Starter of this subject: Dan Bacca
Last post in this subject: 8/1/2001
Messages in this subject: 7
| Dan Bacca | 8/1/2001 7 replies |
| I wondered if anyone knows what the top five all-time most popular otr comedys were? Also, how they ranked 1 thru 5? |
| Robert Flood | 8/1/2001 3 replies |
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My top 5 list would be: 1) The Jack Benny Program 2) The Burns and Allen Show 3) The Fred Allen Show 4) (tie) Fibber Magee and Molly/The Great Gildersleeve 5) The Life of Riley
But what does the Hooper ratings say? |
| Michael Nella | 8/1/2001 2 replies |
| I know Fibber McGee and Molly was number 1 in the ratings in the mid 40's, then after WWII Jack Benny was number 1 for the majority of the rest of its run. Bob Hope and Red Skelton were probably fighting for that number 1 spot as well. ( This is to the best of my knowledge ). My personal 5 would be 1) Jack Benny, 2) Phil Harris/Alice Faye, 3) Great Gildersleeve 4) Charlie McCarthy, and 5) It Pays to be Ignorant ( I know people who would be on this show sans a script/routine so I find it funny ) |
| Dan Bacca | 8/8/2001 0 replies |
| Thanks for the replies, I thought it would be interesting to see how the most popular programs of the era compared with those currently favored by otr enthusiasts. My personal choices for top five would be: 1)jack benny, 2)fred allen, 3)harris & faye, 4)bergen & mccarthy, 5fibber & molly |
| Walt | 12/6/2001 0 replies |
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Michael, By your last statement, do you mean "It Pays to Be Ignorant" was ad-libbed? If so, from what I heard it was very scripted. Everything those loonies said was written for them, just like a regular show.
Walt |
| Elizabeth McLeod | 8/1/2001 2 replies |
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No statistically-supported all-time rating has ever been assembled, but the following comedy-variety or situation comedy programs first-place ratings between 1940 and 1953. (Season-average Hooperating is in parenthesis.)
1940 -- Chase & Sanborn (Bergen) 34.6 1941 -- Jell-O (Benny) 36.2 1942 -- Chase & Sanborn (Bergen) 35.2 1943 -- Pepsodent (Hope) 40.9 1944 -- Johnson's Wax (McGee & Molly) 31.9 1945 -- Pepsodent (Hope) 34.1 1946 -- Johnson's Wax (McGee & Molly) 30.8 1947 -- Johnson's Wax (McGee & Molly) 30.2 1948 -- Standard Brands (Fred Allen) 28.7 1949 -- (Season Leader Not a Comedy) 1950 -- Lucky Strike (Benny) 25.3 1951 -- (Season Leader Not a Comedy) 1952 -- Rexall (Amos 'n' Andy) 17.0 1953 -- Rexall (Amos 'n' Andy) 14.2 The highest season rating ever recorded for a comedy or comedy-variety series was the 58.6 Crossley rating recorded by Eddie Cantor in 1932-33.
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| Tom Anglum | 8/4/2001 1 replies |
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I can't help throwing in my vote:
#1--JACK BENNY #2--tie CHARLIE McCARTHY --tie FRED ALLEN #4--tie THE GREAT GILDERSLEEVE --tie FIBBER McGEE & MOLLY I think that Jack Benny was the all-time greatest-radio or TV. |
| Scott T | 8/7/2001 0 replies |
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My top Five:
1) Jack Benny 2) Our Miss Brooks 3) Burns and Allen (1942-1950) 4) Phil Harris-Alice Faye |