Fibber McGee and Molly was one of the most popular American radio shows of all time, running from 1935 until 1957. It came to television in 1959, but with much less success.
The McGees were the residents of 79 Wistful Vista and, as on radio, they had to cope with friends and neighbours who made life rather hilarious.
Fibber’s tendency to overstate (some people called it fibbing) constantly got him into trouble. Fortunately, Molly’s common sense and talents as a peacemaker prevented most situations from getting out of hand.
Symptomatic of the problems involved in bringing Fibber McGee and Molly to television was McGee’s famous overcrowded hall closet, which always unleashed its contents in a crash whenever it was opened.
Somehow this was not as funny seen on television as it had been when only heard on the radio.
Jack Kirkwood, who would again work with Elisabeth Fraser on One Happy Family, appeared occasionally as Fred Nitney, Fibber’s old vaudeville partner. In the episode titled “The Fred Nitney Story,” Fred stayed with the McGees while he finished writing a book about their act known as Nitney and McGee.
Most of the actors in the TV version had not been associated with the show on radio, but one did have an interesting connection with the earlier version.
Harold Peary had created the role of Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve on Fibber McGee and Molly in 1939, later moving it to a series of his own as The Great Gildersleeve.
When Fibber McGee came to TV, Peary returned as Mayor La Trivia.
Fibber McGee
Bob Sweeney Molly McGee
Cathy Lewis Announcer
Pat McGeehan Mayor LaTrivia
Harold Peary Roy Norris
Paul Smith Hazel Norris
Elisabeth Fraser Teeny
Barbara Beaird Doc Gamble
Addison Richards Fenton Roscoe
Alan Mowbray Fred Nitney
Jack Kirkwood Benton
Jerome Cowan Adam Davis
Olin Howland Judge Townley
Charles Cane Bill Gordon
Charles Lane George Lester
Jack Weston Charley Pritchard
Parley Baer Norman Waller
Robert Casper
Symptomatic of the problems involved in bringing Fibber McGee and Molly to television was McGee’s famous overcrowded hall closet, which always unleashed its contents in a crash whenever it was opened.
