| Type | Girdle Manufacturer |
| Location | Wistful Vista |
| Owner(s) | Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve |
| Featured in | Fibber McGee and Molly (1935) The Great Gildersleeve (1941) |
- “If you want a better corset, of course, it's a Gildersleeve!”
- ―Gildersleeve Girdle Works
Gildersleeve Girdle Works (also written as Gildersleeve Girdleworks) is a prominent girdle manufacturer and multi-faceted enterprise in the whimsical little town of Wistful Vista. It is prominently featured in the 1935 radio series Fibber McGee and Molly, as well as its film adaptations and spin-offs.
Overview[]
President of Gildersleeve Girdleworks, the ever-large and in-charge Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
Gildersleeve Girdleworks is the most prominent business in the quaint and quirky town of Wistful Vista, serving as the backbone of the local economy. Founded and operated by the town's most recognizable and well-rounded entrepreneur, Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, the company specializes in producing affordable, high-quality girdles that have gained popularity both locally and beyond. Despite the seemingly niche market, Gildersleeve Girdleworks has flourished under its charismatic owner, whose booming voice and larger-than-life personality make him as much a part of the company's brand as the products themselves.
Beyond the girdle business, Gildersleeve's entrepreneurial reach extends far and wide, as he owns and operates a variety of smaller business ventures, including various real estate holdings, retail outlets, his own radio program, and even his own dental office for a short time. He also holds investments and stocks in multiple industries such as appliances, metals, pharmaceuticals, theatre, and general manufacturing. His diverse portfolio has made him a force to be reckoned within Wistful Vista's business scene; however, any chance of being recognized for his achievements is often undermined by his frequent nemesis—who is, ironically, also his best friend—Fibber McGee, who never misses an opportunity to mock and humiliate his larger-than-life chum.
- “You're a haa-aa-aa-aard man, McGee!”
- ―Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve
History[]
Gildersleeve began his enterprise at a young age, driven by an eager entrepreneurial spirit and a keen eye for investment. Girdles, in particular, caught his interest, as he saw them as an essential commodity for the average consumer—especially those with increasingly round waistlines, much like his own. Through shrewd investments and years of steady growth, Gildersleeve Girdleworks became a cornerstone of Wistful Vista, providing jobs to many of the town's residents, who grew fond of their jovial employer and his infectious laugh.
In later years, Gildersleeve gradually shifted his corporate focus to the town of Summerfield, where he took on the responsibility of managing the vast estate of his late brother—who had owned much of Summerfield's land and businesses—while also raising his brother's children. Though his focus turned more toward civic duty as Summerfield's faithful water commissioner, Gildersleeve Girdleworks remained a defining pillar of Wistful Vista's economy, ensuring his legacy endured both in business and in the hearts (and waists) of satisfied customers everywhere.
Trivia[]
- Gildersleeve was addressed by several names throughout his appearances on Fibber McGee and Molly, among these included: Homer Gildersleeve, Wilbur Gildersleeve, Wallace Gildersleeve, and others before eventually settling on Throckmorton, with the inconsistencies naturally arising due to most characters simply calling him by his last name or the nickname "Gildy" most of the time.
- Gildersleeve had no heir apparent until the introduction of his niece and nephew in The Great Gildersleeve. However, he was also said to have had a wife since the early years after his debut, but several inconsistencies regarding his married life arose throughout his many media appearances, sometimes being portrayed as married to the enigmatic Mrs. Gildersleeve, or as a bachelor, a widower, a skirt-chaser, or even being engaged on multiple occasions, and one instance even had him claiming that he had never married or dated at all due to having had his heart (and collarbone) broken in college. His most frequent romance was with the southern belle widow, Leila Ransom who he was often paired with or even engaged to inconsistently due to the radio show wishing to maintain a status quo.
- Gildersleeve served as the inspiration for the manager of Stacey's Department Store in the 1945 Looney Tunes short, "Hare Conditioned".