Name Your Show xxxxxx (450) Arthur Godfrey Show

Summary

Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio – "Name Your Show xxxxxx (450) Arthur Godfrey Show"

Release Date: February 25, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Title: Name Your Show xxxxxx (450) Arthur Godfrey Show

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, titled "Name Your Show xxxxxx (450) Arthur Godfrey Show", host Harold transports listeners back to the Golden Age of Radio. The show serves as a nostalgic homage to classic radio programs that once captivated families before the advent of television. This particular episode highlights the beloved Arthur Godfrey Show, showcasing memorable interactions, storytelling, and musical performances that defined an era.

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Requesting Your Favorite Show

The episode kicks off with Tony, the host, introducing the segment "Name Your Show". This weekly feature invites American servicemen and women to request their favorite radio programs, allowing them to relive cherished moments from home.

Notable Interaction:

• Tony (00:01):
  "Name your show. Each and every week, we answer the request of some American serviceman or woman and present his or her favorite radio program."

• Bud (00:19):
  "Excuse me, Bud. I'd like to give you my request."

The exchange between Tony and Bud is both humorous and relatable, highlighting the enthusiasm of listeners eager to hear their preferred shows. Bud's playful banter about not having a pencil and his preference for the Arthur Godfrey Show adds a personal touch to the segment.

Bud’s Determination:

• Bud (00:49):
  "I want to hear my program."

• Tony (01:02):
  "Well, then, here's the program which must be your favorite."

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Introducing The Arthur Godfrey Show

Upon receiving Bud's request, Tony introduces the Arthur Godfrey Show with all its classic elements, including Arthur's signature style, Jeanette Davis, the Mariners, Archie Bleiher and his orchestra, and special guest Alan Shackner.

Tony (01:44) introduces Arthur Godfrey:
"Well, why didn't you say so, fella? You've named your show. Yes, it's Arthur Godfrey with Arthur Little Godfrey, Jeanette Davis, the Mariners, Archie Blier and his orchestra. And Arthur's special guest, Alan Shackner."

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Arthur Godfrey’s Monologue and Storytelling

Arthur Godfrey takes center stage, delivering his characteristic blend of humor, storytelling, and heartfelt interaction with his audience.

Jeanette’s Lighthearted Story:

Jeanette shares an amusing anecdote about a wedding consultant, Mrs. Marguerite Bentley, who orchestrated the perfect wedding only for the bride to forget her petticoat, leading to unexpected laughter from the crowd.

Jeanette (01:36):
"What's a buffon? What's that? Well, you know, buffon. I wouldn't know buffon."

This story exemplifies the gentle humor and relatable content that Arthur Godfrey's show was known for.

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Musical Performances

Arthur and his team perform several musical pieces that were staples of the radio show, intertwining songs with conversational segments.

"Heartache" Performance:

Arthur performs the heartfelt song "Heartache," capturing the emotional depth that resonated with listeners.

Arthur Godfrey (04:29):
"Heartache My loving you met only heartache. Your kiss was such a sacred thing to me. I can't believe it's just a burning memory."

Mariners' Harmonies:

The Mariners provide harmonious backing, enriching the musical experience with their vocal talents.

Arthur’s Musical Dialogue:

Throughout the performance, Arthur engages in playful exchanges, adding layers to the musical narrative.

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Anecdotes and Personal Stories

Arthur shares personal stories that offer a glimpse into his life and the times, adding authenticity and warmth to the broadcast.

King Arthur Certificate Story:

Arthur narrates a humorous tale about receiving a certificate proclaiming him as the "King of Ul Ultra," complete with a Technicolor drawing featuring a palm tree, crown, and a microphone.

Arthur Godfrey (13:00):
"This is Dick Love of Nelson Avenue, Bronx 52, N.Y., and he sends me a certificate to prove that I'm the King of Ululsi."

Tribute to His Dog:

He poignantly shares the story of his beloved German shepherd, Bruce, who tragically died after being hit by a delivery truck. This heartfelt moment underscores the personal connections listeners had with Arthur.

Arthur Godfrey (14:10):
"The third one is Bruce, who was killed a week after that picture was taken... He was the most beautiful, wonderful dog."

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Guest Segment: Alan Shackner

The episode features a special guest, Alan Shackner, a harmonica virtuoso who recently won a talent scout show. Alan discusses his experiences working at Olson and Johnson's carnival, where he performs and interacts with the audience.

Jeanette (17:28):
"How are they taking you over there to carnival? You doing all right?"

Alan Shackner (17:38):
"Kind of nice. Yeah, it's very nice working there. Everybody's very nice to me."

Interactive Performance:

Alan demonstrates his harmonica skills by performing tunes requested by the hosts, further engaging the audience and showcasing his talent.

Jeanette (18:12):
"Take in my heart. Can you do that?"

Alan Shackner (18:14):
"Well, we can shot. Hi, Peg of my heart."

This segment highlights the interactive nature of the show, allowing listeners to feel connected to the performers.

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Closing Musical Performances

The show concludes with more musical numbers, including a reprise of "Heartache" and a heartfelt rendition by the Mariners.

Arthur Godfrey (21:54):
"To spend one night with you in our old rendezvous and reminisce with him that's my desire."

Mariners (24:05):
"If I had my life to live over I do the same things again..."

These performances encapsulate the emotional and nostalgic essence of the program, leaving listeners with a lasting impression.

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Conclusion and Wrap-Up

As the episode draws to a close, Tony and Bud reflect on the experience of "naming the show" and encourage other servicemen and women to submit their requests.

Bud (26:54):
"It was swell. That's the kind of program there should be more of. How did you say a guy could get his request answered?"

Tony (27:01):
"The usual procedure is for any American serviceman or woman to write to name your show. Armed Forces Radio, Los Angeles, usa telling us what his or her favorite program is."

The segment ends with Tony emphasizing the mission of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, solidifying the show's dedication to connecting servicemen and women with the comforts of home.

Tony (27:39):
"This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education."

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Key Takeaways

• Nostalgic Connection: The episode effectively captures the essence of the Golden Age of Radio, providing a heartfelt connection to classic programs.

• Engaging Storytelling: Through anecdotes and personal stories, the hosts and guests create an engaging and relatable listening experience.

• Musical Excellence: The inclusion of memorable performances by Arthur Godfrey, the Mariners, and guest Alan Shackner showcases the high-quality entertainment that defined the era.

• Community Focus: By inviting servicemen and women to participate and request their favorite shows, the episode reinforces the radio service's role in providing comfort and connection to those serving abroad.

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Notable Quotes:

• Tony (00:01):
  "You, too can hear your favorite program by writing in to name your show."

• Bud (00:52):
  "I got a request to make. Right?"

• Arthur Godfrey (04:29):
  "Heartache My loving you met only heartache. Your kiss was such a sacred thing to me."

• Jeanette (21:47):
  "May I get another tune from you, honey? That's my desire."

• Tony (27:39):
  "This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education."

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This episode of Harold's Old Time Radio not only serves as a delightful trip down memory lane but also underscores the enduring power of radio to unite and entertain listeners across generations and geographies.

Transcript

[Tony]

Name your show. Each and every week, we answer the request of some American serviceman or woman and present his or her favorite radio program. Yes, that's right. You, too can hear your favorite program by writing in to name your show. Armed Forces Radio, Los Angeles, usa.

[Bud]

Excuse me, Bud. I'd like to give you my request.

[Tony]

Now, hold on just a minute. If you have a request, it should be down and writing.

[Bud]

I ain't got a pencil.

[Tony]

Well, then why not use a fountain pen?

[Bud]

Not me. I had one of them there pens which you're supposed to write underwater.

[Tony]

Yeah? What?

[Bud]

Then I almost drowned writing me last letter.

[Tony]

Well, I'll tell you. You tell me what your request is, and when we get around to it, you'll hear your favorite program. Hello, gang.

[Bud]

I want to hear my program.

[Tony]

Now, that wouldn't be quite fair, and you know it. To those who wrote their requests into us.

[Bud]

Now, look, schmo, I'm bigger than you are. Right?

[Jeanette]

Right.

[Bud]

I got a request to make. Right?

[Jeanette]

Right.

[Bud]

I want to hear it now. Right.

[Tony]

Right.

[Bud]

When do I get to hear it?

[Tony]

Right away.

[Bud]

Good.

[Tony]

Well, then, here's the program which must be your favorite.

[Bud]

Hello, Duffy's Tavern, where the elite meets Eat. I see the man just making.

[Jeanette]

Duffy ain't here.

[Bud]

Oh, hello, Duffy. Hey, wait, wait, wait a minute. Hold the phone. Hold the phone. That ain't my favorite. Why, that guy don't know English. I want something more subtile.

[Tony]

Oh, more subtle.

[Bud]

That's right.

[Tony]

Well, then this must be your favorite.

[Arthur Godfrey]

We must be vigilant. We must be vigilant. American patron.

[Bud]

Take that off. Take that off. I don't go for them mystery shows. The program I like is the Art Godfrey Show.

[Tony]

Well, why didn't you say so, fella? You've named your show. Yes, it's Arthur Godfrey with Arthur Little Godfrey, Jeanette Davis, the Mariners, Archie Blier and his orchestra. And Arthur's special guest, Alan Shackner. And now, here's that man himself, Arthur Godfrey.

[Jeanette]

Thank you, Tony. Marvin.

[Tony]

Hel.

[Jeanette]

Hello, everybody. And it's a real summer day, and I feel fine. In fact, I woke up this morning so full of pep that I thought I ought to forget the taxi and walk over here to the studio. I still think I ought to someday. Here it is, the middle of June. June. Ah, June. The month of flowers. The month of marriages. You know what reminded me of that? I saw a flower vendor this morning hitching his horse to a wagon. Something about the sight of that harness. It reminded me, too, of a story I saw in the World Telegram the other day about a Mrs. Marguerite Bentley, who was a kind of wedding consultant. Maybe you saw that. Mrs. B has seen more knots tied than a boy Scout master. You know the story told about one of Mrs. B's weddings where the bride was to wear a very frilly, frothy little buffon gown, whatever that is. What's a buffon? What's that? Well, you know, buffon. I wouldn't know buffon. Anyway, it had a touch of fly. Fly, I suppose, or floy floy or something. Mrs. Bentley thought that she had everything all set for this wedding. But when the bride started down the aisle of the church, the crowd roared with laughter. She had forgotten her petticoat. Jeanette, darling. Stand up. Willie. No, you didn't forget yours. Come on up. I never get any breaks. How about some heartaches, baby? Gee, you look pretty today. Thank you, Arthur. Oh, how lovely. Even with a bell to.

[Arthur Godfrey]

Heartache My loving you met only heartache. Your kiss was such a sacred thing to me. I can't believe it's just a burning memory. Hearty heartache. What does it matter how my heart breaks? I should be happy with someone. But my heart aches.

[Jeanette]

It's my time.

[Arthur Godfrey]

Yeah, your time now. Now.

[Jeanette]

Better get.

[Arthur Godfrey]

Heartache. My loving human only heartache. Your kiss was such a sacred thing to me. I can't believe it's just a burning memory Heartache. What does it matter how my heart blesses? I should be happy with someone new. But my heart aches for you.

[Jeanette]

But you got me buffaloed, Jeanette. You got me buffaloed. Look at that gorgeous creature over there. I don't know what to do. I saw that lovely gal that's in. What's it, Finian's Rainbow. You know the dancer, Anita Alvarez. And you go for her. You see Jeanette, you go for her. You see Lana Turner, you go for her. What is the guy gonna do in The Finnegan's Rainbow? Mr. Feller sings a song about that. Oh, my heart is beating wildly and it's all because you're near. When I'm not near the girl I love. I love the girl that near. Every fount that flutters by me is a flame that must defend. When I can't fondle the hand I'm fond of I fondle the hand at hand. My heart's in a pickle. It's constantly fickle and not too FA I veer. When I'm not near the girl I love. I love the girl I'm near. What if they're tall or tender? What if they're Small or slender Long as they got that tender I surrender always I can't refuse them always My feet perfume as long as they're not so grossed I woo them I'm confession, a confession and I hope I'm not verbose When I'm not close to the kiss that I cling to I cling to the kiss that's close as I'm more and more immortal I am more and more a kiss When I'm not facing the face that I fancy I fancy I face For Sharon I'm Karen For Susan I'm Susan I'm faithful to Hosin is here. When I'm not near the girl I love I love the girl that's near thank you. Ah. Sometimes when I see see a lovely girl, I think of the old, old story about the fella who went to a party and he met the girl he'd been looking for all his life. She was gorgeous. She made sense. She could dance. She was perfect, you know. And he told her so. When the party broke up, he asked if he could take her home. Good story. When they reached her apartment, she asked him if he would like a nightcap. He would. And when she opened the door, there, lying in the middle of the room, was a dead horse. He was flabbergasted. What was this beautiful creature doing with a dead horse in her apartment? When she noticed that he was hesitant about coming in, she said, what's the matter? I didn't say I was neat, did I? Somebody has got the right idea. Here, you see this? Can you see that? Somebody has made me a beautiful drawing in color, in Technicolor yet. Wait a minute. Who's in it? This here. King Arthur. You have been crowned King of Ul Ultra. This is Dick Love of Nelson Avenue, Bronx 52, N.Y. and he sends me a certificate to prove that I'm the King of Ululsi. This is a beautiful scene on a tropic island with a palm tree overhead and a. What do you call them? Flag here, yachting flag. And several ululs all around. There's a crown on my head and a microphone in my left hand. It says, wow, wow. And I have red socks on with green garters and a lei around my neck and a pair of blue slippers on the. On the deck here. And these lovely girls are all around and it says, presenting Arthur Godfrey as King of Ul Ultra. Very, very pretty. Oh, I just noticed. I just noticed. There's a dog in the picture too. Look at that. Boy, don't get all excited. Speaking of A dog. If you folks would like to see a picture of that beautiful German shepherd that I had, it's on page two of this week's issue of Life. There's an Ethel Corporation ad in there. Picture of three dogs. I'm not going to tell you whose they are. You're supposed to guess by looking at them. And the third one is Bruce, who was killed a week after that picture was taken. He was the most beautiful, wonderful dog. And some clunkhead drove in the yard with a delivery truck for a rug cleaning outfit about 40 miles an hour and ran him down, killing him. Oh, he was a lovely. You heard him sing on the show, didn't he? Huh? He used to have the mic in there and living room and he'd come up alongside of me here and sing better than I do. Of course, that isn't saying much for him, but we have a fellow here with us today. You can see this boy. You folks listening in in this part of the country? Over at Olson and Johnson's carnival. He's over there with the show this week. This is the lad who won the talent scout show last Tuesday night who was the dog gondice harmonica virtuoso I have ever bumped into. And his name is Alan Shackner. Shoot, Alan.

[Bud]

Sa.

[Arthur Godfrey]

It's.

[Jeanette]

Ah, Ellen. That's wonderful, wonderful. Malaguina, eh? How are they taking you over there to carnival? You doing all right?

[Alan Shackner]

Kind of nice. Yeah, it's very nice working there. Everybody's very nice to me.

[Jeanette]

What do you play over there, this kind of thing or do they make you swing?

[Alan Shackner]

I do when day is done. And then I ask the audience what they'd like to hear me play and I make a medley up from their request and we get the wildest request.

[Jeanette]

Well, why the heck don't we do that here? What would you like to have them play, huh? Did you hear that, Horace?

[Alan Shackner]

Well, thanks.

[Jeanette]

What's about the letter today? Is that a new one? The letter today.

[Alan Shackner]

Never heard that.

[Jeanette]

Take in my heart. Can you do that?

[Alan Shackner]

Well, we can shot. Hi, Peg of my heart.

[Jeanette]

Yeah, try Peg of my heart and then we'll do Horace dicato.

[Alan Shackner]

Let's do Pegama Heart, boys. And see, I'll take a little intro when I go like so. We get a D7 arpeggio and peg of my Heart.

[Jeanette]

This is getting too. Now, how about you, Horus Sato?

[Alan Shackner]

Okay.

[Jeanette]

Thank you. Alan Shackner. There's one question you got to answer for me. I know everybody in the place here is wondering, when in the world do.

[Alan Shackner]

You breathe Well, I. I was wondering that myself. Almost didn't make it. I was really.

[Jeanette]

Janette, how about another tune from you, honey? That's my desire.

[Arthur Godfrey]

To spend one night with you in our old rendezvous and reminisce with him that's my desire.

[Mariners]

To.

[Arthur Godfrey]

Meet where ship is playing down in that dim cafe and dance the Drake of day that's my design we'll sip a little glass of wine I'll gaze into your eyes divine I'll feel the touch of your lips Resting on mine to hear the whisper low Just when it's time to go Sherry island that's my design we'll sip a little glass of wine I'll gaze into your eyes divine I'll feel the touch of your.

[Mariners]

Lips.

[Arthur Godfrey]

Pressing on my. To hear you whisper love Just when it has to go Sherry, I love you so. That's my son.

[Jeanette]

Thank you, Jeanette. And here are the Mariners singing for WGBs, who just joined our network today.

[Mariners]

If I had my life to live over I do the same things again I still want to roam near the place we call home where my happiness never would end I knew when school days were over and walked through the lanes that we knew if I had my life to live over I still fall in love with you if I had my life to live over.

[Jeanette]

I do the same things again.

[Mariners]

I still.

[Jeanette]

Want to roam near the place we.

[Mariners]

Call home where my happiness never.

[Jeanette]

My little honey child I'd meet you when school days were over My little baby we would walk while we'd walk through all the lovely lanes we once.

[Mariners]

Knew if I had my life to live over I still fall in love with you It.

[Tony]

Well, fella, you named the show. How did you like it?

[Bud]

It was swell. That's the kind of program there should be more of. How did you say a guy could get his request answered?

[Tony]

Well, the. The usual procedure is for any American serviceman or woman to write to name your show. Armed Forces Radio, Los Angeles, usa Telling us what his or her favorite program is.

[Bud]

And then you bring it to them.

[Tony]

Yeah, that's right. We answer all requests as soon as possible. Except, of course, when a twerp like you interrupts the routine.

[Bud]

Touche.

[Tony]

Remember, gang, you don't have to be in the know to hear your favorite on. Name your show.

[Bud]

Poetry yet? Say, Bud, ain't there something else you got to tell them?

[Tony]

Yes, there certainly is.

[Bud]

Well, don't just stand there. Out with it. What do you want to say?

[Tony]

This is the United States Armed Forces Radio Service, the voice of information and education.