Bob Sweeney as Fibber McGee / Cathy Lewis as Molly McGee
with:
Addison Richards as Doc Gamble
Harold Peary as Mayor La Trivia
Elisabeth Fraser as Hazel Norris, neighbor
Paul Smith as Roy Norris, neighbor
Barbara Beaird as Teeny, neighbor's daughter
Jack Kirkwood as Fred Nitney
Dorothy Neumann as Mrs. La Trivia
Premise:
The trials and tribulations of Fibber and Molly McGee, a married couple, residing at 79 Wistful Vista, who are beset with problems due to Fibber,
an amateur inventor and expert liar.
This was an unsuccessful attempt to turn a long-running radio series into a television program.
The radio version of "Fibber McGee & Molly" premiered April 16, 1935 on NBC's Blue Network. Real-life married couple Jim and Marian Jordan portrayed
Fibber and Molly. On June 29, 1936, the series moved to NBC's more popular Red Network. By the early 1940s, "Fibber McGee & Molly" was one of America's
top radio programs.
The Jordans portrayed the McGees in four theatrical films: "This Way Please" (1937), "Look Who's Laughing" (1941), "Here We Go Again" (1942) and
"Heavenly Days" (1944).
The couple, though, was reluctant to move into television. According to Jim Jordan, they was given several opportunities to take their show to the new medium.
But the Jordans, preferring to stick with radio, turned down all TV offers.
The "Fibber McGee and Molly" radio series ended in March 1956.
The Jordans continued with "Just Molly and Me," a series of comedy shorts broadcast on NBC Radio's "Monitor" program.
By 1959, Marian's health was declining. She died on April 7, 1961. Jim Jordan died on April 1, 1988
#### Fibber McGee and Molly (tv series) ######
############### season 1959-60 ###############
##############################################
NBC Tuesdays 8:30 pm Eastern
1.01 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE TRAILER [verified -RL]
15-Sep-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 27-Apr-1960 Wed) (2nd repeat 19-Aug-1960)
MGM/ Produced /Directed by William Asher
Written by Bill Davenport
Guest Cast:
Charles Lane .......... Bill Gordon, the salesman
Harry Cheshire ........ Oliver
Barbara Beaird ........ Teeny
Harold Peary .......... Mayor La Trivia
Addison Richards ...... Doc Gamble
Synopsis 1:
The McGees realize that their car is just too small to pack for a long vacation, so Fibber goes to a Trailer Show in Wistful Vista to buy a small one.
Gullible Fibber winds up buying the biggest one for $9,500. He fibs and tells Molly he won it at the Trailer Show. She eventually finds out the truth,
and suddenly Fibber becomes the salesman to get another sucker to take it off his hands. [RL]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber sets out to buy a small trailer and ends up with a block-long mobile home. [TA / Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram]
1.02 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE SHOOTING GALLERY
22-Sep-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 28-Apr-1960 Thur) (2nd repeat 22-Aug-1960)
Guest cast:
Parley Baer Charley Pritchard
Synopsis 1:
Fibber leases a store to a man for a "gallery," and then finds the man plans to use guns and not paintings. [TA / Albany NY Knickerbocker News]
Synopsis 2:
The promise of art in Wistful Vista turns into an artillery range when Fibber rents out a "gallery" that emerges as the shooting gallery. [TA / Philadelphia PA Inquirer]
1.03 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE GOOD NEIGHBORS [verified -RL]
29-Sep-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 29-Apr-1960 Fri) (2nd repeat 23-Aug-1960)
Sponsored by SINGER SEWING MACHINES
Produced & Directed by William Asher
Written by
Bill Davenport, Hugh Wedlock, Howard Snyder, Larry Rhine, Bill Freedman
Guest cast
Paul Smith Roy Norris
Elisabeth Fraser ..... Hazel Norris
Owen Howard .......... Adam Davis
Charles Cane ........ Judge Townley
Robert Casper ........ Norman Wahler (or Waller)
Paul Bryar ........... the Surveyor
Synopsis:
Fibber and Molly are planning a party with next-door neighbor Roy Norris to celebrate eight years of friendship.
All goes well, until both families lay claim to an apple tree in the yard. [J.Beer]
1.04 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE BIG DANCE
06-Oct-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 02-May-1960 Mon) (2nd repeat 24-Aug-1960)
Supporting cast:
Addison Richards Doc Gamble
Harold Peary Mayor LaTrivia
Jerome Cowan Benton
Jack Weston George Lester
Gage Clarke Max
Norman Leavitt Chester Cook
Danni Sue Nolan Secretary (as Danni Nolan)
Sam Quince Governor Standish
Charles Watts Lodge Member
Frank Orth Lodge Member
Ella Ethridge Mrs. Standish
Synopsis 1:
Fibber gets tripped up when he's appointed chairman of the lodge's big dance. [TA / Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber is chairman of the "Big Dance" at the lodge. On an economy drive, he fires the band and hires a small group - of country-style musicians. [TA]
1.05 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE FRED NITNEY STORY
13-Oct-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 03-May-1960 Tue)
Guest cast:
Jack Kirkwood Fred Nitney (recurring)
Arthur Lovejoy Harvey Hampton
Synopsis 1:
Fred Nitney, an old vaudevillian pal of Fibber's, decides to stay
at the McGee home while he writes a book about his life on the stage. [J.Beer]
Synopsis 2:
Old pal Fred descends on the McGees. To get rid of him they pretend to be poor. So Fred starts soliciting funds to help them out. [TA]
1.06 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE COURTSHIP
20-Oct-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 04-May-1960 Wed)
Synopsis 1:
It's "The Courtship" all over again when Molly and Hazel Norris hatch a plan to make their husbands more romantic. But soft lights and music
turn out to be a good background for watching the fights on TV. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Molly and her neighbor decide to become femme fatales in order to rekindle a fire of romance in their husbands, but Fibber McGee turns out to
be fireproofed after 15 years of marriage. [20Oct59 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
Synopsis 3:
Molly and Hazel refuse to cook for the boys. [Geneva NY Daily Times]
Synopsis 4:
Fibber is forced to relive the good old days when Molly insists on bringing back the magic in their marriage. [TA / Philadelphia PA Inquirer]
1.07 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE POKER GAME
27-Oct-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 05-May-1960 Thur)
Guest cast:
John Archer Attorney
Synopsis 1:
Helpful Fibber suggests that the Norrises run a gambling table at the charity bazaar. They end up in jail. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber suggests that the neighbors organize a roulette game at the forthcoming charity bazaar. [TA / Melbourne Age]
(Melbourne: 12Apr1960 Tues. 7:00pm HSV-7)
1.08 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE UNWANTED GUEST
03-Nov-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 06-May-1960 Fri) (2nd repeat 25-Aug-1960)
Guest cast:
Jack Kirkwood Fred Nitney (recurring)
Synopsis 1:
Fred Nitney descends again. This time he's invented a dishwasher that chews up Molly's good china.
Synopsis 2:
A diesel dishwasher that chews up fine china, and a spot remover that withers a gown, are Fred Nitney's contribution to Fibber's woes. [TA / Philadelphia PA Inquirer]
1.09 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE PARK (1959)
10-Nov-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 09-May-1960 Mon)
Synopsis 1:
The civic-minded ladies of Wistful Vista are set to make a park out of some land owned by Fibber McGee and Molly, but Fibber is out to make it
into a parking lot. This sets the stage for troubles galore. [10Nov59 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber's tenants in a downtown building want to use the vacant lot at the rear of the building as a car park, but Molly's friends would like
the area to be converted into a park. [TA / Melbourne Age]
Synopsis 3:
Fibber is trapped when tenements of his downtown building want a vacant lot to be used for parking and his wife's club wants it dedicated as a park.
[TA / North Tonawanda NY Evening News]
1.10 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) MAYOR McGEE
17-Nov-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 10-May-1960 Tue)
Synopsis 1:
McGee destroys the work of twenty years when he serves in the mayor's office for one week.
[TA / Philadelphia PA Inquirer]
Synopsis 2:
When Fibber informs Mayor La Trivia that the council has decided to dismiss one of its employees, the mayor resigns assuming he's the employee in question.
[TA / Melbourne Age]
1.11 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE MASQUERADE PARTY
24-Nov-1959 NBC Tue (repeated 11-May-1960 Wed)
Guest cast:
Jack Kirkwood Fred Nitney (recurring)
Roberta May
Ann Artman
Synopsis 1:
The hotel refuses to let Charlie, Fred Nitney's bear, stay there, so Fibber
invites Fred and Charlie to be his house guests. [J.Beer]
(Time-shifted broadcast, 1Dec 59, 9:30 p.m. WEAU-13 Eau Claire, WI)
Synopsis 2:
Fibber's free-loading former vaudeville partner, Fred Nitney, revives their act but replaces Fibber with a trained bear. [TA / Philadelphia PA Inquirer]
Synopsis 3:
The peace and sanity of Wistful Vista is all but shattered when the McGees throw a masquerade partyand a man dressed as a bear is not a man but a real bear.
[TA / Albany NY Times-Union]
------------------------------
Note:
"TV Guide" magazine listed the wrong "Fibber McGee and Molly" episodes for 01-Dec-1959, 08-Dec-1959 and 15-Dec-1959.
For these three consecutive weeks, NBC apparently switched episodes after TV Guide went to press.
(From 29-Dec-1959 through 19-Jan-1960, TV Guide no longer printed episode descriptions, opting to only list the "Fibber McGee and Molly" series title.)
Fortunately, daily newspapers such as the Long Beach Press-Telegram, were better equipped than TV Guide to keep up with NBC's episode changes.
------------------------------
1.12 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) MOLLY'S MOTHER
01-Dec-1959 NBC (repeated 12-May-1960 Thur)
Guest cast:
Reta Shaw Josephine (Molly's mother)
Synopsis 1:
Fibber's mother-in-law, Josephine, arrives for an uncomfortably long visit and begins the fun by giving Fibber a handsome set of hairbrushes for his
shining pate. [Albany NY Times Union]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber tries to spark romance between Molly's mother and Fred Nitney. [01Dec59 Long Island City NY Star Journal]
Synopsis 3:
Molly's mother, played by Reta Shaw of the Ann Sothern Show and the recent Civic Light Opera "Oklahoma," comes to visit "Fibber McGee and Molly." Fibber
gets involved in a deal with Fred Nitney and this brings police into the act leaving Molly's mother and Fibber holding the bag. [01Dec59 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
1.13 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE SCHOOL PLAY
08-Dec-1959 NBC Tue (verified by the Long Beach Press-Telegram)(repeated 13-May-1960 Fri)
Synopsis 1:
Fibber is directing the production of "Cinderella" for the local school. He is confronted by two fathers who are not happy with the casting of their
daughters as the two ugly sisters. [TA / Melbourne Age]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber and Molly rewrite "Cinderella" in an effort to gain a favor from city councilmen who are fathers of children in the cast. [TA / Philadelphia PA Inquirer]
Note:
NBC originally scheduled this episode for 15-Dec-1959.
------------------------------------
Long Beach (CA) Press-Telegram (Dec. 15, 1960)
'Looking and Listening' column:
"An apology from NBC and us:
Last week, at the last minute, a switch was made in the film for "Fibber McGee."
Instead of the paint episode, there was one about a school play. Tonight we see the one that was scheduled for Dec: 22 in which
Fibber goes out to sell some stock to finance an addition to his home and winds up with slick salesmen, more stock and lots of trouble.
------------------------------------
1.14 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE FINANCIER
15-Dec-1959 NBC (repeated 16-May-1960 Mon) (originally scheduled for 22-Dec-1959)
Synopsis 1:
Tonight Fibber has a brief success in the stock market. [Alton Evening Telegraph]
Synopsis 2:
The McGees decide to sell their stocks. [TA]
Synopsis 3:
Fibber takes a lucky flyer in the stock market and is giddy with power before he returns to a position of no gains, no losses, just errors, in "The Financier."
1.15 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE CONVENTION
22-Dec-1959 NBC (repeated 17-May-1960 Tue)
Synopsis 1:
Fibber gets into a ruckus with Molly when he goes stag with lodge brothers to a convention in New York City.
Synopsis 2:
Fibber McGee and Mayor LaTrivia join the boys at a convention in New York and when Molly arrives, unannounced, finds the lads with women in their hotel rooms.
Conclusion - jumping causes quite a hubbub. [22Dec59 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
1.16 [--] Fibber McGee and Molly: (tv series) THE PAINT JOB
29-Dec-1959 NBC (repeated 18-May-1960 Wed) (postponed from 01Dec1959 & 08Dec59)
Synopsis 1:
Roy Norris has just had his house painted. Not to be outdone, Fibber
decides to paint the McGee house - himself. [J.Beer]
Synopsis 2:
"Fibber McGee" learns there is more to painting a house than just slapping a brush around, and winds up signing a contract with a salesman who
promises to paint the place free of charge. What Fibber doesn't read is some fine print dealing with advertising rights. [29Dec59 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
Synopsis 3:
The McGee household is turned into a bedlam of ballyhoo when Fibber arranges to have his house painted free by granting advertising privileges.
Synopsis 4:
The interior of Fibber's house is created in the image of an advertising billboard. [TA / San Mateo Times]
1.17 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) WORKING GIRLS
05-Jan-1960 NBC (repeated 19-May-1960 Thur)
Synopsis 1:
An economy wave divides, then unites two households. [Phoenix Arizona Republic]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber McGee and Molly become involved in an economy drive which causes conflict in two different households.
Synopsis 3:
An economy wave hits the households of Fibber McGee and his neighbor, and the women are the ones bothered the most. They solve this by simply
joining in and fixing food that is really economical if not good. [05Jan60 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
Synopsis 4:
Boys hit economy wave, so wives go to work.
1.18 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) SHIPWRECK (aka "Shipwreck McGee")
12-Jan-1960 NBC Tue (repeated 20-May-1960 Fri)
Synopsis 1:
"Shipwreck McGee." Fibber sits atop a flagpole to draw attention to Wistful Vista as a possible state university site.
Synopsis 2:
Fibber McGee becomes a flagpole sitter in order to gain some publicity for the city of Wistful Vista, but it takes a flea-bitten dog to bring
the newsmen hustling to the town.
(During the filming, Bob Sweeney sat atop a 45-foot pole at the studio and had a high old time until a camera slipped, fell smashed to pieces.
Sweeney quit his clowning at once.) [12Jan1960 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
1.19 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE POEM (final prime-time broadcast)
19-Jan-1960 NBC Tue 8:30pm (repeat date not known)
Synopsis 1:
Molly discovers a poem Fibber wrote while courting her.
Synopsis 2:
Fibber's fame is short-lived when Molly discovers a poem from the days of their courtship and he is hailed as the Poet Laureate of Wistful Vista.
Synopsis 3:
McGee wins community plaudits and a cash award for a poem he claims to have written.
Synopsis 4:
The poetry of Fibber McGee impresses Wistful Vista until the poet who really wrote the verses shows up. However, the poet listens to reason and makes
a proposition that saves his 'face" and Fibber's happiness. [19Jan1960 Long Beach Press-Telegram]
[--] 26Jan1960 - NBC moves "Ford's Startime" into "Fibber McGee and Molly" 's former time slot. (Previously, "Startime" aired an hour later, Tuesdays 9:30pm.)
============
[--] April 11, 1960 newspaper item
(excerpt from Fred Danzig's TV column):
"NBC-TV begins running "Fibber McGee and Molly" on its daytime "Comedy Playhouse" starting April 18. The first seven episodes are first-run, not repeats."
Note: "Comedy Playhouse," was an umbrella title for shows that previously ran in prime-time.
Comedy Playhouse broadcasts - 7 first-run episodes:
1.20 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE TRAVEL BUREAU
18-Apr-1960 Mon NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 10-Aug-1960 Wed)
Synopsis 1:
Fibber is high pressured by a travel agent into signing up for a very expensive
vacation trip for Molly and himself.
Synopsis 2:
Fibber goes to the travel bureau to buy tickets for the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and
winds up buying rickets for the Belgian Congo.
1.21 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE INSURANCE POLICY
19-Apr-1960 Tue. NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 11-Aug-1960 Thur)
Synopsis 1:
Fibber takes out an insurance policy on his foot, and promptly Injures it. [El Paso Herald Post]
Synopsis 2:
After insuring his foot, Fibber spares no expense when it is injured, expecting to be reimbursed.
1.22 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE COW
20-Apr-1960 Wed. NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 12-Aug-1960 Fri)
Synopsis:
Fibber decides to buy a side of beef, and ends up with the whole cow - on hoof. [El Paso Herald Post]
Synopsis 2:
To save money, Fibber McGee decides to buy a side of beef but has to settle for two sides, on the hoof in "The Cow." [Albany NY Times Union]
1.23 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: MOLLY'S BIRTHDAY PRESENT
21-Apr-1960 Thurs. NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 15-Aug-1960 Mon)
Synopsis 1:
"Molly's birthday Present" is going to be a parakeet. But at the pet shop McGee changes his mind and comes home with a St. Bernard. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber bays Molly a St. Bernard for a birthday present. Now all he has to do is convince her she wants it. [El Paso Herald Post]
1.24 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: MOLLY'S POLITICAL CAREER
22-Apr-1960 Fri. NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 16-Aug-1960 Tue)
Synopsis 1:
The town wants Molly to run for councilwoman. Fibber's against it, but Molly's been bitten by the political bug. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
When Molly decides to run for councilwoman, Fibber tries to show her how a political career would ruin their family life. [El Paso Herald Post]
1.25 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE PERFECT GAME
25-Apr-1960 Mon. NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 17-Aug-1960 Wed)
Synopsis:
It's a good night for bowling, and Fibber is one frame short of a perfect game. He picks up the ball but can't let it go - his thumb is stuck. [TA]
1.26 [--] Fibber McGee & Molly: (tv series) THE MOUNTAIN CABIN (final first-run episode)
26-Apr-1960 Tue. NBC, 4pm Eastern (repeated 18-Aug-1960 Thur)
Synopsis 1:
"The Mountain Cabin" is to be used on alternate weekends by the McGees and the Norrises. But the couples can't keep their weekends straight. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
Fibber and Molly join their neighbors for a vacation that turns out to be quite strenuous. [El Paso Herald Post]
=============================================================
"Fibber McGee & Molly" repeats (shown on "Comedy Playhouse"):
============================================================
[--] 27-Apr-1960 Wed. - repeat of #1 "The Trailer" (from 15Sep59)
[--] 28-Apr-1960 Thurs. - repeat of #2 "The Shooting Galley" (from 22Sep59)
[--] 29-Apr-1960 Fri. - repeat of #3 "Good Neighbors" (from 22Sep59)
[--] 02-May-1960 Mon. - repeat of #4 "The Big Dance" (from 06Oct59)
[--] 03-May-1960 Tue. - repeat of #5 "The Fred Nitney Story" (from 13Oct59)
[--] 04-May-1960 Wed. - repeat of #6 "The Courtship" (from 20Oct59)
[--] 05-May-1960 Thurs. - repeat of #7 "The Poker Game" (from 27Oct59)
[--] 06-May-1960 Fri. - repeat of #8 "The Unwanted Guest" (from 03Nov59)
[--] 09-May-1960 Mon. - repeat of #9 "The Park" (from 10Nov59).
[--] 10-May-1960 Tue. - repeat of #10 "Mayor McGee" (from 17Nov59)
[--] 11-May-1960 Wed. - repeat of #11 "Masquerade Party" (from 24Nov59)
[--] 12-May-1960 Thurs. - repeat of #12 "Molly's Mother" (from 01Dec59)
[--] 13-May-1960 Fri. - repeat of #13 "The School Play" (from 08Dec59)
[--] 16-May-1960 Mon. - repeat of #14 "The Financier" (from 15Dec59)
[--] 17-May-1960 Tue. - repeat of #15 "The Convention" (from 22Dec59)
[--] 18-May-1960 Wed. - repeat of #16 "The Paint Job" (from 29Dec59
[--] 19-May-1960 Thurs. - repeat of #17 "Working Girls" (from 05Jan60)
[--] 20-May-1960 Fri. - repeat of #18 "Shipwreck" (from 12Jan60)
[--] repeat of #19 "The Poem" (from 19Jan60)(repeat date not known)
[--] 23-May-1960 Mon. - "Comedy Playhouse" switched to repeats of "The Thin Man" (1957-59 series starring Peter Lawford & Phyllis Kirk).
Repeats of "Fibber McGee and Molly" returned to "Comedy Playhouse" in August 1960.