It's Time To Smile 1944 12 06 (170) Guest Don Wilson (poor)

# It's Time To Smile — December 6, 1944

Step into Studio 8-H at Rockefeller Center as Eddie Cantor kicks off this December broadcast with his trademark bantering energy and a guest who's about to get the full vaudeville treatment. Don Wilson, the smooth-voiced announcer and comedian, arrives as the perfect foil for Cantor's rapid-fire wisecracks and physical comedy. The band swells, the audience settles in, and you can practically feel the warmth of the stage lights as Cantor launches into his opening number. What follows is a masterclass in live radio entertainment—comedy sketches tumble into musical numbers, sight gags are described with such precision that listeners can see them playing out before their eyes, and the banter between host and guest crackles with the electricity only live broadcast could provide. With the war still dominating headlines, Cantor offers something precious: an evening of escape, laughter, and the kind of unscripted moments that made appointment radio the beating heart of American entertainment.

By 1944, Eddie Cantor had already dominated radio for over a decade, his nasal voice and infectious optimism becoming as familiar to American households as the family dinner table. The Eddie Cantor Show represented the golden age of variety radio—a format that demanded not just comedy but musical talent, timing, and the ability to keep an audience engaged through an entire hour with only their imagination. This particular episode captures a pivotal moment in entertainment history, recorded during wartime when radio provided essential morale-boosting comfort to millions of servicemen and their families at home.

Tune in now and rediscover why tens of millions tuned in faithfully each week. In an era before television, Eddie Cantor commanded the airwaves with charisma, wit, and an unmatched gift for making listeners feel like they were sitting right there in the studio, part of the live experience.