Radio: 'The Phil Harris And Alice Faye Programme' (1948-1954)

Travelling back to the Golden Age of Radio is like dipping into an entirely different world, where clichés weren't quite yet clichés, and innocence mingled with cynicism in now unheard of ways. It was an entirely different art form, as distinct from modern radio as it is from television, but somehow reborn in the world of podcasts via 'Thrilling Adventure Hour' and some other projects.

The Harris/Faye show was a pseudo-spinoff from the legendary Jack Benny programme and the real-life marriage of Phil Harris and Alice Faye, two of the biggest stars of the day. Yes, you may not have heard of any of these names now as a citizen of the contemporary world, but Jack Benny was the comedic superstar of the 30s and 40s, Phil Harris was his bandleader for many years and would later be the voice of Baloo the Bear, and Alice Faye was a musical comedy megastar. This was a massive radio show, sponsored by pharmacy giant Rexall. Yes, this was the era of corporate sponsorship, but it was also a time when sponsorship was more straightforward and unconcealed. This made it much more endearing, much like the sponsorship of today's podcasts.

Maybe it takes a special brain to appreciate it, but the naiveté of old time radio is something I love. The prevailing pet theory here in the Quirky Muffin Treehouse is that new things come from naiveté and not cynicism. Cynicism only destroys; it does not build. Is this series a particularly worthwhile example, a paragon in any way? I suspect it's one of the best ones of its kind, but only exhaustive research would reveal if it's the first family-based situation comedy to have emerged, or the first to feature fictionalised versions of real people. On the other hand, if this writer had engaged his brain for even a moment, he would realise that the Jack Benny Programme had already done the fictionalised real person for fifteen years at this point...

One thing that this show has in abundance, which may have been less apparent elsewhere, is musical talent and jazziness. Not only do you have Phil Harris at his best, but you also have Alice Faye, and both were unafraid to launch into their old or new standards when the occasion and scriptwriters demanded! It doesn't stop at the music's edge, though as the whole thing is very jazzy and well timed, with great chemistry throughout and some unanticipated dialogue and jokes. Yes, it can lean toward sentimentality a little from time to time, and hokiness, but I like that so it's not a problem. It's part of the naive charm. The supporting cast are pretty good too, and I perpetually wonder if they actually did get child actors to spout that dialogue sometimes...

Oh, a good time was had by all. and is still had by those few who frequent the shows that no one else realises even exist. Welcome, Phil Harris and Alice Faye, your show may be hokey at times, but you carry it off well.

O.