December 25, 1944: Christmas at St. Albans with Fred Allen and Judge James Wallace

In this Christmas Day 1944 broadcast of Information Please, host Clifton Fadiman leads the panel from the Naval Hospital in St. Albans, New York, bringing holiday cheer to service members and listeners alike. Regular experts Franklin P. Adams and John Kieran are joined by special guests Fred Allen, the famed radio comedian, and Judge James G. Wallace of the New York Court of General Sessions. The panel tackles a wide-ranging set of listener-submitted questions covering advertising slogans, classic songs, literary quotations, and colorful moments from theatrical and boxing history. Fred Allen’s sharp wit keeps the room lively, while the experts puzzle through riddles about Gilbert and Sullivan lyrics, the traditional “birthday” of racehorses, and the origins of familiar catchphrases. Highlights include musical clues that lead the panel to sing well-known tunes, humorous speculation about whether one would dare play cards with fictional characters like Clark Kent, and stories from vaudeville and early stage acts involving unusual props—from ham sandwiches to ears of corn. Broadcast in a festive wartime setting and closing with a heartfelt holiday message to servicemen and women, this episode blends trivia, laughter, and seasonal goodwill—capturing the spirit of Christmas with the quick minds and camaraderie that made Information Please a radio classic.