Al Pearce and His Gang


Al Pearce was a radio comedian and entertainer who was on the air from 1928 to 1947. His catch phrase "Nobody home, I hope, I hope, I hope" was based on a character of a “low pressure” door-to-door salesman named Elmer Blurt. Prior to his entertainment career, Pearce sold insurance and real estate, which gave him a rich source of material for the character. His show included musical segments and other characters, hence the name of the program Al Pearce and His Gang . Among them were Morey Amsterdam (known best for his supporting role as comedy writer “Buddy Sorrell” in the TV comedy The Dick Van Dyke Show ), and "Artie" Auberbach whose character “Mr. Kitzel” would later move to The Jack Benny Program . * * * These recordings are part of the Joe Hehn Memorial Collection. Mr. Hehn (1931-2020) was a pioneering collector of radio recordings when the hobby emerged in the 1960s. Digitizing his collection of reel tapes and discs is the effort of a wide range of North American volunteers, and includes assistance of some international collectors. The groups supporting this effort with their funds, time, technology and skills are the Old Time Radio Researchers and a small group of transcription disc preservationists who refer to themselves as the "The Knights of the Turning Table."

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.