Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio – The Great Gildersleeve 42-11-22 (057) Thanksgiving Dinner
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Featured:
- Harold Perry as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
- Supporting characters: Judge Hooker, Ms. Fitch, Marjorie, Leroy, Birdie, Mrs. Ransom, Peevey
Episode Overview
This lively Thanksgiving-themed episode of “The Great Gildersleeve” transports listeners back to the Golden Age of Radio. Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, the ever-affable and hapless water commissioner, finds himself amidst mounting holiday chaos: administrative headaches, ration book struggles, and above all, the desperate quest to secure a turkey for a large and hungry guest list. Along the way, neighborly squabbles, raffles, and misunderstandings threaten to derail his plans, but the spirit of generosity and community ultimately save the day.
Tone: Warm, comedic, and full of classic 1940s radio humor.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Gildersleeve at Work: The Value of Action
[02:23–06:04]
- Gildersleeve fires off adages about getting things done as he clears paperwork at the water department.
- Exchanges witty repartee with secretary Ms. Fitch, showcasing his tendency to procrastinate, especially regarding his dentist.
- Responds to a bizarre complaint about an eel in a bathtub, crafting a comically bureaucratic reply.
Notable Quote:
“Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Gildersleeve (02:32)
“While it’s out of our department, we’d suggest that a stopper kept in the tub at all times should prove an effective precaution against eels in the future.” – Gildersleeve’s letter (03:16)
2. Gas Rationing, Political Maneuvers, and Thanksgiving Invitations
[06:04–07:20]
- Gildersleeve plots to get a “B” gas ration by leveraging his carpool with Judge Hooker, who now heads the local ration board.
- The relationship is both cooperative and competitive—a running theme.
- To persuade Hooker, Gildersleeve diplomatically invites him to Thanksgiving dinner, hoping for leniency.
Notable Quote:
“He couldn’t accept a man’s hospitality and then trick him out of his B card, could he?” – Gildersleeve (05:58)
3. Thanksgiving Play—Pilgrim Suit Hijinks
[07:20–09:48]
- Leroy complains about playing John Alden in the school pageant, preferring to have a “cooler” role.
- Marjorie and Gildersleeve encourage his reluctant performance.
Memorable Moment:
“I’m lucky the teacher didn’t make me play Priscilla!” – Leroy (07:39)
“This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines in the hill.” – Gildersleeve (08:30)
“That’s Evangeline, Uncle Mort.” – Marjorie (08:42)
4. The Great Turkey Raffle
[09:50–11:44]
- Birdie (the housekeeper) sells raffle tickets for a turkey, gradually coaxing Gildersleeve into buying more chances.
- They tally the Thanksgiving guest list—soldiers, family, Judge Hooker, and Mrs. Ransom.
- Turkey prices are shockingly high, increasing the stakes.
Notable Quotes:
“Turkey’s awfully expensive this year.” – Birdie (10:39)
“If you use to buy three chances, you’d still be ahead.” – Birdie (10:48)
5. Bureaucracy and Turkey Troubles—No Birds in Town
[11:44–25:07]
- Gildersleeve weaves through the bureaucratic mess at the ration board, attempting to secure more gas and avoid confrontation.
- He loses his chance at the turkey raffle by a single number (62 vs. 61), and the meat market is completely sold out.
- Peevey, at the local drugstore, admits that even their “turkey sandwiches” aren’t actually made with turkey—exposing wartime substitutions.
Memorable Banter:
“No, this is where you don’t get ‘em.” – Peevey, on the ration line (12:12)
“Peevey, your turkey sandwich is not a turkey sandwich.” – Gildersleeve (24:32)
“Well, turkey sandwich has become a sort of trade expression.” – Peevey (24:35)
6. Who Won the Turkey? The Final Twist
[25:21–28:15]
- The family learns Judge Hooker won the turkey in Birdie’s raffle, but Gildersleeve had previously uninvited him in a fit of pique.
- After a humorous and humble reconciliation scene, Judge Hooker forgives Gildersleeve and agrees to bring the turkey for Thanksgiving.
Memorable Quotes:
“Horace, I’ve come to ask your forgiveness.” – Gildersleeve (26:46)
“If you don’t come to Thanksgiving dinner, it just won’t be Thanksgiving dinner.” – Gildersleeve (27:43)
“And when you come, would you mind bringing that turkey you won in the raffle, Judge?” – Gildersleeve (28:10)
7. Thanksgiving Reflections: Sharing is the Spirit
[29:05–30:08]
- Judge Hooker and Gildersleeve toast to friendship and mutual generosity.
- The heartwarming message is about rationing—and Thanksgiving—not being about “grabbing all you can get,” but about managing with what you have and sharing.
Notable Quotes:
“It seems to me the spirit of rationing is to get along with as little as you can, instead of grabbing all you can get.” – Gildersleeve (29:37)
“You’re a credit to the community.” – Judge Hooker (29:45)
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
- Proverb Parade: “Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Gildersleeve (02:32)
- Eel in the Bathtub: “We’d advise a closer check on your friends.” – Gildersleeve’s letter (03:50)
- Turkey Price Shock: “48 cents a pound today, one grocery.” – Birdie (10:44)
- Bureaucratic Comedy: “No, this is where you don’t get ‘em.” – Peevey (12:12)
- Turkey Sandwich Reality: “Turkey sandwich has become a sort of a trade expression.” – Peevey (24:35)
- Thanksgiving Wisdom: “If you don’t come to Thanksgiving dinner, it just won’t be Thanksgiving dinner.” – Gildersleeve (27:43)
- Rationing Morality: “It seems to me the spirit of rationing is to get along with as little as you can, instead of grabbing all you can get.” – Gildersleeve (29:37)
Important Segments (Timestamps)
- Planning & Paperwork: (02:23–07:20)
- School Play & Pilgrim Suit: (07:20–09:48)
- Turkey Raffle & Guest List: (09:50–11:44)
- Grumbling at the Ration Board: (12:12–14:38)
- Market Mayhem & No Turkeys: (21:15–25:07)
- Discovering the Raffle Winner: (25:21–26:46)
- Reconciliation & the Big Invite: (26:46–28:15)
- Thanksgiving Day Reflections: (29:05–30:08)
Summary
This episode is a masterclass in classic radio comedy and heartwarming storytelling. Gildersleeve’s Thanksgiving adventure winds from slapstick mishaps (eels and turkey raffles) to gentle lessons in humility, friendship, and the value of giving. The resolution—where neighborly generosity ensures a full table and a full heart—reminds us what the holiday truly means, even in times of rationing and want.
Perfect For:
Fans of vintage radio, lovers of family comedies, and anyone needing a fun reminder of the warmth that comes from sharing and community.