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The Great Gildersleeve, Volume 1: An Audio Double Feature of Holiday Hilarity Starring Harold Peary description

Holiday hilarity and history with the Great Gildersleeve - radio's most lovable windbag! The inimitable Harold Peary, with his melodious baritone voice and trademark warbling laugh, achieved stardom portraying Gildersleeve on the first ever spin-off series in broadcast history!

Here are two hilarious holiday shows, one that captures this beloved character at his best, as well as the anxiety of pre-World War II America, in a 1941 episode ("Soldiers for Thanksgiving") and another that captures the soaring prices and spirits of the post-War era, in a 1948 episode ("Christmas Eve at Gildersleeve's").

In the first show, Summerfield citizens are urged to invite a lonely soldier home for Thanksgiving dinner. With an elaborate meal being prepared at his house, Gildy discovers the town's good citizens have indeed heeded this plea, and there's not a soldier left to be had!

In the second program, Gildy has found himself guardian of an abandoned baby and plans a quiet family celebration that will make the infant's first Christmas "the best ever" - but soon half the town has invited themselves over.

Then the story turns on a dime from comedy to drama, ending with the Great Gildersleeve delivering one of the most touching Christmas speeches since Tiny Tim said, "God bless us every one!"

Here is Golden Age radio at its finest, plus informative commentary about the program and Harold Peary's life and career. Another in the best-selling Audio Archives series from Bill Mills and REB Inc.