There's Laughter in the Air! Radio's Top Comedians and Their Best Shows


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.3 stars; 9 reviews)

There's Laughter in the Air takes readers on a sidesplitting romp through the world of old-time radio comedy. It gives a brief history of the medium and brief but intimate accounts of some of the biggest acts from the 1930s and 1940s. Gaver and Stanley give insight on several luminaries from the days of vintage radio: Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Fibber McGee and Molly, Burns and Allen, Amos 'n Andy, and more! (Summary by ChuckW) (5 hr 13 min)

Chapters

00 - Then and Now 31:53 Read by Maria Kasper
01 - Fred Allen (Juggler's Progress) 16:39 Read by Bellona Times
02 - Bob Hope (While There's Life!) 19:42 Read by Maria Kasper
03 - Jack Benny (The Fiddler from Waukegan!) 19:36 Read by Maria Kasper
04 - Bergen and McCarthy (Alter Ego!) 24:05 Read by Phil Chenevert
05 - Fibber McGee and Molly (The Folks from Peoria!) 13:44 Read by Larry Wilson
06 - Ed Gardner (Absentee Ownership!) 10:21 Read by Kristin G.
07 - Eddie Cantor (Girls, Girls, Girls!) 13:20 Read by Kristin G.
08 - Abbott and Costello (Laborers in the Cornfield!) 13:03 Read by Little Tee
09 - Amos 'N' Andy (Blackface!) 12:59 Read by Phil Chenevert
10 - Ed Wyn (The Fire Chief!) 12:54 Read by Maria Kasper
11 - Fanny Brice (The Brat!) 8:36 Read by ElleyKat
12 - Milton Berle (Peck's Bad Berle!) 11:04 Read by Jennifer Dorr
13 - Colonel Stoopnagle (The Colonel!) 11:30 Read by Jennifer Dorr
14 - Easy Aces (Aces!) 10:43 Read by Jennifer Dorr
15 - Burns and Allen (Be Dumb, Sweet Maid!) 17:33 Read by Maria Kasper
16 - Phil Baker (Squeeze Play!) 13:57 Read by Jennifer Dorr
17 - The Great Gildersleeve 8:14 Read by Phil Chenevert
18 - Durante and Moore (The Sweetest Guy in the World!) 18:52 Read by Little Tee
19 - Joan Davis (I'ze a Muggin'!) 7:28 Read by Jennifer Dorr
20 - Jack Kirkwood (The Early Bird!) 8:44 Read by SteveToner
21 - Raymond Knight (Cuckoo!) 8:08 Read by Arianne Stein

Reviews


(5 stars)

Just a great collection of stories about some of our best comedians. It is so wonderful to read about people without the smut and mudra raking so common to the current garbage we see in print today. Thank you to the readers. You all did a fine job. I enjoyed this book tremendously.