What happens
Fred Allen hosts his variety show, joined by regulars Portland Hoffa, Kenny Delmar, and Minerva Pious, along with guest Edward G. Robinson. Allen trades jokes with his cast, including the senator Claghorn character, whose Southern tall tales about health and death get laughs. Later, Robinson recounts a meeting with Allen in a tea room, where he describes his recent turn to playing detectives. The episode closes with a comedy sketch in which the gangster Little Geezer plans a bank robbery, and Felix, his right-hand man, narrates the heist and its aftermath. The guest and sketch ideas are presented as the program's own bits, with the sponsor's tea and cheese messages running throughout.
A radio variety show broadcast in front of a studio audience, with comedy sketches and monologues
Characters: Fred Allen, Portland Hoffa, Kenny Delmar, Minerva Pious, Edward G. Robinson, Senator Claghorn, Little Geezer, Felix
Listen for: The Senator Claghorn health discussion and the Little Geezer bank robbery sketch narrated by Felix
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.