Premier Collections: 
Lum and Abner, The Early Years, Volume 4
Liner notes and program descriptions written by Donnie Pitchford, President, National Lum & Abner Society

Click to listen to a Microsoft WMA audio clip
Click to listen to a MP3 audio clip

Just as Andrew H. Brown always seems to fall for the latest schemes of George "Kingfish" Stevens on "Amos 'n' Andy," we find Lum Edwards in the same predicament as Lum and Abner, The Early Years, Volume 4 gets underway. Lum, offended with his former partner Abner's attitude following their "unzolving of partnerships," decides to team up with Pine Ridge con man Squire Maynard K. Skimp! Never mind the fact that Skimp has repeatedly cheated Lum and Abner and, most recently, is suspected of arson in the loss of Lum's Pine Ridge Planetarium movie Theater. Will Lum and Abner ever learn? We hope not -- because it would spoil all the fun!

Chet Lauck (Lum) and Norris "Tuffy" Goff (Abner) periodically wrote scripts in which their characters split their partnership to go their own ways -- generally with disastrous results -- after which a reunion of their longtime business and personal relationship would take place. Such is the case in this series of programs from 1935. The promise of riches from an Arizona silver mine -- Squire's latest plot -- turns Lum & Abner into high society kings. In their effort to make a stylish entrance into that world, they debut the song "They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree," which will continue to be heard for years to come on the program. To this day, the song is the traditional "closing number" at each convention of the National Lum and Abner Society.

As the series of programs in this new ten-CD collection continues, we once again hear Lum and Abner joining forces for a new business venture. Losing their store to local thug Snake Hogan, the boys decide to hit the road with a "rolling grocery store!" Listeners will notice a lack of commercials in programs occurring during a 'name the rolling store' contest. Since the bicycled discs were broadcast three weeks after their network airdate, it is assumed this was done to allow current updates to be announced live. (Hopefully listeners to these shows love the theme song "Eleanor" enough to hear it repeated more than a few times!) Incidentally, the theme we've been hearing on these programs was not the live performance of the organist each time, but a prerecorded disc, mixed in as the episode was mastered to wax and used to cover references to anything outdated for listeners hearing the recordings three weeks later. This is never more obvious than on program #165, where the engineer apparently spun the theme disc at 78 RPM instead of 33 1/3!

Those familiar with the team's second RKO motion picture, "The Bashful Bachelor," will enjoy the genesis of the scene in which Lum & Abner fake Abner's kidnapping, designed to give Lum the appearance of being a hero upon the "rescue" of his partner. Several 1930s script elements are combined in that 1942 film and, since Lauck and Goff scripted every one of those radio programs (as well as, with very few exceptions, provided every voice), they receive screen credit for the original story.

It is during this period in the series (September 2, 1935, to be exact) that Lum and Abner left the fledgling Mutual Broadcasting System to resume a position at NBC -- a move that would, unfortunately, soon bring an end to this series of bicycled recordings. Thanks to the Horlick's Malted Milk association, we've been able to enjoy a great deal of the team's work from 1935.

Here is the complete content of this new ten-CD collection -- forty consecutive shows originally broadcast in July, August, and September 1935, digitally transferred from original 16" RCA Victor Victrolac transcriptions and fully restored for outstanding audio quality:

Lum and Squire Conspire (#155)
Abner is no longer welcome on Lum's turf now that he has teamed up with Squire Skimp in a new business venture -- even though Lum has no idea what it is!
Friday, July 19, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21921.jpg

A Sterling Opportunity (#156)
The new business is revealed! Lum and Squire will sell shares in the Great Sterling Silver Company, an Arizona silver mine.
Monday, July 22, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21922.jpg

Society Anyone? (#157)
Certain that the new silver mine will make them wealthy, everyone in Pine Ridge becomes interested in high society -- so much so that even Abner buys stock in the company!
Tuesday, July 23, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21923.jpg

Pine Ridge Proper (#158)
With 'high class' events approaching, Lum and Abner discuss the rules of proper etiquette -- at least the way they interpret them.
Wednesday, July 24, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21924.jpg

First Families of Pine Ridge (#159)
"The First Families of Pine Ridge" is thriving, even though Lum begins to wonder about the validity of the silver mine.
Thursday, July 25, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21925.jpg

Comin' Out Singin' (#160)
Lum & Abner will sing "They Cut Down the Old Pine Tree" at Geraldine Seestrunk's coming-out party. (To all evidence, this is the first episode in which the song was used in the series.)
Friday, July 26, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21926.jpg

High Society Anxiety (#161)
Abner begins to hate being a participant in Pine Ridge's high society movement.
Monday, July 29, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21927.jpg

Snakes in the Weeds (#162)
Squire and Snake Hogan plot to get control of the Jot 'Em Down Store, and succeed in buying it from Abner for two thousand dollars.
Tuesday, July 30, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21928.jpg

Snake in the Store (#163)
Abner refuses to invest the store sale money in the silver mine, and Squire Skimp and Snake Hogan are furious enough to 'take him for a ride'!
Wednesday, July 31, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21929.jpg

Absent Abner (#164)
Abner has not been seen. Is he 'asleep in the deep' somewhere? No, that's the song Lum is rehearsing for his next public performance. Has he met with foul play at the hands of Squire and Snake? A concerned Dick Huddleston summons the sheriff from Mena to investigate.
Wednesday, July 31, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21930.jpg

Truth Behind Abner's Absence (#165)
Abner surprises everyone when he reappears, arriving in a chauffeured limousine. (Technical note: as this recording was being mastered for shipment to local stations, the first portion of the prerecorded theme song was transferred at the wrong speed.)
Wednesday, July 31, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21931.jpg

Big Society Abner (#166)
Abner Peabody becomes the biggest society man of all Pine Ridge!
Monday, August 5, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21932.jpg

See Dick Skeptical (#167)
Dick Huddleston is still skeptical about the true worth of the silver mine.
Tuesday, August 6, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21933.jpg

Mystery Gals (#168)
Who are Dixie Belle and Mary Jane? Is a new scandal brewing?
Wednesday, August 7, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21934.jpg

High Society Blues (#169)
Both Lum and Abner grow weary of the demands of high society.
Thursday, August 8, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21935.jpg

What Will Snake Take? (#170)
Snake Hogan won't sell the Jot 'Em Down Store back to Lum and Abner without charging them an arm and a leg.
Friday, August 9, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21936.jpg

Deals on Wheels (#171)
With the Jot 'Em Down Store lost to them, Lum and Abner prepare to build a 'rolling grocery store', which will take their merchandise directly to the customer.
Monday, August 12, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21937.jpg

Name the Rolling Store (#172)
Caleb Weehunt is building the rolling grocery, and Lum and Abner decide to run a contest to name it -- which is how the name "Jot 'Em Down" was originally chosen. (Note: Until the close of the contest, the opening and closing Horlick's commercials were deleted from these "bicycled" transcriptions and read live by local stations airing the show.)
Tuesday, August 13, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21938.jpg

Mine Your Own Business, Squire (#173)
Squire Skimp offers to trade part of the stock in the silver mine for a third interest in the rolling grocery store.
Wednesday, August 14, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21939.jpg

No Door for Rolling Store (#174)
Lum and Abner inspect their rolling store. It seems fine, but there's one little problem: how will they get it out of the blacksmith shop?
Thursday, August 15, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21940.jpg

Rolling Store Trapped No More (#175)
Abner gets the rolling grocery out of blacksmith shop -- the hard way!
Friday, August 16, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21941.jpg

Draggin' Behind (#176)
Cedric loads the merchandise into the new rolling store, which causes the back of store to be heavier than the front.
Monday, August 19, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21942.jpg

Hurry Up and Wait (#177)
Squire Skimp travels to Arizona to sell the silver mine, but there are more delays in opening the store on wheels.
Tuesday, August 20, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21943.jpg

Moving the Merchandise (#178)
The rolling grocery has its first day on the road, but there's another problem to solve: the merchandise keeps falling off the shelves!
Wednesday, August 21, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21944.jpg

Penny-Powered Profits (#179)
Dick Huddleston is losing customers to Lum and Abner's new mobile store while, in the meantime, the boys have made a grand profit of 27 cents.
Thursday, August 22, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21945.jpg

A Rolling Store Gathers No Moss (#180)
The contest to name the rolling grocery concludes, and the store will begin traveling to other communities.
Friday, August 23, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21946.jpg

What's Mine is Lum's (#181)
The stockholders are dissatisfied with Squire's handling of the silver mine, so he turns over complete control of it to Lum.
Monday, August 26, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21947.jpg

Lone Lum Silver (#182)
Lum is very proud of being the owner of the silver mine and decides he doesn't want to work in the rolling grocery any more.
Tuesday, August 27, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21948.jpg

Lum the Zeckatif (#183)
Lum, feeling his oats as a 'big zeckatif', decides to buy a trailer to use as his mining company office.
Wednesday, August 28, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21949.jpg

Silver For Sale (#184)
Lum and Abner decide to sell the silver mine and Dick Huddleston has news about their prospective buyer.
Thursday, August 29, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21950.jpg

Let's Lynch Lum (#185)
The stockholders meet again, vote to run Squire Skimp out of town -- and to send a lynch mob out after Lum!
Friday, August 30, 1935 - 15:00 - Mutual, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21951.jpg

Lofty Lum (#186)
Lum is hiding in Abner's barn loft, and plans to write a letter to the stockholders explaining his innocence. (With this episode, Lum and Abner moved from the Mutual Network back to NBC.)
Monday, September 2, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21952.jpg

Lum: Heel or Hero? (#187)
The stockholders are demanding their money back, so Lum decides to distract them by making a hero out of himself.
Tuesday, September 3, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21953.jpg

Abner-Napping Scheme (#188)
Lum & Abner will fake Abner's kidnapping so Lum can be the one to rescue him and become an instant hero.
Wednesday, September 4, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21954.jpg

Blunderful Whirl (#189)
Not surprisingly, Lum and Abner blunder their way through the phony kidnapping.
Thursday, September 5, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21955.jpg

Absent Abner - Again (#190)
The kidnapping has the town in an uproar, so Abner is now hiding out at Lum's house.
Friday, September 6, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21956.jpg

Build a Better Kidnapper Trap (#191)
The townspeople will set a trap when the 'kidnappers' come to collect the ransom money tonight.
Monday, September 9, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21957.jpg

Abner's Amazing Adventure (#192)
Lum decides to admit everything about the kidnapping hoax, but Abner tells the story of his daring rescue.
Tuesday, September 10, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21958.jpg

Lum's Heroic 'Zaggerations (#193)
Lum's story about Abner's rescue gets bigger with every telling.
Wednesday, September 11, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21959.jpg

Hi-Yo Silver Mine (#194)
The county seat newspaper wants an article about the heroic rescue and the stockholders vote to elect Lum president of the silver mine again.
Thursday, September 12, 1935 - 15:00 - NBC, sponsored by Horlick's Malted Milk
http://www.radioarchives.org/scans/21960.jpg

The complete content of this website, including all text, illustrations, and audio content © 2008 First Generation Radio Archives. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this website may not be duplicated or reproduced in any way, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of the copyright holder.