Judy Canova Collection

Judy Canova
(1913 – 1983)

The pigtails-and-calico fad was huge on college campuses across the United States in 1943, which can be attributed to one Miss Judy Canova, born Juliette Canova, and a direct descendent of Italian sculptor Antonio Canova, whose "The Three Graces" are displayed in the Louvre.

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Judy Canova, the character, derived from her then Husband Bob Burns' persona, was first built in to her act early on in her career--basically, a hillbilly, hog caller, and hayseed. Judy started her career in a traveling family group, usually yodeling, singing and playing guitar, with her Sister Annie and her brother Zeke.The sibling trio were called, but what else than the Three Canovas.On a very fortunate night while the Canovas were performing in a nightclub act in New York Cityin 1933, Rudy Vallee, the famous saxophonist and host of his then popularshow Fleischmann Hour, happened tobe in the audience while the Canovas performed. An astonished Vallee approached Judy and asked her to appear on his show.From that moment on, Judy's career left the ground.

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The Judy Canova Show opened with a monologue and novelty song, and then broke out into sidesplitting half hour comedy skit. Sometimes, Judy would go off and tell tall tales about her pig, Loverboy, or about her chopped-liver-ice-cream lovin' Cousin Ureenus. Some memorable catchphrases regularly came from the comic genius of cast member Mel Blanc, who played Pedro the Mexican Gardener-Chauffeur; he once uttered "Pardon me for talking in your face, senorita-thirty days hacienda, April, June, and sombrero." One of the most unforgettable catchphrases came in Judy's closing theme Goodnight Soldier during war times, which went "wherever you may be…my heart's lonely…without you."

Disk 1 and 2 are Judy Canova Show while Vol. 3 contains guest appearances in Judy Canova in various programs including Burns and Allen, Command Performance, Dennis Day, Here's To Veterans, Mail Call, Old Gold Comedy, One Man's Family, Radio Hall of Fame, Recollections at 30, Royal Gelatin Hour (Rudy Vallee), Screen Guild Theater, Sealtest Variety Hour, Its Time To Smile, and Which is Which.

See also: Female Comedians of the Golden Age of Radio