38-11-30 Sade Wants to Buy Vic a Hat

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY,  BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Sade makes elaborate plans with her husband Vic for him to get off work two hours early the following day so that the two can meet downtown for the purpose of buying Vic a new hat.

Sade doesn't seem to trust Vic to buy his own lid, mainly  because Vic likes the popular wide-brim variety (see article at right.)  Sade won't allow Vic to go around and "look like a cowboy from Pennsylvania" - whatever that means; Sade even quips, "Goodness, why don't you buy a lassoo?"  Plus, Vic is prone to get a hat that looks like "the inside of a gunny sack."

Click to enlarge

Vic doesn't like to go hat shopping with Sade at all as she is prone to make him "look a sap."  Apparently, she is so bossy in the store that the "half-wit" clerks think Vic is "a little on the loony side." In turn, Vic gets "sulky and sour" and Sade doesn't like this. Sounds like they make a cute couple in the department store.

Intermingled in the hat conversation is Rush trying to tell a story that shows a lot of promise: Smelly Clark's Uncle Strap escorted a woman to Peoria for purposes of enjoying a fish dinner... but due to the many household interruptions, we sadly never hear the conclusion.

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This show ranks right up there with the very best in the entire run of Vic and Sade. The wide-brimmed hat issue will rear it's ugly head in future episodes and is a one of the funniest running jokes in the series.

Rush's never-completed story - and apparently in another episode that is unfortunately unavailable - he tried to tell the same story without much luck) is funny even without the punchline. All of Rush's stories are exciting even when they are duds. Though I haven't figured out exactly where writer Paul Rhymer was going with this story, the flair that actor Billy Idelson puts behind it, even when constantly interrupted, is one for the Vic and Sade Hall of Fame.

Trivia:

+ Kleeburger's, Silver's and Yamilton's department stores are all mentioned for the first time in the surviving shows.  Washrags are also mentioned for the first time.

+ This is the first time in the surviving episodes that Ruthie Stembottom calls about playing "500", a card game the two families enjoy often.  Her husband, Fred is mentioned but their last name is not mentioned in this episode.

+ Sade jokingly refers to Ruthie and her husband as "Mr. and Mrs. Dumptydoodle."

+ Smelly Clark is mentioned for the first time in the surviving shows.

+ Mr. Buller is mentioned by Vic; when he buys a hat, he simply calls the store and makes them deliver it to him and will pay anywhere from $5-$7; He's not worried about the color or style.  He apparently lives on the edge.

+ Sade suggests that they buy Vic the "Baltimore Banker" style hat.

HAT PICKER

Sade never graduated from high school, and is very proud of her husband's prestigious position as chief accountant for a local plant of a national company. That is, she has social prestige because of Vic's position. She wants him to look the dignified, respectable part. The trouble is, Vic is, by nature, flamboyant, and will not look that part without coercion. If he could, Vic would wear a cowboy hat to work. So, in order to protect her social status, Sade picks Vic's public costume: respectable, narrow-brimmed hats. And I bet she picks his ties, too! - Sarah Cole

{{{HEAR}}} Rush tries to tell a story about Smelly Clark's Uncle Strap (all of the story is edited together.)

Bill Idelson talks about the famous Uncle Strap story (((HEAR)))

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