"Life With Luigi"

Biff83 · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 1263 Location: Florida

Has anyone else heard of this radio show from the late 1940s and early 1950s? While searching for a copy of Bob Hope's D-Day program, I stumbled on this, listened to a couple of episodes, and thought some of you might enjoy. The main site which hosts the MP3 files of the program has thousands of other old time radio programs, news broadcasts and music you can listen to.

"Originating on radio as The Little Immigrant, Life With Luigi is the story of a gentle Italian and other immigrants from Germany and Scandinavia taking US citizenship night school classes. Their new home is Chicago, and their heartwarming encounters with American ways makes this show as contemporary now as it was post WWII, or at any time in the 19th or 20th centuries. J. Carroll Naish, veteran character actor of stage and screen, makes Luigi Basco come to life in each and every show. He is a perfect Luigi! The cast is stellar. Hans Conried is Schultz, a German with more of an upright and straightforward manner. Alan Reed is Pasquale, Luigi's friend and sponsor who has already made a success of himself in America, as a restaurateur. Jody Gilbert plays Pasquale's chubby daughter, Rosa. Mary Shipp is Miss Spaulding, the teacher of the night class. Joe Forte is Horowitz, and Ken Peters is Olsen, Luigi's classmates. Gil Straton is Jimmy, who is Luigi's partner in a small antique business that Luigi has opened, as he grew up on the outskirts of Rome and has always loved the past and its glories. But his eyes were on the New World, and now, that new world is his own.

Will Pasquale persuade Luigi to marry Rosa? Will Jimmy and Luigi thrive in the antique business? Each week Luigi writes a letter to his Mama in Italy, and begins to tell her (and so the show begins for the listener) just what is happening to him in Chicago, USA.

And that is the way the show ends, with the letter, and he closes with love. That is the way this heartwarming old time radio show is done - with lotsa love."

Listen to 66 episodes of "Life With Luigi" Scroll down to play individual episodes.

Biff

nuccia · Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:41 pm Post subject: Re: "Life With Luigi"

OMG..this is soooooo funny. Thanks Biff!

Cathy · V.I.P. Joined: Jul 10, 2007 Posts: 2681

Great link Biff. My dad will love this too. He used to listen to cassette recordings of these old time radio shows on the long drive to Florida.