The Great Gildersleeve – Campaign Gets Hot | Classic Old Time Radio Comedy (1944)

Politics comes to Summerfield in “Campaign Gets Hot,” a classic episode of The Great Gildersleeve originally broadcast May 7, 1944. Harold Peary stars as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, the booming, confident water commissioner whose political ambitions give him yet another opportunity to demonstrate just how quickly his self-assurance can lead to comic complications. The Great Gildersleeve was one of radio’s most influential situation comedies, combining domestic humor, romance, recurring characters, and continuing storylines years before television made the formula familiar. In this episode, Gildy’s campaign for public office intensifies while his engagement to Eve Goodwin adds another layer of complication to his already busy life. *Synopsis:* The election campaign is heating up in Summerfield, and Gildersleeve is determined to convince the voters that he is the right man for the job. With his booming voice, civic position, and enormous confidence, Gildy naturally believes he has many of the qualities required of a successful political candidate. Actually winning an election, however, proves more complicated. As the campaign gathers momentum, Gildersleeve must deal with political strategy, public opinion, advice from friends, and all the ordinary interruptions of life at home. Marjorie and Birdie observe his increasingly serious political ambitions, while Leroy remains one of the few people capable of reducing his uncle’s grandest declarations to comedy with a single well-timed remark. Adding to Gildy’s difficulties is his personal life. His relationship with Eve Goodwin has reached the engagement stage, meaning the aspiring politician must somehow balance campaigning with the expectations and responsibilities of his increasingly serious romance. The campaign storyline is especially effective because it plays directly to Gildersleeve’s personality. He loves being respected, enjoys public attention, and has no shortage of confidence in his own abilities. Yet his vanity and tendency to overestimate his command of a situation repeatedly place him in precisely the sort of predicament that made Harold Peary’s characterization so memorable. “Campaign Gets Hot” continues an entertaining sequence of interconnected episodes in which Gildy’s political ambitions and romantic troubles gradually collide, setting the stage for even more complications ahead. *Audio Restoration & Enhancement:* This historic broadcast has undergone a significant audio restoration and enhancement process intended to improve clarity, consistency, and overall listening quality while preserving the atmosphere of the original recording. Restoration may include reduction of background hiss and hum, removal or mitigation of clicks and other transcription artifacts, level balancing, tonal correction, and careful dialogue enhancement. Because surviving old time radio recordings can vary greatly in condition, some original imperfections may remain. Every effort is made to improve the listening experience without eliminating the distinctive character of a genuine 1940s radio broadcast. If you enjoy The Great Gildersleeve and other programs from the Golden Age of Radio, subscribe to *American Radio Rewind* for more restored classic comedy, mystery, detective drama, adventure, science fiction, suspense, and vintage entertainment. *Cast & Production Credits:* Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve – Harold Peary Leroy Forrester – Walter Tetley Marjorie Forrester – Lurene Tuttle Birdie Lee Coggins – Lillian Randolph Eve Goodwin – Bea Benaderet Judge Horace Hooker – Earle Ross Mr. Peavey – Richard LeGrand Announcer – Ken Carpenter Writers – John Whedon and Sam Moore Network – NBC Sponsor – Kraft Foods Original Broadcast – May 7, 1944