Edgar Bergen 1937 08 22 (16) Guest Glenda Farrell

# The Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy Show - August 22, 1937

Settle into your favorite chair on this late summer evening and prepare for an evening of sophisticated comedy that will leave you gasping with laughter. When the NBC orchestra strikes up that familiar theme, you'll find yourself in the presence of radio's most impudent wooden dummy, Charlie McCarthy, whose sharp-tongued wisecracks have made him the most talked-about personality in America—a figure of splinters and wit who commands a salary rivaling that of his creator, ventriloquist Edgar Bergen. Tonight's episode features the sharp, streetwise comedic talents of Glenda Farrell, the rapid-fire actress whose trademark delivery and blonde bombshell appeal made her a Warner Bros. favorite. Watch as Bergen struggles to maintain control of his irreverent dummy while Farrell trades barbs with both of them, her fast-paced banter creating a delicious comedic triangle that crackles with authentic 1930s chemistry. The interplay between Bergen's sophisticated timing, McCarthy's impudent personality, and Farrell's unflappable sass promises an evening of entertainment that transcends mere vaudeville—this is radio comedy at its most urbane.

This 1937 broadcast captures a pivotal moment in American radio history, when Bergen and McCarthy had recently catapulted from relative obscurity into national sensation. The dummy had already become so popular that Saks Fifth Avenue was flooded with requests for a Charlie McCarthy doll, and gossip columnists treated him as a genuine celebrity. The show's format—part comedy, part variety, part genuine surprise—reflected radio's golden age before television would forever alter entertainment. Bergen's ventriloquism required no visual medium yet captivated millions, proving that imagination and talent could transcend the limitations of audio broadcast.

Don't miss this window into an era when radio united families across the nation and a wooden dummy could become America's favorite confidant. Tune in to experience the magic of live performance that defined a generation.