Radio Recap: The Bishop and the Gargoyle

I've looked at a number of old-time radio programs that have as few as only two surviving episodes, but I don't normally examine a show that has just one surviving episode. However, I'm breaking that unwritten rule so that I can talk about The Bishop and the Gargoyle!

Ken Lynch (Gargoyle) and Richard Gordon (Bishop). Photo from the Wikipedia page about the series.

It's a little surprising that The Bishop and the Gargoyle has only surviving episode; it aired on the Blue network from September 30, 1936 to February 22, 1937; then revived itself for a second run on NBC's red and blue networks from July 7, 1940 until January 3, 1942. With such a long run, you'd think there'd be more episodes out there! They even had a sponsor: Chase and Sanborn Coffee.

The series was directed by Joseph Bell and written by Frank Wilson. Richard Gordon starred as the Bishop, a retired clergyman who sat on a parole board, which is where he met the Gargoyle (played by Milton Herman, later by Ken Lynch). The Bishop helped parole the Gargoyle and thereafter they were inseparable; together, they solved crimes.

It's a bit like the Archie Goodwin/Nero Wolfe dynamic with the Bishop providing the brainpower, the Gargoyle doing the legwork - but unlike Wolfe, the Bishop would leave his home to take part in the investigation, leaving the Gargoyle to handle any fighting that might occur. There's a good exchange in the surviving episode concerning the Gargoyle's moniker:

Bishop: "Gargoyle, you really are worthy of your name."
Gargoyle: "Why?"
Bishop: "You're so obvious."
Gargoyle: "Okay, I'm a sucker, make me know it."
Bishop: "A gargoyle is an architectural whimsy; a stony decoration in a profane manner to relieve the austerity of a saintly structure. But, obviously, obvious."

One aspect of old-time radio that I've mentioned before is the need for actors to have distinctive voices, especially when there's more than one protagonist performing most of the speaking. In this instance, we have the well-spoken, erudite Bishop contrasted with the 'street' persona of the Gargoyle. The Gargoyle spoke in a Brooklyn accent similar to Ed Gardner's on Duffy's Tavern - plenty of humourous slang. The listener immediately knows who's speaking.

I found the surviving episode a delightful detective program and I certainly would appreciate it if more episodes were found.

The Old-Time Radio Researchers' Group has a copy of the sole surviving episode, which you will find at this link (it's part of their "singles and doubles" collection).

Another Radio Recap of a lone episode tomorrow!