It's Time To Smile 1943 03 17 (106) Guest Kay Francis

# The Eddie Cantor Show: "It's Time To Smile" (March 17, 1943)

Picture yourself huddled around the radio on a brisk spring evening in 1943, the glow of the dial illuminating eager faces in darkened living rooms across America. Eddie Cantor, the irrepressible "Banjo Eyes," bursts onto the airwaves with his trademark energy and that infectious giggle that had become as familiar as the sound of your own heartbeat. Tonight, he's joined by the elegant and sophisticated Kay Francis, the sultry Hollywood starlet known for her whispered, distinctive delivery and her glamorous screen presence. Together, they navigate a program brimming with comedy sketches, snappy musical numbers, and the kind of rapid-fire banter that only Cantor could orchestrate. The studio audience roars with laughter as Eddie weaves through his carefully crafted jokes, while the orchestra swells behind them—this is live radio at its finest, a high-wire act performed nightly without a net.

During the spring of 1943, America was deep in the throes of World War II, and the nation desperately needed laughter. The Eddie Cantor Show had become a cornerstone of wartime entertainment, offering respite from rationing, casualty lists, and blackout drills. Cantor himself was a tireless patriot, using his platform to promote war bonds and boost morale. Kay Francis, once a major silent film star navigating the transition to talkies, brought Hollywood glamour and genuine star power to the proceedings. This episode captures the show at its peak influence—a nationally broadcast variety hour that reached millions seeking joy and connection in uncertain times.

Don't miss this delightful artifact of America's golden age of radio. Let Eddie Cantor's inimitable comic genius and the star power of Kay Francis transport you back to 1943, where laughter was currency and radio was magic.