It's Time To Smile 1944 10 25 (165) Harry's New Baby

# The Eddie Cantor Show: "Harry's New Baby" (October 25, 1944)

As the opening fanfare cuts through the static of your home radio set, Eddie Cantor's unmistakable voice crackles with mischievous energy—tonight, his friend Harry has become a new father, and Eddie is positively beside himself with comedic schemes. What follows is a rollicking half-hour of vaudeville-style banter, rapid-fire one-liners, and the kind of physical comedy that somehow translates brilliantly through sound alone. The studio audience roars at every punchline as Eddie spins yarns about the perils of fatherhood, offers hilariously outdated advice, and drags poor Harry through a series of increasingly absurd scenarios. There's music, too—the orchestra swelling behind tender moments before Cantor punctures the sentiment with another perfectly-timed quip.

In October 1944, with American soldiers scattered across two continents in the final push toward victory, Eddie Cantor's program served as a lifeline of laughter to millions. These were the golden years of radio comedy, when Cantor—the legendary performer who'd dazzled Broadway and Hollywood—had found perhaps his truest medium. His rapid-fire delivery, his infectious laugh, his ability to make the everyday trials of American life feel both hilarious and deeply human, was exactly what the home front needed. The show's format of comedy interwoven with music and guest appearances made it appointment listening, a ritual as much as entertainment.

This particular episode captures the show at its warmest—celebrating new life during wartime, finding joy in simple domestic moments, and reminding listeners that even in uncertain times, there's always reason to smile. Tune in and let Eddie Cantor remind you why "It's Time To Smile."