Premier Collections: 
Amos 'n' Andy, Volume 2
Liner notes written by Ivan G. Shreve, Jr.

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"’Scuse me for protrudin’…"

During its radio heyday, "Amos ‘n’ Andy" was - to use a popular modern-day expression - the “watercooler” show of its era. Though the Crossley poll (the rating system of the time) reported that the show had a rating of 53.4 during the 1930-31 season, such a system wasn’t necessarily a wholly reliable instrument to truly measure "Amos ‘n’ Andy’s" audience; better indicators are the facts that there was precious little telephone activity or “bathroom breaks” while the program was on the air and, in addition, many movie theaters back then made arrangements to interrupt their screenings and “pipe in” in the broadcast mid-film for fear of losing paying customers. Newspapers frequently published daily accounts of the events that took place on the serialized show. An oft-told anecdote relates that, at the peak of the show’s popularity, it was possible to take a walk around any neighborhood block on a warm spring evening and not miss a moment of the broadcast, since the windows of most homes were open and practically every radio was turned to the program.

While entertainment programs have an admirable capacity to instill loyalty in their audiences, very few have the magic to capture the public’s imagination forever...and "Amos ‘n’ Andy" was no exception to this rule. From its peak years during the Depression, the show slowly shed listeners that once constituted an audience estimated at forty million. "Amos ‘n’ Andy’s" long-time sponsor, Pepsodent, soon hitched their wagon to comedian Bob Hope and Campbell's Soup began paying the bills...but still the ratings declined. Even a move to CBS in April 1939 did nothing to resuscitate the show.

So, in February 1943, the show’s creators and stars — Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll — took a brief sabbatical to revamp the series from its original serialized quarter-hour format to a slickly-produced, half-hour situation comedy. The two men lined up a new sponsor, Lever Brothers, who made certain that once the new "Amos ‘n’ Andy" inaugurated their first half-hour broadcast on October 8, 1943 (back to their old National Broadcasting Company stomping grounds), boxes of Rinso and cakes of Lifebuoy were given out free to members of the studio audience. The writing on the show, which in the early days had been the sole bailiwick of Gosden and Correll, received a boost from a team of comedy writers - notably the young team of scribes Bob Mosher and Joe Connelly, who would later supervise the television version of the series in the 1950s.

The new "Amos ‘n’ Andy" was radically different from the earlier program which fans had come to know and love, but in the halcyon years of the show’s “sitcom period” it made a valiant attempt to capture as much of the flavor of the old version as possible. Though each broadcast was pretty much a self-contained show from week to week, occasionally Gosden, Correll and the writers would stretch out an idea over two or more broadcasts. Beloved characters such as Brother Crawford, Fred Gwindell and Flukey were featured from time to time, but they gradually gave way to the steamrolling popularity of one George “Kingfish” Stevens.

The Kingfish was one of the program’s best-known and popular supporting characters, making his appearance in the early days of the show. But the half-hour format proved to be his meat; audiences loved his weekly attempts to swindle Andy out of some fortune or treasure which the thick-witted Andrew H. Brown had managed to acquire, and it wasn’t too long before the focus of the comedy zeroed in on a weekly formula highlighting the Kingfish’s machinations. Gerald Nachman, author of "Raised on Radio," once observed that the Kingfish’s success at edging straight man Amos out of the proceedings was his “ultimate con job”; more than a few listeners in the show’s later seasons no doubt wondered why the show wasn’t retitled "The Kingfish ‘n’ Andy."

But before the Kingfish completely came to dominate the program, Gosden, Correll, and their writers managed to craft some truly memorable episodes. A Thanksgiving broadcast from November 19, 1943 skillfully blends comedy and pathos in a tale that finds Andy desperate to locate a turkey for his nephew and his Army buddies for Thanksgiving dinner. One of "Amos ‘n’ Andy’s" finest moments occurred on a January 28, 1944 in the form of a parable that finds Andy the recipient of a $1,000 bill. (Both of these programs are available in Radio Archives' earlier "Amos ‘n’ Andy" Premier Collection.) This new set features classics like “Get Acquainted”, in which an innocent misunderstanding regarding Andy’s intention to join a singles club nearly shakes the foundation of Kingfish and Sapphire’s marriage, and “Chauffeur”, which features a hilarious courtroom trial as Andy is accused of the theft of $2,000.

With the revamping of its format, "Amos ‘n’ Andy" soon vaulted back into the top-tier of radio’s comedy shows, spending two seasons in a Friday night timeslot before being added to NBC’s powerhouse lineup ("Fibber McGee & Molly"/Bob Hope/Red Skelton) on Tuesday nights beginning in the fall of 1945. After leaving NBC in 1948 as part of the notorious CBS “talent raids,” the series enjoyed even greater success, featured back-to-back with Jack Benny on Sunday nights and posting even larger audience figures than those it had enjoyed on NBC. Though a few individuals have criticized the relative sameness of "Amos ‘n’ Andy" broadcasts in its later seasons, they cannot deny that the program — and its beloved characters — were still as funny as ever.

Because of his concerns about the quality of the new version (and also in maintaining the quality of his performances) Charles Correll had most of the programs of the new series recorded on 16" transcription discs for his personal library. In the 1970s, Correll had the programs professionally transferred from discs to top quality 1/2" tape -- but explicitly requested that the commercials for Rinso, by then the show’s sponsor, be edited out at the same time. Thus, though the programs in this new Premier Collection may be commercial-free, they're all taken right from Charlie Correll’s own transcription collection. The audio fidelity of these shows is astounding - in fact, they sound far better than when they were first heard over NBC in 1944 - and have been painstakingly restored for your enjoyment.

Here is the complete content of this exciting new Premier Collection:

Madam Queen #2
Andy has finally managed to locate his former paramour, Madam Queen, whose signature he desperately needs in order to receive $600 he placed in a savings account. Unfortunately for our hapless hero, the Kingfish and Henry Van Porter are conspiring to have Andy invest that money in a business of their own. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, James Baskett, Lillian Randolph, Joseph Kearns, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, March 10, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Insurance #1
Just as his insurance policy is about to lapse, the Kingfish manages to get hit by an automobile...and he plans to take the insurance company for a real ride! With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ernestine Wade, Will Wright, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, March 17, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Insurance #2
With guest Victor Moore
When his plans to soak the insurance company fail miserably, the Kingfish sets his sights on a “settlement” with the driver of the automobile that hit him: guest star Victor Moore. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, James Baskett, Ernestine Wade, Lillian Randolph, and announcer Toby Reed.
Friday, March 24, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Amnesia
A woman with two children is convinced that Andy is her long-lost husband...and that the reason he doesn’t remember her is that he’s suffering from amnesia. Naturally, this presents the Kingfish with an opportunity to avail he and Andy with a portion of the woman’s hefty financial fortune. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ruby Dandridge, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, March 31, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Get Acquainted
In this classic broadcast, Andy’s intentions to join the “Harlem Get-Acquainted Club” sets off a chain of events that culminates with a threat to the end of Kingfish and Sapphire’s marriage. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ernestine Wade, James Baskett, Lillian Randolph, Ernest Whitman, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, April 7, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Chauffeur
Andy finds himself in legal hot water when he’s accused of the theft of $2,000 after the cigar lighter given to him by his fellow Mystic Knights of the Sea brethren is found at the scene of the crime. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Joseph Kearns, Ruby Dandridge, Frank Nelson, Will Wright, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, April 14, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Secretary
Despite Andy’s intentions to close down his “office,” he ends up hiring a pretty young secretary named Henrietta Davis. To pay her salary, he’s forced to take a night job loading heavy ingots at a foundry. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, James Baskett, Jester Hairston, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, April 21, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Brother-in-Law
The Kingfish’s brother-in-law Leroy has arrived in town with the princely sum of $1,000 to invest in a business. The Kingfish’s efforts to make certain that a fool and his money are soon parted are stymied by an embarrassing incident in which, completely unaware of his identity, he ends up insulting Leroy. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ernestine Wade, James Baskett, Jester Hairston, Ernest Whitman, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, April 28, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Electric Clock
Andy receives a testimonial clock recognizing his accomplishments in the Mystic Knights of the Sea lodge. But when he can’t get the device to work, he and the Kingfish attempt to take the clock back to the factory...which has been converted to a defense plant...and whose owners mistake our heroes for spies! With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Joseph Kearns, Will Wright, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, May 5, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Masquerade
Andy has no costume to wear for the Mystic Knights of the Sea’s masquerade ball, so the Kingfish pockets his pal’s $5.00 by “borrowing” the uniform of a policeman who boards with Lightnin’, the lodge hall janitor. The fun begins not just when the policeman comes looking for his uniform, but when a pair of crooks attempt to rob the hall’s take from the ball. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ernestine Wade, Lillian Randolph, Ernest Whitman and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, May 12, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Beauty Contest
With guest Cecil B. DeMille
It looks like the vote for the Mystic Knights of the Sea’s “Miss Harlem Beauty Queen” contest is going to be split between judges Andy and Henry Van Porter, so the brothers talk guest star Cecil B. DeMille into being a third voice on the panel. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ernest Whitman, Rudy Dandridge, Joseph Kearns, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, May 19, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Get Arrested
Andy’s new conquest is Mabel Green - but she's also seeing a tough sailor who speaks with his fists when it comes to fellows who try to cut in on his action. The Kingfish attempts to help Andy escape a pummeling by getting his pal arrested and put in jail for safekeeping. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, James Baskett, Ernest Whitman, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, May 26, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Nazi Spy
With guest Paul Lukas
Lightnin’ convinces Andy and the Kingfish that, as a result of his part-time job at a hotel, he’s stumbled onto a man who is really a Nazi spy. The agent in question is guest star Paul Lukas, and Andy and the Kingfish plot to catch him by masquerading as spies as well. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ken Christy, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, June 2, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Four Shirts
One of Andy’s major creditors, the Comfy Collar Shirt Company, is demanding he pay an overdue bill of $7.00. He and the Kingfish attempt to retrieve the shirts and, in an effort to make them look as though they’ve never been worn, wash the shirts in an ice cream freezer! (The program is delayed for four-and-a-half minutes for D-Day bulletins and invasion news.) With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Elinor Harriot, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, June 9, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Used Car
In the last show of the 1943-44 season, a department store threatens to have Andy jailed if he can’t pay an overdue bill. Andy gets partial payment from a friend who gives him a beat-up old roadster, but when he and the Kingfish entrust Lightnin’ to sell the vehicle, the lodge hall janitor sells the wrong car! (Chester Morris appears at the end of the program to promote his radio version of "Boston Blackie," which will become "Amos ‘n’ Andy’s" summer replacement the following week. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Ken Christy, Elinor Harriot, Jester Hairston, Ernest Whitman, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, June 16, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Singing Contest
With guest John Charles Thomas
In the first show of the 1944-45 season, Madam Queen has won a singing contest and her prize is private vocal lessons with guest star John Charles Thomas. When the opera singer plans to feature her in the “Stars of Tomorrow” program he’s presenting at Carnegie Hall, Andy and the Kingfish object; it seems that she’s already signed an exclusive contract with them! With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, Lillian Randolph, Joseph Kearns, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, September 22, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Hotel House Detective
With guest Sydney Greenstreet
The Kingfish has landed a job as a hotel doorman and, when management asks him if he knows anyone who’s interested in a job as a bellhop, he suggests his good pal Andy. To get him to accept the position, the Kingfish tells Andy that his job is really to be a hotel detective -- and the would-be gumshoe soon ends up in a robbery caper with guest star Sydney Greenstreet. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, James Baskett, Will Wright, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, September 29, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Andy the Actor
With guest Gregory Ratoff
Andy has taken a correspondence course in acting and is so anxious to start his new career that he takes out an ad in Variety. Guest star Gregory Ratoff sees the ad...but doesn’t realize that Andy isn’t a real butler, he's just acting like one. With Freeman Gosden, Charles Correll, and announcer Harlow Wilcox.
Friday, October 6, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Ichthyologist
With guest Phil Baker
Andy desperately wants to impress the daughter of a visiting professor, so with the Kingfish’s help (and some pilfered questions and answers) he tries to win big on guest star Phil Baker’s radio quiz program, "Take It or Leave It". With Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.
Friday, October 13, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

Mistaken Identity
With guest Raymond Massey
Good news for Andy: not only is one of his long-lost girlfriends coming to town, she's also bringing along a recent inheritance which she wishes to invest. He soon finds himself in trouble, however, when the girl hooks up with another man who turns out to be a dead ringer for Andy -- particularly because he promptly swindles her out of the money and leaves Andy at the mercy of a sensationalistic court trial, prosecuted by guest star Raymond Massey. With Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll.
Friday, October 20, 1944 – 30:00 – NBC
Sponsored by Rinso

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