Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: The Johnson Wax Program with Fibber McGee and Molly — "Fibber Cuts His Own Tree" (Originally aired 1941-12-16)

Date of Podcast Release: December 11, 2025
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio

Episode Overview

This episode transports listeners to the 1940s, replaying the beloved radio comedy "Fibber McGee and Molly," specifically the festive episode, "Fibber Cuts His Own Tree." Set just before Christmas, the episode follows Fibber McGee's determination to save a dollar by venturing into the woods to chop down his own Christmas tree, much to the amusement (and mild exasperation) of his wife Molly and their neighbors. The story blends holiday nostalgia, slapstick humor, and the warmth of small-town life, all while weaving in lighthearted domestic mishaps, neighborly visits, and timely wartime public service messages.

Key Discussion Points & Episode Structure

1. Opening and Wartime Appeal (01:02–02:55)

• The show begins with holiday music and a dedication to the Red Cross, urging listeners to donate during wartime, echoing the genuine encouragement heard across 1940s America.
  • Quote (01:51):
    "He said in part that it was customary these days to press mans upon them will be great. But we are a great nation so let's give till it hurts." — Narrator

2. Fibber's Christmas Tree Adventure (03:05–06:13)

• Fibber arrives home victorious and freezing, having chopped his own Christmas tree, only to face Molly’s practical questions about the mess and the time spent.
• A slapstick account of his misadventures, including a run-in with another tree-seeker, a lost hatchet, a $7 tire, and his own absent-mindedness sets the tone.
  • Quote (03:52):
    "Why should I stamp my feet? I ain't mad at anybody. Besides, they're so cold. I'm just walking from memory." — Fibber McGee
  • Typical of the show’s style, the running tally of Fibber’s economy effort quickly surpasses what a store-bought Christmas tree might have cost.
  • Quote (05:58):
    "$2 hatchet and a $7 tire... $39 for a 98-cent Christmas tree." — Molly

3. Visits from Neighbors and Mayoral Mischief (06:22–07:13)

• Mayor LaTrivia visits regarding a possible job at City Hall for Fibber, but the opportunity (operating an elevator) deflates Fibber’s ego.
  • Molly and Fibber’s banter about the city hall job and police work brings out Fibber’s comedic self-importance.

4. The Many Household Disasters and a Visit from "The Old Timer" (07:45–12:25)

• Recurring trouble with the window and a malfunctioning thermostat adds running gags throughout.
• "The Old Timer" invites Fibber out for some childlike snowy fun, underscoring the program’s intergenerational humor. A recurring joke about “Yanks and Japs” reflects the contemporary wartime culture.
• The Old Timer tells a joke, but the punchline is playfully muddled and interrupted by household chaos.

5. Musical Interlude: "Thank Your Lucky Stars and Stripes" (12:42–14:24)

• Martha Tilton and The King’s Men perform a patriotic song, accentuating the show's morale-boosting function during the war years.

6. Decorating Woes and More Visitors (14:24–18:53)

• As Fibber attempts to shape the oversized, misshapen tree, Molly critiques his style; hilarity ensues over its lopsidedness.
• Mrs. Uppington makes a grand entrance with a fashion disaster of a hat, which Fibber critiques with his trademark bluntness.
  • Quote (17:38):
    "Since I'm a plain-spoken man, think it's the worst monstrosity ever placed on a human head. It would make a Zulu medicine man swallow his spear." — Fibber McGee

7. Mr. Wilcox, Johnson Wax, and Christmas Rhymes (18:59–20:54)

• Mr. Wilcox, the show's sponsor character, arrives and reads his unusually “flowery” greeting card blurb, cleverly promoting Johnson’s Wax and “self-polishing glow coat.”
  • Quote (19:44):
    "It reads, season's greetings to you, my friend from the Johnson Self Polishing Glow Coat Man. I hope that in 1942 and 43 and 44 and 45 and 46, you'll remember all those little snits or less. You're through. Just pour some out and spread it around and let it coat on your flow."

8. Domestic Comedy and Spinach Philosophy (21:16–28:59)

• Mr. Wimple pays a visit, providing a window into his comedic, brow-beaten home life (“Sweetie Face”), with his trademark deadpan delivery.
  • Quote (22:33):
    "How much will you miss her? ... No. How much will you bet?" — Mr. Wimple
• Another musical number, “Coming Through the Rye,” brings in more holiday cheer.
• The husband-wife banter deepens as Molly confronts Fibber about “monkeying with” the furnace thermostat — yet another domestic mishap.
• A humorous yet strangely thoughtful exchange about why nature is called “she,” with Fibber’s mock-philosophy.
  • Quote (28:09):
    “Nature is called she because it's so inconsistent, unstable, unpredictable, beautiful, mean, gorgeous, appealing, nasty, and nobody yet has ever understood her.” — Fibber McGee

9. Wrapping Up: Defense Bond Appeal and Final Laughs (29:05–30:14)

• The program closes with a patriotic appeal from Fibber and Molly, encouraging listeners to buy defense bonds and stamps, echoing the wartime spirit of civic duty.
  • Quote (29:25):
    "This isn't the other fellow's fight. It's yours and mine. So here it is again. Buy defense bonds and defense stamps." — Fibber McGee
  • Molly reminds the Canadian listeners about war savings certificates and victory bonds.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Fibber’s Retelling of the Tree Fiasco
  (04:33)
  “Try and get it, I says, you don’t need this tree for last Christmas…”
• Old Timer’s Joke Segment
  (12:03)
  “That’s pretty good, Johnny. But that ain’t the way I heared it...”
• Mr. Wilcox’s Poetic Product Plug
  (19:44)
  “Season's greetings to you, my Fran from the Johnson Self Polishing Blow Coat Man... let it coat on your flow.”
• On Nature and Spinach
  (28:09)
  “Nature is called she because it's so inconsistent, unstable, unpredictable, beautiful, mean, gorgeous, appealing, nasty, and nobody yet has ever understood her.”
• Defense Bond Appeal
  (29:25)
  “This fight isn't the other fellow's. It's yours and mine... buy defense bonds and defense stamps.” — Fibber McGee

Timeline of Key Segments

• 01:02–02:55: Show opening, Red Cross and wartime fundraising message.
• 03:05–06:13: Fibber recounts his Christmas tree adventure.
• 06:22–07:13: Visit from Mayor LaTrivia.
• 07:45–12:25: Window/thermostat gags; The Old Timer’s visit and jokes.
• 12:42–14:24: "Thank Your Lucky Stars and Stripes" song.
• 14:24–18:53: Tree trimming disasters; Mrs. Uppington’s visit.
• 18:59–20:54: Visit from Mr. Wilcox; product rhyme segment.
• 21:16–28:59: Mr. Wimple’s comic family news, "Coming Through the Rye", and domestic banter.
• 29:05–30:14: Patriotic closing; defense bond appeal.

Overall Tone & Style

The episode is filled with quick-fire wordplay, slapstick, and affectionate bickering, offering a loving portrait of pre-war American family life. Humor is both gentle and pointed, and the spirit of neighborliness and community pervades each scene. Patriotic appeals and comic domestic disasters are woven together, providing both holiday cheer and a sense of civic responsibility—all in the trademark, lighthearted style of "Fibber McGee and Molly."

(Summary prepared for listeners who’d like the warmth, wit, and spirit of the program, whether or not they experienced the original broadcast.)