44-04-06 Sade Rummy/Russell's Motorcycle

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

For some reason, Vic has chosen Sade for a Rummy partner.  This never goes well, as Sade really doesn't care much about cards (nor the rules of the game).  While the slow game plots along, Russell enters and talks about a "motorcycle" he was given by the neighbor, Mr. Breep.  Sade wants no part of the vehicle.

SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2) (part 3)

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We know that writer Paul Rhymer would often use the scenario of a card game as backdrop, which would enable him to write a real situation for Sade to gossip in (or in this case, drag the game on and on).  The cards mean nothing to the play, other than it's a running gag that Sade hates to play and yet, does for some reason.


The "motorcycle" here has no motor... so, is it still a "motorcycle"?

TRIVIA:

* A 'Mr. Twentysixler' is said to live in Dixon.  You have to wonder if this is Dwight Twentysixler, who shows up in Series 2.

* "Ted" and Ruthie used to own a motorcycle: took trips to Iowa and Indiana on it.

* Russell had recently purchased a first baseman's mitt (for $1.75).  Rush had a few baseball gloves we knew about as well.

* Sade tells Vic that Mis' Appelrot refers to card suits as "suites".  And she's not wrong: "suites" and "suits" are basically the same word.

4x-xx-xx Dwight Twentysixler's Locomotive

Dwight Twentysixler worked for the railroad for 50 years.  Each day he took home a piece of a locomotive.

Eventually, he had put together an engine in his backyard, to the amazement of his friends.

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This gist of an episode was relayed to Carl Reiner via Bill Idelson during the 1960's when the two worked together on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

44-04-13 The Gooks Await News of Fletcher's Visitors

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

• Uncle Fletcher is excited because he's expecting three visitors (Roy Dejectedly from Dixon, Howard Honeycrutch from Belvidere, and Dwight Twentysixler from Dismal Seepage, Ohio) all at the same time, all having made their plans independent of the others.   
• Mis' Keller calls Sade to say Fletcher's on his way over and to warn Sade that he's extremely excited.
• When he arrives, everyone expects him to spill the beans immediately, but he's acting calm and collected as if nothing's new.  They continue to anticipate his announcement will eventually arrive as an eruption.



Enigmatic

• Fletcher reveals "it's considered good luck to use your shoe to wipe mashed potatoes off your chin." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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This running gag of Roy Dejectedly coming for a visit finally ends; it began on December 21, 1943.  There are at least four known episodes that deal with the visit and I imagine there are more than we don't know about.  One of the things I enjoy about the show (and would enjoy more if we had the full run of audio) is these very long running jokes, of which there are many.

Dwight Twentysixler is a big name in the Series 2 and 3 but he's small potatoes in this original run of shows.  He's my favorite "real character" in the other two series but I think if he had been expanded in this original run - with the same attributes - he'd have been as noteworthy as Hank Gutstop or Mr. Gumpox.

Twentysixler has great 'ridiculous characteristics' - something that Rhymer gave some characters and not others.  The more ridiculous and the more talked about, the better.  After all, it's hard to remember a guy when he's only mentioned once.

Fletcher is not excited when he arrives at the Gook house - this is another Rhymer joke.  Fletcher should be jumping up and down but the tempered Fletcher only confounds the Gooks and the audience.

45-12-05 Engagement!

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, BILL IDELSON AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

The rumors going around the neighborhood are true! Dwight Twentysixler and Florence Harris are engaged!

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Dwight must really love Mis' Harris, for he removes his shingle nails for her. And she picks them up and stuffs them in her mouth and talks with them. That's real romance.

Trivia:

+ Sade refers to "Irvin" (the grocery boy) as "Irving" - something usually reserved for Vic.

+ Sade says Dwight "is strange but nice."

+ Rush calls him "an eccentric fellow." Also he notes that "he wears his shoes on the wrong feet" (recall Y.Y. Flirch had once done the same thing.) He also wears his cap backwards - which was pretty odd back in 1945, but is commonplace today.

+ When Uncle Fletcher arrives, he tries to shoo Rush into the cellar so he can talk about the engagement. Uncle Fletcher is all about sending people into the cellar.

+ Uncle Fletcher claims that not only did he introduce Mis' Harris and Dwight, he "engineered" the whole romance between the two. That's probably true, as someone had to interpret Dwight's words since his mouth is always full of shingle nails.

+ The happy couple show up; of course they didn't ring or knock on the door.

+ Mis' Harris coerces Dwight to talk without the shingle nails: {{{HEAR}}}

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45-11-30 Dwight Twentysixler's Scrapbook

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, BILL IDELSON AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

Uncle Fletcher shows Dwight Twentsixler's personal scrapbook to Mis' Harris while Dwight, Sade and Rush look on.

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Not much to this but Uncle Fletcher does tell one small story.

Uncle Fletcher is trying to start a romance between Dwight and Mis' Harris. For whatever reason, Mis' Harris already seems to be enamored with Dwight, although how she can understand him with the nails in his mouth is beyond me.

Trivia:

+ Rush tries to tell about a recent Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman and Gloria Golden film only to be drowned out by Uncle Fletcher.

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45-11-23 Five Sleeping Beauties

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, BILL IDELSON AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

It's late November and quite chilly but Uncle Fletcher and Dwight Twentysixler plan to sleep on the courthouse lawn. They hope to persuade Vic and Rush to join them and also plan to invite Mr. Sprawl, who is over 90 years old.

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It's amazing what fame will do to the common sense of some people (that's not to say that Fletcher Rush and Dwight Twentysixler have any common sense at all.) Ernie Pompell, one of the writers at the newspaper, has promised the men a story (maybe even on the front page) if they'll brave the elements.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to Mr. Twentysixler, a man who always has roof shingles in his mouth. Everything he says is a mumble, yet the Gooks and Uncle Fletcher seem to have figured out his language.

Trivia:

+ The Donahue attic mystery continues: The previous night, Sade says she saw the Donahue's leave for the Bijou at 7:15. Mis' Harris claims at 8 pm, she was the lamp swinging in the attic!

+ Uncle Fletcher lists all of the men who like to sleep on the courthouse lawn during the warmer weather: Sweet Corn McBlock, Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber, Hank Gutstop, B.B. Baugh, Pelter Unbleet and his imaginary brother(!), Roy DelFino and Rishigan Fishigan.  Delfino is a name we have not come across before. He can rub his bare feet together and produce a clear blue flame!

+ Uncle Fletcher has made a habit in "series 2" of calling Rush, "Rushie."

+ We find out Mr. Sprawl's first name is "Mervin."

+ When Fletcher asks Vic and Rush if they would care to join them on the lawn, each answer in the negative before the question can be fully asked.

+ Twentysixler has a married daughter who lives in Dismal Seepage. Ohio.

Voice of Twentysixler: {{{HEAR}}}

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45-11-19 Unwanted Samaritan

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

Mis' Harris and Sade bawl out Uncle Fletcher for being an unwanted "good" samaritan to Mr. Sprawl, Mis' Harris' elderly father.

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Not a horrible beginning to what I shall call 'Series 2.' 

We are introduced to two new voices, Mis' Harris (called "Mrs. Florence Harris" by the announcer) and her father, Mr. Sprawl.

I never imagined Mis' Harris speaking the way she does, although to be honest, I never imagined the voice of Mis' Harris anyway. Mr. Sprawl doesn't say much and since he's brand new to the series, I didn't cringe when I heard his voice.

All-in-all, not a bad experience... however, this is a pretty boring story and likely was not the first episode in the Vic and Sade 'revival.'

Johnny Coons plays the part of Mr. Sprawl and actress Dolly Day plays Mis' Harris.

+ There appears to be something mysterious about the Donahue's attic.  I wish we knew more about the mystery, which I suspect either concludes later or is part of an earlier, missing episode.

+ It appears as though Dwight Twentysixler has a flame for Mis' Harris, who you may recall is a widow.

+ Mr. Sprawl (according to Wikipedia) was played by Johnny Coons. The actress that played Mis' Harris is uncredited.

+ Dr. Miller is Mr. Sprawl's doctor. He prescribed "fresh air and sunshine" for Sprawl, according to Mis' Harris.

+ Sweet Corn McBlock is mentioned. He's probably a large man and a cronie of Uncle Fletcher.

Normal, Illinois is famous for it's sweet corn.

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44-09-04 Out of Town Wedding Guests

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

Although no wedding date has not been announced, Mis' Keller has granted the Gooks and Uncle Fletcher the opportunity to invite two guests each to the future wedding. Sade envisions inviting Fred and Ruthie Stembottom and Uncle Fletcher originally had planned on inviting Pelter Unbleet and Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber.

But Uncle Fletcher realizes that out of town guests would garner more newspaper respect and prompts Vic and Sade to invite H.K. Fleeber, who he recalls "lives in the geographic center of the United States" (Grovelman, South Carolina) and Virgil Skeesh of Sick River Junction, Missouri (the home of the Missouri State Home for the Tall.) Uncle Fletcher changes his mind and decides his guests will be Roy Dejectedly and Dwight Twentysixler.

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The courtship of Mis' Keller is one part of the series where we get to hear what happened from it's beginnings to it's fruition.  Just imagine all the other events we have missed thanks to the idiots at Proctor and Gamble who needlessly threw away so many episodes.

Trivia:

+ There's scuttle that the Razorscums might be moving to Peoria.

+ When originally told they could invite two guests to the wedding, Vic jokes that one of the people he will invite in Homer Heck of Norman Oklahoma.

+ This is the first episode that Virgil Skeesh has been mentioned. He may have had a larger role in one or more previous missing shows (as a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure he did.) We can assume he's a tall person confined to the Missouri State Home of the Tall.

+ This is also the first episode where Dwight Twentysixler is mentioned. He hails from Dismal Seepage, Ohio.

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