What do you think this is worth? 1938-39 The Wonder Show memorabilia

[DrBrinkley]

As far as I know it was recently discovered that Lucille Ball was in the 1938 Radio Program "The Wonder Show" with her long time professional friend Gale Gordon. Seems like it was one of her first Hollywood jobs around age 27.

Anyways, I was going through a memory book of a well-traveled couple who passed long ago... and inside is a pamphlet sized paper from CBS Studios showing "The Wonder Show". I think they personally went to the studio and watched the radio show performed live...

... and on it is written in pen, in a different color than any other writing nearby in the book and in a bit different style than the other writing in the book "LUCILLE BALL".

Possibly her signature? About 13 years before I Love Lucy?

What do you guys think?

[Hughsgirl]

I have read just about every book written on her - including her own and I don't recall reading or hearing about this show. But if you have seen what you say you have, I would contact the Lucy-Desi Museum in Jamestown, NY. They would probably have an interest in it.

[DrBrinkley]

For years, radio-TV historians and Lucyfans alike have dated Lucille Ball's long professional relationship with Gale Gordon back to 1948, when the two were teamed on CBS Radio's My Favorite Husband. Lucy and Richard Denning starred in that situation comedy, with Gale appearing as Denning's boss.

Now, it seems, the "scholars" were wrong -- by a whopping 10 years! Brian Allen, a collector of old radio programs, has recently unearthed 20 episodes of Jack Haley's 1938-39 radio program, The Wonder Show -- and not only was Lucy a regular on the series, but Gale was the announcer!

http://www.lucyfan.com/wondershow.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i1gLNiPJnY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f7H2C4KKSg

[biffbronson]

I thought I would bring this thread back up, as I found it so interesting and thought others would as well.

Seeing a photo of Gale Gordon as a young man is really something. And didn't Lucy's hair look great?

[LittleRickyII]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

I thought I would bring this thread back up, as I found it so interesting and thought others would as well.

Seeing a photo of Gale Gordon as a young man is really something. And didn't Lucy's hair look great?

Yes, thanks for bringing this up. I'm listening to the Christmas 1938 Wonder Show, and just heard Lucy and Gale exchange dialogue with one another. To realize their professional relationship spanned 48 years, from this show to LWL in 1986, it's pretty amazing. At the time they worked together on this show, Lucy most likely had never even heard of Desi Arnaz. That kind of turns things upside down. People think of Gale Gordon as the guy who took Desi's place on Lucy's show, but in reality, he was there before the beginning.

Originally Posted by DrBrinkley

... and on it is written in pen, in a different color than any other writing nearby in the book and in a bit different style than the other writing in the book "LUCILLE BALL".

Possibly her signature? About 13 years before I Love Lucy?

What do you guys think?

It sounds like you possibly have one of the earliest existing autographs of Lucille Ball, in which case that could be worth a lot. Is it an actual signature? If not, perhaps your friends attended the show and were impressed with Lucille Ball and wanted to remember her name so one of them wrote it down while they were there?