Easter silliness is celebrated with misadventures on Our Miss Brooks, when Eve Arden and her stellar cast get themselves covered in Easter egg dye. This radio program was actually aired Easter Sunday, April 9, 1950.
Over in The Great Gildersleeve's neighborhood, the cast prepares for a more spiritual Easter, with plans to attend the Easter Sunrise Service, at which Birdie, played by the wonderful Lillian Randolph, is to have a solo in the choir. Intentions are good, but, for corn's sake, we know how Gildy, played by Harold Peary, messes up. This episode was broadcast April 9, 1952.
Have a listen to the shenanigans while you're preparing for the holiday.
As today is Passover, I had hoped to find an old-time radio tribute to that holiday, but the only show, radio or TV, that seemed to visit Passover as a topic was The Goldbergs, which of course, ran on radio from 1929 through 1946, and then enjoyed a popular run on TV from 1949 to 1956. I couldn't locate the episode called, "The Passover Seder," but I'll keep trying. If you know of any other old-time radio or classic TV episodes that feature Passover, I'd love to hear about it.
Since Christ was actually observing a Passover meal at The Lord's Supper, one would think discussion of Passover would have a bigger place in modern Easter observances, with a little less emphasis on bunnies, chocolate or otherwise.
Not that I have anything against chocolate bunnies. Heaven forfend.
I suppose there's always The Ten Commandments (1956). I usually watch that when I'm eating my chocolate Easter bunny.
We had a look at the movies based on Our Miss Brooks and The Great Gildersleeve, here.
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Jacqueline T. Lynch is the author of Ann Blyth: Actress. Singer. Star. and Movies in Our Time - Hollywood Mirrors and Mimics the Twentieth Century and Hollywood Fights Fascism and Christmas in Classic Films. TO JOIN HER READERS' GROUP - follow this link for a free book as a thank-you for joining.
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