Podcast Summary

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Rexall Hollywood Revue - 1944-11-01 (02) - Toast of Texas, or, Bread on the Range
Release Date: September 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Harold's Old Time Radio features a classic broadcast from the Rexall Hollywood Revue (original air date: November 1, 1944): "Toast of Texas, or, Bread on the Range." The show blends musical performances, comic sketches, and parodic advertisements from Hollywood’s Golden Age of Radio. Headlined by Robert Benchley, Cass Daly, and Charles Butterworth—with music by Ray Eberly and Lud Gluskin’s orchestra—the episode satirizes Western movie tropes with sharp banter and period humor.

A persistent theme is the promotion of the Rexall drugstore's "$0.01 Sale," humorously woven into the drama and variety acts.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Introduction & Cast [01:03–02:02]

• Harlow Wilcox introduces the cast: Robert Benchley, Cass Daly, Charles Butterworth.
• The show is billed as a "tuneful gay review" supporting the Rexall $0.01 Sale.
  • Quote (Wilcox, 01:04): "Rexall brings you an all star Hollywood cast... Rexall offers this tuneful gay review..."

2. ‘Toast of Texas’ – The Western Parody [02:02–05:19]

A rapid-fire, self-referential "radio trailer" lampoons sweeping Westerns:

• Outlandish plot and star introductions ("a girl with her faith in a boy, a boy with his faith in a horse, and a horse with its faith in a water trough" [Benchley & Butterworth, 02:31]).

• Absurd song titles:

  • "Just a Little Bit South of North Dakota"
  • "Give a Man a Horse that Can Cook"
  • "When It’s Roundup Time in Oregon, I’ll Meet You in Portland, Maine."

• Ridiculous highlights:

  • Massively exaggerated numbers of scenes and costumes.
  • Quote (Wilcox, 03:03): "See it today. 5,000 exciting scenes, 4,000 actors, 3,000 costumes..."

• Comic exchange (03:57):

  • Benchley: "We got a goat down at our house and it ain't got any nose..."
  • Butterworth: "Well, how does it smell, folks? See the Toast of Texas and find out."

• Reviews from made-up publications:

  • Quote (Butterworth, 04:13): "No buffaloes!"

• A ludicrously suspenseful climax ("rushing Apaches, cattle stampede, forest fire, and Tonto Dam bursting" [Wilcox, 04:28]).

• Quote (Butterworth, 05:00): "If you think this is bad, come back next week and see the rest of the picture."

3. Musical Interlude: "I'll Be Seeing You" [05:19–07:48]

• Ray Eberly, with Lud Gluskin's orchestra, performs the sentimental ballad "I'll Be Seeing You."
• The musical break offers classic, nostalgic radio ambiance.

4. The Rexall "$0.01 Sale" Infomercial (Satirical) [07:48–09:47]

• Harlow Wilcox humorously details the sale: "two standard items for the price of one plus one cent."
• Benchley interjects with light-hearted banter:
  • Quote (Benchley, 08:01): "Oh, let me at my brother’s penny bank."
• Light, playful urgings for listeners to take advantage of the sale, with comic interruptions and sly jokes from Butterworth.

5. "Daily, Benchley and Butterworth Ride Again" - The Western Sketch [09:47–13:17]

A full-length spoof featuring:

• Classic Western dynamics:
  • Benchley (Cassie Girl) returns to town, banters with Sheriff (Butterworth).
  • Repeated wordplay around cowboy tropes ("bears – only one spur" [Benchley, 10:03]).
• Introduction of villain "The Bicarbonate Kid" and "Wild Bill Hiccup"
  • Quote (Butterworth, 10:40): "There’s a dangerous killer at large... The Bicarbonate Kid."
• Over-the-top confrontations:
  • Comic duels, mistaken identities, and fake-out dramatic tension.
• Love triangle subplot, with "health, wealth and obscurity" promised as marriage vows.
  • Quote (Butterworth, 11:29): "Cassie, gal, come away to the mountains with me and I'll give you health, wealth and obscurity."
• Absurd Western climaxes—gunfights, rescues, and classic last request before a hanging.
  • Quote (Butterworth, 13:00): "If you're going to hang me, hang me from the highest tree... I guess I'm just a show off."

6. Final Promotion & Closing Banter [13:17–15:34]

• Wilcox recaps Rexall's $0.01 sale, giving more humorous product details.
• Wrap-up with cast reminders and encouragement to visit local Rexall stores.
  • Quote (Wilcox, 14:42): "Make a list of all your drugstore needs and save practically 50%..."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the "movie trailer":

  • "The story of a girl with her faith in a boy, a boy with his faith in a horse, and a horse with its faith in a water trough."
    — Charles Butterworth, [02:31]

• Comic set-up and punchline:

  • "We got a goat down at our house and it ain't got any nose..."
    — Robert Benchley, [03:57]
  • "Well, how does it smell, folks? See the Toast of Texas and find out."
    — Charles Butterworth, [04:00]

• Absurd plot escalation:

  • "Don’t miss the thrilling climax when Charlie and Cass are trapped: Apaches left, cattle stampede right, forest fire ahead, dam burst behind..."
    — Harlow Wilcox, [04:28]

• Silly villain name:

  • "The Bicarbonate Kid... Even his guns are repeaters..."
    — Charles Butterworth, [10:40]

• Marriage proposal:

  • "Cassie, gal, come away to the mountains with me, and I'll give you health, wealth and obscurity."
    — Charles Butterworth, [11:29]

• Last request:

  • "If you’re going to hang me, hang me from the highest tree... I guess I’m just a show off."
    — Charles Butterworth & Robert Benchley, [13:00]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Introduction & Cast Announcements — [01:03–02:02]
• Parodic Western "Toast of Texas" (Radio Trailer) — [02:02–05:19]
• Musical Interlude: "I'll Be Seeing You" — [05:19–07:48]
• Rexall "$0.01 Sale" Advertisements (Comic Banter) — [07:48–09:47]; [13:17–14:40]
• Western Parody Skit: "Ride Again or Empty Saddles" — [09:47–13:17]
• Closing Remarks and Promotions — [13:17–15:34]

Tone & Atmosphere

The show is lighthearted, rich with surreal humor and exaggerated Western drama. The tone is very "showbiz radio"—cheery, winking at the audience, and packed with zingers and puns. The cast are game for self-parody, poking fun at both themselves and radio conventions of their era.

In Summary

This episode offers a pitch-perfect parody of 1940s radio Westerns, full of rapid witty exchanges, silly plot twists, and mock-serious deliveries. The ongoing jokes about Rexall’s $0.01 sale serve as both comic fodder and period advertising, seamlessly integrated into the lively skits and musical numbers. For fans of vintage radio, it’s a trip back to the days when families gathered for clever, rollicking entertainment—complete with all the nostalgia and humor you’d expect from the era’s best performers.