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December 1, 2025 12 mins
This episode of Old Time Radio Snack Wagon spotlights one of radio’s most entertaining announcers — Bill Goodwin, whose witty, in-character commercials for The Burns and Allen Show turned advertising into comedy.

 From the early Swan Soap broadcasts to the later Maxwell House Coffee Time and Amadent Toothpaste sponsorships, Goodwin’s playful delivery and clever integration of product pitches blurred the line between story and salesmanship. His exchanges with George and Gracie were not interruptions, but seamless parts of the show — moments where humor, charm, and promotion worked hand in hand.

 These clips reveal how Goodwin’s voice and timing made even an ad read feel like a punchline — a reminder that in the right hands, the commercial could become an art form.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Oh, these old eyes of mine, they must be playing tricks?

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Are you?

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Adam Graham the very same? And this is my old
time radio snack wagon.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Welcome to the old time Radio snack Wagon, where we
serve up a bite sized portion of old time radio.
And now here's your snack wagon host Adam Graham.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
For many people, advertising is something that you'd be more
than happy to skip, and even with Golden Age radio programs,
I generally don't mind and am quite happy when someone
finds an Armed Forces radio service program which has all

(00:55):
the ads cut out. But there is one exception to
that for me, and that is the Burns and Allen
radio programs. And this was because the ads were read,
and in many cases I think it would be more
appropriate to say they were performed by Bill Goodwin, with

(01:15):
the ads becoming connected to plot points in the episode.
They weren't interruptions. They were part of the story and
something that you expected. And so today we're going to
take a look at instances of Bill Goodwin selling stuff.

Speaker 4 (01:34):
Now.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Goodwin was an announcer for many years. He worked with
Bob Hope both before and after his time working with
Burns and Allen, but it was during this period with
George Burns and Gracie Allen starred in a sitcom that

(01:55):
Goodwin's ads became part of the show, speaking to and
interacting with the plot of the week. And while other
announcers such as Harlow, Willcox on Fibermghee and Molly had
been promoting their products during the episode, Butwin did so
in a style that really was all his own. And

(02:18):
so we're going to hear clips for each of the
three main sponsors of the Birds and Allen Show. Its
original sponsor was Swan Soap, and we'll get to hear
a clip from that very first episode on October seventh,
nineteen forty one. The setup for this is that during

(02:41):
the Golden Age of radio, it was common for comedy
programs to have their own musical accompaniment employed as a
regular part of the show. For Burns and Allen, they
had Paul Whitman and his orchestra, and they also had

(03:03):
a singer named Jimmy Cash. This first episode introduced Jimmy
Cash with the idea that Gracie met him in a
grocery store and offered him a chance to sing on
the show, much to George's consternation. So let's go ahead
and listen to this clap and see how Bill Goodwin

(03:26):
works in a unique pitch for Swan soap.

Speaker 4 (03:30):
Oh, Gracie, there's a fellow with her and his name
is Olaf Swan.

Speaker 5 (03:34):
Bill, it's spend, not Swan.

Speaker 4 (03:37):
I talked him out of it.

Speaker 5 (03:44):
Well ie talking talked him out of it. And answer
the phone.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
Okay, hello what? Oh no, but I'll take a message
for her. Oh okay, goodbye?

Speaker 5 (03:54):
Who's that? George?

Speaker 2 (03:55):
Is Jimmy Cash.

Speaker 4 (03:56):
He'll be here as soon as he sells five more
pounds of potatoes. Well, let's say, George, listen, maybe you're
getting upset over nothing. You know, this kid may turn
out to be something great.

Speaker 5 (04:05):
You mean, Gracie just walks into a grocery store and
just like that, discover something great.

Speaker 6 (04:10):
I was sure, Phil, and you can't find anything great
in a grocery store.

Speaker 4 (04:13):
Oh now, wait a minute, George, you can't talk that
way about Swan soap.

Speaker 5 (04:18):
Swan soap? Who's talking about swan soap?

Speaker 4 (04:20):
Now? Look, didn't you just say that you can't walk
into a grocery store and find something great?

Speaker 5 (04:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (04:24):
But oh so Swan soap isn't great.

Speaker 5 (04:26):
I can't say that we lessen.

Speaker 4 (04:28):
It's the greatest white floating soap you ever saw. Swan
gives you a rich, creamy lather, even in the hardest water.

Speaker 5 (04:34):
It's pure ideal for the baby. That's the most wonderful
way you listen to me, you're beginning to act just
like Gracie. And what's wrong with Gracie?

Speaker 4 (04:42):
A fine guy? You are talking about your wife behind
her back.

Speaker 5 (04:45):
No, look, Bell, let's start all over again. Forget Jimmy Cash,
Forget Gracie, forget Swan.

Speaker 4 (04:50):
Soap, Forget Swan. Why Swan is the kind of soap
you can't forget? I know that it smells so fresh
and clean. I know it feels so nice and small.
You know that what's firmer than old style floating soaps?

Speaker 2 (05:02):
And Swan?

Speaker 5 (05:03):
Last and last.

Speaker 4 (05:04):
And last, you'll get more real soap for your money.

Speaker 5 (05:08):
I know that, Phil.

Speaker 4 (05:08):
Now, just keep calm, Just try Swan. Look for the
green rapper with the white swan on the brunt. Let
us sep.

Speaker 5 (05:15):
Phil, I said, jew In, I'll calm down. A Swan
is wonderful, Gracie is wonderful. Jimmy Cash is wonderful. How
do you know? Have you ever heard him sing, well, no, well, then.

Speaker 4 (05:27):
How can you be set to dope and sign a
guy you never even heard?

Speaker 5 (05:30):
I didn't sign that? You did?

Speaker 4 (05:32):
Gracy sign him?

Speaker 5 (05:33):
Both? Forget it, Paul, we answer the phone.

Speaker 1 (05:36):
Our next clap comes from the post war era of
the Burns and Allen program, where it was sponsored by
Maxwell House Coffee and was known as Maxwell House Coffee Time.
In this particular episode, George had been collecting some straight

(05:59):
hats and he accidentally gave one to the Masons, James
and Pamela that was a valuable w person cat, and
so Bill Goodwin is sent to retrieve the cat from
James Mason, with George waiting outside. Let's hear how this goes.
Let's go ahead and listen to the episode from February seventeenth,

(06:23):
nineteen forty nine.

Speaker 5 (06:25):
I'm along boy.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
Hi Jimmy, how's the boy? I beg your pardon? Have
we met?

Speaker 5 (06:34):
Well?

Speaker 2 (06:34):
No, but surely you recognize me. I do picture work.
I'm sorry we have none to be friends. No, I
act in pictures.

Speaker 5 (06:43):
I'm the darling of the American screen.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
Haven't you seen these dimples? These blonde curls. Don't tell
me you I'm Mary Pickford I'm Bill Goodwin. But enough
about me.

Speaker 4 (06:56):
Mister Burns sent me over to ask you if you'd
return that white Persian cat.

Speaker 2 (07:00):
But there was a gift to missus Mason, and she's
become extremely fond of it.

Speaker 5 (07:04):
Well, I'm sure she listened.

Speaker 4 (07:05):
The reason you, you British, are such fine, generous people.
You've always been so gracious and understanding. That's the basis
of the wonderful relationship between our two countries, that traditional
British love of fair play and good sportsmanship.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Fine, so I like the way.

Speaker 4 (07:21):
You talk, mister Goodwin, and every word comes straight from
my heart.

Speaker 2 (07:25):
Let's continue this discussion over a cup of tea. Fine, Well, as.

Speaker 5 (07:29):
I was saying, you see, how dare you insult me
like that?

Speaker 4 (07:39):
I drink nothing but Maxwell House Coffee offering me tea.
Can't you British take a hint? We dumped that stuff
overboard two hundred years ago.

Speaker 5 (07:58):
What are you trying to go start another revolution?

Speaker 4 (08:02):
You'll never talk this country out of Maxwell House Coffee.
It's America's favorite brands, a blend of choice, Highland grown
Latin American coffees, radiant roasted to the peak of flavor perfection.
And you want us to drink tea. You you skinny.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
Child, Lawton, Come John, mister Goodwin. I'm well aware of
the merits of Maxwell House coffee. I think it's quite
delicious and refreshed.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
It's too late to butter up to me now I'm
going out among people who know that Maxwell House coffee
is rich and mellow, good to the last drop. Goodbye Phil,
where's the cat? Oh, George, I'm too mad to talk
about it. I'm going over to the golf course and
cool off. Okay, I've talked to you over there. I'll
meet you on the fresh tea. Gee take that. Oh, goodbye,

(08:54):
you Trader.

Speaker 6 (08:56):
I wonder why he shogged me. I'm a sport I
give him a sorry. Why every week I pay him?
Maybe I better give him a raise.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Our final clip comes from the final sponsor of Burns
and Allen Immigant Toothpaste and Powder. The setup is that
in this episode, Gracie is trying to rekindle romance in
her relationship with George, and so is trying to recapture

(09:31):
the feelings of their courtship. Bill says he's going to
pop the question to his date for the evening, and
George sneaks over to listen to what Bill says. So
now our final clap from September twenty eighth, nineteen forty nine.

Speaker 4 (09:50):
Peggy Darling, There's something I've been wanting to ask you.
I know, Bill, and I've been wanting you to If
you say yes, you'll you'll make me the happiest man
in the world.

Speaker 5 (10:04):
Well ask me, Darling. I'm waiting.

Speaker 4 (10:08):
Are you reducing tooth decay with Amadan?

Speaker 3 (10:10):
And I could?

Speaker 2 (10:14):
I'll marry you and will be.

Speaker 5 (10:17):
What did you say?

Speaker 4 (10:19):
You love the sparkling smile Amadan gives you, Peggy. It
leaves your teeth bright, and you'll say your mouth never
felt so clean. Amadan is a grand wake up toothpaste. Bill.

Speaker 5 (10:30):
We didn't come out here to brush our teeth.

Speaker 6 (10:32):
Did We.

Speaker 4 (10:36):
Don't know, but it's an idea. Amadan tastes delightful. That's
why it's easy to get children to use it, and
it's wonderful to know that Amadan is helping to protect
their teeth against decay. Amadan has been tested and commended
by Parents Magazine.

Speaker 7 (10:51):
But Bill, I thought welcome Back well a little bit shorter,
and of course that clip ended as we're heading towards
Bill's date, recognizing that George was eavesdropping regardless.

Speaker 1 (11:07):
I think this was a great sample of Bill Goodwin's
unique talents and his work as an announcer. Most of
the time, listeners view commercials as a necessary inconvenience in
order to pay for the program that they're listening to. However,

(11:28):
the combination of good writing and Bill Goodwin's natural charisma
and talent was able to make the commercials on the
Burns and Allen program delightful experience that listeners look forward to.
It's time for me to close up the Old snack Wagon,
but don't worry. We'll be back with another serving of

(11:49):
old time radio goodness before you know it. If you
want to enjoy some of our longer form podcasts, you
can feast away at my website at Great Detectives dot net.
Emails are also welcome at Adam at Snackwagon dot net.

Speaker 3 (12:05):
The Old Time Radio Snackwagon comes to you from Boise, Idaho.
Your host is Adam Graham. Sound production is by Ryn's
Media LLC. You can listen to past episodes of the
Old Time Radio Snackwagon, as well as connect on social
media at our website at snackwagon dot net. Email suggestions

(12:25):
for episodes to Adam at snackwagon dot net. This has
been the old time radio Snackwagon.

Speaker 1 (12:43):
Until next time. Goodbye,
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