The Six Shooter planned a special Christmas show for its December 20, 1953, show, but the newspapers didn’t have much to say about it; most simply said “The Six Shooter” in their radio listings. When they did say more, it was like the one below from The Fresno Bee, Fresno, CA:
Jimmy’s character, Britt Ponset, comes across young runaway, Johnny, on the trail. Johnny’s parents are dead and he’s sour on Christmas. Britt decides to tell him the story of Charles Dickens’ The Christmas Carol…or at least as best as he can remember it.
The other actors in the program, who played more than one role each, are very familiar radio voices and may even be more recognizable to TV viewers. Little Johnny is played by twenty-six year old Dick Beals. Because of his distinctive voice, he would continue to play youngsters for years to come. TV viewers will remember him as the voice of Speedy Alka-Seltzer. As Eben Scrooge, we have Howard McNear, who is probably best remembered as Floyd the barber on The Andy Griffith Show. Sam Edwards, another alumnus of The Andy Griffith Show and hundreds of other programs, has the role of Bob. Playing the role of Johnny’s Aunt Millie is Eleanor Audley. Viewers of classic TV will remember her as Millicent Schuyler-Potts, the headmistress of the Potts School on The Beverly Hillbillies or Eddie Albert’s mother on Green Acres.
During the middle break in the show, Hal Gibney announces that beginning on December 31st, the show will be moving from Sunday to Thursday evenings. He makes this same announcement at the end of the show. This change in days doesn’t actually take place until April.
Britt Ponset’s Christmas Carol Part 1:
Britt Ponset’s Christmas Carol Part 2:
Several years after the radio show aired, Stewart bought the rights to this Frank Burt script and turned it into an episode of TV’s General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan. Stewart directed the show, now re-titled as The Trail to Christmas. He also plays the part of Bart, not Britt as in the radio series. The program aired on December 15, 1957. If you search online, you can most likely find a copy to watch.
