)
    • Wordplay abounds as Gilbert sneezes uncontrollably every time someone says his dog’s name, “Goldenrod.”
• The bit parodies vaudeville and slapstick, richly conveyed through sound and comedic timing.

6. Halloween Banter & Ghost Story with Olivia de Havilland (49:32–56:44)

• Charlie invites Olivia to a Halloween party; they joke about superstitions and party games.
  • Charlie: "I believe it's unlucky to get hit by a truck on Friday the 13th." (50:23)
• Olivia tells “The Headless Horseman” as a party ghost story, with Charlie providing comic interruptions:
  • Olivia: "It was a horse with hoofbeats."
    Charlie: "Well, I'm a ringtail baboon. Amazing. Dr. Clitterpuss." (53:43)
  • The story builds to a punchline about a man carrying his head under his arm, to Charlie's delight.

7. Musical Finale (57:08–59:50)

• Nelson Eddy concludes with a Victor Herbert medley, celebrating the composer’s romantic style and ending with the sentimentality that defined the era's radio shows.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Charlie (to Bergen about quitting):
  "Yep. Your gravy train has been derailed, brother." (10:57)

• Bergen (on their partnership):
  "Our contract has always been verbal."
  Charlie: "Yeah. Yeah. And so has the salary too." (11:25)

• Charlie’s witty postscript in resignation:
  "Tell the milkman to leave only one bottle of milk from now on. Grade B." (17:05)

• Olivia de Havilland (in the ghost story):
  "The triangular fragment isn’t missing anymore." (34:03)

• Billy Gilbert’s performance:
  "Every time I tell anyone that the dog is called Goldenrod, it makes me...I sneeze." [followed by a remarkable sneezing fit] (43:17)

• Halloween banter:
  Charlie: "Well, don't do it at my party [crawl on hands and knees]. It's childish." (50:54)
  Olivia: "I never hobnob with goblins." (50:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:06 — Opening banter: Charlie, Bergen, Nelson Eddy
• 02:35 — Musical: "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp"
• 05:06 — Musical: "My Love of Londonderry"
• 09:34 — Charlie & Bergen argue: “breakup” storyline
• 16:26 — Charlie’s resignation letter
• 19:21 — Musical: "A Man and His Dream" (Dorothy Lamour)
• 23:35 — Olivia de Havilland dramatic sketch ("Stormy Quarrel")
• 38:26 — Comedy: Billy Gilbert "The Dog Kennel Routine"
• 45:47 — Musical: "Go Fly a Kite"
• 49:32 — Halloween party banter & “Headless Horseman” (Olivia & Charlie)
• 57:08 — Musical Finale: Victor Herbert Medley

Tonal & Stylistic Highlights

• The language is full of period slang, wordplay, gentle ribbing, and wholesome humor.
• Emotional transitions—from the satirical “breakup” to eerie ghost stories to playful Halloween jests—keep the mood dynamic.
• Frequent returns to musical warmth and lilted delivery by vocal stars anchor the show in nostalgia.

For listeners seeking the mix of musical performance, witty repartee, celebrity guests, and classic radio drama that defined the 1930s, this episode is a prime example—anchored by the charisma of Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy and the star appeal of Olivia de Havilland.