It's Time To Smile 1943 06 16 (119) Guest Joe E Brown

# The Eddie Cantor Show: "It's Time To Smile" (June 16, 1943)

Picture yourself settling into an overstuffed armchair on a warm summer evening in 1943, tuning your radio dial to catch Eddie Cantor in fine form—and what a night it is! With the unmistakable voice of America's beloved entertainer introducing his guest, the legendary comic Joe E. Brown, listeners are in for an evening of uproarious laughter and quick-witted banter. Brown's signature wide grin practically radiates through the airwaves as the two comedians engage in rapid-fire comedy sketches and witty exchanges. The studio audience erupts with genuine delight, their laughter infectious and authentic, while the orchestra swells between scenes with jazzy interludes. In this wartime broadcast, you'll find the perfect antidote to anxious times—exactly what Cantor promised in his show's title: it's time to smile.

The Eddie Cantor Show had become an American institution by 1943, and this episode exemplifies why. Cantor's variety format—blending comedy, music, and star-studded guest appearances—had dominated radio since 1931, making him one of the medium's most bankable talents. During World War II, his show served a crucial cultural function, offering home-front listeners a respite from wartime worries and rationing. Joe E. Brown, fresh from his film successes, brought movie-star glamour to the intimate medium of radio, while Cantor's energetic delivery and distinctive falsetto voice kept audiences coming back week after week.

Don't miss this sparkling time capsule of Golden Age radio entertainment. This is the sound of American optimism and showmanship at its peak—two comedy titans trading jokes while a nation found solace in laughter.