Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for December 22, 2014

Skeezix is running into them all! Gotta love it!

Sheldon Leonard.

Another disastrous decision by Skeezix is in themaking.

Ahhh…..here comes another few days of explaining the word “tout” to the youngsters in the audience.

First Frank Nelson, now Sheldon Leonard…

Just bet on this horse, and you’ll have five times as much Christmas gift money! Here, I’ll take your bet down to the track for you. Just wait here, and I’ll be back.

Now all we need is Walter Tetley…and Kenny Delmar…and Dennis Day (can you sing a comic strip?)…let’s get Gertrude Berg in there somewhere…

God, I love old-time radio. TV can’t touch it.

This will be really stupid.

Although we all know these characters were staples on the “Jack Benny Show” every Christmas, there may be a few younger readers who never watched (or listened) to that show.

Now know how Walt got taken on Nina’s gift.

Tout: Which elevator you takin’?Jack: Number 5.Tout: Uh-uh. Take number 3. It’ll beat 5 to the top by two-and-a-half floors. Jack: But 5 is just about to go up.Tout: Yeah, but she’s carryin’ too much weight.Jack: Well, what about number 1?Tout: 1 is a local; can’t go the distance.

Not that I’ve listened to a lot of Jack Benny Christmas episodes.

Wasn’t Mary Livingstone something to do with Jack Benny too? ;O)

Mary Livingstone? Nah, that was Alice Faye. Or was it Portland Hoffa? Marian Jordan? Gracie Allen? Frances Langford…?