Ethel and Albert

Ethel and Albert (aka The Private Lives of Ethel and Albert) was a comedy radio/TV series about a married couple, Ethel and Albert Arbuckle, living in the small town of Sandy Harbor. Created by Peg Lynch, who scripted and portrayed Ethel, the series first aired on local Minnesota radio in the early 1940s, followed by a run on ABC from May 29, 1944 to August 28, 1950.

Richard Widmark, who portrayed Albert in 1944, left after six months and was replaced by Alan Bunce. Ethel and Albert's daughter Suzy (Madeleine Pierce), born in 1946, was the only other voice heard on the series.

Peg Lynch brought her series to television in the early 1950s as a continuing 15-minute segment on The Kate Smith Hour during the 1952-1953 season. The Ethel and Albert television series was launched on NBC (April 25, 1953-December 25, 1954), moved to CBS (June 20, 1955-September 26, 1955) as a summer replacement for December Bride. It finally wound up on ABC (October 14, 1955-July 6, 1956). Humor was often low-key, constructed around simple household situations such as efforts to open a pickle jar. Often Ethel and Albert would attempt to prove the other wrong over some inconsequential matter. In one memorable show was an entire episode built around an argument about whether peripheral vision would make it possible for someone to be seen .