Podcast Summary: "The Six Shooter 1953-12-20 Ep 14 Britt Ponsett's Christmas Carol"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: December 8, 2025
Original Broadcast: December 20, 1953
Title: Britt Ponsett's Christmas Carol
Main Theme:
This episode is a unique, Western-styled retelling of Charles Dickens’ classic "A Christmas Carol," starring James Stewart as Britt Ponsett (the Six Shooter). The story is blended into the Old West, exploring themes of redemption, compassion, and the true spirit of Christmas.

Key Discussion Points and Story Breakdown

1. Setting the Stage: A Cold Christmas Morning

• [02:03] The atmosphere is described as a mild winter’s morning on the plains. Britt Ponsett sits by a campfire and meets Johnny, a boy who is running away from home around Christmastime.
  • Johnny: “You see, I'm running away from home… I hate Christmas. It's just for kids anyhow.”
• Johnny tells Britt why he dislikes Christmas—his parents have died, he feels lost, and his aunt says Christmas is for children.
  • Johnny: “Christmas was all right when they… when I was with them.”

2. The Story Within: Britt Tells "A Christmas Carol" Western-Style

• [04:01] Britt begins to tell Johnny about a man named Eben (a stand-in for Ebenezer Scrooge), reputedly the richest and stingiest man in the territory.
  • Britt: “It seems to me I remember reading a story once about a fellow felt the same way about Christmas you do.”
• Eben’s coldness is reinforced through exchanges with his nephew and his foreman, especially when he refuses to share or give joy at Christmas.
  • Eben (to nephew): “At three you can expect me all you like, but I ain't coming. Not at three or any other time. All this nonsense about Christmas. Fiddlesticks.” [05:57]

3. The Ghostly Visitations

• Ghost of Jacob Marley
  • [08:06] The ghost of Jake (Eben's deceased partner) appears, burdened by gold and regrets.
    • Jake: "Always scheming and conniving. That's why I wear it. And that's why I've come to warn you, Evan."
    • Jake: “Have you ever done them any good? Any good at all?” [09:51]
• Ghost of Christmas Past
  • [14:20] The ghost, a cowboy dandy, takes Eben back to his boyhood on the prairie (where he was orphaned), his young adulthood in a bunkhouse, and the moment he lost love due to greed.
  • Fiancée (to Eben): “Land and money, cattle, profits. They mean more to you than I ever would.” [17:20]
• Ghost of Christmas Present
  • [18:10] Now a fat, jovial figure, the ghost shows Eben his foreman's crowded but loving family on Christmas (including a crippled boy, Tiny Tim).
    • The family prays: “God bless this food, this house and us and our friends. Even old Evan, I mean.” [19:33]
    • Tiny Tim (Johnny): “God bless us, everyone.” [19:46]
  • Next, Eben sees his nephew’s house, where he is the punchline in a party game.
• Ghost of Christmas Future
  • [20:54] The ghost shows Eben a cold, lonely future where he is dead and unmourned, his name on a forgotten tombstone.

4. Eben’s Redemption

• [22:24] Eben awakes from his nightmares, overjoyed to be alive. He dashes out, buying food and gifts anonymously for his foreman’s poor family and becomes the life of his nephew’s Christmas party.
  • Eben: “I'm also doubling your wages as of last week. Merry Christmas, Bob. Even if I am a day late. No, not a day. More like half a lifetime. But Merry Christmas anyway.” [24:43]

5. Back to Johnny: The Story’s Moral

• [25:07] Britt finishes the tale. Johnny sees its meaning:
  • Johnny: “So that I understand about Christmas and how important it is to do for other people instead of just thinking about yourself.”
• Britt subtly steers Johnny toward reconciling with his aunt and giving her a homemade Christmas tree, and cleverly gifts him a pocketknife he’d been wishing for.
  • Britt: “There are lots of things don’t cost a penny… Take that little spruce over there. I’ll bet you can make a Jim Dandy Christmas tree out of that.” [25:39]
  • Johnny (on the pocketknife): "How did you know?"
  • Britt: “So long ago.” [28:39]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Eben (Scrooge) rejecting Christmas:
  "Christmas. Fiddlesticks!" [05:39]

• Ghost of Jacob Marley warning Eben:
  "Have you ever done them any good? Any good at all?" [09:51]
  "That's my punishment. To spend eternity traveling around, seeing mankind—with its trials and tribulations, with its joys and hopes—and not be able to help them." [10:03]

• Ghost of Christmas Past (on Eben's lost love):
  "Land and money, cattle, profits. They mean more to you than I ever would." [17:20]

• Christmas prayer at the foreman’s house:
  “God bless this food, this house and us and our friends. Even old Evan, I mean.” [19:33]

• Tiny Tim (Johnny):
  "God bless us, everyone." [19:46]

• Eben’s joyful redemption and generosity:
  "Merry Christmas, Bob. Even if I am a day late. No, not a day. More like half a lifetime. But Merry Christmas anyway." [24:43]

• Moral summarized by Johnny:
  "So that I understand about Christmas and how important it is to do for other people instead of just thinking about yourself." [25:17]

Important Timestamps by Segment

• [02:03] Britt and Johnny’s snowy campfire, setting up the theme
• [04:01] Britt introduces the tale of Eben
• [08:06] First ghostly visitation from Jake (Marley)
• [14:20] Ghost of Christmas Past: Eben’s childhood memories
• [18:10] Ghost of Christmas Present: The foreman's home and Tiny Tim
• [20:54] Ghost of Christmas Future: Eben sees his own death
• [22:24] Eben awakens, begins his transformation
• [24:43] Eben’s full redemption, generosity, and holiday spirit
• [25:10 – 29:00] Britt and Johnny wrap up, the message of giving and reconciliation

Tone and Style

The episode retains an authentic 1950s radio drama tone—heartfelt, warm, and a little bit folksy, with clear Western flavoring through accents, imagery, and details. Jimmy Stewart’s drawling delivery as Britt Ponsett adds to the homespun wisdom and charm of the storytelling. The adaptation avoids preachiness; instead, it lets the Western setting and its familiar faces breathe fresh life into Dickens’ moral tale.

Conclusion

This episode of "The Six Shooter" is both an entertaining Western and a moving Christmas parable, reminding listeners—as Johnny learns—that Christmas is about kindness, generosity, and thinking of others. The marriage of Dickens’ classic with American frontier values makes this a memorable and unique holiday retelling.

“God bless us, everyone.” [19:46]