[1] Lionel Barrymore starred as the unnamed mayor of Springdale, a community typical of those in other radio programs of the era, such as Summerfield in The Great Gildersleeve and River's End in Dr. Christian.
The mayor's housekeeper, Marilly (Agnes Moorehead), and his ward, Butch (Conrad Binyon) usually played key roles in episodes.
The writer opined that except for selling the sponsor's product, Mayor of the Town "is otherwise devoid of merit.
"[3] In contrast, radio historian John Dunning commented that Mayor of the Town "gave a realistic portrait of rural living.
"[4] "Often the stories were coming-of-age pieces," he wrote, "focusing on the mayor's special relationship with Butch.