Harold Peary Show - New Years Barn Dance

Harold is planning to ask Theodora to go to the barn dance.
Harold sings, "Auld Lang Syne."


Broadcast Airdate: December 27, 1950


Notes:


Harold (Hall) Peary (July 25, 1908 – March 30, 1985) was an
American actor, comedian and singer in radio, film, television
and animation remembered best as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, a
supporting character on radio's Fibber McGee & Molly that
moved to its own radio hit, The Great Gildersleeve, the first
known spinoff hit in American broadcasting history. Born as José
Pereira de Faria in San Leandro, California to Portuguese
parents, Peary (pronounced Perry) began working in local radio as
early as 1923, according to his own memory, and had his own show
as a singer, The Spanish Serenader, in San Francisco, but moved
to Chicago, Illinois in 1937. In Chicago his radio work came to a
peak when he became a regular on Fibber McGee and Molly, where he
originated the Gildersleeve character as a McGee neighbor and
nemesis in 1938. ("You're a haaa-aa-aard man, McGee" was a famous
catch-phrase.) The character actually went through several first
names and occupations before settling on Throckmorton
Philaharmonic Gildersleeve and his stewardship of a lingerie
factory. He also worked on the horror series Lights Out and other
radio programs, but his success and popularity as Gildersleeve
set the stage for the character's own program. At CBS, Peary
began a new situation comedy, The Harold Peary Show, sometimes
known as Honest Harold, a title that was actually the name of the
fictitious radio show the new character hosted. Radio veteran
Joseph Kearns (later familiar as Mr. Wilson on television's
Dennis the Menace, played veterinarian Dr. Yancey, known better
as Doc Yak-Yak and resembling former foil Judge Hooker. The new
show also borrowed a few Gildersleeve plot devices, such as
running for mayor and engagements to two women. In what was
possibly a desperate attempt to recreate the Gildersleeve magic,
it even brought in actress Shirley Mitchell, virtually recreating
her Gildersleeve role of Leila Ransom, under the name of
Florabelle Breckenridge. Additionally, Honest Harold's secretary
at the radio station, Glory, bears a more than passing
resemblance to Gildersleeve's Water Department secretary, Bessie:
both are stereotypical giggly blondes. Despite these efforts to
recreate the power and ratings of "The Great Gildersleeve", The
Harold Peary Show lasted only one season of 38
episodes.-WikiPedia