Old Time Radio Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from OTRCAT.com!  Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday tradition filled with family, friends, and food.

During the war years, everyone tried to save money and resources during Thanksgiving.  Jack Benny scrimps to the point where he considers buying a canary instead of a Thanksgiving turkey.  George Burns asks Gracie Allen to stop spending money on food and goods and start buying war bonds.  Command Performance gives a rousing holiday presentation for the troops with Dinah Shore.  After the War, you can bet Jack Benny keeps his penny pinching ways during the holidays.

Please enjoy these Thanksgiving-themed old time radio shows free to download from the Thanksgiving Collection.  Read about each episode and gobble them up with your friends and family:

Burns and Allen - (Comedy)

"Gracie Buys a Live Turkey" from November 17, 1942
The show contains classic Gracie antics as George goes over the family budget and a great speech from George about buying less so the troops have more.  To save money, Gracie buys the family a turkey for Thanksgiving, the only problem is that it's still alive and gobbling. 

Gunsmoke - (Western)

"Turkey Shoot" from September 7, 1958
A boy is taking pot shots at a local farmer's turkey farm, but his dad (Grover) is reluctant to admit the boy (Eddie) is guilty.  It turns out that the turkey farmer is gobbling it up at with Grover's wife when he's away.  

Our Miss Brooks - (Comedy)

"Thanksgiving Program" from November 19, 1950
Mrs. Davis cannot spend Thanksgiving with Miss Brooks, that's a good thing because last year she made a "whole roast pepper."  Miss Brooks hopes that the handsome Mr. Boynton asks her out for Thanksgiving, but Stretch Snodgrass writes an article in the school newspaper that changes everything.

The Jack Benny Program - (Comedy)

"Jack Dreams He Is A Turkey" from November 21, 1943
Jack Benny is hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this year and needs a turkey for 15, but Turkeys are 55 cents a pound and Jack has a penny pinching dilemma.  Jack's indecision makes him ponder about the life of the turkeys and their families in the butcher shop. Jack dreams he is a turkey and tries to catch a train out of town.

Command Performance - (Music/Variety)

"Thanksgiving Special" from November 1944
Dinah Shore and Harry VonZell drop by Wally Brown's place for Thanksgiving dinner.  When Harry pipes up "Look Butter!  He's got Butter!" Wally hushes him and says "It goes on the bread, you don't spread it all over town!"

The Challenge of the Yukon - (Adventure)

"Thanksgiving" from November 28, 1946
Sergeant Preston and King try to rest by the fire on Thanksgiving after eating a huge meal.  Sergeant Preston tells a story of the last Thanksgiving he ate dinner with a Priest and saved a mutt with his head stuck in a trash can.

Sam Spade - (Detective)

"The Terrified Turkey Caper" from November 24, 1950
Sam plans to break wishbones with his best gal but first he has to solve crime.   A meek man looks to Sam Spade for help as someone is trying to kill him on Thanksgiving Day.  His name?  Tom Turkey.

All these episodes (and more!) are in the
Thanksgiving Collection on MP3 CD

See also: Presidental Thanksgiving Addresses

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