<P>Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve was a popular character appearing each week on the <I>Fibber McGee and Molly</I> radio show. On August 31 1941 Gildersleeve landed his own situation comedy <I>The Great Gildersleeve</I> becoming radio's first spin-off.<br><br></P><P>Gildersleeve moved from the town of Wistful Vista where Fibber McGee and Molly lived to Summerfield where he oversaw his late brother-in-law's estate and took on the rearing of his orphaned niece and nephew Marjorie and Leroy Forrester. The household also included a cook named Birdie. <I>The Great Gildersleeve</I> was the first show to center on a single parent balancing child-rearing work and a social life and it was accomplished with taste and genuine wit often at the expense of Gildersleeve's slightly understated pomposity.<br><br></P><P>Radio veteran Hal Peary originated the role of Gildersleeve and performs here in these 12 episodes that aired from December 1947 to March 1948: 'New Year's Eve Party'; 'Anne Tuttle's Back in Town'; 'Marjorie's New Romance'; 'School Board Election'; 'License Plate Time'; 'Acting Mayor'; 'Getting Glasses'; 'Leila's Cousin Arrives in Town'; 'Adeline Is Trying to Steal Birdie'; 'Girl Shy Leroy'; 'The Duel'; 'Adeline Wants to Visit the Jolly Boys'.</p><P>A Blackstone Audio production.</P>