Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Thanksgiving Special Program 44-11-23
Host: Lionel Barrymore
Guests: Dinah Shore, Baby Snooks (Fanny Brice), Wally Brown, Harry von Zell, Frank Morgan
Air Date: November 27, 2025 (originally aired 1944)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Harold's Old Time Radio is a special Thanksgiving program originally broadcast on Thanksgiving Day, 1944, for American troops and families. Hosted by Lionel Barrymore, the episode serves as a nostalgic, heartwarming celebration featuring music, comedy sketches, and messages of gratitude. It recreates the spirit of gathering around the radio for shared entertainment, focusing on the American home, humor, gratitude, and the wartime context.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Welcoming the Audience & Setting the Scene

[01:00] Lionel Barrymore

• Opens the show with gratitude to service members, introducing himself as the “old collection of hash marks.”
• Sets a familial, comfortable Thanksgiving atmosphere.

  "They've put me here at the head of this Thanksgiving table to dish out the entertainment victuals to you fellas overseas." — Lionel Barrymore [01:00]

2. Musical Performances Celebrate America

[01:15] Percy Faith and Orchestra

• Plays a medley symbolizing American regions and culture, setting a patriotic tone.

[05:52] Dinah Shore – “How Sweet You Are”

• Dinah sings a tender ballad, followed by a warm greeting and the premise for a Thanksgiving dinner at Wally Brown’s house.

3. Thanksgiving Comedy Sketch at “Wally’s House”

[08:00–12:19] Dinah Shore, Wally Brown, Harry von Zell

• Dinah, Wally, and Harry share comedic banter as they gather for an improvised Thanksgiving meal.
• Humor around WWII rationing, food, and Thanksgiving traditions.

  “Turkey? Wally, that's Harry Bonzell.” — Dinah Shore [08:04]
  “That's my elbow you're dunking in the gravy there.” — Harry von Zell [09:56]

• Wally tells a hilarious, historically inaccurate “story” of the first Thanksgiving, filled with puns and wordplay:

  "They were all trying to... but there wasn't enough room. I mean, how could they all fit into one Plymouth?" — Wally Brown [10:50] "Everybody came. Even the Indians came. They had a reservation." — Wally Brown [11:24]

4. Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn

[12:19] John Charles Thomas & Chorus

• Sings "We Gather Together," a classic hymn, reinforcing themes of unity and gratitude.

5. Classic Sitcom Sketch – The Higgins Family & Baby Snooks

[16:55–25:41] Lancelot Higgins (Hanley Stafford), Baby Snooks (Fanny Brice), Frank Morgan

• Setting: Post-dinner, Daddy (Lancelot Higgins) and Snooks in their living room.
• Classic family humor about overeating, helping with the dishes, and the “man's place” in the home.

  “Because a man's place is not in the kitchen.” — Daddy [18:28] "Is it on the couch?" — Snooks [18:31]

• Imaginative sequence: Snooks and Daddy fantasize about turning into turkeys, leading to surreal, barnyard encounters.
• Frank Morgan appears as a boastful rooster, providing additional comic relief.

  "Ain't that a terrible lot of bull, Mr. Morgan?" — Snooks [21:45]

• The dream escalates with threats from their neighbor, Mr. Mudge, who wants to cook the "turkeys"; comic confusion and wordplay ensue.
• Daddy “wakes up,” realizing it was a dream, and expresses gratitude for his family and resolve to help out more at home.

  “Now I’m really cook(ed).” – Daddy [25:32]

6. Closing Musical Segment – Songs of Thanks

[26:35–29:03] Dinah Shore & Chorus

• Perform “I've Got Plenty to be Thankful For” (Irving Berlin), reflecting simple gratitude in wartime America.
• Tribute to American and Allied soldiers:

  “Thanks for the yanks and for Russia’s giant guns and for all the other side of freedom... For Canada, for England, Australia, and New Zealand...” — Chorus [26:02]

7. Final Thoughts from Lionel Barrymore

[29:29] Lionel Barrymore

• A moving closing message to servicemen and families:

  "But let's all be thankful anyway that we've got a country to come home to... and rich in its friendship with other nations who have proven themselves strong and helpful in hastening that day when tyranny ends and we celebrate a real Thanksgiving." [29:29]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Every time I come home at night, I bump into those gasoline pumps... That wasn't the swimming pool we passed, that was the grease pit.” — Wally Brown (comedy on postwar housing) [08:29]
• “You may be a turkey, but you ain’t change much.” — Snooks (playful insult) [20:29]
• “A man's place is not in the kitchen.” “Is it on the couch?” — Daddy and Snooks (light gender role satire) [18:28–18:31]
• Lionel Barrymore’s parting words: A sincere, heartfelt reminder of gratitude in difficult times [29:29]

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Time | |------------------------------------------|--------| | Introduction & Opening Remarks | 01:00 | | Percy Faith Medley | 01:15 | | Dinah Shore "How Sweet You Are" | 05:52 | | Comedy at Wally’s House | 08:00–12:19 | | "We Gather Together" Hymn | 12:19–15:06 | | Baby Snooks Sketch | 16:55–25:41 | | Irving Berlin Thanksgiving Songs | 26:02–29:03 | | Lionel Barrymore's Closing | 29:29 |

Tone and Language

The tone is warm, nostalgic, and often playful, blending gentle humor with patriotic and sentimental notes. The language swings between witty banter and heartfelt gratitude, characteristic of radio’s golden age.

Conclusion

This Thanksgiving special transports listeners to a bygone era where radio united families through laughter, music, and warmth. With comic sketches, classic songs, and genuine words of thanks, it reminds us of the importance of gratitude, community, and home, especially in challenging times. The episode offers the soothing companionship of entertainment and shared values for both those abroad and at home.