Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Lost Episode: 7th Anniversary Gift

A recently discovered "lost" episode from season 2. You may note that in these early episodes, Elliot Lewis tried to give Remley more of a "dim-witted hooligan" voice, before realizing his regular voice suited the character better. Also, Robert North wasn't pitching his voice quite as high for Willie. From November 9th, 1947 https://archive.org/download/philharrislosteps/4711097thAnniversaryGift.mp3

Monday, April 25, 2016

Interviews With The Cast

Presented here is OTR enthusiast Chuck Schaden interviewing Alice Faye, Phil Harris, and Elliott Lewis about the Harris/Faye show in these recordings from the 1970s and 1980s.

https://archive.org/download/InterviewsWihTheCast/Interviews%20Wih%20The%20Cast.mp3

Sunday, April 24, 2016

How Everyone Met (Last Broadcast)

 From June 28, 1954. Yet another retelling of how Phil and Alice met. This was the last episode of the 8th season, and also ended up being the last episode of the series. RCA did not renew their contract over the summer, and other sponsors had embraced television head-on, so this was to be the end of the Phil Harris-Alice Faye show. By the end of the 1950s, almost every old time radio program had transitioned to television or left the air entirely, with a remaining few that managed to hold on into the early 60s. Alas, they were replaced by an endless wasteland of top 40 pop hits and morning talk shows.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/540618%20How%20Everyone%20Met%20%28Last%20Broadcast%29.mp3

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Who Sent Flowers?

From March 26, 1954. Notes: First appearance of Phil's Dad, who was most likely added to the show as a character to replace Alice's brother Willie after Robert North left in the middle of the season.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/540326%20Who%20Sent%20Flowers.mp3

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

How To Repair A Living Room

 From October 23, 1953. Robert North, who played Willie, left the show in the middle of the season, and John Hubbard stepped into the role for this episode.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/531023%20How%20to%20Repair%20a%20Living%20Room.mp3

Saturday, March 12, 2016

American Red Cross Program

 From May 21, 1953. Not an actual episode of the Phil Harris program, this is a special broadcast the gang did for the benefit of the Red Cross.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/530521%20American%20Red%20Cross%20Program.mp3

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Elliott's Free Trip To The Orient

 From May 5, 1953. Despite what the title suggests, the episode is concerned more with the layover in Hawaii than the actual ending destination of the Orient.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/530503%20Elliott%27s%20Free%20Trip%20To%20The%20Orient.mp3

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Friday, February 26, 2016

Phil Fasthorse

 From February 8, 1953. The episode preceding this one, from 2/1/53, sets up the storyline continued in this episode and further in the next. Unfortunately, it is currently considered a "lost episode" and is unavailable.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/530208%20Phil%20Fasthorse.mp3

Friday, February 12, 2016

Baby Alice's First Date

From October 26, 1952. Notes: Julius's age is never clearly stated during the series; he's implied to be a minor and seen attending the same school as the Harris girls (and dated Alice Jr. once just to annoy Phil), but he does have a driver's license and is seen vying with Phil for Alice Faye's affections in flashback episodes.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/521026%20Baby%20Alice%27s%20First%20Date.mp3

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Hotel Harris (Remley Is Elliott)

From October 5, 1952. Notes: The 1st episode of season 7. Jack Benny's show, on which the character of Frank Remley originated, had recently moved from NBC to CBS. The details of what followed are a bit unclear, but it seems there was a legal disagreement about which program had the rights to the "Frank Remley" name. Since the real Frank Remley, who the character was based on, worked for the Benny program (yet never voiced the character), the Remley name stayed with Benny, and remained a character that was always referenced and never heard on Jack's show. The writers of the Harris program therefore had to change the character's name from Frank Remley to Elliott Lewis (the real name of the actor who played him). This is explained in the show as Frank Remley being a stage name that Elliott has finally given up to appease his mother. Phil reacts with mild revulsion at the new name, perhaps reflecting audience's presumed feelings towards it as well. Frank Remley was known as Elliott Lewis for the remainder of the series. Lewis was later quoted as saying something along the lines of "It just didn't work as well as Frank Remley; Elliott Lewis just isn't a funny name."

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/521005%20Hotel%20Harris%20%28Remley%20is%20Elliott%29.mp3

Friday, February 5, 2016

Phil Is Directed To Fire His Band

 From April 27, 1952. Notes: It seems that this episode ran over the allotted airtime, as the conclusion of the episode is an oddly framed rushed statement by Mr. Scott.

https://archive.org/download/PhilHarris1952-54/520427%20Phil%20is%20Directed%20to%20Fire%20His%20Band.mp3