BW - EP153—007: Independence Day 1944—A Date With Judy's Election Mixup

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting

Debuting on June 24th, 1941, A Date With Judy was the teenage girl’s answer to Archie Andrews and The Aldrich Family. Billed as the adventures of the “lovable teenage girl who’s close to all our hearts,” it initially starred Ann Gillis in a summer replacement for Bob Hope. While filming at Paramount, Hope met Gillis and introduced her to his radio sponsors. They cast her in the adolescent comedy being prepared by writer Aleen Leslie. Leslie had come up through the Hollywood ranks working for Columbia Pictures, and writing for Deanna Durbin, Mickey Rooney, and Henry Aldrich films. Leslie wrote the lead with her friend Helen Mack in mind, but Mack was pregnant and declined. After the birth of her child. Mack came in as producer-director, the only woman to do so in a prime-time role at the time. In three summertime runs, two for Hope and one for Eddie Cantor, Judy was played by Gillis, Joan Lorring, and finally Louise Erickson. Erickson also played Marjorie on The Great Gildersleeve. In January of 1944, Judy was given a full-time run and Erickson held the role for the next six years. In July of 1944 the show was pulling a rating of 9.1 on NBC. On Independence Day at 8:30PM, an overheard election mixup causes comedic embarrassment for Judy’s father.