Bob and Ray

Bob and Ray were masters of the absurd. The partnership of Bob Elliot and Ray Goulding began in Boston, where they each had their own show. They would visit each other's programs; their mutual chemistry was so strong that the station paired them, first for Red Sox broadcasts, then for their own show. Their partnership endured for four decades on every major radio network and many stations, primarily in the New York City area. They also appeared on television and stage, as well as on comedy albums when those were in vogue.

Their humor was satirical, delivered in serious, almost deadpan tones which belied its incisiveness. A conversation, even a sentence, would start in one direction and end somewhere entirely unexpected. In their skits, they voiced a number of characters who made regular appearances, such as Arthur Sturdley (based on Arthur Godfrey), Peter Gorey (based on Peter Lorre); and Wally Ballou (an inept reporter).

The earlier shows in this collection are from the Matinee with Bob and Ray show on WHDH in Boston, where they got their start in the late 1940s; the later ones are primarily from a CBS series in the late 1950s.

For more information, see Wikipedia.

Series description provided by Frank Bell.