#194 • 1938 Charlie McCarthy's Radio Party Game & Book

Part of Green Gallery - Meaders Pottery, Great Estate Items, Fly Fishing Gear & More!! (timed auction by K and B Auction)

High bid $2.00

Status: Available

Framed 1938 Charlie McCarthy's Radio Party board game, complete with original cutout figures of celebrities including Charlie McCarthy, Don Ameche, Nelson Eddy, Dorothy Lamour, Robert Armbruster, and Edgar Bergen. The set includes an intact spinner and a preserved set of rules on the reverse. Also included is "Dummy Days: America's Favorite Ventriloquists from Radio and Early TV" by Kelly Asbury, first edition (2003, Angel City Press). This collection offers a rare pairing, celebrating the Golden Age of radio and ventriloquism history. The Charlie McCarthy's Radio Party game is a vintage 1938 promotional parlor game released by Chase & Sanborn coffee to accompany their popular Sunday night NBC radio broadcast starring ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy. What is Included in the Game • 21 Die-Cut Cardboard Figures: Includes 1 Charlie McCarthy figure and 4 each of Edgar Bergen, Don Ameche, Dorothy Lamour, Nelson Eddy, and Robert Armbruster. • Spinner: A cardboard dial used to determine turn order and gameplay moves. • Instruction Envelope: A custom beige envelope with printed game rules on the front. How to Play • Objective: Players try to collect a complete, unique set of figures without duplicates (including Charlie McCarthy), or collect all 20 of the non-Charlie figures. • Setup: The cardboard figures are laid out face-up in groups on a table, and players spin to see who goes first. • Turns: Players spin the dial and take or exchange figures according to the spinner's instructions. History & Promotion • Mail-In Offer: The game was distributed by Standard Brands Incorporated (makers of Chase & Sanborn) in 1938. • Cost: Customers could obtain the game by mailing in two dated Chase & Sanborn package fronts (or sales slips) along with 10 cents to their New York City office (420 Lexington Avenue) before the promotion expired on November 30, 1938. jrb.