Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Red Skelton Show 46-12-31 – "Old Man Winter"

Release Date: December 7, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

Overview

This episode of Harold’s Old Time Radio presents a classic 1946 broadcast of the Red Skelton Show, titled "Old Man Winter." The episode, originally aired on December 31, 1946, blends the comedic stylings of Red Skelton and his ensemble with seasonal sketches and music, evoking the cozy warmth of Golden Age radio. The show’s main themes include New Year's reflections, playful banter, and humorous takes on wintry woes, all delivered with Skelton’s trademark wit.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Welcome, Reflections, and New Year’s Banter

• Cast Introductions & Festive Greetings
  ([01:34]–[02:25])

  • The show opens with shoutouts to cast members and a lighthearted back-and-forth between Red Skelton and Rodney, trading barbs about New Year’s traditions.
  • "Goodbye, '46. And we’re glad to get rid of you." – Narrator/Host ([01:49])
  • Red jokes about his New Year's routine: "I celebrate New Year's Eve by listening to the radio. And then at 12 o’clock I have a warm glass of milk and go to bed." ([02:04])

• Resolutions & California Weather
  ([02:25]–[03:33])

  • Red riffs on New Year's resolutions, poking fun at the pointlessness of traditional promises.
  • "I'm making the first resolution: I'm not going to punch any tigers in the mouth this year. ... But I'm going to have a resolution this year that I can keep." – Red Skelton ([03:37])
  • Jokes about California’s rainy Christmas and backyard pools.

• Christmas Puppy Gift
  ([02:46]–[03:08])

  • Red describes the misbehaviors of a puppy gifted to him: "He knows more tricks. How does he ever teach him to tear up a rug like that, huh?"
  • Threatens to name the dog "1946" if he doesn't behave.

2. Musical Interlude: Anita Ellis Performs "For Sentimental Reasons"

([04:33]–[07:06])

• The mood softens as Anita Ellis sings this romantic ballad, providing a nostalgic centerpiece for the episode.

3. Comedy Sketch: "Frozen North" – Red Deadeye's Wild Adventure

([08:16]–[17:04])

• Red Skelton performs as his beloved Wild West character, "Deadeye," portraying the hardships and absurdities of surviving an arctic winter.

• Classic Gags and Banter:

  • "Is it always this cold up here? No, only nine months out of the year. Then the freezing spell sets in." ([09:07])
  • Jokes about dog teams and encounters at the trading post, with sprightly exchanges:
    "You must be on a pretty important mission, the pious blizzard." ([12:36]) "You see that pine cone hanging from that tree? … See that barn door over there?" ([13:04])

• Deadeye’s Romantic Subplot:

  • A parody of Western tropes, as Deadeye confronts Jim Hawkins, the "sage brusher" who stole his gal and gold claim.
  • "Where I come from, we eat a whole street at one sitting." – Red/Deadeye ([15:07])
  • "Look, Al, ... you got to give up this guy, Jim Harmon." ([14:47])
  • The confrontation is resolved with tongue-in-cheek braggadocio, then quickly diffused into silliness.

• Dog-Sled Debacle:

  • Deadeye ends up with a "lead dog" that’s actually a Pekingese with "rugged gums" but "no teeth."
  • "You see the fingers on my left hand?" "He ain’t got no fingers on your left hand." – Punchline barking at the absurdity ([16:27]–[16:34])

4. Family Comedy: Junior and the Snowman

([17:04]–[24:55])

• Red Skelton performs another favorite character, "Junior," a mischievous boy interacting with his mother and grandmother during a snowy morning.

• Highlights:

  • Junior attempts to look out the window:
    "I forgot to let go of the cord and I shot up with the blinds. Wound me around the window rod." ([17:50])
  • On dressing in winter:
    "I slept in them last night." – Junior, after listing all his bundled-up clothes ([18:21])

• Physical Comedy and Wordplay:

  • Snowball accidents escalate:
    "Did you bump your funny bone?" "Yeah, me funny bone lost the sense of humor." ([18:50])
  • Brick-in-the-snowball gag:
    "It was not a brick. … It was a flat stone." ([20:00])
  • Quips about women's suffrage:
    "Sometimes I wonder why they let women vote." ([19:29])

• Skiing Antics:

  • "Maybe I shouldn’t have tied his shoelaces together, huh?" ([21:54])

• Junior’s Morbid Imagination:

  • He waxes poetic about freezing in a snowbank and being found "like delicious frozen food."
  • "I'll be froze stiffer than a California driver on New Year's Eve." ([22:44])

• Snowman in the Living Room:

  • Junior drags a snowman inside, melting “all over the living room.”
  • "Ask the snowman, he was here last." ([24:35])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Red Skelton (on resolutions):
  "I'm making the first resolution: I'm not going to punch any tigers in the mouth this year..." ([03:37])

• Dog Sled Segment:
  "You see the fingers on my left hand?"
  "He ain’t got no fingers on your left hand." ([16:27]–[16:34])

• Junior's Winter Humor:
  "Yeah, me funny bone lost the sense of humor." ([18:50])
  "I'll be froze stiffer than a California driver on New Year's Eve." ([22:44])
  "Ask the snowman, he was here last." ([24:35])

• On California Christmas Weather:
  "They gave them a pool in their backyard." ([02:36])

Segment Timestamps

• [01:34]–[03:33]: New Year banter and resolutions
• [04:33]–[07:06]: Musical interlude ("For Sentimental Reasons" by Anita Ellis)
• [08:16]–[17:04]: "Deadeye" and the Alaskan blizzard sketch
• [17:04]–[24:55]: Family comedy with Junior and the snowman

Tone & Style

The episode brims with rapid-fire jokes, slapstick scenarios, and warm holiday nostalgia. Red Skelton’s delivery is light, jovial, and peppered with self-effacing humor. The supporting cast enhances the comedic atmosphere with playful banter and musical moments, making this a quintessential Golden Age radio experience.

For listeners or new fans, this episode showcases Red Skelton's comedic versatility, blending wintry misadventures and New Year's silliness with a sentimental tone, all within the inclusive, homey style of postwar American radio.