Telegram To The Sponsor

Originally aired March 8, 1937, this milestone 100th broadcast of Fibber McGee & Molly finds the Wistful Vista couple determined to send a telegram of thanks to their sponsor, Johnson’s Wax. What begins as a simple errand quickly spirals into typical McGee-style confusion—misdirections from a “babushka,” a detour with Elmo Tanner, and a run-in with Horatio K. Boomer trying to wire a million-dollar stock deal. Along the way, Fibber inflates his past as “Morse Code McGee,” miracle man of the telegraph key, while Molly tries to keep the message short and sincere. The episode celebrates the show’s first hundred weeks on the air with plenty of wordplay, slapstick timing, Perry Como’s crooning, and Ted Weems’ orchestra in fine form. By the time Fibber pares their gratitude down to a single word—“Thanks”—the sponsor’s witty reply proves just as brief. Complete with Johnson’s Glow Coat ads and freshly remastered audio, this centennial program delivers both comedy and a touch of radio history.