These two shows give you an idea of Berle's humour and format in his final season for Philip Morris before being signed by Texaco.
The highlight of the first show is the Pledge to NBC led by a network executive played by Arthur Q. Bryan. It's the kind of thing Nat Hiken would have written for Fred Allen; Hiken and Aaron Ruben jumped from Allen's show to Berle's to Allen's reported annoyance. Berle manages to pull off a pretty good Gabriel Heatter impersonation. At least, he captures Heatter's cadence. Berle, Mary Shipp and Arnold Stang close the show with one of Berle's "Family" sketches. Stang is over-the-top and very funny as the brattiest kid in the world.
Jackson Beck is the second announcer on the closing Philip Morris spot.
The second show includes Al Kelly's double-talk routine incorporated into a reading of "A Visit From St. Nicholas." Berle lets out with one of his "Cynthia" song-speaks (Garry Moore had the same kind of routine on radio with Durante). Billy Sands has replaced Stang in the angered young man routine in the Berle "Forum" sketch. Sorry, Billy, but there's only one Arnold Stang. Pert Kelton, who was later Alice Kramden on DuMont's Cavalcade of Stars, appears as Tallulah Feeney in both shows, and John Gibson is on the second show as the wimpy Mr. Featherfield.
Dick Barney emulates Bing as he sings "White Christmas."
The end is a mess. It sounds like Berle ran late. Announcer Frank Gallop normally did credits at the end but must have been told by the director to skip it. Philip Morris' Johnny Roventini comes on, but Gallop's mike hasn't been cut and he is heard talking with Berle.