What happens
Fred Allen trades jokes with Harry Von Zell on his 1940 radio show, teasing the rival comedians and announcers on other programs. A phone call from a man named Saul prompts an audition, and the broadcast moves through a series of comic sketches. These include a graduation spoof of 'morons' from little-known schools and a mock museum of vanishing Americans. Jack Benny appears as a guest, and the two men exchange sharp banter about his former career as a second violinist and his upcoming film work. The episode is part of the Fred Allen series, which aired on CBS and NBC, and features Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Kenny Delmar and Minerva Pious.
A radio studio broadcast in 1940, with sketches and guest interviews presented as a live show.
Characters: Fred Allen, Harry Von Zell, Portland Hoffa, Jack Benny, Pete, Malachi Kelp, Bubbles Rappaport, Mr. Sabotello
Listen for: The running banter between Fred Allen and Jack Benny, and the comic interview with Benny about his violin career.
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.