HOW FIBBER MAGEE & MOLLY WON WWII

How Fibber MCgee & Molly WON WORLD WAR II

It’s December 9, 1941. It’s Radio. It’s Live. There is a studio audience. The United States has just gone to war. One can only try to imagine the atmosphere in the studio only two days after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The show had already been written! Indeed, the finishing touches would have been put on the script on the very day Pearl Harbor was bombed. Uncertainty and apprehension must have been rampant, but the show went on.

By Mickey Smith

The broadcast began with the announcement: “NBC will be on the air with the latest war news at the beginning of every program day and night. We thank the sponsor of this program for relinquishing its time in order to bring you the latest news from the NBC Newsroom.”

It was up to the announcer Harlow Wilcox to open on a seemingly ordinary note. But not for long. “We have just received this message for our listeners,” he said, “in a telegram from the president of S.C. Johnson and Son, Inc., our sponsor: ‘In these serious days, there can be no division of opinion. The United States is at war. We are all ready and eager to do our part. The makers of Johnson’s Wax® and GloCoat® believe it is in the public interest to continue programs as entertaining as “Fibber McGee and Molly.” They have a place in national morale. So you can continue to hear “Fibber McGee and Molly” and still be in touch with latest developments. We have asked the National Broadcasting Co. to feel free at any time to cut into our programs with important news flashes and announcements,’ signed, H.F. Johnson, Jr.”

There was no reference to the war in the program proper. There just hadn’t been time to work in war messages, especially in a way, later perfected, that did not interfere inordinately with the flow of humor. But the show closed with a moving rendition of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” sung by that live studio audience.

This was the beginning of a remarkably successful effort to combine absolutely first-class entertainment with public service.

The format of the show was simple. Most of the action took place in the Magee’s home at 79 Wistful Vista. A series of visitors would come through the front door, and engage in often hilarious banter. The famous “Closet,” a triumph of sound effects, was chaotically opened hundreds of times and became a part of America’s folklore.

The show aired on Tuesday nights, and on more than one occasion President Roosevelt is said to have scheduled a speech to follow because he knew he would have a ready-made audience. Such was its popularity. THE SHOW AND THE WAR “Fibber McGee and Molly” remained on the air from 1935 to 1956. In the period between Pearl Harbor and the official V-J Day of Sept. 2, 1945, it aired 139 times. (There was a summer hiatus.) Of those 139 shows, at least 28 had a theme directly related to the war or contained special material on the subject (e.g., gas rationing).

In addition to full theme shows, virtually every show contained one or more of the following:

Remarks by Fibber and/or Molly, usually the latter, worked into the story context.

Remarks by the Jordans (as themselves) directly asking the listeners to do something specific (e.g., buy War Bonds, limit travel, conserve sugar).

Similar remarks by other cast members.

Patriotic musical selections.

Messages from the sponsor, Johnson’s Wax®.

During the war years, the show received Hooper ratings of either first or second each year.

Throughout the war the message was clear. America was at war, the enemy clearly identified, and those on the home front had obligations. American men and women were dying for their country. They deserved the support of those at home who, in turn, must do their best to support the war effort.

During the war, full shows were devoted, always with humor, to such subjects as:

The need for rationing: sugar, gasoline, cigarettes, rubber;

Buying War Bonds;

The role played by the Women’s Army Corp., Merchant Marines, and Coast Guard;

European war refugees;

Turning in unused scrap;

Women working in men’s jobs on the home front; and many more. THE PLAYERS Jim and Marian Jordan were Fibber McGee and Molly. Fibber, though fiercely patriotic, generally believed that wartime restrictions were meant for the “other guy.” Molly was ever the voice of reason and ultimately prevailed. She dampened Fibber’s misguided attempts at humor with the remarks which became a part of the American lexicon: “‘taint funny Magee.”

HARLOW WILCOX Harlow Wilcox was played by Harlow Wilcox. Like a few other announcers, such as Don Wilson on “The Jack Benny Show,” he not only sold Johnson’s Wax® products, but was a regular character in the program stories. The Johnson Co. allowed his mid-program appearances to become humorous battles between him trying to get in his pitch and the McGees trying to disrupt these efforts.

Wilcox’s efforts, blessed by the sponsor, delivered

some of the most painless commercials on radio with humor but persuasion. He often delivered war messages as part of his serious commercials at the beginning and end of the show. Certainly, he often found a way to build a small commercial into the message. But why not? Johnson was paying for the air time. MAYOR LATRIVIA Played by the inimitable Gale Gordan. The Mayor was constantly brought to near apoplexy by McGee’s intentional misunderstanding of some remarks. The Mayor, on the show, and Gale Gordan, in real life, joined the Coast Guard. “DOC” GAMBLE The doctor delivered some of the most serious remarks about the war of anyone on the program. His acerbic wit was often used to show Fibber that he, too, was subject to wartime restrictions. (Fibber’s unnecessary auto trips to the Elks Club used rubber that was needed for the life raft of a downed fighter pilot.)

“TEENY” The little girl next door was played by Marian (Molly) Jordan herself. She, too, often supplied childish wisdom about the war. “How do you think we can keep doing it over there if we don’t do more over here?”

“BEAULAH” Trying to do a live radio comedy show two days after Pearl Harbor. Front: Marion Jordan (Molly McGee) and Jim Jordan (FibThe McGee’s black maid was played (only posber). Back: Phil Leslie and Dan Quinn, the true comic genius of the show. Photo courtesy of Mickey Smith. sible on radio) by a white man, Marlin Hurt. She frequently mentioned her boyfriend who There appear to be extant no written records conber 1945 shows their continued commitment to their was in the military and on one occasion eloquently cerning the decisions made by the sponsor to commit country and those who defend it. It rings true today. explained the dangers of inflation to McGee. the show so thoroughly to the war effort. Without such information, I am left with the conclusion that “The real test of patriotism comes after the bands THE CHEMISTRY these were all patriotic Americans, just like millions of have stopped playing and the guns have stopped The success of Fibber and Molly was certainly the others, who had the opportunity and the will to make shooting. The guns have stopped shooting folks, but result of a combination of several components. an extraordinary difference. our guys are still in there pitching until they are reTHE WRITING Primarily the work of Don Quinn, a man with a love of words, a magnificent command of the English language, an irrepressible sense of whimsy, and abiding patriotism. It is hard to overestimate the magnificent job done by this team in a time of America’s darkest hours. The ability to convey vital wartime information, to convince the public to share willingly, even enthusiastically, in some of the privations occasioned by rationing and shortages, to be a major part of a bond drive turned to civilian life. It’s to them we owe victory and it’s to them we owe the maintenance of morale until they do get home. We gave our boys a warm hand when they left. Let’s not give them the cold shoulder now.” THE ACTING unequalled in the history of this or any country, and to Someone has written: “Old radio shows are not The Jordans were wonderfully comedic actors, playing do so in such an entertaining way that the public rated nostalgia pills; they’re time capsules.” I hope you agree. beautifully off one another and delivering Quinn’s lines with just the right touch (as well as enjoying their “fluffs.”) All of this made their serious wartime messages even more effective. the show in the top five on radio throughout the war was nothing short of genius. AT THE END Although the government had issued guidelines The author is Barnard Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy Administration at the University of Mississippi. During his 37 years on the faculty, he published more than a score of books, including translations into THE SPONSOR Not fully acknowledged was the role played by the sponsor, Johnson’s Wax®, who gave the writers free rein in developing story lines and subjects. It is doubtful concerning messages to be broadcast to the public about war issues, “Fibber McGee and Molly” far exceeded them. Nearly every program contained some war-related message. Sometimes it only amounted to a five languages. He is the recipient of many national and international awards, including an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. that any commercial radio sponsor contributed more wisecrack about Hitler; at other times, it was the entire His book, “How Fibber McGee and Molly Won War II,” of the contents of a program to the war effort. Yes, theme of a program. is available from the publisher, Bear Mountain Media, that’s “S.C. Johnson, A Family Company.” A message from the Jordans after the war in OctoAmazon, and Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi.