Nothing Personal, Darling, But . . . : The Way It Was, 10 January

1942: TILL QUIZ DO WE PART---The Better Half, a quiz show (also known as Sam Small's Better Half), premieres on the Mutual Broadcasting System. On this program, husbands and wives competed against each other. The loser paid a penalty.---Frank Buxton and Bill Owen, The Big Broadcast 1920-1950.

(About.com's "Today in Radio History," edited by Corey Deitz, had noted erroneously that the show premiered in 1943, and I noted the error in the original version of this entry. It looks like Mr. Deitz is a reader here---he happened to catch my notation and, to his due credit, has adjusted About.com's page accordingly. To which I can only say thank you, Mr. Deitz, for becoming my sixth reader!)

1943: YOU'RE STILL A HAAAAAARD MAN, McGEE!---For the first time since the show was spun off Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve (NBC)---formerly McGee's next-door nemesis, now raising his orphaned niece and nephew---welcomes the McGees for a visit to his new home turf. Which is just what he doesn't need, after Fibber inadvertently learns, at the corner drug store, some news Gildy wanted to spring on the McGees himself, when the time was right.