Podcast Summary – Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: NBC Burns And Allen Thanksgiving 1940-11-18
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Date: November 2, 2025
Main Stars: George Burns, Gracie Allen, Bud Easton, Artie Shaw, The Smoothies

Overview

This episode presents a classic installment of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show from November 18, 1940, centering on Thanksgiving misadventures at Gracie’s chaotic family home. The trademark humor, sharp wordplay, and clever absurdities reflect the comic style that made Burns and Allen household names in the golden era of radio. The episode features fast-paced banter, Thanksgiving confusion, quirky family antics, and plenty of Spam (the food, but also the sponsored running gag).

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Broadcast Begins—Setting the Scene

(00:32–02:43)

• Introduction: Announcer Bud Easton introduces the show with musical fanfare and a plug for Spam, Hormel’s canned meat product, setting the tone for situational comedy and sponsor-driven humor.

  “What is an easy way to serve the family a swell main course for dinner that costs but a few cents? ... Just open a can of Spam S P A M and bake according to the simple directions on the label.” — Bud Easton (01:36)

2. Gracie’s Absence and Chaos at Home

(02:43–05:22)

• Gracie’s Missing: George attempts to start the show, only to find Gracie unable to attend because her “granddaddy’s very sick”—though the circumstances spiral from concern to absurdist farce.

• Wordplay & Misunderstandings: Gracie details increasingly ridiculous home scenarios (“he’s defrosting the icebox,” “temperature of 150”), leading to classic Burns and Allen confusion.

  “He’s down in the kitchen with a temperature of 150.” — Gracie Allen (03:33)
  “He has a temperature of 150?” — George Burns (03:36)
  “Well, he’s defrosting the icebox.” — Gracie Allen (03:40)

• Immediate Decision: The troupe decides to broadcast from Gracie’s house to accommodate the family emergency.

3. At Gracie’s House: Family Eccentricities Unleashed

(05:22–06:50)

• Prop Comedy: Barbed wire on the banisters (to slow granddaddy’s slides) and unidentified houseguests are part of the home’s offbeat character.

  “You've got barbed wire on the banisters?” — George Burns (06:24)
  "My granddaddy likes to slide down the banister. That doesn’t stop him, but it slows him down a bit.” — Gracie Allen (06:28–06:33)

• House of Strangers: Gracie admits strangers have been living in her house for over a year; she doesn’t know who they are and “doesn’t talk to strangers.” Spirited “It is!/It isn’t!” arguments recur throughout.

4. Explaining Thanksgiving to Gracie

(07:06–08:31)

• Comedic Education: George explains Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims, and the tradition of killing turkeys, but Gracie’s literal interpretations derail every explanation.

  “As far back as you can remember, what always happened in November?” — George Burns (07:13)
  "Rostov was elected.” — Gracie Allen (07:16)
  “They killed a turkey and called it Thanksgiving.” — George Burns (08:05)
  “Oh, what a cute name for a turkey!” — Gracie Allen (08:11)

• Turkey Necks Gag: Gracie seeks logic in the distributive anatomy of Thanksgiving turkeys (“my sister got a neck, my brother got a neck…”).

5. Musical Interlude: “Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar”

(08:40–10:48)

• Performance: The Smoothies perform this upbeat staple, providing period entertainment and a rhythmic break from the narrative.

6. SPAM Running Gags & Household Absurdities

(11:04–12:32)

• Gracie’s house is both surreal and product-focused: jokes about Spam not needing refrigeration, her granddaddy sliding down a barbed-wire banister, and more.

  “Oh, Bud, we haven’t got any Spam in the Frigidaire.” — Gracie Allen (11:08)
  “No Spam in the Frigidaire on the Frigidaire.” — George Burns (11:10)

7. The Search for Granddaddy and Family Antics

(13:24–14:45)

• Granddaddy's Health: Gracie describes outlandish household medical care (“The only way he’d take his medicine was when the nurse would kiss him after every teaspoonful...”).
• Football Humor: The sound man shares a comedic football robbery anecdote.

8. Measles Mix-Up and Continued Escalation

(15:05–19:06)

• Measles Joke: Gracie exclaims that her granddaddy “gave you something—the measles!” followed by George’s increasing desperation to leave.

  “What did he give me?” — George Burns (15:42)
  “The measles.” — Gracie Allen (15:43)

• House Quarantine: Attempts to leave are foiled by a police officer who quarantines the house due to measles, and George is repeatedly stopped and sent back in.

9. Escapes and Recurring Gags

(21:25–26:41)

• George tries to leave via the window (tied to a pillow, not the bed), the roof, and the chimney—each effort comically foiled with slapstick results and Gracie’s comic logic.

  "What part of the bed did you tie it to?" — George Burns (23:15)
  "The pillow." — Gracie Allen (23:17)

• Spam Poetry: Comedic verses about Spam return as music and gags recur throughout.

10. Final Resolution and Announcements

(28:04–end)

• Granddaddy doesn’t have measles after all. George is free to pursue his date with the “little redhead,” but Gracie says granddaddy went there too.

• Closes with more promotion of Spam and Hormel Chili Con Carne.

  “Now I can go and meet my new redhead.” — George Burns (28:09)
  “Oh, yeah. Then you can say hello to my granddaddy. Because he went there, too.” — Gracie Allen (28:12)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Thanksgiving:
  "Even today, we chop the heads off turkeys."
  — George Burns (08:15)
  "How can you knock off all their heads at once?"
  — Gracie Allen (08:18)

• Household Absurdities:
  “You know this house is filled with imbeciles.”
  — George Burns (06:57)

• Wordplay:
  “When you say that, smile. Smile. Yes. S M E L L Smile. That smell.”
  — Gracie Allen and George Burns (25:06)

• Quarantine Gag:
  “Nobody leaves this house. It's quarantined.”
  — Police Officer (21:29)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 00:32–02:43 | Show/musical intro + Spam Promotion | | 02:43–05:22 | Gracie’s Absence and family emergencies | | 05:22–06:50 | Arrival at Gracie’s house, barbed wire banister | | 07:06–08:31 | Thanksgiving explained | | 08:40–10:48 | Musical number: "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" | | 11:04–12:32 | Spam in the Frigidaire + granddaddy antics | | 13:24–14:45 | Football story, granddaddy's health | | 15:05–19:06 | The measles mix-up/quarantine starts | | 21:25–26:41 | George attempts escape (window, roof, chimney) | | 28:04–28:33 | Final punchlines; Spam wrap-up |

Style and Tone

The episode is full of the literal-minded, zany logic that defined Burns and Allen’s rapport, evident in Gracie’s endearing misunderstandings and George’s exasperated straight-man responses. The wordplay, musical interludes, and embedded product poetry are hallmarks of 1940s radio comedy, delivered with warmth and quick wit.

For Listeners Who Missed It

If you appreciate absurdist yet innocent humor, lightning-fast repartee, and witnessing cultural customs filtered through comic absurdity, this episode is a masterclass of classic radio comedy. Whether you’re a fan of old-time radio or want a window into American humor at the dawn of the 1940s, it’s a delightful and briskly paced listen—complete with musical breaks, sponsor gags, and infectious silliness.