Squire Spreads Rumors About Matinee: A Dirty Trick Before Opening Day

Originally Aired: June 13, 1935

In Lum & Abner #129, “Squire Spreads Rumors About Matinee,” opening day tensions erupt as Pine Ridge’s two rival movie houses prepare for their grand debuts. Lum and Abner scramble to outmaneuver Squire Skimp by hosting a Friday matinee, earning the title of the town’s first picture show. But as the duo bumbles through last-minute preparations—complete with Abner mistakenly painting over the box office window—Squire counters with his signature brand of underhanded sabotage. Enlisting the Ladies Uplift League, he spreads a whisper campaign accusing the matinee’s Western film of corrupting the youth. With his snide concern for “firearms education,” Squire aims to shut down the competition before it even begins. Will Pine Ridge’s moral gatekeepers fall for his ruse, or will Lum and Abner pull off their big premiere?

Cast:
Chester Lauck (Lum Edwards), Norris Goff (Abner Peabody), voices of supporting characters including Dick Huddleston, Squire Skimp, and Grandpappy Spears

Tags:
LumAndAbner, oldtimeradio, 1930scomedy, JotEmDownStore, SquireSkimp, PineRidge, radiohumor, vintagebroadcast, Horlicks, ruralcomedy, classicradio, vaudeville, picturehousewar, ladiesupliftleague, westernfilmcontroversy, boxofficeblunder, grandopening, smalltownrivalry, Abnerpaintswindow, sabotagebyphone