Harold Peary as Throckmorton Philharmonic Gildersleeve, on the NBC
radio show The Great Gildersleeve. It aired August 31, 1941 to 1957. It
was one of broadcast history’s earliest spin-off programs having been
a staple on the classic radio sitcom Fiber McGee and Molly.
During the show’s 1950 summer hiatus, Peary had contracted with CBS
radio and was legally unable to appear on NBC as a star performer, thus
prompting the hiring of Willard Waterman as Peary’s replacement.
This was one of the last episodes of the radio series.
It’s remarkable how close in voice Harold Peary’s was
to Willard Waterman’s. Willard took the role when
Harold’s contractual obligations took him to CBS but
show sponsor “Kraft Foods” refused to move from the
NBC network. Harold and Willard were longtime
friends dating back to the 30’s when they were in Chicago radio together.