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in 1953, but the revived show was discontinued the following year due to competition from television and Goff's failing health (Goff would eventually recover and continue making media appearances well into the 1960s). The duo twice made attempts to transition to television, but neither effort was
67:
to Abner's attempts to break free from Lum's influence. As co-owners of the Jot 'em Down Store in the fictional town of Pine Ridge, Arkansas, the pair are constantly stumbling upon moneymaking ideas only to find themselves fleeced by nemesis Squire Skimp, before finally finding a way to redeem
236:
The team broadcast more than 5,000 shows, of which over 1,630 episodes exist today. The archive is extensive between 1935 and 1948, a rarity for 15-minute shows that were typically never recorded (most of its contemporary daytime programs have fewer than 100 episodes remaining). As with most
58:
The series was created by co-stars
Chester Lauck (who played Columbus "Lum" Edwards) and Norris Goff (Abner Peabody). Lum always pronounced his own name as Ed'erds and was very annoyed if Abner or anyone brought up his full first name. The two characters performed as a
507:
Early in 2011, negotiations between Ethan C. Nobles of firstarkansasnews.net, the
Chester Lauck family and cartoonist Donnie Pitchford resulted in a new comic strip series based on the classic radio programs and its characters. Beginning June 5, 2011,
223:, along with an orchestra and a live audience. The new format was unpopular and the series came off the air in 1950. Lauck and Goff experimented with other formats during the hiatus, finally changing back to a 15-minute, Monday-Friday show on
598:
237:
old-time radio shows, very little pre-1935 content (in this case, two episodes) survive. Only a handful of post-1948 programs, and some of the 1953–54 revival, have survived; most recordings of those shows are believed to have been
118:. Prior to the audition, the two men decided to change their act and portray two hillbillies, due to the large number of blackface acts already in existence. After only a few shows in Hot Springs, they were picked up nationally by
75:
In addition to the title characters, Lauck also played
Grandpappy Spears and Cedric Weehunt while Goff played Abner, Squire Skimp, Llewelyn "Mousey" Grey, Dick Huddleston, and most of the other characters.
196:
picked up the duo. Miles
Laboratories, manufacturers of Alka-Seltzer and One-A-Day Vitamins, became the longest-running sponsor, backing the program from 1941 until 1948. Over the course of its life,
742:
338:, it featured none of the staff from previous films or the radio series other than Lauck and Goff themselves. The series was never picked up, with the three episodes airing as a film in theaters.
586:
527:
Each strip is accompanied by an audio dramatization with voices, sound effects and music, a feature designed with blind fans of "old time radio" in mind, but one that any reader may access.
157:, the 1934–37 sponsor, offered a number of promotional items, including almanacs and fictional Pine Ridge newspapers. During this period, the show was broadcast on Chicago's
482:
are now available free of charge (see
External Links below for the National Lum and Abner Society) in PDF format as well as audio for the blind (or anyone who chooses to listen).
392:, until 2007. Between 1985 and 2005 the organization held 20 annual conventions (skipping 2004) in Pine Ridge and Mena, Arkansas, playing host to numerous veterans of the
557:
written and directed by Donnie
Pitchford featuring a full cast. The three-hour-long audio theater is available from Waterlogg Productions and Blackstone Audio.
400:
transferred to the NLAS website. Founding officers Sam Brown, Tim Hollis, and Donnie
Pitchford have remained connected to the organization since the beginning.
184:
was one of Mutual's most popular programs. In 1936, Dick
Huddleston of Waters petitioned the United States Post Office to change the town's name to Pine Ridge.
610:
993:
948:
660:
746:
474:
The first NLAS "Reunion" took place in June 2011 as part of the annual Lum and Abner
Festival in Mena, Arkansas to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the
568:
and illustrated by Joe Staton. Lum and Abner were introduced during the crossover in which Tracy rescues Annie, whose own comic strip ended in 2010.
253:
radio show of March 29, 1940, "The Store Closes to Shoot a Movie," announced a break in the radio series in order to make the first film of the
1003:
635:
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978:
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130:, ran until 1932. Lauck and Goff performed several different characters, modeling many of them on the real-life residents of Waters, Arkansas.
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963:
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46:, near where Lauck and Goff grew up, the show proved immensely popular. In 1936, Waters changed its name to "Pine Ridge" after the show's
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show as well as the 75th anniversary of the changing of the name of Waters, Arkansas to Pine Ridge. All 23 years of the NLAS publication
361:
512:
officially began appearing in a "Sunday strip" format with a new installment each Sunday. The comic strip made its newspaper debut in
575:
radio broadcast as well as the 85th anniversary of the naming of Pine Ridge, Arkansas, along with the 10th anniversary of the strip.
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263:, which was released the same year. At a rate of roughly one per year, another five films would be produced in the series.
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Like several of their contemporaries, Lauck and Goff had the opportunity to bring their characters to life in movies. The
224:
205:
368:. A replica of the Jot 'em Down Store stands adjacent to the Museum. Other rural locations named after the show include
396:
radio programs and motion pictures. Since 2007, the NLAS has existed as an organization with free membership with its
1008:
998:
560:
On Sunday, July 20, 2014, the characters of Lum and Abner were awarded a cameo appearance in the Harvey Award-winning
373:
94:, before his adoption of the "Grandpa" persona that made him famous years later, was among the band's first members.
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Plans are underway for a series of radio programs containing the audio contents of all 1985-2025 NLAS Conventions.
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47:
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714:, see, e.g., Olson (2000), p. 173; Head (1976), p. 142; Schwoch (1994). For counterargument and popularity of
300:
471:. Additionally, various family members and personal friends of Chester Lauck and Norris Goff were present.
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NLAS Convention guest stars included radio–television–cinema veterans
Roswell Rogers, Clarence Hartzell,
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Shamrock Hotel program/menu featuring Lum and Abner – biography and photo (c. 1950, Houston, Texas)
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When the Quaker contract expired, Lauck and Goff continued to broadcast on two Texas stations,
832:"A Hindu Miracle Man Will Cure Lum (1941)" in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
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153:(Dallas). In 1933, The Ford Dealers of America became their sponsor for approximately a year.
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219:" to a 30-minute self-contained show. New writers were added, including Flying Tiger ace
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A final NLAS Convention was held in 2015 featuring guest stars John Rose (cartoonist of
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The National Lum and Abner Society, formed in 1984, published a bimonthly newsletter,
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Shamrock Hotel program/menu featuring Lum and Abner – cover (c. 1950, Houston, Texas)
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722:"Some History of the Mutual Broadcasting System/Correspondence: 'Mon, 12 APR 99'"
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743:"Lum and Abner Now Have Real "Pine Ridge," Arkansas » The Arkansas News"
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of Mena, Arkansas on Thursday, July 28, 2011. It has since been signed by
42:
that was produced from 1931 to 1954. Modeled on life in the small town of
448:
170:
158:
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330:, with the film divided into three episodes. Conceived as a three-part
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In 2021, the comic strip celebrated the 90th anniversary of the first
185:
102:
Lauck and Goff had known each other since childhood and attended the
133:
132:
850:
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entered into an agreement with Donnie Pitchford to broadcast the
150:
718:, see, e.g., Hilmes (1997), pp. 107–108; Hollis (2001), p. 41;
201:
166:
119:
661:"Full List of Inductees » Country Music Hall of Fame"
638:. Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Archived from
165:. Effective July 1, 1935, the program was also carried on
320:
had long left radio, a seventh film was released. 1956's
549:
The success of these broadcasts prompted the release of
200:
appeared on all four major radio networks: NBC, Mutual,
34:
was an American network radio comedy program created by
616:
Chester and Mrs. Lauck with Norris and Mrs. Goff, 1941
316:
Ten years after the film series ended, by which point
114:
act which led to an audition at radio station KTHS in
25:
Chester Lauck and Norris Goff as Lum and Abner in 1949
710:
For argument that Mutual was primarily a vehicle for
356:
As well as inspiring the program and its characters,
110:
fraternity. They performed locally and established a
215:
In 1948, the show changed from a 15-minute "comedic
520:of Amity, Arkansas, and the nationally distributed
364:, which opened in the 1970s and is listed on the
724:. History of American Broadcasting (Jeff Miller)
8:
692:. Broadcast Weekly. July 14, 1935. p. 7
90:in keeping with the show's hillbilly humor.
82:, like most sitcoms of the era, had a live
867:The All New “Lum & Abner” Comic Strips
551:100 All New “Lum & Abner” Comic Strips
334:for a TV series and filmed on location in
538:comics as part of his weekly radio show
177:(San Francisco, California). Along with
20:
872:Lum and Abner on Old Time Radio Outlaws
627:
582:
546:radio comics premiered April 13, 2013.
161:, one of the founding members of the
68:themselves. Lum and Abner played the
16:American network radio comedy program
7:
366:National Register of Historic Places
106:together where they both joined the
994:Mutual Broadcasting System programs
228:picked up by a television network.
949:Fictional characters from Arkansas
384:The National Lum and Abner Society
14:
837:1979 interview with Chester Lauck
72:theme with deceptive cleverness.
63:, with Lum generally playing the
770:"What's New from Coast to Coast"
720:McLeod, Elizabeth (1999-04-12).
609:
597:
585:
467:, Ginny Tyler, Nancy Wible, and
1004:NBC Blue Network radio programs
173:(Los Angeles, California), and
944:American comedy radio programs
663:. Mar 14, 2011. Archived from
530:In April 2013, radio producer
487:Barney Google and Snuffy Smith
1:
984:1950s American radio programs
979:1940s American radio programs
974:1930s American radio programs
489:) and Mike Curtis (writer of
969:1954 radio programme endings
964:1931 radio programme debuts
687:"Lum and Abner Still at It"
374:Jot-Um-Down, North Carolina
1030:
163:Mutual Broadcasting System
768:Warren, Jill (May 1953).
192:in 1938–40, before
564:comic strip, written by
480:The Jot 'Em Down Journal
390:The Jot 'Em Down Journal
540:The Comedy-O-Rama Hour
142:
104:University of Arkansas
26:
954:Fictional hillbillies
904:So This Is Washington
293:So This Is Washington
136:
116:Hot Springs, Arkansas
24:
989:American film series
959:American comedy duos
895:The Bashful Bachelor
809:on February 13, 2010
398:Jot 'Em Down Journal
378:Pine Ridge, Oklahoma
362:Lum and Abner Museum
360:is also home to the
358:Pine Ridge, Arkansas
344:Lum and Abner Abroad
323:Lum and Abner Abroad
277:The Bashful Bachelor
169:(Cincinnati, Ohio),
155:Horlicks Malted Milk
749:on October 28, 2007
328:made for television
1009:ABC radio programs
999:NBC radio programs
407:, Elmore Vincent,
370:Jot Em Down, Texas
143:
137:Advertisement for
27:
920:Watch one of the
913:Two Weeks to Live
886:Dreaming Out Loud
667:on March 14, 2011
451:, Barbar Fuller,
285:Two Weeks to Live
269:Dreaming Out Loud
260:Dreaming Out Loud
188:cereal sponsored
149:(Fort Worth) and
86:, in this case a
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1014:Arkansas culture
862:(November, 1933)
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542:. The first two
435:, Forrest Owen,
433:Cathy Lee Crosby
425:Willard Waterman
309:Partners in Time
44:Waters, Arkansas
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326:was originally
251:Lum & Abner
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221:Robert T. Smith
182:, Lum and Abner
180:The Lone Ranger
126:, sponsored by
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437:Mary Lee Robb
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421:Louise Currie
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409:Wendell Niles
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405:Jerry Hausner
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36:Chester Lauck
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31:Lum and Abner
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811:. Retrieved
807:the original
797:
785:. Retrieved
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751:. Retrieved
747:the original
737:
726:. Retrieved
715:
711:
706:
694:. Retrieved
681:
669:. Retrieved
665:the original
655:
644:. Retrieved
640:the original
636:"Pine Ridge"
630:
572:
570:
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559:
550:
548:
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521:
518:The Standard
517:
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465:Robie Lester
445:Frank Bresee
417:Les Tremayne
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194:Alka-Seltzer
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101:
98:Show history
79:
78:
74:
65:straight man
57:
30:
29:
28:
18:
854:Comic Strip
787:29 November
696:22 November
566:Mike Curtis
503:comic strip
453:Sam Edwards
441:Kay Linaker
429:Parley Baer
413:Bobs Watson
128:Quaker Oats
88:string band
40:Norris Goff
933:Categories
728:2010-03-01
646:2011-02-04
622:References
562:Dick Tracy
491:Dick Tracy
457:Dick Beals
336:Yugoslavia
217:soap opera
208:(formerly
84:house band
61:double act
924:TV pilots
842:National
555:audiobook
239:destroyed
112:blackface
108:Sigma Chi
70:hillbilly
449:Fred Foy
210:NBC Blue
159:WGN (AM)
54:Synopsis
846:Society
813:Mar 30,
783:(6): 20
753:Mar 30,
671:Mar 30,
579:Gallery
911:Watch
902:Watch
893:Watch
884:Watch
376:, and
352:Legacy
347:(1956)
312:(1946)
304:(1944)
296:(1943)
288:(1943)
280:(1942)
272:(1940)
255:series
186:Postum
122:, and
878:Video
773:(PDF)
690:(PDF)
553:, an
332:pilot
245:Films
915:1943
906:1943
897:1942
888:1940
815:2020
789:2014
755:2020
698:2015
673:2020
204:and
175:KFRC
151:WFAA
147:WBAP
38:and
493:).
257:,
225:ABC
212:).
206:ABC
202:CBS
171:KNX
167:WLW
120:NBC
935::
781:39
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380:.
372:,
241:.
50:.
817:.
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757:.
731:.
700:.
675:.
649:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
