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IT'S TIME TO SMILE / aka THE EDDIE CANTOR SHOW

Air Date/Released Wednesday, June 7, 1944
Station/Studio NBC Red (radio)
Host/Star Eddie Cantor
Featuring Joe Besser (Solo)

Eddie Cantor's weekly musical/comedy variety show.

After opening with a new orchestration of his signature tune "Susie," Eddie congratulates Harry Von Zell on his 39th birthday and tells him that the show's cast will throw a gala celebrity attended party. The caterer will be the famous French chef Pierre... aka 'The Mad Russian' (Bert Gordon). As Eddie and Harry discuss getting older, they're interrupted by a tour guide (Joe Besser) and his group, who are supposed to be sight-seeing in Chinatown but managed to get lost in the NBC studios. Cantor attempts to help him out, but his directions are met by Joe's trademark "Not so fa-a-a-st!" Musical guest Maurice Rocco performs boogie-woogie jazz on the piano. Perhaps ad-libbed, when Rocco begins playing, Joe reprises "not so fa-a-a-st," off-mike in the background. Eddie's vocalist Nora Martin sings "So Little Time." Joe makes an encore as the lost tour guide, asking Eddie to repeat his directions to Chinatown, and not believing that he really is Cantor. Closing the show, Cantor makes a $5000 "G.I. Joe" award to a Private Charles Peers, on combat duty in Europe, in recognition of being the model soldier and American citizen. Peers' parents accept the award.


Besser performed the same "Tour Guide" sketch with Jan Murray on TONIGHT ON BROADWAY (May 20, 1946).

Cast: Eddie Cantor, Harry Von Zell (Announcer), Vincent Trancos Orchestra, Nora Martin, Bert Gordon (The Mad Russian), Joe Besser (Tour Guide), Maurice Rocco, Sara Berner (Myrtle)
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