The Goldbergs

Situation Comedy (1929 - 49)

The Goldbergs, who lived at 1030 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, appeared on radio from 1929 to 1946 and on television from 1949 to 1956. The show followed the daily life and struggles of a Jewish family living in a tenement in in the Bronx and, later, living in a more suburban area.

Gertrude Berg, who also developed and wrote the show, starred as Molly Goldberg, the stereotypical matriarch of the family.Though she played a stereotype, that doesn't mean that her stereotype was a bad thing. One Jewish pundit said that the series did more "to set us Jews right with the 'goyim' than all the sermons ever preached by the Rabbis."

Originally, the show was a 15 minute weekly in 1929 expanding to a 15 minute daily in 1931 and later to 30 minutes. The show was a cross between a soap opera, because it had continuing stories, and a comedy. It was the second longest running radio show after Amos and Andy. 

For more yiddish programs, See also: Eternal Light, The People Take the Lead and Mama Bloom's Brood.

Please note many of these rare Goldbergs recordings having an unfortunately 'hissing' sound.