One fun highlight this week is celebrating the anniversary of the debut of a recurring sound effect. We’ll play a fun episode of Fibber McGee & Molly featuring their famed cluttered hall closet (first heard March 5th, 1940).

This week we mark George Washington’s Birthday with a creative block: The CBS Radio Workshop’s “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue”; Ronald Reagan playing Ulysses S. Grant on The Cavalcade Of America; A Washington’s Birthday episode of Fibber McGee & Molly plus Behind The Mike looks at FDR’s third inaugural ceremony and celebration.

We have a great week of birthday specials for some of radio’s top performers including Gale Gordon (Our Miss Brooks, Fibber McGee & Molly, Casebook Of Gregory Hood, My Favorite Husband, Harris & Faye, The Halls Of Ivy); Staats Cotsworth (Casey Crime Photographer & CBS Radio Workshop); Mary Jane Croft (Suspense, Broadway Is My Beat); Edgar Bergen (four Bergen & McCarthy episodes plus hour long broadcasts of The Chase & Sanborn Hour and the New Edgar Bergen Hour); Chester Morris (Boston Blackie); Mary Lee Robb (Marjorie on The Great Gildersleeve); and imposter/restaurateur “Prince” Michael Romanoff.

Happy Valentine’s Day, or as we like to say it on RadioClassics, Happy Birthday, Jack!

This year, for Jack Benny’s birthday, we have two different specials. The first features a two-hour block with four episodes from his long running comedy series, The Jack Benny Program. Whereas the second special finds Benny working with Gail Patrick in Lux Radio Theatre’s “Killer Kates” and stealing the show from Claudette Colbert and Basil Rathbone in a very creative episode of The Screen Guild Theatre.

Some series debut anniversaries this week as we celebrate the quality Frank Lovejoy series Night Beat’s 71st with a First and Finale special. Plus we mark Dangerous Assignment’s 71st and Frontier Gentleman’s 63rd.