44-03-25 Testing Mis' Keller's Phone

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

Vic's brought home work from the office. After Sade agrees to stay out his way, Uncle Fletcher shows up with plans to test call Mis' Keller's phone. Doing this provides Vic with mountains of aggravation.

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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Reading the script, you can tell that Sade feels somewhat responsible for her uncle bothering Vic, though she's helpless to change the situation.

Many feel that when Uncle Fletcher is oblivious to everything but himself, that's when he really shines as a character. Someone count the number of times Sade gives her uncle the phone number to his own dwelling!

TRIVIA:

* Apple Spoon-Giggle: a cooked dessert that uses 3 eggs. Sade's recipe uses the yolks. Eggs and especially yolks were a premium during WWII, I believe.

* Russell is missing from this episode. You can count on one hand the number of times Russell is missing from 1944 scripts that we are privy to.

* There's very little here in the way of Uncle Fletcher-story-telling.  However, he does say, "the long drawn-out story of the Snyder brothers – Charlie, Fred, and Mervin that left Belvidere, Illinois in the year nineteen ought three to move to Fiendish, Indiana where they went into the hay, grain, and feed business with their gran'ma…"

* To my knowledge, this is the only time Follersons Hardware was mentioned.

44-03-09 Uncle Fletcher Plans Entertainment For Roy Dejectedly's Visit

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

• Fletcher still expects a visit from Roy Dejectedly.  He's riding down with Harry Giggletta, who's on his way to Springfield on business and will drop Roy off from 7 am to 7 pm.
• Planned entertainment includes a ride on Mr. Gumpox' garbage wagon, an introduction to Ernie Fadler at the Interurban Station, a visit with Pelter Unbleet at the Bright Kentucky Hotel.
• Roy and Pelter both spent the summer of nineteen-aught-nine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, yet they've never met each other.  Also a visit to B. B. Baugh at the Butler House Hotel barber shop, because they're both inventors.
• Fletcher clarifies: Roy didn't actually invent Hyena Grease, but he did discover the ingredients that make it suitable for smearing on shoes.  Uncle Fletcher wants to include a visit to Vic's office on the schedule.  Vic suggests a full inspection tour of the whole works, and Fletcher is thrilled.  "Roy Dejectedly'll scream like a half-wit panther!"
• Vic reads news article aloud: "Windsor, Ontario man experiments with raw oysters."  Sade resents interruption of her own reading.
• "Hartman L. Kacker, little-known merchant of Windsor, Ontario claims he expects to astound science in the near future with new and…"
• Uncle Fletcher on the weather: "Might sneeze itself up a light snow before morning."  - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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If this episode is any indication, the visit by Roy Dejectedly was planned four months ahead (since December 21, 1944 - this would also mean that Paul Rhymer must have had this trip planned in his head/on paper for almost four months).

You wonder why there is a 12 hour window for Gigletta to drop off Roy?

Though the entertainment for Roy seems sparse, one would imagine any of Fletcher's friends in town would enjoy that kind of entertainment; Roy probably would also.

43-12-21 Uncle Fletcher Asks for Lodging for Himself and Roy Dejectedly

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

• Fletcher: "…like Ernie Fadler's brother-in-law there in Quincy… originally lived in Mayfield, Kentucky.  In fact he married a Mayfield, Kentucky woman.  Tell ya the honest truth, it was a woman way over thirty years old.  Well sir, Ernie's brother-in-law had always wanted to live in Quincy, Illinois because of his fondness for the Ohio River.  You'll hafta pardon me, Sadie.  I'm mixed up with another half-wit.  I got Ernie Fadler's brother-in-law confused with Art Voocherley's brother-in-law.  It was Art's brother-in-law married the thirty year old Mayfield, Kentucky woman and moved to Quincy."  
• Sade agrees to let Uncle Fletcher and Roy Dejectedly use the spare bedroom.
• Fletcher: "Martin Jordle there in Sycamore was a farmer seven miles northwest of Sycamore, and he was bothered by too many people coming out for supper evenings. they'd come out from Kingston and Kirkland and Genoa there in droves for supper.  See, Martin's wife Alvira was such a delicious cook.  Know what Martin done to curb that heavy run of moochers?  He bought twenty-seven fierce bulls.  He set them twenty-seven fierce bulls to grazing in his front yard. the number of people coming out for supper evenings dropped off something wonderful.  Martin Jordle of Sycamore, Illinois could talk the language of the horse.  ‘Give me a match, Walter,' he'd say in horse-talk and his horse would scratch around in the stable looking for a match." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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There was a real Martin Jordle; he was the man who took care of Paul Rhymer's farm (in the story told here, Jordle is a farmer as well.)  I'm assuming he really did have a wife named Alvira.

The Jordles show up now and again in Vic and Sade lore, and  they are always doing something crazy. They led fascinating lives and I suggest you look them both up at the Character website.

43-12-14 Misery in Dismal Seepage, Ohio

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND MERRILL MAEL

• Vic: "It's simple as a horse, Sadie. The towns of Dismal Seepage, Ohio and Sick River Junction, Kentucky have this keen athletic rivalry.  They play some game called, "Misery" on January the twenty-sixth, a date commemorating the tragic disappearance of the entire town of Spider Plague, Missouri, which sunk without cause into the muddy waters of the Wretched Indian River during the coldest winter ever experienced in…"
• Uncle Fletcher: "I like the noon-hour – always did.  Sade, I expect you remember Art McSwitchel there in Belvidere and his opinion on the noon-hour.  This was Art McSwitchel – not Frank."
• Fletcher refers to Vic's friend "Mary" Greetcham, the Mayor of the City.  Vic: "His name is not 'Mary.'  His name is Robert.  Robert S. Greetcham.  Mayor Robert S. Greetcham."
• Fletcher wants Vic to ask the mayor for advice on his intention to sue the Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy.  He had ordered three weenie sandwiches, and the waitress neglected to put the condiments on the counter.  He was visiting with Ernie Fadler and ate all three weenies and then realized he hadn't added condiments.  Vic says Fletcher has no case.  Uncle Fletcher wants Vic to get "Mary's" opinion.
• Finally Vic gets to explain to Sade:  the members of the lodge's All-Star Marching Team have been asked to go to Dismal Seepage, Ohio for the game of "Misery" because everyone on the Sick River Junction team has died and the marching team is needed to substitute for the deceased. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason  

SEE THE SCRIPT

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What's amazing is we have a tragedy - where the local holiday in Dismal Seepage is termed, "Misery" - and while Vic and his Marching Team are making plans to go to be a part of the remembrance, Uncle Fletcher (who we know was Merrill Mael in this episode) is oblivious to it all.

Look at the names of the places:

Dismal Seepage
Sick River Junction
Spider Plague
Wretched Indian River

Bill Idelson said this about grim situations and writer Paul Rhymer: (((HEAR)))

The concept of suing others in this show does not go unnoticed.  Blue Tooth Johnson once wanted to sue the Bijou and had done so previously (without luck.)  Rush also had a lawsuit all worked up in his head one time.  And now, Uncle Fletcher may sue over his three weenie sandwiches, sans condiments.

Uncle Fletcher previously referred to Mayor Greecham as "Mary" in this episode.

This episode was wonderfully recreated by the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound in 1994 and can be heard here:  (((HEAR)))

Thanks to them.

SEE THE SCRIPT  (very large, be patient when loading)

43-12-01 B. B. Baugh and the 10-Cent Store Weigh-Machine

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• Sade and Mis' Harris had been talking about the effects of furnace heat.  Mis' Harris' roomer Mr. Sludge had been sitting on the floor by the hot-air register night before last or sometime, putting sticks of peppermint candy in rows and making houses out ‘em, and all of a sudden he just sprawled out fast asleep.
• Russell returns from having gone to the YMCA to watch the fat men play handball but was disappointed – it was all skinny fellas.  "they don't fall down and they don't get out of breath and they don't waddle around and bump into junk and they …"
• Sade: "You stay and watch the skinny fellas?  Russell: "For maybe half an hour.  Kept hoping some good old trusty, dependable fat men'd show up.  But none did.
• He eventually went to the Illinois Traction System Depot (i.e., the Interurban Station) to get warm and encountered a group of other guys in there getting warm:  Hank Gutstop, B. B. Baugh, Rishigan Fishigan from Sishigan, Michigan,  Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber, Stacy Yopp, Ernie Fadler, and Uncle Fletcher.
• Sade objects to Russell hanging out with that crowd even if Uncle Fletcher is with them.  Vic sees no harm in it.  She's shocked to learn the topic of discussion was "women."  Russell clarifies they were discussing the psychology of how women react when they step on a penny weighing-machine.  B. B. Baugh, who owns the peanut machine at the Interurban Station is considering the purchase of the 10-cent store weighing-machine.  Women prefer a machine that registers lower, rather than actual, weight.
• Sade is shocked to learn that her name was mentioned - by Uncle Fletcher - who mentioned Sade, Ruthie, and Mis' Keller complain about the 10-cent store machine because it gives correct weight.  He said they prefer the machine at Kleeberger's because it registers three to five pounds lower than reality.  B. B. plans to buy the 10-cent store machine and gear it down so it'll register ten pounds below reality, and then hire agents to spread the news among the ladies. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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It's been said by both Vic and Uncle Fletcher that B.B. Baugh is the most-enterprising businessman in town.  Though the cost of getting weighed is only a penny in 1943, you'd think that after 2-3 years, it'd be clear profit for Baugh, who seems to take low-risk money gambles.

Sade worries about Russell hanging out with Fletcher's gang of cronies, while Vic sees no harm; Vic shouldn't see any harm as they are all his friends as well!  I can imagine Sade saying: "There's nothing more frightening than a gang of seedy barbers and peanut machine misfits filling my little son's head with oceans of talky-talk and trashy-trash!"

Trivia:

+ Paul Rhymer used the word, soporific.

43-11-25 Fletcher's All Dressed-Up

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

Yes!

Both Vic and Russell have just seen Uncle Fletcher on Kelsey Street all dressed up. Uncle Fletcher stops past and they try to find out why... Uncle Fletcher explains he'd been sitting on the cistern lid whittling a shoe-horn when Mis' Keller poked her head out the window and suggested it would be a good time to fix his everyday pants, which he had on. So he changed into his good pants. Figured it would make sense to put on his good shirt, too. And his good coat and shoes and vest and suspenders and sleeve-garters, and socks and hat.

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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When someone asks you what Vic and Sade is really all about - and you tell them that it's not really about anything - and when they give you that puzzled look, you can show them this script.  That's when they shrug their shoulders and leave you as they head for the television.

This episode is simply about Sade's uncle changing clothes.  He figures he'll go ahead and get dressed up, you know, why the heck not?  Vic and Sade and Russell were a bit curious, but really, they really could have cared less!

And THIS is typical of the show.  Even so, it's entertaining as a horse.  For instance, is this not typical of Uncle Fletcher?:

But my favorite is this one:

This episode took place on Thanksgiving day.

45-11-29 Uncle Fletcher Arranges Phone Calls

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

The Gooks entertain elderly Mr. Sprawl while his daughter (Mis' Harris) is out for the evening. But the evening is constantly interrupted by telephone calls as Uncle Fletcher has directed his friends to call him at various locations around town just to make him look important.

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There are 7 phone calls for Fletcher at the Gook house!

Not a funny or interesting show although some trivia is imparted.

Trivia:

+ Mr. Sprawl was born in Boston. Or so he says.

+ Ernie Fadler wears green eye shadow, a cigarette behind his ear and has black dots on his chin due to him accidentally marking on himself with indelible pencil.

+ Uncle Fletcher referred to Vic as his "husband."

+ Pelter Unbleet's imaginary brother was mentioned again by Uncle Fletcher.

+ Uncle Fletcher got phone calls from: Ernie Fadler, B.B. Baugh and Y.I.I.Y Skeeber and there were 3 phones where no message for Uncle Fletcher was taken.

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44-09-01 Arranging the Honeymoon

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

We missed it (in a missing episode) but it appears as though Uncle Fletcher's landlady, Mis' Keller, has finally been proposed to and has accepted a marriage invitation from the fellow from Yellow Jump, North Dakota (whose name, we find out, is Mr. Feedburn.)

Meanwhile Uncle Fletcher claims he's been running himself ragged, making train reservations - but not for the happy couple - for himself. He's going to go on a trip so the honeymooning couple can have the house to themselves. He's taking the honeymoon for them!

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The reason for the couple not going on the honeymoon is because Mis' Keller is afraid to leave the 100 chickens she owns and that they both suffer from train sickness.

Trivia:

+ Vic had been playing indoor horseshoes and had beaten Ike Kneesuffer and Charlie Razorscum. In every episode where we've heard the outcome of the indoor horseshoes, Vic has always been the winner or was ahead when he dragged away for some duty at his house.


+ Just as in a previous episode, Uncle Fletcher says "pow pow" instead of "pow-wow."

+ One of the cities that Uncle Fletcher tried to make a train reservation for was Illiopis, Illinois. In the year 2000 census, less than 1000 people lived there.

+ The honeymoon couple plan to see the sites of the town. One of the sites mentioned was the football stadium. This is the first mention that the town had a stadium or a football team.

+ Uncle Fletcher nonchalantly mentions that he will be able to keep his room at Mis' Keller's house. After all of the stress and strain Sade has gone through about Uncle Fletcher possibly moving to the train-busy area of the Bright Kentucky Hotel, he simply casually mentions this.

In the gloom... {{{HEAR}}}

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44-06-14 Deadman's Trick

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

Uncle Fletcher comes to visit the Gooks at the noon hour, telling them he is going to work the "Deadman's Trick" at the Inter-uban station, filling in for his friend, Ernie Fadler.
He needs to get some sleep before work and his landlady, Mis' Keller is having callers this day; so he asks Sade if he might take a nap over at the Gook house.

He makes mention that he won't be getting up just until time to work (2 AM) and this bewilders both Vic and Russell when they deduce will be asleep close to 14 hours.

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Trivia:

+ "Deadman's Trick" is 2 AM to 10 AM in the morning.

Vic almost explains how a washing machine works: {{{HEAR}}}

Uncle Fletcher seems especially hard of hearing in this episode: {{{HEAR}}} {{{HEAR}}} {{{HEAR}}}

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44-04-19 B.B. Baugh and the New Dentist

STARRING: ARTY VAN HARVEY, BERNRADINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic must sit down and have a man-to-man talk with B.B. Baugh, who is exploiting members of the Drowsy Venus Chapter of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way.

It seems Baugh has hired a bus to travel to Partlow, Illinois and has signed up several members of the Drowsy Venus Chapter to have a tooth pulled by his brother, who is a dentist there. Having a new dental practice, Baugh wants to have his brother start off on the right foot; lodge members would pay $5 to have a tooth extracted, whether they need one extracted or not.

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This episode provides a wealth of information about previously unkown lodge members. The original sound file sounded terrible; I can gladly tell you that now it sounds a great deal better - but still, it's far from perfect.

Trivia:

+ We find out that B.B. Baugh is a barber at the Bright Kentucky Hotel. It's amazing how many barbers that hotel has!

+ As of this episode, the Drowsy Venus Chapter has 50 members, not including Vic Gook.

+ In addition to the other 'irons in the fire' we know B.B. Baugh is involved in, we find out he owns the cole slaw concession at the Lazy Hours Pool Parlor.

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44-04-03 Ted Stembottom

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

The Gooks have noticed they've gotten into the "bad" habit of referring to Fred Stembottom as "Ted" Stembottom; "Ted" is the name that Uncle Fletcher has been calling him.

Fred doesn't even seem to care that Uncle Fletcher calls him "Ted" as mention is made over the months that Uncle Fletcher has met up with Fred on the street and they exchanged pleasentries.

However, Sade is afraid her or her family will slip up and use the name on Fred sometime when they are together playing cards and she does not want to be put in that embarrassing situation. So when Uncle Fletcher comes over, she sits down and has a stern talk with him, which he listens to but seems to ignore.

The episode ends with Fred calling about ice cream and Sade and Vic use the name "Ted" again in reference to him.

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Uncle Fletcher has been referring to Fred as Ted since this surviving episode.

Trivia:

+ Here's a new one... listen to Sade: {{{HEAR}}}

+ Uncle Fletcher is filling in as a ticket taker as a Bijou. The regular ticket taker is Ray Fadler, brother of Ernie Fadler and Emmett Fadler.

+ Sutter Street is mentioned for the first time. There's a hardware store there.

+ Hyena Grease is mentioned by name as something Uncle Fletcher uses to oil his shoes.

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44-01-24 - Vic is Sleeping On the Couch

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL 

The milk wagon is driven by a horse named "Clifton" and Uncle Fletcher claims he knows horse like the back of his hand.

Uncle Fletcher is over at the Gook house and was a guest for supper. He and Russell sit around after supper telling stories while Vic lays on the davenport sleeping and having bad dreams.

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Sade is mad at Vic for sleeping while the Gooks have Uncle Fletcher over as company. And one could say that Vic's bad dreams are a payback for lying there and being a bad host.

Vic (played by Art Van Harvey) does a great job at 'waking up' - and it's just funny. Have a listen (edited): {{{HEAR}}}

Trivia:

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Ed Fungleman who changed his name a bunch of times. He built up a flourishing business buying and selling dead fish. He married a Philadelphia woman who was 24 years old (he was 26) and he made all of her clothes. Sang a tenor solo for 15 cents. He died at age 88.

+ Uncle Fletcher oils his shoes!

+ Howard Honeycrutch was briefly mentioned.

+ Someone knocked a chunk out of Sade's olive and pickle shoe; she eyes Russell but he never confesses. Recall in an earlier episode, Rush is senselessly berated by Sade for accidently breaking an antique pickle and olive shoe.

+ Uncle Fletcher is going to do later half of the milk delivery route the next morning.

Seems that Emmett Fadler's (Ernie Fadler's brother) wife is having her adenoids removed and he wants to watch. The route is Oakland Avenue to Mercer and includes Washington and Florence streets.

Recall that Raymond Belcher Beirman was a milk wagon driver in an earlier episode.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Clifton Hosterflitch who married a Winona, Minnesota woman 21 years old (he was 24.) He tried to teach a bicycle how to kick. (He may have done so too, his story is interrupted by a Vic nightmare.)

+ Lombard (Oyster Cracker's cousin) lives in Galena, Illinois. We can suppose he is vacationing in town with Oyster Cracker over a period of time though as Russell seems to talk about him in every episode.

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43-11-11 Stingyberry Jam

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

(((HEAR)))

B.B. Baugh wants to have Uncle Fletcher peddle his stingyberry jam house-to-house. Sade however, is against the idea.

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Trivia:

+ Uncle Fletcher ran into Ernie Fadler, who had just eaten at the Little Tiny Petite Pheasent Feather Tea Shoppy. He had eaten the following things: fresh bread, mealy potatoes, preserves peaches, olive root, rutabaga shortcake, scalded cucumber and fed grass oxbutter!

+ Uncle Fletcher and Sade both remember Lena Pritchard from Dixon; she was a very smart girl. She could add up the numbers of the boxcars on the train when it went past. But she did it once too often and got hit by a train. Her uncle, Ollie O. McDozer, cried really loud when she got hit.

+ Uncle Flectcher says Ed Winklemanflirch from Dixon could fall asleep 30 to 40 times (presumably in a day.)

+ Sade referred to the stingyberry jam as "horrible" and described it as "green and cloudy and funny."

+ Stingyberry jam contains 46 ingredients.

+ Sam E. Honker (from Belvidere) was a man who married a woman 19 years old and hated well water however he later cultivated a taste for it. He eventually liked well water better than warm lemonade, muskmelon cordial, choke wood fool or any drink.

Vic falls asleep: {{{HEAR}}}

Notice how Russell's "ha ha" sounds like Nelson's "ha ha" on The Simpsons: {{{HEAR}}}

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43-11-03 Watch Fob Collection

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

The Gooks are expecting Fred and Ruthie Stembottom over for a game of "500" when Uncle Flecther appears and sets out telling stories about his box full of watch fobs.

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This episode will remind you of 42-08-xx Washrag Collection and it seems to a major reworking of that script.

The episode has it's moments (as any episode does where Uncle Fletcher is telling stories) but after hearing 42-08-xx Washrag Collection, there's not many surprises.

Trivia:

+ Uncle Fletcher wants to go to the Bright Kentucky Hotel to visit Rishigan Fishigan. Since he'd have to cross the tracks to get to the hotel, Sade persuades him to go to the interurban station, which is in effect what we know as the train depot.

Uncle Fletcher seems to be a danger to himself in this episode (and perhaps, slightly out of his mind.) Sade is so concerned about him that she sends Russell to go with him out and about.

+ Ernie Fadler works as a ticket agent at the inter-urban station and is a friend of Uncle Fletcher. Fletcher decides he'll go and show him the watch fob collection.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Earl McFripp from Belvidere, who wore a razor strap as a watch fob. Wore yellow, bulldog-toed Oxfords; one shoe buttoned up while the other was laced up.

+ Uncle Fletcher has a gold watch fob that turned to putty! Originally the property of Dr. Aubrey Collins of Carlock, Illinois; the fob was 18 carart solid gold... but after he moved to Dismal Seepage, Ohio (where the climate is damp and peculiar...) in fifteen years, the climate changed the watch fob gold to putty.

+ The Stembottoms seem to make it inside the house but this is when the episode ends and we never hear their voices.

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