Interviewing Theatrical Talent

Originally aired March 22, 1937, this episode of Fibber McGee & Molly finds Fibber volunteering as master of ceremonies when Wistful Vista plans a spring festival vaudeville show. Setting up shop at the Bijou Theater, he and Molly audition an oddball parade of hopefuls—glass eaters, hypnotists, Russian dancers, jugglers, magicians, and even a disguised Harlow Wilcox trying his hand at “monologues.” Along the way, Perry Como delivers a smooth rendition of “Summer Night,” Elmo Tanner whistles “Floating on a Bubble,” and Ted Weems provides musical backing. As always, Fibber brags of his own showbiz past—“Double-Voiced McGee” and “Morse Code McGee”—only to get himself outclassed or outsmarted by the real talent. The evening culminates with a slippery magician who vanishes not only from his cabinet but with Fibber’s wallet, watch, and even his script. With its blend of slapstick auditions, rapid-fire puns, and a satirical nod to small-town theatricals, this Glow Coat–sponsored installment sparkles as a send-up of vaudeville itself.