The Bickersons

2022-09-13 Categories: OTR, Comedy, Humor, bk, series

The Bickersons was created by Philip Rapp, the one-time Eddie Cantor writer who had also created the Fanny Brice skits (for The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air and Maxwell House Coffee Time) that grew into radio's Baby Snooks. Several years after the latter established itself a long-running favorite, Rapp developed and presented John and Blanche Bickerson, first as a short sketch on The Old Gold Show and The Chase and Sanborn Hour(the show that made stars of Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy), and then as a 15-minute situational sketch as part of Drene Time. This was a variety show starring Don Ameche and singer-actress Frances Langford as co-hosts, airing on NBC and sponsored by Drene Shampoo. Announcing the show—and later familiar to television viewers as The Millionaire's presenter and executive secretary, Michael Anthony—was Marvin Miller.

Drene Time typically opened with Langford singing a big band-style arrangement before Ameche and Langford would slip into routine comedy, often aided by co-star Danny Thomas, in routines that often expressed Ameche's frustration that Thomas was more interested in modern technology and discoveries than in women. After another musical number and a commercial spot for Drene Shampoo, Miller would announce Ameche and Langford as the Bickersons, "in 'The Honeymoon's Over'", for the final 15 minutes of the show.

Episodes

BK62xxxx_Breakfast_Blanche_Wants_a_Maid.mp3

BK4303xx_The_Honeymoon_Is_Over.mp3

BK460908_Dreamtime.mp3

BK461215_The_Snore_Ball.mp3

BK461229_Deep_Sea_Treasure_Enterprise.mp3

BK470105_Everybody_Has_A_Baby.mp3

BK470112_Blanche_Gets_a_Puppy.mp3

BK470209_Amos_Borrows_John's_Tuxedo.mp3

BK470223_Amos_Does_Time.mp3

BK470230_Car_Repairs_and_Teaching_Blanche_To_Drive.mp3

BK470302_John_Is_Leaving_On_A_Business_Trip.mp3