What happens
Archie, the manager of Duffy's Tavern, arranges a testimonial dinner in his own honor at the tavern, with guests George Jessel and Rudy Vallee expected to praise him. Archie is eager to impress a French girl, Renee, and fusses over the champagne, napkins and table settings while Eddie helps him prepare. Duffy is out, and Archie works the room with his usual bluster, trading barbs with Finnegan and the regulars. The guests arrive one by one, and the evening's speeches are set up as the centerpiece. This is a Duffy's Tavern episode from the 1947 season, first broadcast on November 5, 1947, starring Ed Gardner as Archie and Shirley Booth as Duffy's bar-room companion.
Duffy's Tavern on Third Avenue, where a testimonial dinner is being prepared for Archie
Characters: Archie, Eddie, Duffy, George Jessel, Rudy Vallee, Finnegan, Renee
Listen for: Archie's bluster as he fusses over the dinner arrangements and his hopes of impressing Renee
Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.