Podcast Summary: The Great Gildersleeve 42-01-11 (020) – Gildy Arrested as Car Thief

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Air Date: January 10, 2026
Original Broadcast Date: January 11, 1942
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode Overview

This episode of The Great Gildersleeve, “Gildy Arrested as Car Thief,” follows the misadventurous journey of Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve and his nephew Leroy as they attempt to travel to Fairview for a Junior Rabbit Breeder show. Through a series of mix-ups, they inadvertently end up driving a car loaded with explosives and are mistaken for car thieves—resulting in much confusion, run-ins with the law, and classic comedic banter.

Key Discussion Points and Story Beats

1. Preparation for the Trip

• Gildersleeve prepares for his trip with Leroy and their crate of four rabbits, shepherded by the family maid, Birdie.
• Comedic confusion as Gildersleeve searches for his belongings, mixes up items, and reminds Leroy about mailing a critical letter (03:00–04:10).
• Accidentally, Gildersleeve sends their train tickets to Cousin Flora and keeps the letter (06:07–06:25).

Gildersleeve [06:17]: “Look, here’s my letter to cousin Flora. I must have sent her the railroad tickets! Oh, now she’ll think I want her and that loud husband of hers to come here.”

2. The Travel Snafu: No Tickets, Let’s Drive

• With their train tickets gone, Gildersleeve decides they’ll drive instead.
• Gildersleeve and Leroy load up the rabbits and hit the road, navigating rough roads and exchanging playful quips (07:09–08:41).

Gildersleeve [07:29]: “It’s had more hairpins than a dime store. And what’s more, it’s full of charley holes.”
Leroy [07:29]: “Don’t you mean chuck holes, Uncle Mort?”

3. Encounter at the Roadside Diner

• At a roadside diner, Gildersleeve offends the road superintendent, McGuire, by criticizing road conditions (09:05–10:43).
• Gildersleeve unknowingly switches cars with Commissioner Francis X. Toby’s lookalike vehicle—the real commissioner’s car has explosives for an emergency road project (11:16–11:32).

Gildersleeve [09:57]: “Looks like it was surveyed through the bottom of a beer bottle. Yes, and built by a hillbilly with the hiccups.”

4. Mistaken Identity and Police Chase

• The authorities are alerted after the Commissioner discovers his car is missing (11:32–12:16).
• Police chase Gildersleeve and Leroy, who are unknowingly driving the explosive-laden car (13:28–14:34).

5. The Arrest and Interrogation

• A tense and comedic scene unfolds as Gildersleeve and Leroy are apprehended, searched, and accused of stealing the commissioner’s car and transporting explosives (16:43–18:14).
• Gildersleeve tries to clear his name by calling Birdie at home, but due to the mixed-up story about tickets and cars, confusion reigns (18:37–25:08).

Captain Webster [19:01]: “We’re holding a man with a stolen car loaded with explosives. He claims to be Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve.”
Birdie [19:01]: “Mr. Gildersleeve ain’t in Millville. He done took the train for Fairview today.”

6. Resolution: Comedy of Errors Cleared Up

• Commissioner Toby arrives, realizes the mistake, and vouches for Gildersleeve, leading to a reluctant release by the authorities (20:04–20:16).

Toby [19:57]: “Oh, dry up, you big wet blanket. You ought to be thankful you’re getting out of this mess without going to jail.”

• Meanwhile, Birdie at home discovers the real car is missing—now Gildersleeve is suspected of stealing his own car (22:17–24:52).

7. Arrival at the Rabbit Show: One Last Mix-Up

• At the Fairview Convention Hall, Gildersleeve and Leroy discover they retained the train tickets (not the show passes) after all. The rabbit show passes had been sent to Cousin Flora (26:24–27:01).

Gildersleeve [26:46]: “Old suffering whales. Leroy, these are our railroad tickets.”
Leroy [26:49]: “Well, I’ve had them and we could have come by train all the time.”

• Gildersleeve briefly relives confusion about whether they have the right car, fearing he has the commissioner’s vehicle with explosives again (27:16–27:43).

8. Winding Down: Pop Culture Nod

• To pass the time, Uncle Mort and Leroy decide to catch the comedy movie “Look Who’s Laughing” featuring stars from the golden age of radio, including Gildersleeve himself (29:35–30:15).

Leroy [30:06]: “Oh, I almost forgot. And Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve.”
Gildersleeve [30:11]: “That’s right!”
Leroy [30:14]: “‘Look Who’s Laughing!’”
Commissioner Toby [30:15]: “Good night.”

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• On Traveling with Leroy and Birdie

  Gildersleeve [03:28]: “Anybody think we’d never gone anyplace before?”

• Classic Mix-Up

  Gildersleeve [06:17]: “Look, here’s my letter to cousin Flora. I must have sent her the railroad tickets!”

• On Rough Roads

  Gildersleeve [07:29]: “It’s had more hairpins than a dime store... it’s full of charley holes.”

• Sparking the Official’s Ire

  Gildersleeve [09:57]: “Looks like it was surveyed through the bottom of a beer bottle. Yes, and built by a hillbilly with the hiccups.”

• Police Mix-Up

  Captain Webster [19:01]: “We’re holding a man with a stolen car loaded with explosives. He claims to be Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve.”
  Birdie [19:05]: “Oh, that can’t be. Mr. Gildersleeve’s car’s resting right here in the garage.”

• Comic Switcheroo at the Rabbit Show Gate

  Gildersleeve [26:46]: “Leroy, these are our railroad tickets.”
  Leroy [26:49]: “We could have come by train all the time.”

Detailed Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:00–04:10]: Packing comedy and ticket mix-up
• [06:07–06:25]: Realizing tickets have been sent by mistake
• [09:05–10:43]: Insulting the road superintendent—sparks set up for later confusion
• [11:16–12:16]: Commissioner discovers car is missing, sets police on Gildersleeve
• [13:28–14:34]: Police stop Gildersleeve and mistaken commendation
• [16:43–18:14]: Gildersleeve and Leroy arrested and searched
• [18:37–19:01]: Attempting to clear the confusion over the phone
• [20:04–20:16]: Commissioner intervenes, Gildersleeve freed
• [26:24–27:01]: Arrival at the rabbit show only to discover they have the wrong tickets
• [29:35–30:16]: Deciding to go to the movies and closing banter

Episode Tone & Feel

The tone is classic, warm radio comedy, filled with family banter, bumbling misunderstandings, wordplay, and good-natured skewering of authority. It’s a showcase of mid-century humor, running gags about bureaucracy, and the enduring theme of everyday life turning to farce.

Conclusion

This episode exemplifies The Great Gildersleeve’s hallmark style: the harmless chaos of family adventures gone wrong, the humor of compounded misunderstandings, and the delight of golden age radio performance. For both new and longtime fans, it’s a prime slice of American radio comedy—timed, nuanced, and lovingly executed.