Podcast Summary: "Up The Pole" 1948-11-01 – First Show

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio
Original Broadcast Date: November 1, 1948
Covered By Podcast on: November 9, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode presents the very first broadcast of “Up The Pole,” a classic British radio comedy featuring Jimmy Jewel, Ben Warriss, Betty Paul, Claude Dampier, John Pertwee, and others. Set just after WWII and blending slapstick, witty banter, and farcical scenarios, this episode delivers “Golden Age” entertainment with a story of madcap schemes and romantic mishaps.

Main Theme & Premise

“Up The Pole” opens with protagonists Jimmy and Ben settling into their new living quarters—a makeshift apartment above an abandoned fire station—where they confront daily mishaps and romantic dilemmas. The central plot revolves around Jimmy’s attempts to impress Betty with a lavish birthday present, setting off a chain of humorous misunderstandings and get-rich-quick dreams.

Key Discussion Points and Segments

1. Introduction & Setting the Scene

[00:30 – 01:35]

• The narrator introduces the cast and setting: Jimmy and Ben now reside above a disused fire station, providing a quirky backdrop for their comic adventures.
• Jimmy is found in the bathroom, starting his day with loud gargling, setting the lighthearted tone.

Notable quote:
“Oh, welcome to you all, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, sweet ladies and gentlemen… Well, that’s better out than in, isn’t it?”
— Jimmy Jewel ([01:54])

2. Jimmy’s Romantic Predicament

[02:17 – 03:26]

• Ben questions Jimmy about why he’s getting dressed up, teasing out the true reason: Betty is visiting.
• Jimmy, bashful about his feelings, wishes he were more like a glamorous film star to impress her.
• Their banter highlights a blend of British self-deprecating humor and classic buddy comedy.

Notable exchange:
“I wish I was more the kind of man she admires, really. I wish I were a film star.”
— Jimmy Jewel ([02:59])
“Don’t you realize that one day you’re kissing Betty Grable, Lana Turner… the next day you’re just a has been.”
— Ben Warren ([03:09])

3. Betty’s Request (Birthday Gift Mischief)

[03:41 – 06:22]

• Betty arrives. Jimmy awkwardly tries to ask what she might want for her birthday.
• Ultimately, Betty requests a ring she’s seen in a jeweler’s window—priced improbably at £50, a sum far outside Jimmy’s means.
• Humorous panic ensues as Jimmy realizes the gift’s cost, but pride and affection drive him to promise to deliver it regardless.

Notable quote:
“Oh, Jimmy, where did you learn to kiss like that?”
— Betty Paul ([05:35])
“Siphoning petrol.”
— Ben Warren ([05:40])

Memorable moment:
Betty flirtatiously rewards Jimmy with a kiss after his promise, only for the conversation to spiral as the astronomical price is revealed.

4. Get-Rich-Quick Schemes & Burpee’s Arrival

[06:22 – 08:16]

• Ben and Jimmy scramble for ideas on raising £50.
• Burpee enters with a classic tall tale of “currency larks” scampering across Europe with foreign exchange, ending with his “reward”—six months in jail.
  Notable quote:
  “You know what they gave me when I got back to England now? What? Six months.”
  — Burpee & Jimmy ([07:35])
• Burpee offers them a new get-rich-quick hope: entering the “help yourself football pool.”
• Jimmy’s dreams inflate—maybe he’ll win £50,000 and buy Betty anything she wants.

Memorable comic progression:

• Jimmy signing up enthusiastically for a football pool, thinking he’s already won the jackpot before the coupon’s even mailed.

5. Classic British Banter & Farcical Escalation

[Through ~08:42]

• The structure of the dialogue, quick-witted exchanges, and escalating absurdity encapsulate the era's radio comedy style.
• Supporting characters like Betty (and the unseen but referenced Roderick Forge Bellows) heighten both the social rivalry and Jimmy’s anxiety.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “Well, I wish you’d come out of the bathroom, James. You know you’ve been in there for hours.”
  — Ben Warren ([02:17])
• “At such a time I feel that the time has come for it to be the right time for the time. What is the time, Ben?”
  — Jimmy Jewel ([04:07])
• “If you don’t get the ring for Betty, her cousin Roderick will.”
  — Ben Warren ([06:32])
• “First of all, I took me £35 of English money over to France. And they give me 40,000 French frogs...”
  — Burpee ([07:18])
• “Now go on, give me the £50,000.”
  — Jimmy Jewel ([08:31])

Tone & Style

The episode relies on rapid-fire wordplay, gentle ribbing, and farcical situations, all marked by the camaraderie and rivalry between characters. Despite being over 75 years old, its self-aware, absurd humor and lighthearted treatment of daily struggles retain their charm for modern audiences.

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:30–01:35] – Show introduction, setting, and cast
• [02:17–03:26] – Jimmy’s bashfulness about Betty
• [03:41–06:22] – Betty’s birthday ring request and comic repercussions
• [06:22–07:47] – Burpee’s arrival and “currency lark” tall tale
• [07:47–08:42] – Football pool scheme and comic escalation

In Summary

The broadcast provides a delightful snapshot of post-war British entertainment, full of whimsy, sharp repartee, and heart. “Up The Pole” brings together a lovable cast caught between grand dreams and comic adversity, epitomizing “Golden Age of Radio” comedy in both spirit and delivery.