Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11Just Plain Bill 03 Eps
Audio With External Links Item Preview
- Usage
- Public Domain Mark 1.0
(03 Episodes)
"Just Plain Bill" Old Time Radio's 23-year long run of 15-30 minute situation comedy, "Just Plain Bill," premiered at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time, Sept. 19, 1932,on CBS Radio and stayed in this time-slot until June 16, 1933. June 19, 1933-1935, CBS moved the program to 7:15 p.m. and in 1935 these nighttime Eps were discontinued.
** Daytime version was added CBS Oct. 16, 1933 /CBS 11:45am 1935 thru June 12, 1936 /NBC 10:30am Sept. 14, 1936 thru March 15, 1940 /NBC Blue Net 3:45pm
March 25, 1940 thru July 31, 1942 /NBC 5:30pm Sept. 14, 1942 thru June 29, 1951 /NBC 5:00pm July 2, 1951 thru March 25, 1954 /NBC 5:00 pm Sept. 26, 1954 thru July 1, 1955, /NBC 3:45 p.m. July 4, 1955 thru Sept. 30, 1955
Soap Opera creator King & Queen team, Frank & Anne Hummert, were inspired to write a soap opera surrounding the life of a small-town barber. Several titles were considered for their new 'Soap', including: "Haircutter of Hartville," "Barber of Hartville," also "Bill the Barber." The final choice was very much more simple & plain: "Just Plain Bill" was the final title choice.
Bill Davidson, a good-natured, soft-spoken, homespun country philosopher, sensitive to needs of friends & relatives, offered level-headed advice to help them straighten out their tangled lives. Bill's listeners identified with him, because he was just like them, as noted in program opening line. Bill had a wise mind, huge heart and his arms were always open for arising problems within his circle of friends & family. These dramas frequently revolved around his tiny family: daughter, Nancy Donovan; her lawyer-husband, Kerry Donovan; and Bill's grandson, Wiki Donovan.
* OPENING LINE:
"Now, to the many friends who wait for him ... we present Just Plain Bill, barber of Hartville, the story of a man who might be living right next door to you -- the real-life story of people just like people we all know."
* THEME SONGS:
"Darling Nellie Gray" (early opening tune & scene bridges)
"Polly Wolly Doodle" (closing tune; also later-date opening tune)
* ACTORS:
Bill Davidson: Arthur Hughes ... Nancy Davidson Donovan: Ruth Russell (1932-51), Toni Darnay (1951-55) ... Kerry Donovan: James Meighan ... Wiki Donovan: Sarah Fussell, Madeleine Pierce ... Elmer Eeps: Joe Latham
* ANNOUNCERS: : Andre Baruch, John Cornell, Fielden Farrington, Ed Herlihy, Roger Krupp
* SOURCE: The Original Old-Time Radio BBS Topic
* As with many soaps, there are countless mis-named episodes of Just Plain Bill; my collection of 6 has now been cut in half to 3.
OTR * def gp ddh
"Just Plain Bill" Old Time Radio's 23-year long run of 15-30 minute situation comedy, "Just Plain Bill," premiered at 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time, Sept. 19, 1932,on CBS Radio and stayed in this time-slot until June 16, 1933. June 19, 1933-1935, CBS moved the program to 7:15 p.m. and in 1935 these nighttime Eps were discontinued.
** Daytime version was added CBS Oct. 16, 1933 /CBS 11:45am 1935 thru June 12, 1936 /NBC 10:30am Sept. 14, 1936 thru March 15, 1940 /NBC Blue Net 3:45pm
March 25, 1940 thru July 31, 1942 /NBC 5:30pm Sept. 14, 1942 thru June 29, 1951 /NBC 5:00pm July 2, 1951 thru March 25, 1954 /NBC 5:00 pm Sept. 26, 1954 thru July 1, 1955, /NBC 3:45 p.m. July 4, 1955 thru Sept. 30, 1955
Soap Opera creator King & Queen team, Frank & Anne Hummert, were inspired to write a soap opera surrounding the life of a small-town barber. Several titles were considered for their new 'Soap', including: "Haircutter of Hartville," "Barber of Hartville," also "Bill the Barber." The final choice was very much more simple & plain: "Just Plain Bill" was the final title choice.
Bill Davidson, a good-natured, soft-spoken, homespun country philosopher, sensitive to needs of friends & relatives, offered level-headed advice to help them straighten out their tangled lives. Bill's listeners identified with him, because he was just like them, as noted in program opening line. Bill had a wise mind, huge heart and his arms were always open for arising problems within his circle of friends & family. These dramas frequently revolved around his tiny family: daughter, Nancy Donovan; her lawyer-husband, Kerry Donovan; and Bill's grandson, Wiki Donovan.
* OPENING LINE:
"Now, to the many friends who wait for him ... we present Just Plain Bill, barber of Hartville, the story of a man who might be living right next door to you -- the real-life story of people just like people we all know."
* THEME SONGS:
"Darling Nellie Gray" (early opening tune & scene bridges)
"Polly Wolly Doodle" (closing tune; also later-date opening tune)
* ACTORS:
Bill Davidson: Arthur Hughes ... Nancy Davidson Donovan: Ruth Russell (1932-51), Toni Darnay (1951-55) ... Kerry Donovan: James Meighan ... Wiki Donovan: Sarah Fussell, Madeleine Pierce ... Elmer Eeps: Joe Latham
* ANNOUNCERS: : Andre Baruch, John Cornell, Fielden Farrington, Ed Herlihy, Roger Krupp
* SOURCE: The Original Old-Time Radio BBS Topic
* As with many soaps, there are countless mis-named episodes of Just Plain Bill; my collection of 6 has now been cut in half to 3.
OTR * def gp ddh
Reviews
Reviewer:
perlster
-
favoritefavoritefavorite -
April 27, 2014
Subject: not a "situation comedy "= a soap opera with some mystery
Subject: not a "situation comedy "= a soap opera with some mystery
The second file contains one "Just Plain Bill" episode followed by The Goldbergs. The "Poison Fruit" plot happens before the episode with the will.
4,087 Views
4 Favorites
IN COLLECTIONS
Old Time Radio
Radio Show and Programs Archive 
Uploaded by DEF GP on
