Life with Luigi


(5 stars; 1 reviews)

Life with Luigi is an American radio situation comedy series which began September 21, 1948, on CBS Radio and broadcast its final episode on March 3, 1953. The action centered on Luigi Basco and his experiences as a newly arrived Italian immigrant in Chicago. Many episodes took place at the night school classes that Luigi attended with other immigrants from different countries. Another common theme involved Luigi's landlord/sponsor, Pasquale, scheming to get Luigi to marry his obese daughter. Perennial character actor and two-time Academy Award nominee J. Carrol Naish played Luigi. Life with Luigi was created by Cy Howard, who had earlier created the hit radio comedy, My Friend Irma. The working title was The Little Immigrant, echoed in the sign-off of each episode, "Your lovin-a son-a, Luigi Basco, the li'l immigrant." Other characters on the show included Pasquale (Alan Reed), another Italian immigrant who is always trying to trap Luigi into marrying his daughter Rosa (Jody Gilbert); native Chicagoan Jimmy (Gil Stratton), Luigi's young business associate; Miss Spaulding (Mary Shipp), Luigi's night school teacher and ideal woman; and Schultz (Hans Conried), a German immigrant and fellow student in Luigi's citizenship class. Each episode used the framing device of Luigi narrating a letter to his mother back in Italy. The show was popular, successfully competing with Bob Hope's The Pepsodent Show. For most of its run, Life with Luigi aired at 9 pm on Tuesdays. Despite an estimated 30% share of the audience in its timeslot, the show was without a sponsor until Wrigley's Gum bought it in 1950, continuing till the show ended in 1953. Synopsis from Wikipedia

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

License

Chapters

Luigi Discovers America 29:45
Diamond Ring 29:44
PTA Meeting 29:44
Medical Insurance 29:45
Admiral Perry Mirror 29:44
Santa Claus Luigi 29:45
The Colonial Antique Silver Cup 29:44
Luigi Needs To Get Married To Keep Jimmy 29:32
First Date With An American Girl 29:44
Surprise Party 29:45
Character References 29:45
Telephone Company 29:45
Luigi Has A Cold 29:46
Luigi Needs Drivers License 29:46
Income Tax Problems 29:46
The Turkey Raffle 29:45
Luigi's First Car 29:45
Dance Lessons At Arthur Murray's 29:46
Momma's Black Silk Nightgown 29:44
Luigi Goes On A Diet 29:44
The Electric Bill 29:46
The North Halstead Street Block Party 29:44
Luigi's Toothache 29:45
The Super Salesman 32:00
The Wedding 29:45
The Race Track 21:35
Papas Coat Pocket 29:45
Pasquale's Birthday Party 29:44
Life Insurance Policy 29:44
The Fourth Of July Parade 29:45
Fire Code Violation 29:45
At The Beach 29:45
Homesick 29:45
X-Ray Pictures 29:44
A Date With Shirley 29:45
The Sore Thumb 29:45
The Drivers License 29:45
Go West Young Man 29:45
Hit And Run Witness 29:45
The Amature Talent Show 29:45
Midget Radio Law Suit 29:44
The North Halstead Street Block Party 29:45
Stock Investments 29:44
Luigi Throws A Party At The Store 29:44
Columbus Day 29:45
The City Zoning Commission 29:45
The Football Game 29:44
No Electioneering 29:43
Hot Dogs For Thanksgiving Dinner 29:45
Mario Lanza Record Album 29:45
The Post Office Breaks Luigi's Christmas Present To Mama 29:46
The Car Insurance Policy 32:00
Gifts For Pasquale 29:45
New Years Phone Call 29:44
Pietro Needs An Overcoat 29:45
Luigi's First Citizenship Papers 29:44
Cold Season 29:32
Using Television To Increase Busines 29:44
Flunking The Final Exam 29:45
The Abraham Lincoln Letter 29:45
Valentines Date At The Pump Room 29:45
George Washington Radio Contest 29:45
Miss Spaldings Open House Party 29:45
Income Tax Season 29:45
Big Brothers Of America 29:45
Rosa Or Park 29:45
Luigi Finds A Wallet 29:45
The Traffic Light 29:44
Basco Is A Good Name 29:45
$50 Donation To Boy's Club Gym 29:46
Smoothie's Cough Syrup Guarantee 29:45
$200 Orchids for Mother's Day 29:26
500516 083 Future American 1953 29:45
Taking A Picture Of Rose 29:44
Luigi's Antiques Are Auctioned Off 29:44
Party Line Troubles 29:45
Luigi Stands up to Pasquale 29:48
July 4th Parade 29:44
Fire In The Store 29:43
First Train Ride - Business Trip To Buffalo 29:44
Luigi Sells Ice Cream 29:43
Lonely Luigi 29:45
Crusade For Freedom Speech 29:45
Trolley Transfer 29:46
Luigi Gives Blood 29:44
Day In New York With Frank Sinatra 29:45
Pasquale Hires A Tutor 29:45
Antique Dealers Of America Association 29:44
Right To Vote Taken Away 29:46
Luigi Opens His Barber Shop 24:42
Headaches Or Heartaches 29:26
Moonlighting At Daisy Jones Pie Factory 29:45
Not Counted By The Census Bureau 29:45
Lost In Chicago 29:44
Luigi Joins Record Collectors Club 29:44
A Christmas Present For Pasquale 29:44
A Visit From Immagration Service 29:44
Ice Skating Party At Lake 29:43
Queen Sheba's Iceberg 29:44
Luigi Deposits A California Check 29:44
Luigi Refuses To Talk To Pasquale 29:45
Graduating From 2A To 2B 29:45
Luigi Finds Out He Has Tonsillitis 29:46
Luigi Has His Tonsils Removed 29:46
Luigi Puts A Negro In His Play 29:46
Luigi Becomes A Gas Station Attendant 29:45
Luigi's Mail Order Suit 29:44
The Spring Walk 29:44
The April Fools Joke 29:46
Bosco-Pasquale Lifetime Shoelace Company 29:46
Miss Spaulding Resigns 29:45
A Date With The Librarian 29:43
Horse And Wagon Delivery Service 29:45
I Want To Be An American Day 29:45
Rosas Makeover For Antique Dealers Dance 29:46
How To Make Minestrone Soup 29:32
Luigi Becomes A Soda Jerk 29:45
Luige Decides To Paint His Own Safety Zones 29:46
Luigi Throws A Party For Salesmen 29:48
Fourth Of July Parade 29:45
Schultz And Olson Not In Luigis Class 29:45
Naming The O'Reilys Baby Contest 29:45
Luigis Block Party 29:46
Luigi Isnt In The Phone Book 29:44
Go West Young Man 29:44
Mama Thinks Luigi Is A Millionaire 29:46
Why Was My Face Red Contest 29:54
Luigi's Dun And Bradstreet Rating 29:44
Luigi Square Dance Caller 29:45
Trick Or Treat 29:43
Luigi Opens Up New Antique Store 29:45
Miss Spaulding Off For A Week - Mr Hines Takes Over 29:45
Luigi's Thanksgiving Dinner For America 29:45
A Christmas Present For Pasquale 29:46
Insurance For Everything 29:44
Luigi Takes Rosa To The Movies 29:46
Rosa Attends Luigi's Night School Class 29:46
Rosa Goes To Head Of Class 29:44
High Standard Of Living 29:45
Homesick 29:44
The Toledo Weighing Machine And Honest Abe 29:44
Civil Defense Job 29:46
Luigi May Lose His Home 29:44
Income Tax Problems 29:45
Luigi Saves Enough To Buy A Car 29:41
Three Little Words 29:44
April Fools Joke 29:45
Easter Birthday Party 29:44
Insomenia 29:45
No Girl For The Dance 29:45
Luigi Wants to Help Out His Country 29:44
Spending The Day At The Beach 30:48
Luigi Faces A Lawsuit 23:59
Horowitz 25th Wedding Aniversary 29:21
Paying the Rent With a Rare Quarter 29:32
Wants to Buy a Refigerator 29:24
Free Lunch Bazaar at School 29:20
Luigi Sends the Government an Idea 29:19
Luigi's Cousin From Italy 29:22
Luigi Wins 'This Is Chicago' Essay Contest 29:27
Miss Spaulding Sends Luigi Home From School 29:31
Worried About School Safety Zone 29:34
Miss Spaulding Is Assigned A Different Class 29:33
Luigi Feels Like a Failure 29:29