Bickersons, The

The Bickersons was a series of radio and television comedy sketches that began in 1946 on NBC radio. The show’s married protagonists, portrayed by Don Ameche (later by Lew Parker) and Frances Langford, spent nearly all their time together in relentless verbal war. 

The Stars

Don Ameche and Frances Langford were the stars of The Bickersons, playing the roles of the bickering married couple John and Blanche Bickerson. Ameche was a well-known film and radio actor, while Langford was a popular singer and actress. Their on-screen chemistry and comedic timing were essential to the success of the show.

When the series moved to television, Lew Parker took over the role of John Bickerson, but the show did not achieve the same level of success as the radio version. Langford and Parker lacked the seamless anti-chemistry that Langford shared with Ameche.

Key Dates

• The Bickersons first appeared as a 15-minute sketch on the 1946 NBC radio program Drene Time, starring Ameche and Langford. The characters then appeared on The Old Gold Show and The Chase and Sanborn Hour before getting their own stand-alone radio series on CBS in the summer of 1951, which lasted for 13 episodes. 

• The television version of The Bickersons aired as a segment on the DuMont network’s Star Time series in 1950-1951, with Lew Parker in the role of John Bickerson. 

Other Information

The Bickersons was created by writer Philip Rapp, who had previously created the popular Baby Snooks radio sketches. The show’s bickering couple dynamic inspired later television series like The Honeymooners.

The series was also referenced in other media, such as the film MASH and the TV series NewsRadio. Recordings of Ameche and Langford’s performances as the Bickersons were later released on LP albums by Columbia Records.

Despite the show’s relatively short run, The Bickersons remains a classic example of the “battle of the sexes” comedy genre in old-time radio. The show’s sharp, witty dialogue and the chemistry between its stars have ensured its enduring popularity and influence.