Fibber McGee and Molly
"Fibber McGee and Molly" is a classic American radio situation comedy that premiered on April 16, 1935. Created by Jim and Marian Jordan, who were also the show's titular characters, it quickly gained popularity for its humorous portrayal of the lovable but bumbling Fibber McGee and his patient wife, Molly. The program featured a recurring cast of characters, including Mayor LaTrivia and the Old-Timer, and it is particularly remembered for its comedic catchphrases and signature gags, such as Fibber's famously cluttered closet.
The show's success contributed significantly to the development of the sitcom format in both radio and television, influencing later series and spawning spin-offs. Throughout their career, the Jordans performed extensively, amassing thousands of radio shows and stage performances. Although they did not transition to television, "Fibber McGee and Molly" remains a notable piece of entertainment history, earning the Jordans recognition with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame and posthumous induction into the Radio Hall of Fame.
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Fibber McGee and Molly
Identification Comedy radio show
Dates Broadcast 1935-1956, 1959
“Fibber McGee” and “Molly” were roles created by two former vaudevillians from the Midwest. The show, named for the title characters, was popular on a national network, and was a prototype of the situation comedy.
Fibber McGee and Molly creators Jim Jordan and Marian Driscoll (later Jordan) both grew up in Peoria, Illinois, where they met as teens at St. John’s Church. They married in 1918 and worked on stage for a few years. Fibber McGee and Molly debuted on April 16, 1935. It was written by Donald Quinn and starred the Jordans and a cast of regular characters: Mayor LaTrivia (Gale Gordon), the Old-Timer (Cliff Arquette), Doc Gamble (Arthur Q. Bryan), Teeny (Marian Jordan), Mr. Whimple (Bill Thompson), and Mrs. Abigail Uppington (Isabel Randolph). The show also featured regular guests ranging from Bea Benaderet and Herb Vigran to the Billy Mills Orchestra and the King’s Men vocal group.
The show helped establish the structure of situation comedies, putting the boastful but kindhearted Fibber into harebrained situations that were indulged by the patient Molly. The program featured trademark lines or gags, such as Molly’s “T’ain’t funny, McGee!” and Fibber’s legendary messy closet. The program grew steadily in popularity and was an established hit by the end of the decade.
After Marian Jordan died, Jim Jordan retired, making a few television and cinematic appearances. He guested on a 1976 episode of Chico and the Man and provided the voice for Captain Orville in Disney’s film The Rescuers in 1977.
Impact
Fibber McGee and Molly helped establish the formula for radio and television situation comedies and spawned spin-off series and motion-picture appearances. Radio featured The Great Gildersleeve series, starring Harold Peary, and Beulah, a popular show starring a succession of African American female actors. The Jordans played Fibber McGee and Molly in the films This Way Please (1937), Look Who’s Laughing (1941), Here We Go Again (1942), and Heavenly Days (1944).
By the end of their radio career, the Jordans had performed on stage four thousand times and had done seven thousand radio shows. The duo did not make the transition to television; National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC’s) television version of Fibber McGee and Molly did not feature the couple and was canceled after one season. In 1983, the Jordans received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Jim Jordan died in 1988, and a year later, the couple was inducted posthumously into the Radio Hall of Fame.
Bibliography
Maltin, Leonard. The Great American Broadcast: A Celebration of Radio’s Golden Age. New York: New American Library, 2000.
Price, Tom, and Charles Stumpf. Heavenly Days: The Story of Fibber McGee and Molly. Waynesville, N.C.: World of Yesterday, 1987.
Schulz, Clair. Fibber McGee and Molly: On the Air 1935-1959. Albany, Ga.: BearManor Media, 2008.
Simons, Mel. Old-Time Radio Memories. Albany, Ga.: BearManor Media, 2007.