Strike It Rich 51-06-01 xxx Guest - Elizabeth Dollinger

Summary

Podcast Summary: Strike It Rich 51-06-01 — Guest: Elizabeth Dollinger

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Warren Hull & Ralph Paul
Date: October 14, 2025 (original airdate: June 1, 1951)

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of “Strike It Rich,” a radio game show from the Golden Age of Radio, showcases everyday Americans sharing heartfelt stories and competing for cash prizes to improve their lives or help others. The episode centers on three main guests: Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger, two schoolgirls (Cynthia Castle and Emma Hoffman), and Samuel Sharp, each with their unique, touching story. The tone is warm, encouraging, and deeply empathetic.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger’s Return: A Mother's Memorial (00:52 – 04:23)

• Background: Mrs. Dollinger, a registered nurse from White Plains, NY, returns to complete her appearance. She wishes to establish a memorial scholarship for her late daughter, Mimi, who died suddenly from leukemia.
• Memorial Efforts: She wants to donate books and start a scholarship at Mimi’s alma mater, State Teachers College (New Paltz, NY), helping future teachers or medical students to prevent similar tragedies.
  • “Get an education where they wanted to teach or go on in medicine. That we never again have this thing happen.” — Mrs. Dollinger [01:31]
• Charitable Intentions: She pledges to donate any additional winnings to organizations battling leukemia, including the Damon Runyon Fund and the Red Cross.
  • “Every penny.” — Mrs. Dollinger [02:09]
• Game Segment:
  • Correctly doubles winnings in the music category (song: “When You and I Were Young, Maggie”) and in spelling (“bequeath”).
  • Final history question: Identifies Gertrude Ederle as the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926.
• Notable Moment: Emotional resonance as hosts highlight Mrs. Dollinger’s devotion to her daughter’s memory and the wider fight against leukemia.
• Total Winnings: $180, with $100 set for the memorial and $20 for charity support.

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2. Schoolgirl Guests: Cynthia Castle and Emma Hoffman (Creamery, PA) (04:23 – 10:25)

• Background: Eighth graders Cynthia and Emma hope to win a dishwasher for their small school, so students won’t have to leave class to wash dishes.
  • “There's several children each day [who] must leave their classes and go down and help do the dishes.” — Emma Hoffman [05:19]
• Game Show Banter:
  • Ralph Paul teases the girls’ bashfulness and highlights their academic achievements (Emma’s participation in the National Spelling Bee).
  • Affable exchanges about their small school and the cost of the dishwasher ($350).
• Game Progress:
  • Correctly answer trivia and identify songs (though close on “The Sweetest Story Ever Told”).
  • Emma boldly puts all their winnings on a spelling challenge.
  • History question: Correctly identifies that the freezing point thermometer was named after its inventor (not included in full answer in transcript).
• Host Support: Ralph and Warren create a supportive, entertaining environment, encouraging the girls to speak up and take risks.

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3. Samuel Sharp: A Father’s Struggle to Reunite His Family (10:27 – 15:39)

• Background: Samuel is separated from his family, living at the YMCA in New York while his wife and three young children stay with relatives in a one-room apartment in the Bronx.
  • “My family's living without the parents in the one-room house. One room in the Bronx.” — Samuel Sharp [11:02]
• Motivation: Wishes to win enough to cover apartment rent and deposit ($160 total) to reunite his family.
  • “I would like to strike it rich to get enough to pay one month for an apartment and a deposit for the apartment.” — Samuel Sharp [11:41]
• Personal Details:
  • Married for nine years.
  • Children aged seven and a half, five and a half, and two and a half; the youngest was born in Brazil.
• Game Play:
  • Confirms Jack Dempsey’s heavyweight title win, correctly identifies Katharine Hepburn (pronounced “Helpern”) in “The Philadelphia Story.”
  • Stumbles on musical question (“Anniversary Waltz”) and the spelling of "reminisce."
• Heartfelt Moment: Despite losing at the game, Mrs. Dollinger steps in to offer her winnings to Samuel:
  • “Our heart fund has enough money to pay the first month's rent. We'll give this gentleman $60.” — Mrs. Dollinger [15:21]
  • Samuel is moved, and the hosts cheer this act of generosity.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Mrs. Dollinger’s Mission:
  • “Every penny.” — Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger, pledging to fight leukemia [02:09]
• Emma’s School Life:
  • “There's several children each day [who] must leave their classes and go down and help do the dishes.” — Emma Hoffman [05:19]
• Samuel Sharp’s Hope:
  • “We have never been separated before.” — Samuel Sharp [11:24]
  • “Our heart fund has enough money to pay the first month's rent. We'll give this gentleman $60.” — Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger [15:21]

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Key Timestamps

• 00:52 – Mrs. Dollinger reintroduced, revisiting her daughter’s legacy
• 01:31–02:16 – Mrs. Dollinger’s motivations and charitable focus
• 02:43 – Trivia begins for Mrs. Dollinger
• 04:23 – Cynthia Castle and Emma Hoffman take the hot seat
• 05:19 – Emma explains the dishwasher need
• 07:02–09:19 – The girls undertake questions, culminating in a spelling showdown
• 10:27 – Samuel Sharp’s appearance and story begins
• 11:14–12:20 – Emotional discussion about Samuel's family separation and struggles
• 15:21 – Mrs. Dollinger pledges rent money to Samuel Sharp

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Overall Tone & Original Style

The show balances lighthearted, nostalgic game play with deeply earnest storytelling. The hosts, Warren Hull and Ralph Paul, offer empathy, encouragement, and a sense of community — often using friendly teasing, supportive guidance, and spontaneous generosity. The language is sincere, unpolished, and in the vernacular of the early 1950s, adding to its authenticity and warmth.

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In Summary

This “Strike It Rich” episode powerfully encapsulates the spirit of radio’s “show with a heart”—mixing games, human interest stories, and real acts of kindness within an upbeat, old-timey, and optimistic broadcast. Listeners walk away entertained, moved, and reminded of the human stories behind every contestant.

Transcript

[Warren Hull]

The Colgate Palmapee Company presents Transcribe the show with a Heart. Strike It Rich. Yes, it's Strike and Rich. Where every day, Monday through Friday, people tell their own true stories. Where with our cash, you build your own fortunes. And now meet the Colgate Palmoly Pete Ambassador of Goodwill, Mr. Strike It Rich himself, Warren Hul. Thank you very much. Hi, everybody here and out there. Strike It Rich, the show with a heart.

[Ralph Paul]

Salute you, the audience with a heart on behalf of Val V E L. That's the best friend you will ever have around your house, especially in the kitchen. Well, now we're especially going to Strike.

[Warren Hull]

It Rich around here.

[Ralph Paul]

And Ralph Paul, who's first? Warren Howell. Back again today to Strike It Rich is our registered nurse from up White.

[Warren Hull]

Plains, New York way. She's Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger. Oh, yeah. Hello, Mrs. Dallinger.

[Ralph Paul]

Mrs. Dollinger, we didn't quite finish with you yesterday and we did our best, but sure glad you could come back. You said you wanted to strike it rich so that you could establish a memorial for your daughter Mimi. And she was taken from you very suddenly. She had leukemia and you showed us her. You still have her picture with you. You said that she was just as wonderful as she was lovely. And she sure is lovely. And you wanted to give books, didn't you, for this scholarship to help someone.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Get an education where they wanted to teach or go on in medicine. That we never again have this thing happen.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, now you. She went to the state Teachers College up at New Paltz, New York.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

That is right.

[Ralph Paul]

You were going up there yesterday.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Did you go? I did go, yes. And here's what became some of my.

[Ralph Paul]

What did they say?

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Well, they said that the archives of the building would always have a little bit of Mimi Darlinger. And everybody was going to try that this wouldn't repeat itself and fight leukemia.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, yes. You want any extra money that you might get to go to the forces that are fighting the thing that struck your daughter?

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Absolutely. Every penny.

[Ralph Paul]

The Damon Runyon Fund, for instance.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Damon Runyon Fund or the Red Cross. Everybody has helped us.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, fine. Now let's see if we can help you too. Come on now.

[Warren Hull]

Here you have a nice great big box of bells.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

And I'm a grandma.

[Ralph Paul]

Four times your grandma. Four times. After the show, four more to you. All right. Yes. Ralph is very generous with that bell. And now you come on here and you have. Where were we? Yesterday you had 40 doll. You were ready for music when we had to finish. Now, how much of that 40 do you want to put on music.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

I think I'll double.

[Ralph Paul]

You want to double it? I hope you will. Of course. This is an old time song that's coming up here now. It's one that grandma. You being a grandma, maybe you used to sing it. You listen and tell us the full name.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Boy, he's swinging it today by the hill. Maggie. When you and I were young.

[Warren Hull]

Man, that's it. When you and I were young.

[Ralph Paul]

They've been swinging that song lately and he was right in there swinging it. But you recognize it. You have $80 now and you spell it coming up. How's she spelling?

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Well, I'm not going to give myself too much credit. I'll take half.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, you want 20 on this? All right. The word is bequeath meaning. Oh, I beg your pardon. You had 80, so it's 40 on this. The word is bequeath, meaning to give by will. Now you spell it. Bequeath.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

B, E, Q, U, E, A, T, H. Right.

[Warren Hull]

Very good. That'. Now there you are. You have that hundred dollars you said.

[Ralph Paul]

That you wanted as a memorial. And there's $20 now that you can give to these other agencies that have helped you. Now, how much do you want on the last category? Turn back the clock. How much?

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Double it.

[Ralph Paul]

You want the whole thing on it?

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

No, I'll take half.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, I put half then that'll be 60 on this. Let's turn back the clock to an August day in 1926. A woman, the first of her sex, swims the English Channel. Now name that woman.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Gertrude.

[Ralph Paul]

That is Cor.

[Warren Hull]

$180 and we'll glad that you can try it. Rich.

[Ralph Paul]

Glad you can be willing swell looking.

[Warren Hull]

Young 8th graders in our audience, namely.

[Ralph Paul]

Cynthia Castle and Emma Hoffman. And they're from.

[Warren Hull]

Hey, from Creamy Creamery, Pennsylvania. Hello. How are you girls? Cynthia. Emma. Wow, you have.

[Ralph Paul]

You have some cheerers on out there, don't you?

[Warren Hull]

Yes.

[Ralph Paul]

Huh? Yes. How many?

[Emma Hoffman]

23.

[Ralph Paul]

I can't hear you.

[Emma Hoffman]

23.

[Ralph Paul]

They can't even hear you. 23 out there, huh?

[Emma Hoffman]

Yeah.

[Ralph Paul]

From. From Creamery PA. Yeah. Well, all I can say is that we have peaches and creamery right up here with you two. Say, you put on your cart here, you want to spracket rich to get a dishwasher for your school.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

Yeah.

[Emma Hoffman]

Yes.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, tell me about it. Are you always this bashful, Cynthia? Yes.

[Warren Hull]

Is she?

[Ralph Paul]

Is she? They all nod yes. How about you, Emma Hu? Tell me about it.

[Emma Hoffman]

I guess it tolerance. Well, we like to get a dishwasher for our school cafeteria because there's several children each day must leave their classes and go down and help do the dishes.

[Ralph Paul]

How many girls are there in the school?

[Emma Hoffman]

Well, I don't know just how many girls there are.

[Ralph Paul]

Yeah. You don't know how many girls are in the school? Is it a big school or a little school?

[Emma Hoffman]

Small.

[Ralph Paul]

It's small. Well, you. You got so many dishwashers, then you don't need a dishwasher, do you? Tell me this, are there more boys than girls in the.

[Emma Hoffman]

Think so.

[Ralph Paul]

You. You think so?

[Emma Hoffman]

Yes.

[Ralph Paul]

Yeah, you. You fear so. Now, look, what's your specialty? I just want to find out. Tell me. Tell me about her. What's her specialty?

[Emma Hoffman]

Well, she's secretary of our class club.

[Ralph Paul]

Yeah, what's she.

[Emma Hoffman]

She was in the national spelling bee last year.

[Ralph Paul]

In the national spelling bee? Boy, maybe you came to the right place. You know, we have a category on spelling. How much this dishwasher. Dishwasher going to cost?

[Emma Hoffman]

About $350.

[Ralph Paul]

You. You think it'll be about $350? You. You. If you don't even answer the question, you won't get anywhere at all. Let's go on over there and see what we can do about that right now, huh? Come on.

[Warren Hull]

All right, girls, wait a minute. To see what Ralph Paul has for you. All right.

[Ralph Paul]

Nice big box of L1 for you, too, Emma. And you know what? You don't need a dishwasher with this, really. You don't need this new fandangle thing. Just use this. Just put the dishes in that a little while. That's all you have to do. Take them out, rinse them, you're done. See? So in case you don't get the dishwasher today, you're all set.

[Warren Hull]

Come on.

[Ralph Paul]

Anyway, let's see what we can do about it. Come on.

[Warren Hull]

Right there, girls. Now, you have $15 to start with. How much do you want to put on the first category?

[Ralph Paul]

Cents or nonsense? How much, huh?

[Emma Hoffman]

10.

[Ralph Paul]

10. All right. Ooh, if I can find that car there. The famous nickname of William Cody is Buffalo Bill. Now, is that sense or nonsense?

[Emma Hoffman]

Sense.

[Ralph Paul]

Sense.

[Warren Hull]

They both say, hey, right. All right, now take the lead.

[Ralph Paul]

This is about movies and the people who've been playing the lead.

[Warren Hull]

Them.

[Ralph Paul]

How much? You have $25 there. How much on this?

[Warren Hull]

10.

[Ralph Paul]

10. You'll never get the $350 doing it this way. I just have to tell you. You can put 10 on if you want, huh?

[Emma Hoffman]

15.

[Ralph Paul]

All right, 15. Everybody knows that Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor star in the picture Father of the Bride. Now, in this picture, their leading man is Spencer. Who?

[Warren Hull]

Tracy. There you go. You feel better? $40. All right.

[Ralph Paul]

Now we come to music. These are old time songs. How much do you want, huh?

[Warren Hull]

40.

[Ralph Paul]

You say 40.

[Emma Hoffman]

No.

[Ralph Paul]

You have 40 there, huh?

[Emma Hoffman]

30.

[Ralph Paul]

I can't hear you.

[Emma Hoffman]

35.

[Ralph Paul]

Can you act as though I'm on the other side of the school room?

[Emma Hoffman]

35.

[Ralph Paul]

All right, here we go now with this old song of the gay 90s. You listen and tell us the name of this old tune. Do you love me? Remember that one. Well, that's the one, huh? Oh, your mother's up at singing. Or maybe your daddy's saying it to your.5 seconds. Green for that. What is it? The what?

[Emma Hoffman]

Greatest story ever told.

[Warren Hull]

The greatest story ever told. I'll tell you what. I think we're going to accept that.

[Ralph Paul]

It'S the sweetest story ever told. But that's was so close, huh, boy? Just under the wire. Are you fading at all? Cynthia, you have $75. Now, I suppose you'll be glad when this is over, won't you?

[Emma Hoffman]

Yes.

[Ralph Paul]

Now we come to spelling and you champion. Now, what are you going to do with that, Emma?

[Emma Hoffman]

Put the whole 75.

[Ralph Paul]

You're going to put the whole 75 on this. All right. You want her to hold that box of bell so that you. Or do you want to hold on to it while you spell this, huh? You ready? All right. The word.

[Warren Hull]

That was hard work, wasn't it, Emma? That was really hard work.

[Ralph Paul]

All right, you have one more question. Now let's turn back the clock. This is history now. How are you doing in history today? How much on that? You have $150 there. You want her to carry the load for a while? Now, a hundred dollars on this. All right, here we go now. Turn back the clock to 1686. A great physicist is born in Danzig. His big contribution to medical science was the invention of the 32 degree freezing point thermometer. Now, who was the inventor after whom this thermometer was named? Named.

[Warren Hull]

Warren?

[Ralph Paul]

Chosen from our audience just before air.

[Warren Hull]

Time is a salesman, Samuel Sharp. His last port of call was Porto Alegre, Brazil.

[Ralph Paul]

He's here to strike it rich.

[Warren Hull]

Hello. How are you, Mr. Sharp?

[Ralph Paul]

The way Ralph mentioned that. Larry, last port of call, I was just wondering, are you a sailor or a salesman?

[Samuel Sharp]

Salesman.

[Ralph Paul]

A salesman. And you're staying in New York?

[Samuel Sharp]

Yes, sir. The ymca.

[Ralph Paul]

At the ymca.

[Samuel Sharp]

Yes, sir.

[Ralph Paul]

When you say here, this. You want a strike at risk to get your family together. Where's the family?

[Samuel Sharp]

My family's Living without the parents in the one room house. One room in the Bronx.

[Ralph Paul]

I can't hear you.

[Samuel Sharp]

They are living in one room in the Bronx with her people.

[Ralph Paul]

With her people?

[Samuel Sharp]

Yes. And I would like to get together with my family.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, sure, sure. How long has this been going on?

[Samuel Sharp]

Ever since March.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, well, you've been out of work or something?

[Samuel Sharp]

Well, I have been working, but I expect to get to work steady starting Monday.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, now, how's your wife taking all this?

[Samuel Sharp]

Taking it very hard. The children, when I come there at weekends, keep asking me why we can't live together and why they have to stay there and I have to stay separate. We have never been separated before.

[Ralph Paul]

Sure. Well, now, what the. How are we going to be able to help you?

[Samuel Sharp]

Well, I would like to strike it rich to get enough to pay one month for an apartment and a deposit for the apartment.

[Ralph Paul]

By the way, how long have you been. Have you been married?

[Samuel Sharp]

Nine years.

[Ralph Paul]

How many children?

[Samuel Sharp]

Three, sir.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, how old are you?

[Samuel Sharp]

Seven and a half. Five and a half. Two and a half. The boy was born in Brazil.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, yes, you have. I noticed you had some pictures here.

[Samuel Sharp]

Yes, sir. This is the girl, five and a half.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, she's a cutie. She's lovely.

[Samuel Sharp]

The taller one is the seven.

[Ralph Paul]

Yes. Where is this taken, though? With these two, in Brazil. In Brazil?

[Samuel Sharp]

Yes, sir.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, that's sort of a strange looking. Was that a stone wall are you leaning against?

[Samuel Sharp]

That's the fence they have there in front of the homes.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, yeah?

[Warren Hull]

Yes.

[Ralph Paul]

Well, now, how much did you say it would cost?

[Samuel Sharp]

Well, $60 for the rental and about $100 deposit for the security.

[Ralph Paul]

Let's go. Let's go.

[Emma Hoffman]

Come on.

[Warren Hull]

You see what Ralph's been doing? Ralph's been listening out there.

[Ralph Paul]

I know he's dropping. So he has a Tuberculgate dental cream for each. For the whole family. All right. There you are. You use that in Brazil?

[Samuel Sharp]

Yes, sir.

[Ralph Paul]

Good. You're a wonderful man. We like you. Now, come on. You have $15 to start with. Cents or nonsense is the first chance to make some money here. Now, how much you gonna put on that? 5, 10 or 15? 15. How much? 15. Right. Jack Dempsey became heavyweight champion of the boxing world by defeating Jess Willard. Is that sense or nonsense?

[Samuel Sharp]

Sense.

[Ralph Paul]

That is sense, yes.

[Warren Hull]

It's hurting. All right, here we go. Now we take the lead.

[Ralph Paul]

I'm gonna try and take the lead.

[Samuel Sharp]

30.

[Ralph Paul]

30. Everybody knows that Cary Grant and James Stewart starred in the picture of the Philadelphia Story. Now, in this picture, their leading lady was Catherine Catherine Halpern. Well, helper and Hepburn. That's close enough. Catherine Hepburn, you mean?

[Warren Hull]

Yeah. All right, that's 60.

[Ralph Paul]

I suppose helper is the way you would pronounce it in Brazil, isn't it? All right, there's 60. And music coming up. How much you want to put up music, Mr. Sharp?

[Samuel Sharp]

Five only.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, five dollars.

[Samuel Sharp]

Very poor. I'm using.

[Ralph Paul]

All right. This week's music quiz has a lot of old, old wonderful old tunes. Favorites too, from years ago. Now, you tell us the title of this one. You should watch. First of all, you know, what is it? What's the name of it?

[Warren Hull]

It.

[Ralph Paul]

You. Oh, oh, time is almost up. That's such a well known. You don't know that one.

[Samuel Sharp]

Sorry. I know you know.

[Ralph Paul]

I don't know the name. It's the anniversary waltz. That was right.

[Warren Hull]

Yes.

[Ralph Paul]

Oh, I'm very sorry. Where are we now? How much we have left here? 55. Now, how much do you want to put on spelling? You spell it.

[Samuel Sharp]

I'll put it all.

[Ralph Paul]

You'll put it all. All right, this is it. Now, the word is reminisce, meaning the calling to mind a narration of incidents. You spell it. Reminisce.

[Samuel Sharp]

R E M I, N E S C E N E, S E, you said.

[Ralph Paul]

No, no, it's R E M I N I S E C E, N, C E. Yes, I'm very. Oh, now where. Oh, there's a great big goose egg, Mr. Sharp. No, wait. You get $5. However.

[Warren Hull]

Wait, wait a minute, wait a minute. Bells ringing, lights flashing, There being something here.

[Ralph Paul]

Listen now.

[Warren Hull]

Hello, Warren.

[Samuel Sharp]

Our heart fund has enough money to pay the first month's rent. We'll give this gentleman $60.

[Mrs. Elizabeth Dollinger]

$60.

[Warren Hull]

There's your first month rent. Thank you. Well, there we are.

[Ralph Paul]

That's all for today.

[Warren Hull]

Folks. If you feel you have a good reason for wanting to strike it rich, the Colgate Palmolive Company, our sponsors cordially invite you to write it and tell us all about yourself. Also tell us when you expect to be in New York and if you want to tell us why you'd like to strike it rich or write for tickets to attend our broadcast. Our address is Straggit Rich, 485 Madison Avenue, New York. 22 New York, York. And good luck to you. Well, it's been nice being with you. And so Ms. Warren hall saying so long for today. Hope you enjoyed our stay and. Right. Get rich, everybody. Dragon Rich is produced by Walt Framer and is brought to you each day transcribed Monday through Friday by the Colgate Pal Company, makers of quality products since 1806. This is CBS, the Columbia Broadcast.