It's Time To Smile 1940 12 25 (13) Drugstore Follies

# The Eddie Cantor Show: "Drugstore Follies" (December 25, 1940)

Picture this: it's Christmas night, 1940, and Eddie Cantor is pulling you into a bustling drugstore filled with holiday shoppers, soda fountains fizzing, and the unmistakable crackle of comedic chaos about to unfold. This episode brings the warmth of mid-winter merriment and the sharp wit that made Cantor a household name—expect mistaken identities, rapid-fire gags, crooning interludes, and that distinctive Eddie Cantor energy that could make even war-weary listeners forget their troubles for a blessed hour. The sound effects team works overtime as our hero navigates the aisles and fountains, encountering colorful characters and impossible situations that somehow resolve themselves through a combination of pratfalls, clever wordplay, and musical interludes that would have had audiences in their living rooms chuckling into their coffee.

By 1940, Eddie Cantor had already spent nearly a decade as one of radio's most trusted entertainers, transitioning from the vaudeville stages where he'd made his name. His show represented the golden age of variety programming—that perfect blend of comedy, music, and drama that defined American radio before television would eventually steal the spotlight. "It's Time To Smile" was his mantra and his promise, and during December of 1940, with the world tilting toward greater darkness, that message resonated deeply with listeners seeking laughter and escape.

Step into that drugstore with Eddie and experience the magic that kept millions tuning in every week. This is radio at its finest—intimate, immediate, and absolutely alive with possibility. When the announcer's voice fades and that opening music swells, you're transported to a world where laughter still matters most.