The program derived from a character Burns performed for five years on Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall entitled "The Arkansas Traveler".
[7] During his teeming years, Burns invented an instrument which he called a "bazooka" out of a gas pipe.
After several jobs at several different radio stations in Los Angeles in 1935, Burns went to New York and got a spot on Rudy Vallée's The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour.
[9][10] In his book on old-time radio, author John Dunning quotes Newsweek in describing Bob Burns as "...resembling Gene Tunney but..." having a voice "...like Will Rogers".
[11] After the death of Rogers in August 1935 in an Alaskan plane crash, Burns decided to leave The Fleischmann Hour.
With assistance of bandleader and radio personality Paul Whiteman, Burns landed a 26-week engagement on singer Bing Crosby's Kraft Music Hall.
In the original cast was Burns playing the Arkansas Traveler and Edna Mae Oliver portraying the eccentric nurse, Hildegarde Withers, that she had popularized in film.
The program's music was originally provided by Billy Artz and Spike Jones and his band, the City Slickers.
The program's title was changed to The Bob Burns Show and moved to Thursday nights at 7:30.
To replace Oliver, actress Ann Thomas was brought in to portray the role of Sharon O'Shaughnessy, Burns' comic foil.
Actors Una Merkel and James Gleason were also brought in to participate in more contemporary sketches with Burns.
The beginning of season four saw the departure of vocalist Simms on the program and the inclusion of her replacement singer Shirley Ross.
The vocalist for this show was Cindy Walker and featured Jack Pepper and Tony Romano in the cast.