Gildy Turns Off The Water (Aired September 18, 1946) The Great Gildersleeve (1941-1957) was the arguable founding father of the spin-off program, as well as one of the first true situation comedies (as opposed to sketch programs) in broadcast history. Hooked around a character who had been a staple on the classic radio hit Fibber McGee and Molly, The Great Gildersleeve enjoyed its greatest period in the 1940s, when Harold Peary graduated the character from the earlier show into the sitcom and in a quartet of likeable feature films at the height of the show's popularity. THIS EPISODE: September 18, 1946. "Gildy Turns Off The Water" - NBC network. Sponsored by: Kraft Parkay, Pabst-Ett. Gildersleeve decides to turn off the water of the residents who haven't paid their water bill. Bill Kelsey (writer), Earle Ross, Frank Moore (writer), Harold Peary, Jack Meakin (music), John Laing (announcer), Lillian Randolph, Louise Erickson, Richard LeGrand, Shirley Mitchell (?), Walter Tetley. 29:50. Episode Notes From The Radio Gold Index.