Fibber and Molly Fight World War Two

It almost seems silly to analyze the success of Fibber McGee and Molly because they were such a natural fit for radio. People began to discover that they did not have to go to the local vaudeville house to get their laughs, the radio dial was peppered with vaudevillians who were happy to beam the laughs into their own living room. The residents of 79 Wistful Vista could have been anyone's neighbor, and so they became everyone's neighbors. The public loved them and couldn't imagine missing a Monday night filled with Fibber's antics. Even more important, the sponsor loved them! Pitches for Glo-Coat and Car-Nu were more than just fitted in between the laughs, they got laughs on their own. Product innovation and an aggressive corporate management count for a lot, but Fibber and Molly deserve a good deal of credit for helping Johnson Wax to keep all their employees through the years of the Great Depression.

As the new decade was beginning, it was obvious that ominous things were happening in Europe but in homes across America, including 79 Wistful Vista, folks were just glad that things were getting back on track. Life may not have been as gay as it had been during the Jazzy Twenties, but everyone seemed to have enough to eat, they could listen to their radios after supper, and the only people living in tents were not displaced farmers but soldiers in the increasingly active military (remember the ominous noises coming from Europe?).

Jim and Marian Jordan, along with their writer, Don Quinn, created a friendly and welcoming, if completely fictional community filled with characters that almost everyone could identify with. Like everywhere else in America, change came rapidly to Wistful Vista after the bombs fell on Pearl Harbor. The December 9, 1941, broadcast opens with announcer Harlow Wilcox reading a telegram from the President of the Johnson Wax company explaining that, while serious matters are afoot, it is important to continue with fun shows like Fibber and Molly to maintain national morale, but the sponsor encourages the network to jump in if any War News comes across the wire.

Rationing was an inconvenient reality, but the McGees' took it in stride as doing their part in the War Effort. There were service banners in windows around town, but thankfully Gold Stars were rare or nonexistent. The whole town got to put up a service flag for Mayor La Trivia. Actor Gale Gordon became a regular member of the company in January 1940 but didn't settle into his regular role as Mayor La Trivia until October of 1941. The bachelor mayor was a perfect vehicle for Gordon's specialty "slow-burn explosion", especially after a frustrating exchange with Fibber and the Missus. Sometimes, after the mayor storms off in utter frustration, Fibber and Molly "break the fourth wall" and admit that they are deliberately spinning the mayor up. However, on December 1, 1942, as the mayor is leaving town to join the Coast Guard (Gordon achieved the rank of Gunners Mate First Class and piloted landing craft) he manages to get the last word in on Fibber. Petty Officer Gordon occasionally appeared on Fibber and Molly as Petty Officer La Trivia.

Unlike other radio comedies, the Wistful Vista gang did not do any remote broadcasts from military installations, but then again, camp shows would not have fit their format as well as they did for shows like The Jack Benny Program or The Bob Hope Show. Jim and Marian did appear in character on a few AFRS programs like Command Performance.

• December 9, 1941, America had only been in the War for two days when Fibber and Molly came on the air, so little was prepared to put the show on a War Footing. Harlow Wilcox reads a telegram from the president of Johnson Wax and, although they are professional enough to put on a good show, the cast seems somewhat subdued. After delivering the program's last punchline, Wilcox reads another message form the sponsor encouraging everyone to buy Defense Bonds and the audience and crew break out in a chorus of "My Country 'Tis of Thee".
• February 24, 1942, Because of the rubber shortage and tire rationing, Fibber buys a horse, but he hasn't told Molly yet. Why not? Because he hasn't come up with a good way to break the news to her. 
• May 12, 1942, Is there a foreign spy loose in Wistful Vista? Fibber spotted a suspicious-looking stranger who is following him around town, snapping pictures of everything. The biggest question is why would a spy be following a small-town busy body?
• December 1, 1942, Gas Rationing has come to Wistful Vista and Fibber is having none of it. It even clouds the fact that Mayor La Trivia is joining the Coast Guard. Everyone else in town gets behind rationing to save rubber for the War Effort but Fibber does not believe he can take care of everything on his plate with just four gallons per week. However, it is La Trivia who lets Fibber have it as he is leaving to serve his country.
• October 5, 1943, The McGees' are busy cleaning out the spare room because they are taking in a War Worker who will be working at the local aircraft plant. Petty Officer La Trivia shows up for a visit while they are waiting for Al Darling. Imagine the surprise when Al turns out to be Alice!
• January 30, 1945, Fibber and Molly meet a Merchant Mariner who has finished his hitch and cannot find a place to stay while waiting for his train in the morning. There is always room at 79 Wistful Vista, which Seaman Tommy is more interested in when he hears about Alice Darling, but the important thing on his mind is whether or not to sign up for another hitch.
• October 2, 1945, Fibber gets out his old Army uniform to greet Mayor La Trivia who is returning from the Pacific. Alice lets on that the aircraft plant will be converting to make baby carriages. Too Fibber's irritation, Mrs. Carstairs is taking over the whole welcoming ceremony.

These recordings are part of the more extensive Fibber McGee and Molly compilation.