McGee and Molly

Five Tons Of Coal

Originally Aired: December 3, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #264, "Five Tons Of Coal," finds the McGees attempting to organize their Christmas shopping list when Mrs. Uppington arrives selling raffle tickets for her club's fundraiser. What follows is a hilariously confusing exchange of quarters, half dollars, and nickels that leaves everyone uncertain who owes whom what. The real conflict erupts when neighbor Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve arrives to borrow his coal shovel, revealing that someone told the coal delivery driver to dump five tons of coal on his front lawn instead of in the basement. When Fibber admits he was the "helpful" neighbor who gave those instructions, Gildersleeve explodes in anger.
The two men launch into their characteristic battle of insults and threats, with Fibber going so far as to have Molly dramatically remove Gildersleeve's name from their Christmas list and revoke his daisy air rifle gift. Gildersleeve counters by mentioning the boy scout knife with six blades he planned to give Fibber. As tensions escalate and Christmas spirit hangs in the balance, the question remains whether these feuding neighbors will reconcile and whether Fibber will help shovel those five tons of coal into Gildersleeve's basement.

Uncle Dennis Visits

Originally Aired: November 26, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #263, "Uncle Dennis Visits,"
Fibber and Molly return home after a week away to find their house at 79 Wistful Vista in complete chaos. Cigar butts, poker chips, empty glasses, dirty dishes, and a tipped-over coal bucket litter the living room. The culprit is unmistakable: Molly's Uncle Dennis has been staying there while they were gone. Fibber is furious about the mess and worries they've lost all their friends in the neighborhood thanks to Dennis's wild behavior. Molly tries to defend her eccentric uncle, reminding Fibber that Dennis gave her away at their wedding, though Fibber reveals Dennis actually sold her for nine dollars.
As they clean up, a young girl stops by asking for Uncle Dennis, praising his colorful storytelling style. She's been listening to his version of Jack and the Beanstalk, which Fibber learns is filled with slang and unconventional language. Despite Fibber's attempts to retell the story properly, the girl insists Uncle Dennis does it better, leaving Fibber increasingly exasperated with his absent houseguest.

Visiting Uncle Dennis

Originally Aired: November 19, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #262, "Visiting Uncle Dennis,"
Fibber receives a letter from Molly's Uncle Dennis inviting them to visit for Thanksgiving, but he's less than enthusiastic about the prospect. Fibber makes no secret of his distaste for Uncle Dennis, claiming they can't stand each other and making unflattering remarks about the man's fondness for drink. Molly, however, has warm childhood memories of her uncle and insists they make the trip. Despite his protests, Fibber reveals his suitcase is already packed, admitting he knew all along he couldn't get out of going.
The McGees' preparations hit a snag when their neighbor Gildersleeve stops by demanding the return of his suitcase, which Fibber has been using. After some typical bickering about Gildersleeve's college days at Princeton, the couple boards the train where they encounter the Old Timer working as conductor. As they settle in for the journey, Fibber continues grumbling about Uncle Dennis while Molly defends her relative, setting the stage for what promises to be an eventful holiday visit.

Fibber’s Black Eye

Originally Aired: November 12, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #261, "Fibber's Black Eye,"
Fibber arrives home in the dark and accidentally walks into a door, giving himself a spectacular black eye. When Molly turns on the lights and sees his shiner, she's immediately skeptical of his explanation. Despite Fibber's insistence that he really did bump into the door, Molly assumes he got into a fight, perhaps with their neighbor Gildersleeve, during his day spent downtown discussing politics. The more Fibber protests his innocence, the less Molly seems to believe him, creating an awkward situation as he tries desperately to convince her of the truth.
As the McGees head to the doctor's office to have the eye examined, Fibber becomes increasingly self-conscious about his appearance. They encounter various neighbors and acquaintances along the way, including Old Timer and the enterprising little girl who's running a baby buggy parking lot with Willie Toops. Each person they meet comments on Fibber's impressive shiner, making him feel more embarrassed and causing him to duck into doorways to avoid further humiliation.

Election Day

Originally Aired: November 5, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #260, "Election Day," finds the McGees serving as election officials at their home at 79 Wistful Vista, eager to win a $250 prize offered by the Good Government Club for achieving 100% voter turnout in their precinct. As citizens like Nick Depopoulos arrive to cast their ballots, Fibber attempts to maintain his authority as "Judge McGee" while Molly reminds him to stay nonpartisan. Between voters, the couple engages in their typical comic banter, with Fibber launching into a rambling story about his circus days and a friend named Charlie who supposedly played a cantaloupe in parades. With only 22 more voters needed for a perfect turnout, the McGees tune in to receive real election returns from the NBC newsroom, hearing early results from the Roosevelt-Willkie presidential race.
Throughout the episode, various Wistful Vista residents stop by to vote, including the ever-confused Mr. Flanagan, who wants to bring his 16-year-old son to vote because listening to campaign speeches has supposedly aged him five years. The McGees balance their official duties with their characteristic comedy, all while keeping one eye on winning that coveted prize money.

Notre Dame Vs Army

Originally Aired: October 29, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #259, "Notre Dame Vs Army,"
Fibber McGee attempts to load his jalopy with an enthusiastic crowd of friends heading to see the big Notre Dame versus West Point football game. The McGee car becomes increasingly cramped as Mrs. Uppington, Gildersleeve, Billy Mills, Nick Diopoulos, Harlow Wilcox, the Old Timer, Mr. Boomer, and Molly all squeeze in. Nick brings a chunk of ice for the radiator in case it overheats, Mrs. Uppington settles onto someone's lap, and the Old Timer wedges himself into the luggage compartment. The seating arrangements lead to comedic complaints and wisecracks from the overcrowded passengers.
Just as everyone is finally situated and ready for their road trip, Fibber discovers the car won't start. He frantically tries to get the engine running while his increasingly impatient passengers offer unhelpful commentary. A young girl appears and observes the chaos, eventually solving Fibber's problem with an embarrassingly simple solution that reveals the real reason behind his mechanical difficulties.

Gildersleeve’s Diary

Originally Aired: October 22, 1940
In Fibber McGee & Molly #258, "Gildersleeve's Diary," Fibber stumbles upon a golden opportunity for mischief when he discovers that neighbor Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve's personal diary has been accidentally thrown out with the trash. Despite Molly's earnest pleas that reading someone else's diary would be a terrible invasion of privacy, Fibber can't resist the temptation to unlock its secrets. The situation grows more complicated when Gildersleeve himself arrives at the McGee home, nervously searching for something he's lost. When he casually offers Fibber a key that might open a briefcase, Molly and Fibber must scramble to hide the diary they're concealing.
As Fibber dons gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints and dives deeper into the diary's pages, he uncovers entries spanning decades of Gildersleeve's life, from humorous mundane observations to surprisingly prescient predictions. Meanwhile, young Teeny drops by and engages Fibber in a conversation about fairy tales that reveals how much the precocious girl has outgrown children's stories. The stage is set for potential embarrassment and comedy as Fibber possesses intimate knowledge of his neighbor's private thoughts.

Missing Screwdriver

Originally Aired: October 15, 1940
In Fibber McGee & Molly #257, "Missing Screwdriver," Fibber drags his entire tool chest up from the basement into the living room, creating chaos as he desperately searches for his missing screwdriver. He can't fix the broken light socket in the cellar without it, and he can't use his jackknife because he broke the point off using it as a makeshift screwdriver. As Molly watches him dump the contents of his tool chest across the floor, revealing an absurd collection of broken gadgets and forgotten projects, Fibber insists he needs the screwdriver for a special repair project he wants to keep secret as a surprise for her.
The situation grows more complicated when the elegant Mrs. Uppington stops by and accidentally steps into an old camera, then nearly gets caught when Fibber himself gets trapped in a bear trap from his collection. Despite Molly's exasperated suggestions that he simply buy a new screwdriver at the hardware store, Fibber remains stubbornly determined to find his original tool, leading to increasingly ridiculous complications.

Fibber Gives Up Cigars

Originally Aired: October 8, 1940
Fibber McGee & Molly #256, "Fibber Gives Up Cigars,"
In this episode, Fibber McGee finds himself in the doctor's office complaining of headaches and general malaise. After a thorough examination, the doctor delivers his diagnosis: Fibber must quit smoking his 25 daily cigars completely for one week and adopt a bland diet. While Fibber reluctantly agrees to the treatment, Molly knows her husband all too well. The doctor privately gives Molly a secret weapon—a bottle of medicine that, when added to coffee in small doses, makes tobacco taste terrible. He warns her to use only three drops at a time.
No sooner does Fibber leave the doctor's office than his willpower begins to crumble. Despite handing over his cigars to Molly for safekeeping, Fibber quickly finds an excuse to duck into a drugstore, where he purchases a cigar and secretly orders a whole box of El Ropos to be delivered to the Elks Club. As he tries to rationalize smoking "just one drag" to prove his willpower to Molly, it becomes clear that his attempt to quit will be anything but easy.

Returning From Vacation

Originally Aired: October 1, 1940
In Fibber McGee & Molly #255, "Returning From Vacation," the McGees arrive home at 79 Wistful Vista after their trip, only to discover disaster has struck. Their neighbor Gildersleeve cheerfully greets them and begins helping unload their car, but casually mentions a broken umbrella stand, a rehung dining room door, and a collapsed floor. As Fibber grows increasingly agitated, Gildersleeve reveals that water from an upstairs bathroom flooded through the ceiling, causing extensive damage to their home. The two neighbors nearly come to blows over the catastrophe before Molly intervenes and schedules their argument for the next day at eleven o'clock.
Meanwhile, their friend Harlow Wilcox stops by to welcome them home, and the little girl from across the street delivers surprising news. She announces that she's leaving the show after receiving other offers, with her agent Willie Toops representing her. The McGees are shocked by her sudden departure and her newfound Hollywood attitude, though they wish her well as they try to make sense of both their damaged home and the unexpected changes awaiting them.