Golden Age of Radio

He’s A Pretty Nice Fellow, Too By Willard Waterman NBS Radio’s ‘ Great Gildersleeve ’ I’m Willard Waterman but most everybody thinks I’m Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve. The character I portray on NBC’s “ The Great Gildersleeve ” radio show. But honest I’m not the blustering Water Commissioner of Summerfield. Really, I’m not pompous and stuffy. Believe me. I don’t argue with neighbors and the Jolly Boys . Assuredly I’m not a predatory bachelor whose romances never seem to bloom into marriage. Actor, Husband, Father I’m just plain Willard Waterman , actor, husband and father. In faot, it occurs to me that maybe you know all about the mythical Gildersleeve , so maybe you’d like to know something about the actual Waterman. Even if you don’t want to know about the actual Waterman, here it is: I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, in August, 1914. I grew at the rate of a year every 12 months and then, when I was in high school. I got my first break in radio. I was singing

The Milwaukee Journal – Aug 3, 1941 “You’re hard man, McGee!” That line made famous the character of Gildersleeve , Fibber McGee ’s “little chum” next door, and now has given Gildersleeve ’s creator, Harold Peary (above), his own show on NBC, opening Aug. 24 McGee’s ‘Little Chum’ Leaves Wistful Vista THROCKMORTON P. GILDERsleeve, Fibber McGee and Molly ’s chum, who is known as Harold Peary to his intimates will be starred on his own program. “ The Great Gildersleeve ,” beginning Sunday, Aug 31, over NBC. In making this move, Perry, creator at the Gildersleeve character on the “ Fibber McGee and Molly ” show, will devote full time to his own program Gildersleeve will be replaced on the McGee’s program by Gale Gordon . It is believed that his marks the first time a character conceived on a radio program has been transplanted as the star of his own show. The tremendous fan following built up by the character of Gildersleeve is responsible for this new program.