Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: The Great Gildersleeve 42-10-11 (051) "First Cold Snap"
Original Air Date: October 11, 1942
Podcast Release: October 9, 2025
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio

Overview

This classic episode of The Great Gildersleeve, "First Cold Snap," drops listeners into the heart of the Golden Age of Radio. As the first winter chill hits the fictional town of Summerfield, Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve and his household scramble to deal with the sudden onset of cold weather, fuel shortages, and the quirks of both their old house and quirky neighbors. Set during wartime America, the story weaves together family shenanigans, neighborhood rivalries, and subtle public service messages about resource conservation.

Key Discussion Points and Scenes

1. The First Snow & Morning Chaos (03:05–05:00)

• Leroy wakes Gildersleeve ("Uncle Mort") to excitedly announce the early snowfall:

  Leroy (03:25): “I’m trying to tell you, Unc, it’s been snowing!”

• Gildersleeve is reluctant to get out of bed until Leroy mentions buckwheat cakes for breakfast.
• The family panics about freezing pipes and the cold house, leading to a scramble for warm clothes and coffee.

2. Cold Snap and Fuel Shortage (05:02–10:12)

• Discussion around the breakfast table centers on how cold the house is (thermometer at 25°F) and how everyone is bundled up.
• Birdie refuses to work in a home kept at 65°F, but is convinced to stay for the war effort:

  Birdie (07:14): “65. Maybe it’s gonna stay, but I ain’t.”
  Gildersleeve (07:38): “The government says we’ve all got to help save fuel. Brady. The way to do it is to hold the temperature down to 65 degrees. Besides, 65 is warm enough for anybody.”

• Gildersleeve instructs Leroy on the new coal-burning furnace, explaining they must save oil for the war and switch to coal (more available regionally).

3. Local Bureaucracy and Resource Struggles (10:13–11:15)

• Gildersleeve unsuccessfully tries to expedite a coal delivery, running into the ubiquitous Commissioner Clanahan (who also failed to fill in a hole in Gildersleeve's yard).

  Gildersleeve (10:29): "Well, this is Gilder Sleeve. No wonder you're such a rotten water commissioner. You spend all your time peddling coal."

• Leroy earns extra money shoveling Mrs. Ransom’s walk, hinting at neighborly relationships.

4. Wartime Community and Neighborly Rivalries (14:22–18:42)

• Gildersleeve and Judge Hooker both visit widow Mrs. Leela Ransom under the pretense of helping her deal with the cold, each bringing a small "gift" (wood and a hot water bottle).
• Both men comically compete for her attention, while Mrs. Ransom flirts and makes the most of their rivalry.

  Mrs. Ransom (17:03): “I declare. I don’t know what I’d do without you boys. Cause I’m just about frozen to death here. I haven’t any furnace. I haven’t any coal.”

• Gildersleeve invites Mrs. Ransom to stay over, and she converts the moment into a house party with Judge Hooker included.

  Mrs. Ransom (18:03): "Let's make it a house party, shall we? ... We'll make fudge!"

5. Classic Physical Comedy: The Snow Incident (19:01–20:33)

• The trio enjoys the snowy afternoon, including impromptu sled rides and playful teasing.
• Judge Hooker falls into the infamous unfilled hole in Gildersleeve’s yard—Clanahan’s fault, of course—creating a slapstick scene.

  Gildersleeve (20:05): “He fell in Clanahan’s hole.”

• Mrs. Ransom tends to Judge Hooker as he milks his "injury" for further sympathy and dinner invitations.

6. Household Hijinks & Nighttime Antics (23:05–26:46)

• As the evening winds down, Gildersleeve juggles hosting duties, flirting with Mrs. Ransom, and dealing with a malingering Judge Hooker.
• Judge Hooker feigns a sprained ankle to extend his stay.

  Judge Hooker (21:02): “Oh, I’m afraid I’ve done something to it [my ankle].”

• Pharmacy owner Peavey is called in to render his “expert” medical opinion, but delivers only characteristic ambiguity and dry wit:

  Peavey (21:58): “Well, now, I wouldn't say that…”
  Peavey (22:15): “I'm not a physician, you know. I'm a pharmaceutical.”

• Gildersleeve’s exasperation with Hooker’s malingering provides several comedic exchanges.

7. A Sidestep into Romance and Comic Tension (24:22–25:39)

• Mrs. Ransom retires, with a playful exchange that blends romance and comedy:

  Gildersleeve (25:33): “Sure you don’t want me to tuck you in?”
  Mrs. Ransom (25:36): “What, Truck Martin? You…”

• Gildersleeve flirts, then returns to the living room to wrangle with Judge Hooker over snoring and nighttime routines.

8. The Cellar “Burglar” and Comic Climax (26:41–28:26)

• Gildersleeve, hearing noises at night, prepares himself for heroics against a suspected burglar—only for it to be Commissioner Clanahan, finally delivering the coal through the cellar.
• The episode climaxes with Clanahan trapped by the spilled coal, echoing earlier jokes about resource management.

9. Wartime Message & Signoff (28:26–29:58)

• Gildersleeve breaks character to deliver a direct wartime conservation message to listeners, explaining the fuel oil shortage and rationales for switching to coal or saving energy.

  Gildersleeve (28:26): "We were lucky here in Summerfield. We had an early cold snap before the real winter set in to remind us to get ready for it... There's no shortage of oil. It's a shortage of transportation... if we got any sense, we'll get going right now and do what they're telling us. ... If that doesn’t give you enough of a glow to keep you warm throughout the winter, remember, it's going to be a heck of a lot colder in Russia. Good night, ladies and gentlemen."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Birdie's Reluctance (07:14):
  "65. Maybe it’s gonna stay, but I ain’t." — Birdie, on low thermostats for the war effort
• On the Coal Shortage (10:29):
  "No wonder you're such a rotten water commissioner. You spend all your time peddling coal." — Gildersleeve, to Clanahan
• On Sacrifice (09:13):
  "We’ve just got to help in the only way we can, and here at home. So remember, every time you carry out a load of ashes, you’re in the fight as much as the next man." — Gildersleeve, encouraging Leroy
• Physical Comedy (20:05):
  "He fell in Clanahan’s hole." — Gildersleeve, dryly noting Judge Hooker's mishap
• Peavey’s Classic Indecision (21:58, 22:03):
  “Well, now, I wouldn’t say that.” / “Well, no, I wouldn’t say that either.” – Peavey, asked to diagnose Judge Hooker
• Wartime Public Service (28:26):
  "...Now you’ve heard that there’s going to be a shortage of fuel oil this winter. ...The government is telling you to convert your furnace to coal if you can. They’re just trying to keep us warm, folks..."

Important Timestamps

• 03:05 – Leroy wakes Gildersleeve to announce the first snow
• 05:07 – Family shivers over breakfast, debating cold and sweaters
• 07:14–07:38 – Birdie complains about the thermostat
• 09:02–09:28 – Gildersleeve lectures on the home front war effort
• 10:29 – Clanahan’s double duty as water commissioner and coal man
• 14:22–17:03 – Gildersleeve and Judge Hooker arrive at Mrs. Ransom’s
• 19:01–20:05 – Sledding and Judge’s misadventure in the yard hole
• 21:58–22:25 – Peavey’s “diagnosis” of Judge Hooker
• 24:22–25:36 – Mrs. Ransom retires; Gildersleeve’s goodnight
• 26:41–28:07 – The "burglar" in the cellar turns out to be Clanahan
• 28:26–29:58 – Direct public message on fuel conservation

Closing Reflections

This episode blends lighthearted family comedy with an underlying message of wartime resourcefulness and civic duty. It’s a snapshot of era-specific challenges—fuel shortages, community cooperation, and neighborly squabbles—brought to life by witty dialogue, slapstick, and memorable character interplay. The cast’s warm humor and clever writing ensure both entertainment and subtle encouragement for listeners to pitch in during trying times, as relevant today as it was in the 1940s.