TIGHT SHOES

April 12, 1942

The Gulf Screen Guild Theater present Damon Runyon’s comedy Tight Shoes, which was a 1941 Universal Pictures success. 

• Directed and Hosted by: Roger Pryor
• Music by: Oscar Bradley
• Written by: Damon Runyon

The Screen Guild Theater (aka The Screen Guild Players), was one of the most popular drama anthology series during the Golden Age of Radio. At this point it is being sponsored by Gulf Oil. From its first broadcast in 1939, up to its farewell in 1952, it showcased radio adaptations of popular Hollywood films. Many Hollywood names became part of the show, including Bette Davis, Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and many more. The actors’ fees were all donated to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, an organization that provides aid to retired actors. Screen Guild Theater was heard on different radio networks, beginning with CBS from 1939 to 1948, NBC from 1948 to 1950, ABC from 1950 to 1951, and back to CBS until its last episode on June 29, 1952. Throughout its run, a total of 527 episodes were produced.

Tight Shoes was a 1941 comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell based on the 1936 story of the same name by Damon Runyon. The film was produced by Universal Pictures. It was re-released in November 1947. 

The Daily Variety review called the film “…the closest interpretation of the Damon Runyon humor that has yet been brought to the screen." 

The story was again broadcast on radio as part of “The Damon Runyon Theater” on October 30, 1949. The cast included Alan Reed, Gerald Mohr, Frank Lovejoy, Herb Vigran, Sheldon Leonard, William Conrad, Jeff Chandler, Lionel Stander, Sidney Miller, Olive Deering, and Joe De Santis.

RADIO CAST

Lucille Ball (Sybil Anderson) plays the role originated in the film by Binnie Barnes. She had just released her film Valley of the Sun, which was her 54th film since coming to Hollywood in 1933. 

Sylvia Ash is the self-described “Biggest Star on Broadway”. In the film version, Sybil’s last name is Ash. 

Red Skelton (Swifty Miller) plays the role originated in the film by Broderick Crawford. He also starred with Lucille Ball in the films Having Wonderful Time (1938), Thousands Cheer (1943),  Du Barry Was A Lady (1943), Ziegfeld Follies (1946), and The Fuller Brush Girl (1950).  On TV he appeared on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in “Lucy Goes To Alaska” (1958). Ball and Skelton appeared in numerous TV specials together.

In the film version, the character is known as Speedy. 

George Tobias (Blooch) plays the role originated in the film by Edward Gargan. He later appeared with Lucille Ball in the film The Magic Carpet (1951). 

SYNOPSIS

Shoe store owner Amalfi is forced by crook Swifty Miller to allow the business to be a front for illegal gambling.

Jimmy Rupert is a clerk in the store and sells a pair of shoes to Miller that are too small and hurt his feet. Distracted by his pinched feet in the tight shoes, Swifty places a losing bet on the horse named Feet First. A fight ensues with his girlfriend Sybil and she leaves him. He blames his loss on Rupert and gets him fired from the shoe store. In response, Rupert complains about crooked politicians who allow crime to flourish, and successfully runs for office. He is opposed by the newspaper, but supported by Miller’s ex-girlfriend Sybil. On the day he wins the election, Rupert and Sybil are engaged to be married. 

“TIGHT” TRIVIA

This is not Lucille Ball’s only time appearing in a script by Damon Runyon. She often said her favorite performance of hers was in The Big Street (1946), based on the Runyon story “Little Pinks”. 

Lucille Ball did another Damon Runyon story, Sorrowful Jones in 1949, based on his 1932 story “Little Miss Marker,” which had previously been filmed in 1934. Damon Runyon also created the source material for the hit Broadway musical Guys and Dolls (1950), which starred Robert Alda, who went on to make several appearances on “The Lucy Show.” When the film version was made by MGM in 1955, Lucy and Desi were also under contract to the studio. A brief clip of the film was inserted into the middle of an episode of “I Love Lucy” called “Lucy and the Dummy” (S5;E3), although the clip was removed after its initial airing.

Because it was wartime, the Gulf commercials stressed using high-grade gas and motor oil to reduce waste and conserve. 

The story is told in flashback, starting with Swifty Miller in the Army, giving advice to a soldier who wants to burn his shoes because they are hurting his feet. 

“He bet fifty thousand dollars on a nag called Feet First to come in head first, but it was dead first, and carried out feet first.” ~ Sybil  

Like most characters in Runyon stories, Swifty and Sybil are gamblers, and like going to the racetrack.  Lucy and Desi also were fond of horse racing, and frequently attended racing at Del Mar in California. Several episodes of Lucy sitcoms were modeled around racing and racehorses. 

Mr. Amalfi wonders if the government still prints $10,000 bills. He is correct! The bill was last printed in 1934. Even in 1942 there were not many in circulation. Today they are very rare, and the highest value US bill to be accepted for a transaction. 

Swifty says he has bought a new victory suit. Sybil wonders if the victory was at Bull Run? The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the American Civil War. The battle was fought on July 21, 1861. Sylvia is intimating that his suit is woefully out of style. 

Swifty says he’d do anything for Sylvia, even tear up his autographed picture of Roger Pryor. Pryor was a leading man of Broadway and Hollywood, doing 50 films between 1930 and 1945. He was married to Lucille Ball’s friend and co-star Ann Sothern, but the couple divorced the same year this radio show aired. 

“I’m off my onion for ya, sweet pea. Or maybe it’s just gas pushin’ up under my heart.” ~ Swifty

When Sybil entertains at the political rally, the orchestra plays “My Heart Belongs To Daddy” written by Cole Porter for  the 1938 Broadway musical Leave It to Me. Marilyn Monroe would sing it in the 1960 film Let’s Make Love. Lucille Ball sings it on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy the Gun Moll” (TLS S4;E25) on March 14, 1966. In this radio show, Lucille Ball does not sing, we merely hear the orchestra playing. 

A radio reporter talks about the local election using fictional names, but when mentioning the national election, he says “Roosevelt is leading Wilkie.”  This places the date of the action on November 5, 1940, when incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt handily defeated Republican challenger Wendell L. Wilkie for President of the United States. Swifty talks back to the radio and says “Yeah, we know that.”  Due to the war, Roosevelt sought an unprecedented third term, and very few expected him to be defeated in light of his popularity. 

When Jimmy objects to Swifty’s tone around Sybil, Swifty calls him “Emily.”  This is a reference to well known authority on etiquette, Emily Post (1872-1960).  She was an author, whose newspaper columns and radio broadcasts were very popular in the 1940s. 

The show ends with a promotion for next week’s show “A Woman’s Face” starring Bette Davis, Osa Massen, and Conrad Veidt. The 1941 film originally starred Joan Crawford in the role taken by Davis. Massen and Veidt reprise their roles from the MGM film directed by George Cukor. 

The announcer says that Lucille Ball will soon be seen on screen in Little Pinks, which was the working title for The Big Street, also by Damon Runyon.