The Bickersons was a radio comedy sketch series that began in 1946 on NBC with Don Ameche and Frances Langford, moving the following year to CBS where it continued until 1951. Born as a recurring skit on The Chase and Sanborn Hour and refined on the lesser-remembered Drene Time variety show, it stood the already-typical domestic presentation of radio and its infant offspring, television, so squarely on its head that there were those who feared the show. The show's married protagonists spent nearly all their time together in relentless verbal war, and many people believed that the show's sourly cynical take on the institution of marriage was detrimental to the nation's post-World War II health. (Similar charges were later leveled against programs such as Married... with Children and The Simpsons.)

The Bickersons was created by Philip Rapp, the one-time Eddie Cantor writer who had also created the Fanny Brice skits (for The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air and Maxwell House Coffee Time) that grew into radio's Baby Snooks. Several years after the latter established itself a long-running favourite, Rapp developed and presented John and Blanche Bickerson, first as a short sketch on The Old Gold Show and The Chase and Sanborn Hour (the show that made stars of Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy), and then as a 15-minute situational sketch as part of Drene Time. This was a variety show starring Don Ameche and singer-actress Frances Langford as co-hosts, airing on NBC and sponsored by Drene Shampoo. Announcing the show—and later familiar to television viewers as The Millionaire's presenter and executive secretary, Michael Anthony—was Marvin Miller.

Drene Time typically opened with Langford singing a big band-style arrangement before Ameche and Langford would slip into routine comedy, often aided by co-star (and future Make Room for Daddy star) Danny Thomas, in routines that often hooked around Ameche's frustration that Thomas seemed more interested in modern technology and discoveries than in women. After another musical number and a commercial spot for Drene Shampoo, Miller would announce Ameche and Langford as the Bickersons, "in 'The Honeymoon's Over'," for the final 15 minutes of the show.

Volume 1 Episode List

x3-x2-47 John's Business Trip 47-02-23 After the Honeymoon 47-03-30 Episode John's New Fi 47-05-18 Blanche's Stomach Pains 48-03-xx Episode 12 48-05-14 Two Weeks with Pay 51-06-05 The Fatal Anniversery Present 51-xx-xx John's Snoring Lew P 51-xx-xx The Gooseby Vacation 51-xx-xx The Mink Coat 8th Wedding Anniversary Amos's Bachelor Party Amos Borrows John's Tuxedo Amos Borrows The Car Amos Does Time Anniversary Party Bachelor Dinner Bachelor Party Best Of The Bickersons 1 Best Of The Bickersons 2 Bickersons Lose Their Apartment Bickersons On NBC 67-10-14 Birthday Present Blanche Bets On The Horses Blanche's Expensive Injury Blanche's New Coat Breakfast

Car Repairs Teaching Blanche T Christmas Eve Easter Parade Eunice's Wedding Hospital Stay Income Tax Refund John Goes To Las Vegas John Makes Out His Will John The Shoplifter Kitty's Litter New Apartment Pink Slip Presidential Suite Race Track Reading The Will Second Honeymoon Street Car Conductor The Cruise The Kitty's Litter The Movie The New Puppy The New Tux The Operation The Will Two Routines Vacation Trailer Valentine'sDay