McGee and Molly

McGee The Mailman

Originally Aired: April 11, 1939
In Fibber McGee & Molly #200, "McGee The Mailman," Fibber takes on the role of substitute mail carrier while one of Wistful Vista's regular postmen enjoys a vacation. Bent double under the weight of his heavy leather mailbag, Fibber makes his rounds through the neighborhood, delivering letters and postcards to the residents. Along the way, he encounters various characters including Billy Mills, who performs "Heaven Can Wait" with Don Novis, and a mysterious stammering fellow who wants to peek at window envelopes for peculiar reasons. Fibber also delivers a congratulatory telegram from Jack Benny acknowledging the show's milestone 200th broadcast.
When Fibber arrives at Harlow Wilcox's home, he hands over a letter from Harlow's Aunt Teresa Titwillow from Birdcage, Arkansas. The letter congratulates Harlow on the 200th show but amusingly refers to it as "Harlow Wilcox and Company," claiming she'd enjoy it more if some smart aleck named McGrew wasn't interfering with her reception. The aunt also mentions she's taken Harlow's advice about purchasing Johnson's Wax products in the special giant-size cans and reveals she's remembering him in her will.

Antique Furniture

Originally Aired: April 4, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #199, "Antique Furniture,"
In this episode, Fibber learns from his neighbor Harlow that a wealthy antique collector named Junius C. Fortgill is in town buying old furniture. Seeing a golden opportunity to make some quick cash, Fibber becomes convinced that his household furnishings are valuable antiques and sets about making them look even older to impress the collector. His methods are characteristically misguided—he smashes glass, tears upholstery, and even loads a shotgun to shoot fake wormholes into the pieces. When he accidentally fires the gun and blows out the front window, it becomes clear that Fibber's scheme may not go as smoothly as planned.
As various visitors stop by, including the egg man and singer Don Novis, Fibber spins wild tales about his furniture's supposed historical pedigree, claiming pieces were owned by everyone from Napoleon to Paul Revere. His enthusiasm for the antique sale grows with each embellishment, while his actual knowledge of antiques remains highly questionable. The stage is set for what promises to be a memorable encounter when the real collector finally arrives.

Inherited Yacht

Originally Aired: March 28, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #198, "Inherited Yacht,"
Fibber is beside himself with excitement when attorney Mr. Fiditch arrives at 79 Wistful Vista to discuss the will of his late Uncle Ticonderoga McGee. While poor Aunt Lulu inherits little more than a braided watch fob and a hand-painted hair receiver, Fibber learns he's been left his uncle's most cherished possession: a boat called the Billy Bee, complete with maintenance funds. Instantly declaring himself a yachtsman, Fibber begins planning an elaborate world cruise, dancing the sailor's hornpipe and envisioning trips to Australia, China, and Siam.
The newly minted "Society Yachtsman" wastes no time preparing for his maritime adventure. He fields a call from telephone operator Mert about her whaling-experienced brother joining his crew, orders supplies from Sempleyer's Seven Seas Supply Store, and prepares to outfit himself in proper yachting attire. Neighbor Johnny stops by to witness Fibber's excitement, while singer Don Novis offers congratulations before Fibber heads out to acquire his nautical wardrobe, visions of seafaring glory dancing in his head.

Fibber Going Bald

Originally Aired: March 21, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #197, "Fibber Going Bald,"
In this episode, Fibber finds himself waiting at the Wistful Vista barbershop for his spring haircut, expecting a routine trim. However, when the Hawaiian barber Frank casually mentions that his hair is getting a little thin on top, Fibber vehemently denies it, insisting that no man in his family has ever gone bald. His protests fall on deaf ears as one by one, his friends confirm his worst fears. Johnny the laundry man suggests he needs a toupee, Billy Mills jokes that his face looks lower than it used to, and Don Novis quips that Fibber's hair is waving goodbye. Even the elegant Mrs. Uppington notices his receding hairline.
What starts as a simple ninety-cent haircut becomes an existential crisis for our hero as the mounting evidence becomes impossible to ignore. Despite Fibber's increasingly desperate denials and defensive jokes, everyone from the barber to his musical colleagues seems intent on pointing out his thinning locks. The episode follows Fibber's mounting anxiety as he considers visiting a scalp specialist, all while trying to maintain his dignity in the face of relentless ribbing.

Losing Mrs Uppington’s Diamond

Originally Aired: March 14, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #196, "Losing Mrs Uppington's Diamond,"
Fibber McGee's terrible memory leads him to sign up for the Gildersleeve memory course, complete with sample lessons delivered by a forgetful graduate named Cyrus L. Dalrymple. As Fibber struggles with the course's association technique—hilariously linking everything to a childhood slingshot incident—wealthy Mrs. Uppington arrives with an urgent request. She needs someone trustworthy to guard her famous ten-carat Rajar diamond overnight since the bank has already closed. Despite mentioning that Horatio K. Boomer offered to help, she entrusts the valuable gem to Fibber instead.
With characteristic McGee logic, Fibber decides to hide the precious diamond by dropping it into a glass of water, where it will supposedly look like an ordinary ice cube. As he locks up the house and settles in to study his memory lessons, the stage is set for potential disaster. Between Fibber's notoriously poor memory and his questionable hiding spot, Mrs. Uppington's priceless diamond faces an uncertain fate at 79 Wistful Vista.

Fibber’s Hamburger Joint

Originally Aired: March 7, 1939
In Fibber McGee & Molly #195, "Fibber's Hamburger Joint," Fibber opens a new hamburger stand on the corner of 14th and Oak Street in Wistful Vista, complete with his own colorful slang for taking orders. When the sophisticated Mrs. Uppington arrives in distress over a quarrel with her husband Horatio, she attempts to order an elaborate meal of caviar, consommé, and shrimp. Fibber translates her fancy requests into hamburger stand lingo, insisting she really wants a hamburger despite her protests. The Old Timer stops by looking for dishwashing work but settles for ordering a hamburger with plenty of onions since he doesn't have a date that night.
Meanwhile, Fibber deals with various customer complaints, including someone who found the coffee objectionable and another patron who discovered a piece of blue cloth in his hamburger, which Fibber cleverly claims was actually "blue ribbon beef." As Fibber manages his new establishment with chef assistance and entertains visits from Don and Billy, he maintains his characteristic optimistic salesmanship while navigating the challenges of running his sandwich rendezvous.

Mouse In The House

Originally Aired: February 28, 1939
In Fibber McGee & Molly #194, "Mouse In The House," Fibber finds himself in quite a predicament when a mouse appears in his home just as he's trying to impress the famous big game hunter Lord Bingham. Fibber has been regaling his lordship with tall tales of his own hunting prowess and bravery, hoping to be selected as a partner for Bingham's next African expedition. The British hunter is thoroughly impressed by Fibber's stories of fearlessness and suffering through incredible hardships, declaring McGee might be just the man he's looking for.
However, Fibber's carefully constructed image of courage crumbles the moment he spots a mouse in the living room. His terror is immediately apparent, and he frantically tries to deal with the situation before Lord Bingham returns with his decision. Molly suggests calling an exterminator, while Fibber considers setting traps or even fleeing to a hotel. Various characters including the Old Timer and Billy Mills encounter Fibber during his mouse crisis, with the situation becoming increasingly comedic as Fibber desperately tries to maintain his reputation as a fearless adventurer.

Rotowanis Club Speech

Originally Aired: February 21, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #193, "Rotowanis Club Speech,"
Fibber finds himself excluded from the annual Rotowanis Club banquet at the Richmore Hotel, insisting he doesn't care about the fancy dinner even as he lingers hopefully in the lobby. When Mrs. Gildersleeve approaches looking for their missing guest speaker, Professor Papia Fatherway, Fibber eagerly volunteers to fill in, boasting about his talents as an "extemporaneous speaker" since infancy. However, her husband Homer Gildersleeve remains skeptical and refuses to let Fibber enter the banquet room without a member's badge, forcing him to wait in the lobby to see if he'll actually be needed.
As Fibber sits excluded from the festivities, watching club members like Harlow come and go in their identifying badges, his frustration grows despite his protests that he doesn't care. Meanwhile, the banquet proceeds with entertainment from Don Novis and the promise of a twelve-course meal, leaving Fibber to wonder whether the absent professor will show up or if he'll finally get his chance to address the crowd and enjoy that coveted dinner.

Freezing Without Coal

Originally Aired: February 14, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #192, "Freezing Without Coal,"
When a fierce winter storm blankets Wistful Vista with two feet of snow, Fibber McGee finds himself in a desperate situation: bundled in layers of coats and earmuffs in his own living room, his furnace is out, the coal company is sold out, and his water pipes are frozen solid. As he shivers through the bitter cold, Fibber frantically tries to solve his heating crisis. He sends the Old Timer down to the basement to scrounge for kindling, calls Mrs. Uppington hoping to borrow coal (only to learn she has an oil furnace), and discovers the plumber he called has sent over his tools but gone to a hockey game instead.
Determined to get help, Fibber braves the blizzard to visit the water company in person, where he encounters an unhelpful receptionist and learns that Mr. Van Meter is tied up in a directors' meeting—likely deciding whether to raise rates. Meanwhile, Don Novis sings "I Have Eyes" in the freezing house, and Fibber's situation grows increasingly dire as he searches for anyone who can help thaw his pipes and warm his home.

Repairing Window Shade

Originally Aired: February 7, 1939
Fibber McGee & Molly #191, "Repairing Window Shade,"
Fibber faces a seemingly simple problem that quickly spirals into chaos when a broken window shade in his front room refuses to stay down. Determined to get it fixed without admitting he needs help, Fibber concocts a scheme to trick an interior decorator into making a house call under the pretense of a major redecorating job. As he wrestles with the rebellious shade, the Old Timer stops by with one of his rambling stories, and neighbor Uppy arrives in a flutter of romance, gushing about her new beau, the suspiciously smooth Horatio K. Boomer, whose continental manners include kissing her hand so fervently that her diamond ring came off.
The situation takes a dangerous turn when singer Don and Billy warn Fibber that Gus the Grunt, a massive wrestler living across the street, believes Fibber has been flirting with his wife by signaling her with the constantly moving window shade. As the intimidating champion approaches, Fibber must talk fast to explain the innocent truth before he becomes the wrestler's next opponent.