Insurance Money Misfire: Sugar Bowls and Schemes

Originally Aired: February 8, 1935

Insurance Money Misfire: Sugar Bowls and Schemes

In this delightfully tangled episode of Lum and Abner, the consequences of a little white lie come crashing down as an insurance adjuster arrives in Pine Ridge ready to settle a claim—for injuries that never existed.

Still pretending to have both arms broken from a fake car accident, Abner finds himself deeper in trouble when his wife Elizabeth—believing the story—files a claim and receives a $200 settlement check. Despite Abner’s protests, Elizabeth and her cousin Pearl are already planning what to buy with the money. The problem? Accepting that money constitutes fraud, and Lum knows it could land both of them in jail.

The panic reaches a peak as Lum and Abner scheme to get the check back before Elizabeth cashes it. The solution? A late-night mission to sneak into the Peabody kitchen and retrieve the check from the sugar bowl—where Elizabeth stores both missionary funds and household savings. With Abner’s arms still “injured,” Lum is stuck doing the dirty work himself.

Meanwhile, the election for President of the soon-to-be-reopened Jot ’Em Down Store heats up. Lum campaigns with flyers and school speeches while Abner tries to keep up—though he’s a little distracted by his looming legal troubles.

A perfect blend of slapstick, satire, and small-town chaos, this episode showcases why Lum and Abner remains one of the most beloved radio comedies of all time.

Keywords: “Lum and Abner insurance episode,” “Abner fake broken arms story,” “February 1935 Pine Ridge radio,” “Horlicks flashlight election promo,” “Jot ’Em Down Store president vote,” “sugar bowl insurance check scheme,” “Elizabeth and Pearl shopping plans.”

Cast: Chester Lauck (Lum), Norris Goff (Abner), Clarence Hartzell (Cedric Weehunt), Carlton Brickert (Announcer).