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April Fools Pranks Gags and Hoaxes

Is that a spot of ketchup on your shirt? April Fools' traditions go back a long time. Get out your whoopee cushion and check your shoelaces and enjoy this OTRCAT original collection of April Fool's Day Shows.

April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes

53 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 18 hours, 44 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
20 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from April 01, 1952:

"April Fools on Life with Luigi"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

April Fools

"How'd you get that smudge on your face?"
"Did you know you have a flat tire?"
"What's that on your neck?"

April Fools!

The rules seem pretty simple. At the end of a long, dark winter we get to celebrate the coming of Spring by pulling a prank on our friends. Pretty much anything goes, as long as the other guy is fooled and the prankster yells "April Fools!" before too much harm is done.

Spaghetti tree hoax

No one is quite sure when or how the tradition of April 1 being a day to pull jokes began, but it has been a part of European tradition for a long time. In Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, published in 1392, a fox tricks Chanticleer the rooster on "March 32nd". Renaissance poet Eloy d'Amerval reported that in 1508 it was all the rage in Paris to stick paper poisson d'avril ("April fish") to the backs of unsuspecting passersby. 

When France adopted the Gregorian Calendar and abandoned the Julian in the mid-Sixteenth century, the New Year's holiday moved from springtime to January 1. The springtime New Year's feast came to a close on April 1, so any bumpkin who hadn’t gotten the news of the Calendar change was obviously a rube, ripe for the tricking.

One of our favorite April Fools' Hoaxes took place in 1957 on the British's Panorama current affairs TV program, "The Spaghetti Tree Hoax". The program broadcast a three-minute report that thanks to a mild winter and the eradication of the Spaghetti Weevil, Southern Switzerland was harvesting a bumper crop from their spaghetti tree orchards. The show also had footage of folks in traditional garb plucking strands of fresh spaghetti from the trees (at the time, spaghetti was just starting to become popular in the UK, so many people failed to realize that pasta does not grow on trees!)

Groucho Marx Glasses
Sink Bomb Tricks!
The Old Snake in a Can!
Whooppeee Cushion!

  • The Chevrolet Program Starring Jack Benny, April 1, 1934. Mary gets an April Fools' prank phone call. The rest of the cast forgets that Easter fell on April 1 this year. This is Jack's last Sunday show for Chevy, he will be back on Friday for General Tire.
  • The Adventures of Superman, April 1, 1946, "The Story of the Century, Pt 1". This two-week-long story arc begins on April Fools' Day with a call from editor Perry White for Clark to pick up Lois at her apartment in the middle of the night and bring her to White's house. When Clark arrives at the apartment, he finds the place has been trashed, and no Lois! What's more, Perry White never made the first call. Now, Lois calls the office, saying she has the Story of the Century, but she needs $10,000 cash right now! Editor White personally goes to meet Lois with the money and then calls Clark to get $10,000 more! It sounds like an elaborate hoax, but we may have to wait for 14 more episodes to discover who is fooling who.
  • The Aldrich Family, April 1, 1948. Agnes pulls an April Fools' prank over the phone on Henry and Homer, so they turn the tables by spreading a rumor at school that Agnes won a lot of money in a magazine contest. It gets so far out of control that Mr. Aldrich thinks he has to go to New York to collect the money, and he invites Henry along. Did Agnes really win the money?
  • My Favorite Husband, April 1, 1949. Liz plans a gag on George by putting a lipstick-covered hankie in his overcoat pocket, but he beats her to the punch by fibbing to her that he lost his job at the bank. Liz's joke double backfires when George really does have a lipstick covered handkerchief in his pocket. Perhaps, Liz wasn't the first to think of the joke.

Jokes, pranks, gags and hoaxes abound with Blondie, Henry Aldrich, and Red Skelton. Even Watson gets in on the act when he plays tricks on Sherlock Holmes - but only to take him down a peg, "the ol boy does take himself too seriously."

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Find out who will get caught and who will get seltzer down their pants!April may bring showers, but it also brings gags galore! So take a seat on your whoppee cushion and precariously place a bucket of water on the top of the door. These April Fools shows will get you in the mood for April First, the funniest day of the year.

For more laughs, see also our extensive comedy collections including the compilations:

    Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

    These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

    • Show Rating

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      Over the years am always ordering or visiting but never leaving word. So...THANKS for all the great product and service. My days are joyously filled with the nostalgia of OTR thanks to you. Its always a pleasure to visit the site and I find my self like a child in a candy store. As long as OTR CAT is around this will be my source for old time radio.

      Gavin Verified Purchase

      thank you for the dally download i love it and otr for over 40 years

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      There's no better way to relax than to listen to old radio shows and remembering the good old days. My favorites shows are Jack Benny, Fibber and Molly, Great Gildersleves, and Fatherknows best.

      Daniel Verified Purchase

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    • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



      53 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 18 hours, 44 min
      53 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
      total playtime 18 hours, 44 min
      Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

      1. 53 shows - total playtime 18 hours 44 minutes
      2. 1024 Ranch 450328 In Your Easter Bonet.mp3
      3. Advs Of Frank Merriwell 490219 122 Kid Brother Trouble.mp3
      4. Afvn Wuppin Prank Call.mp3
      5. Aircheck WABCDan Ingram April Fools 1964.mp3
      6. Aldrich Family 480401 April Fools Day Jokes.mp3
      7. Avalon Time 390401 E013 April Fools Day.mp3
      8. Bergen McCarthy 450401 361 Linda Darnell.mp3
      9. Black Flame Of Amazon 380000 60 Stuffed Snake.mp3
      10. Blondie 400401 April Fools Day.mp3
      11. Bob Burns Show 430401 For Lifebuoy April Fools Day.mp3
      12. Bob Hope 410401 Kate Smith.mp3
      13. BS April Fools Call.mp3
      14. Campbells Short Short Story 400607 Wring Way To Write.mp3
      15. Cbs Radio Workshop 560427 14 Record Collectors.mp3
      16. Claudia 480401 134 April Fools Day.mp3
      17. Clyde Beatty 047 Okalahoma Hoax.mp3
      18. Columbia Workshop 370404 033 Big Ben Crisis.mp3
      19. Comic Weekly Man 510401 E206 April Fools.mp3
      20. Cric 531104 19 Raschi Among Crocodiles And Prank He Played.mp3
      21. Dizzy Dean Show 480821 08 Dizzys Fast Ball.mp3
      22. Eggs At Eight 510900 Dragnet Spoof.mp3
      23. Frankenstein Hoax 1952.mp3
      24. Front Page Drama 390331 April Fool.mp3
      25. Great Gildersleeve 411019 008 Pranks At School.mp3
      26. Jack Benny 340401 April Fools.mp3
      27. Jack Benny 390402 April Fools.mp3
      28. L 380401 L Exasperated By April Fools Jokes.mp3
      29. L 450402 0801 April Fools Joke.mp3
      30. Luigi 510327 April Fools Joke.mp3
      31. Luigi 520401 April Fools Joke.mp3
      32. Mel Blanc 470401 AprilFools.mp3
      33. MSA Old Tales New 510330 April Fool.mp3
      34. My Favorite Husband 490401 038 April Fools Day.mp3
      35. My Friend Irma 1949-03-28 April Fool's Party.mp3
      36. Our Miss Brooks 490403 April Fools Day.mp3
      37. Sherlock Holmes 460401 April Fools Day Adventure.mp3
      38. Silent Men 520120 14 Gigantic Hoax.mp3
      39. Skippy Hollywood Theatre Pranks For Parents.mp3
      40. Superman 460401 1243 Story Of Century.mp3
      41. Superman 460402 1244 Story Of Century.mp3
      42. Superman 460403 1245 Story Of Century.mp3
      43. Superman 460404 1246 Story Of Century.mp3
      44. Superman 460405 1247 Story Of Century.mp3
      45. Superman 460408 1248 Story Of Century.mp3
      46. Superman 460409 1249 Story Of Century.mp3
      47. Superman 460410 1250 Story Of Century.mp3
      48. Superman 460411 1251 Story Of Century.mp3
      49. Superman 460412 1252 Story Of Century.mp3
      50. Superman 460415 1253 Story Of Century.mp3
      51. Superman 480401 1394 Mysteryofthestolencostume.mp3
      52. Suspense 490331 You Cant Die Twice.mp3
      53. Theater Guild On Air 460526 038 Boy Meets Girl.mp3
      54. Yankee Yarns 500329 April Fools.mp3
    • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



      53 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 18 hours, 44 min
      53 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
      total playtime 18 hours, 44 min
      Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

      1. 53 shows - total playtime 18 hours 44 minutes
      2. 1024 Ranch 450328 In Your Easter Bonet.mp3
      3. Advs Of Frank Merriwell 490219 122 Kid Brother Trouble.mp3
      4. Afvn Wuppin Prank Call.mp3
      5. Aircheck WABCDan Ingram April Fools 1964.mp3
      6. Aldrich Family 480401 April Fools Day Jokes.mp3
      7. Avalon Time 390401 E013 April Fools Day.mp3
      8. Bergen McCarthy 450401 361 Linda Darnell.mp3
      9. Black Flame Of Amazon 380000 60 Stuffed Snake.mp3
      10. Blondie 400401 April Fools Day.mp3
      11. Bob Burns Show 430401 For Lifebuoy April Fools Day.mp3
      12. Bob Hope 410401 Kate Smith.mp3
      13. BS April Fools Call.mp3
      14. Campbells Short Short Story 400607 Wring Way To Write.mp3
      15. Cbs Radio Workshop 560427 14 Record Collectors.mp3
      16. Claudia 480401 134 April Fools Day.mp3
      17. Clyde Beatty 047 Okalahoma Hoax.mp3
      18. Columbia Workshop 370404 033 Big Ben Crisis.mp3
      19. Comic Weekly Man 510401 E206 April Fools.mp3
      20. Cric 531104 19 Raschi Among Crocodiles And Prank He Played.mp3
      21. Dizzy Dean Show 480821 08 Dizzys Fast Ball.mp3
      22. Eggs At Eight 510900 Dragnet Spoof.mp3
      23. Frankenstein Hoax 1952.mp3
      24. Front Page Drama 390331 April Fool.mp3
      25. Great Gildersleeve 411019 008 Pranks At School.mp3
      26. Jack Benny 340401 April Fools.mp3
      27. Jack Benny 390402 April Fools.mp3
      28. L 380401 L Exasperated By April Fools Jokes.mp3
      29. L 450402 0801 April Fools Joke.mp3
      30. Luigi 510327 April Fools Joke.mp3
      31. Luigi 520401 April Fools Joke.mp3
      32. Mel Blanc 470401 AprilFools.mp3
      33. MSA Old Tales New 510330 April Fool.mp3
      34. My Favorite Husband 490401 038 April Fools Day.mp3
      35. My Friend Irma 1949-03-28 April Fool's Party.mp3
      36. Our Miss Brooks 490403 April Fools Day.mp3
      37. Sherlock Holmes 460401 April Fools Day Adventure.mp3
      38. Silent Men 520120 14 Gigantic Hoax.mp3
      39. Skippy Hollywood Theatre Pranks For Parents.mp3
      40. Superman 460401 1243 Story Of Century.mp3
      41. Superman 460402 1244 Story Of Century.mp3
      42. Superman 460403 1245 Story Of Century.mp3
      43. Superman 460404 1246 Story Of Century.mp3
      44. Superman 460405 1247 Story Of Century.mp3
      45. Superman 460408 1248 Story Of Century.mp3
      46. Superman 460409 1249 Story Of Century.mp3
      47. Superman 460410 1250 Story Of Century.mp3
      48. Superman 460411 1251 Story Of Century.mp3
      49. Superman 460412 1252 Story Of Century.mp3
      50. Superman 460415 1253 Story Of Century.mp3
      51. Superman 480401 1394 Mysteryofthestolencostume.mp3
      52. Suspense 490331 You Cant Die Twice.mp3
      53. Theater Guild On Air 460526 038 Boy Meets Girl.mp3
      54. Yankee Yarns 500329 April Fools.mp3
    • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



      53 recordings on 20 Audio CDs. Total playtime 18 hours, 44 min
      53 recordings on 20 Audio CDs
      total playtime 18 hours, 44 min

      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A001

      1. Afvn Wuppin Prank Call
      2. Aircheck WABCDan Ingram April Fools 1964
      3. BS April Fools Call
      4. Clyde Beatty 047 Okalahoma Hoax
      5. Frankenstein Hoax 1952

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A002

      1. My Friend Irma 1949-03-28 April Fool's Party
      2. Skippy Hollywood Theatre Pranks For Parents

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A003

      1. Jack Benny 340401 April Fools
      2. Columbia Workshop 370404 033 Big Ben Crisis
      3. Black Flame Of Amazon 380000 60 Stuffed Snake

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A004

      1. L 380401 L Exasperated By April Fools Jokes
      2. Front Page Drama 390331 April Fool
      3. Avalon Time 390401 E013 April Fools Day

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A005

      1. Jack Benny 390402 April Fools
      2. Blondie 400401 April Fools Day
      3. Campbells Short Short Story 400607 Wring Way To Write

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A006

      1. Bob Hope 410401 Kate Smith
      2. Great Gildersleeve 411019 008 Pranks At School

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A007

      1. Bob Burns Show 430401 For Lifebuoy April Fools Day
      2. 1024 Ranch 450328 In Your Easter Bonet

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A008

      1. Bergen McCarthy 450401 361 Linda Darnell
      2. L 450402 0801 April Fools Joke
      3. Sherlock Holmes 460401 April Fools Day Adventure

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A009

      1. Superman 460401 1243 Story Of Century
      2. Superman 460402 1244 Story Of Century
      3. Superman 460403 1245 Story Of Century
      4. Superman 460404 1246 Story Of Century

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A010

      1. Superman 460405 1247 Story Of Century
      2. Superman 460408 1248 Story Of Century
      3. Superman 460409 1249 Story Of Century
      4. Superman 460410 1250 Story Of Century

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A011

      1. Superman 460411 1251 Story Of Century
      2. Superman 460412 1252 Story Of Century
      3. Superman 460415 1253 Story Of Century

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A012

      1. Theater Guild On Air 460526 038 Boy Meets Girl

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A013

      1. Mel Blanc 470401 AprilFools
      2. Aldrich Family 480401 April Fools Day Jokes
      3. Claudia 480401 134 April Fools Day

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A014

      1. Superman 480401 1394 Mysteryofthestolencostume
      2. Dizzy Dean Show 480821 08 Dizzys Fast Ball
      3. Advs Of Frank Merriwell 490219 122 Kid Brother Trouble

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A015

      1. Suspense 490331 You Cant Die Twice
      2. My Favorite Husband 490401 038 April Fools Day

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A016

      1. Our Miss Brooks 490403 April Fools Day
      2. Yankee Yarns 500329 April Fools

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A017

      1. Luigi 510327 April Fools Joke
      2. MSA Old Tales New 510330 April Fool

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A018

      1. Comic Weekly Man 510401 E206 April Fools
      2. Eggs At Eight 510900 Dragnet Spoof

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A019

      1. Silent Men 520120 14 Gigantic Hoax
      2. Luigi 520401 April Fools Joke

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
      April Fools Pranks, Jokes, Gags and Hoaxes Disc A020

      1. Cric 531104 19 Raschi Among Crocodiles And Prank He Played
      2. Cbs Radio Workshop 560427 14 Record Collectors

      Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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