35-04-17 Lodge Library

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Vic is the owner of his own lodge library, which he has purchased at a discount rate.  But no matter how much of a discount he got, Sade's not happy.

SEE THE SCRIPT (page 1) (page 2)

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What we encounter here is the first time of many for the Lodge Library, which holds, for us, countless smiles, titters and guffaws.

This script seems to border on boring, to be blunt, but I believe writer Paul Rhymer did this on purpose - and he also withheld any and all funny business inside the books - so that he could employ them with wacky fraternal surprise the next times they would be used.

It's my guess that the Lodge Library would be used at least an average of once a week for the rest of the series.  That's a lot of episodes.  And a lot of mileage he got out of the endless pages.

Not pleased...

Oddly, the always-important Volume VII is not mentioned in this episode, and the books themselves point to John B. Rafunnel, Ira Guppy, James L. White and T. Lester Konk founding the lodge in 1857.  This differs than the song Vic sang in 1936 (Jolly lads, come quick to me, a story I will tell about the Sacred Stars Of The Milky Way, the organization we love so well. ‘Twas founded in 1833 by six wise men so true. Their names were Howard Conk, J.M. Dupe, L.W. Rotmyer, Anderson...)  And, of course, later, R.J. Konk would be ''rightfully'' credited.  Maybe an episode existed about a smooth, engraved stone that was found within the city limits of Sweet Esther, Wisconsin, that prove R.J. Konk was the true founder.  We may never know.

Trivia:

+ Vic lives in the "Ratfunnel" Belt; this seems to be the Great Lakes area once frequented by John B. Ratfunnel. 

+ A joke, or not a joke? (((hear)))

41-12-09 Hank Appointed Lodge's Best-Looking Man

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Vic has news to tell that he knows will bring Sade's scoffing and ridicule: Hank Gutstop has been elected as the lodge's Best-looking Man!

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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There's really not much to this script; it's just an excuse to put down the lodge and Gutstop. Sade doesn't think Hank is good-looking at all, and the ritualistic way in which he was chosen (blonde boy pulls his name out of a hat) is just a reminder of just how silly the lodge can be.

Trivia:

+ Rush mentions that he was reading about counterfeiting parachute jumpers in his Third Lieutenant Stanley book.

+ Gutstop was at the Lazy Hours Pool Hall playing bottle-pool.

+ Rush is bursting with knowledge again about the various idioms his parents are dishing out.  However, they could care less.  Rush seems to know his idiom sources quite well.

+ Instead of borrowing funds from Vic to buy new clothes, this time Hank just wants to borrow Vic's nice clothes (but not his socks).

+ Cuddy Jackson was mentioned. A member of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way lodge. He stands four feet, eleven inches tall, is bald and has no teeth.

+ This episode aired two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  You wonder what kind of mood the listener may have been in and if this episode made them happy or if they even cared?

42-12-18 Vic and Dr. Keevy

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Sade tries to sucker Vic to go on a trip to the Bijou (Gloria Golden, ugh!) and also visit Dr. Keevy's office, which has recently been refurnished. In the end though, Vic's well-documented fear of the dentist saves the day.

SEE THE SCRIPT: (part 1) (part 2)

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Until now, we've been under the impression that various Dr. Keevy's office rendezvous with Lolita di Rienzi and Pom Pom Cordova were all Vic's idea.  The script here suggests the original idea for using Keevy's office as a meeting place, belonged to Sade.

+ Gloria Golden and Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman teamed up on screen for the flick, Kiss Oh Kiss These Lips of Mine, Assistant Trailer-Camp Manager Anderson.

+ Rush mentions the National Safety Council.  It sounds like they may have asked Paul Rhymer to include a PSA... and he double-crossed them:

+ Dr. Keevy's grand furnishings set him back $200. That's about $3000 today!

43-12-13 Holiday Parade

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic comes home from his lodge meeting to an unsympathetic family, when he tells them of his parade plans gone awry.

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)
 

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Vic made elaborate plans for not only the actual parade, but for hours of practice for the members after work each day, leading up to the
parade.  His plans included each member buying a $14 uniform and formations so elaborate, that they would spell out phrases (such as 'Sacred Stars of the Milky Way').

Investing time and money so near the holidays probably was the back-breaker.  Even Hank Gutstop, who had earlier supported Vic's marching plans, eventually bows out.

Sade and Russell give Vic no support and are unempathetic to his disappointment.  While Russell throws questions at Vic that are pertinent, Sade simply derides his plans.

Trivia:

+ Vic claims the Drowsy Venus Chapter has 150 members; yet four months from this airing, there will be just 51.  Is this a continuity problem, or was there a mass exodus?

+ This is the first we've ever heard of Tatman's vacant lot being used by anyone other than the neighborhood boys for baseball or football.

35-07-04 What to Watch?

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN  AND BILL IDELSON

It's Independence Day. Sade wants to watch a film at the Bijou: Annabel Ainsworth is starring in Madness Beneath the Moon.

Vic has other plans; he wants to take in a baseball game between workers of the Chicago Alton railroad.

Sade hates baseball. Vic doesn't really enjoy motion pictures.  He's especially not fond of Miss Ainsworth and has many a derogatory thing to say about her and her suspect acting abilities ("I wouldn't walk across the street to see her do a flip-flop").

The couple (and Rush) argue the merits of each but are soon sidetracked as Hank Gutstop collapses from heat stroke and that's what they watch instead.

The title is one I have given to the episode purely for identification purposes.

[The gist of this episode is revealed in the book,Vic and Sade on the Radio: A Cultural History of Paul Rhymer's Daytime Series]

40-05-xx Hank Gutstop Drummed Out of Lodge

Vic has to drum Hank Gutstop out of the lodge for not paying his dues.

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We can be fairly certain this episode took place because it is mentioned in episode 40-05-06 Working Out Hank's Indebtedness.

[This episode is not to be confused with episode 42-xx-xx Lodge Speech Rehearsal, which appears to be very, very similar.  We know the above episode wasn't referring to Lodge Speech Rehearsal due to the dates.]

 + In an interview in the 1970's, Bill Idelson (Rush) recalls Vic drumming Gutstop out of the lodge and removing his buttons: {{{HEAR}}}

The date given is accurate according to the information, except we have no specific day in May of 1940.  The title is one I have given the episode purely for identification purposes.

40-08-12 Sade's House is Not the Way She Left It

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON 

Sade's come home from a trip to Carberry and notices the house is surprisingly clean but things are not exactly where they were when she left.

She comes to find out that (mostly) Blue Tooth Johnson made a mess and Rush had to clean it up.  He gets a few things mixed up but for the most part, Sade seems surprised and pleased.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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Vic broke an olive and pickle plate but Sade wasn't in the least bit upset. Fifteen months later, Sade would be very upset when Rush would break her antique pickle and olive shoe and still seething, would even write a poem about it 11 months later to convey her feelings.

39-06-21 Vic Memorizes Lodge Ritual

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON 

Vic needs either Sade or Rush to listen to him recite his lodge ritual.  It's soon apparent that Sade won't be any help, so the job is foisted upon Rush.

While Vic recites, Rush annoys Vic by pointing out the many typographical errors.

Finally, Vic, upset that the can't even run through more than just a few lines, scurries off upstairs so he can be alone.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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This is a funny script.  Sade halfway sabotages Vic while Rush does it without really meaning to.

The only parts of the ritual we learn from the script:

Hurry to the splashing fountain, maidens. Dabble your pale feet in the crystal water an' weave garlands of roses. The heroes have returned from the fray an' will shortly squat before the camp-fire to pow-wow an' parley."
 
Ah, here they are now! An' our Exalted Little Dipper leads them. Sky-brother Franklin Gutstop, take your station. Instruct your followers to throw their tired bodies on the grass an' rest. Sing a song of courage...

It was mentioned that Rush would be spending the next week in Carberry (June 25th - July 1st.)

Rush and Sade were playing Rummy; Sade is a terrible player and we have learned in other episodes that she dislikes the game.

Miss Gregg is a secretary (and a bad typist) of some sort for the lodge.

xx-xx-xx Hank Sells Homemade Candy

Hank Gutstop has a job selling homemade candy.

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This synopsis was mentioned in 40-06-21 Hank's Job Royal Throne Barbershop.

The date is unknown and the title is one I gave the episode purely for identification purposes.

40-06-21 Hank's Job - Royal Throne Barbershop

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON 

Vic is excited.  He's just gotten off the telephone with his pal, Hank Gutstop, who informs him that he's gotten a new job at the Royal Throne 25 Cent Barbershop.

He procured the job by coming up with ideas to help improve business, plus he knows so many fellows in town that Ed Holvey, the shop owner, decided to give him a job.

But Hank, who has a bad history with holding a job, may not last the whole afternoon...

MIS' CROWE SAYS:
Hank has a new job as a publicity manager for the Royal Throne Barbershop. Vic shares some of his ideas.

Hank has stumbled upon yet another job opportunity that will benefit him more than it will benefit his employers (free room and board, free lunch, and free haircuts included), but he can’t even hang onto that for a whole episode. Vic’s unending faith in him, given his employment history, is touching. Hank’s ideas are intriguing, but I’m not sure how well they’d actually work. Free lunch in a barbershop seems a little unsanitary. I’m worried you’d end up with hair clippings in your sandwich.
I’m always struck by this little moment in this episode:

SADE: I had quite a little conversation with Mis’ Eapers today.
VIC: How’s she?
SADE: All right. Little leaner than she was, I thought.
VIC: How’s TJ?
SADE: I never asked after TJ. Kinda afraid to, don’t ya know. After he was in jail those four times a person anymore kinda hates to inquire. Might make it embarrassin’.

"Vic and Sade" is full of little details like this — just passing comments that help add depth to the fictional community. Often they’re humorous or idyllic, but not always. Small towns all have those little things that everybody knows about but are too afraid, embarrassed, or polite to talk about. This moment always feels a little jarring to me because Vic and Sade talk about things like this so seldom. It’s also jarring because of the actors’ line readings — it’s the kind of thing that could have been played for laughs or not, depending on how the actors read it, and it is definitely not a humorous read (because Vic and Sade wouldn’t joke about this kind of thing). Listen to Vic’s voice, low and serious and sounding as if he’s anticipating bad news, when he asks "How’s TJ?", and Sade’s concerned tone as she answers. Notice, also, that she waits until Rush is out of the room before she even brings this subject up. Much like Rhymer’s rare and oblique references to World War II, this reference reminds you that darkness exists in Vic and Sade’s world — it just stays in the background, in other people’s lives. It’s these little details that add verisimilitude to "Vic and Sade" and make it the great portrayal of life that it is.

SEE THE SCRIPT (transcribed by Lydia Crowe)

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Trivia:

+ Rush infers that Hank once had a job selling homemade candy.

+ Some of Hank's barbershop ideas include:

• Free lunch - there was no talk of what this may constitute.
• Improving the appearance of the barbershop - no details were given
• Every 50th haircut free - Rush worked it out that it may take three years to get a free haircut.

+ Ed Holvey is always sleeping in the barber chair.  Rush says he lives there - Hank had plans to live there too (also sleeping a barber chair) as part of his payment.

+ Mr. Sludge came home crying again this day.

+ The barbershop is a hot place, according to Rush - no breeze can get in there.

+ Jim Skooner at the Butler House hotel barbershop is Vic's regular barber.

+ Sade called the shop 'dirty' and 'dingy.'

Perhaps it's a joke but a look at Google and "royal throne" brings up as many toilet references as royalty references.

Download the complete commercial-free, sound-improved episode!

44-03-28 Grown Men Trading Names

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic tells the Sade the news that Stacey Yopp and Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber are "trading names".  It sounds ludicrous to you and I - and it sounds just as asinine to Sade.

Though it's clear she understands, she needles Vic, probably because she thinks all of his friends are lunatics (and let's face it, most of them are). 

If you like a cold Sade, you'll love this one. 

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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What could be more ridiculous than grown men exchanging names with each other?  Why would Stacey enjoy the name Y.I.I.Y. better?

The fact that there is a ceremony (Hank's going to sing a couple of songs, there's going to be food, etc.) is even more ridiculous.

44-02-09 Hank Hired as Detective

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

• Vic arrives happy and excited to announce that Hank Gutstop's got a job as House Detective at the Butler House Hotel.
• Sade assumes Hank will need Vic's financial help.  The Butler House manager thinks they ought to advertise the presence of a detective by having Hank wear a suit with loud checks, a fancy vest, big yellow bull-dog-toed shoes, and either a derby or a duck-hunter's cap.
• Uncle Fletcher: "Virgil McRoppstitch invented the shirt with removable pin-stripes."  He had a kit of special tools to do the job.  He also invented the shirt with removable polka-dots, which required two kits of special tools.
  Virgil's brother Ralph liked oranges.
• Uncle Fletcher tells the story about the McWilliamson County picnic.  Everybody at the annual McWilliamson County picnic was asked to make a list of the articles he was fondest of.  Ninety-nine percent wrote down "Mama," followed by candy, peanuts, Sunday school, automobile rides… Reverend Klinger preached a sermon on it: "There is one among us here in this community on the rich plains of Illinois whose heart goes out to the things of the world rather than the things of the spirit." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Though Hank had part-time jobs (very, very part-time) this job as a detective was the only job that lasted any amount of time.

It seems he had a place to live at least most of this time (recall he was going to live in a barbershop once and was seen sleeping near the railway and on the courthouse lawn.) He probably did some singing to scare up a few bucks every now and again - at weddings and christenings and what-all.  But  I wouldn't doubt half of income during the job drought came from Vic.

He also may have made some money playing pool for at one time, as he hung around the Lazy Hours Pool Hall. 

The job as detective would last from this date (February 9, 1944 until the end of the show's run.)

If his writing tells us anything at all, Paul Rhymer was probably fond of peanuts as they are mentioned often.  Sunday school is mention a lot too.

44-01-12 First Robin of the Season Racket

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• Sade: "Boy are my toes cold. Feel like thirty-six chunks of ice."
• Russell mentions mom was calling on Mis' Hyster on Lee Street.
• Russell mentions Harry Antidisestablishmentarianistic Jackson - who is a female and a member of the Thimble Club!   Sade: "…and gollies, she hasn't got any more the funniest thing to tell than a rabbit."
• For years Hank Gutstop (Hank's full name is Franklin J. Gutstop) has traditionally spotted the first robin of the season, which means money to Hank – he gets his picture in the paper, bird-lovers offer him odd jobs at good pay.  People invite him to Sunday supper. Pretty girls shower him with candy, books, and flowers.  The previous year, Rishigan Fishigan noticed Hank's many benefits and tried to cut in on the action.  This year, Stacey Yopp and Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber decided they wanted in on the action.
• Vic, as arbitrator, decided the four will get equal credit for seeing the first robin. Tomorrow morning they will all walk east on West Chestnut Street on their way to work and will suddenly see the first robin of the season.  Vic has equipped them with a tale to fend off folks who smell a rat.  Stacy Yopp will direct the group's attention to his sister's house and they all see the robin at once.
• B. B. Baugh calls to announce he's seen the first robin of the season, and his picture's in tonight's newspaper.  
• Vic (to phone): "Bee bee, bye bye.  I mean, bye-bye, B. B... - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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This episode provides a lot surprises in terms of trivia.  

Harry Antidisestablishmentarianistic Jackson isn't even the oddest name is the series...

44-01-11 Who Spotted the First Robin of Spring?

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• Russell: "Heine Call's a big fat-headed show-off.  He sweeps his front porch without any shoes on just to impress the American public with what a dead-game sport he is."
• Sade: "…transparent as a horse."
• Sade mentions she'll "go next door and sew and visit with Mis' Donahue awhile."
• Russell is fed up with Heine and refuses to watch him anymore after he takes off his socks to further impress the American public.
• Vic: "Russell, your mother is one mighty sharp customer.  there's no dust on the cuff of her jacket."  
• Vic expects Hank Gutstop, Stacey Yopp, Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber and Rishigan Fishigan to stop by so he can arbitrate their argument about who spotted the first robin of the season.  The person who spots the first robin of the season annually becomes the toast of the town.  For the last few years, Hank has spotted the first robin and has the prestige of the town. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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It's not said in the notes but I'd bet the sighting of the first robin is a lodge-thing, rather than a town-thing.  But since the notes don't say...

So we can assume that Hank was missing in the previous episode (dated the day before) that he was off on a robin-spotting expedition.

Sade leaves to go next door - it's a sure thing she doesn't want to hang around the coming "Bright Kentucky" crowd.

Russell simply does not like Heinie and we have other episodes to prove this (here and here.)

44-01-10 Where's Hank? - Goodbye Ladies

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Sade's entertaining Mis' Brighton, Mis' Applerot, Mis' Stembottom, and Mis' Cryder. Meanwhile, Vic calls all over town trying to locate Hank Gutstop because he's been ordered by Lodge Headquarters to suspend him again for non-payment of dues. Sade wants Vic to come to the living room to say hello to her guests, who are getting ready to leave. Vic wants no part of the ladies.

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

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Sade is asking for trouble when she matches up Appelrot and Brighton against Ruthie and herself.  Appelrot and Brighton together always present trouble to Ruthie. And when Ruthie reaches the end of her rope and has had enough, she goes off half-cocked.  Though Sade can be a terror at home, she is meek around the ladies.

If Vic can ever locate Hank, it will be at least the third time he has been suspended from the lodge for not paying his dues.

TRIVIA:

+ Latin junk: "In hoc agricola sim spittle dum cluck apidivorous nono ickle hunk.  Sogo filia dum Caesar copley cornucopia est. Cicero tossit elmo cookies dim wopple speesh.  Eemo discurnim et fossae librum for a slamp. Nebravit huius caress sprell.  Digitus ex-bombo dum solo feenum chunk.  Bootle peuloorum non spooner booble yiz."

+ Russell mentions Hermie Wolper from school: 19 years old, wears a derby, spends Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the pool hall.

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.

35-xx-xx Applying for a $4.80 Refund from the Lodge

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Vic realizes that the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way lodge owes him $4.80.  In his quest to get a refund, he has to answer a questionnaire in triplicate.  He gets Sade and Rush to fill out a copy as well to make things easier on himself.

Easy?  Not exactly.  There are 40 questions on each questionnaire.  The questions are personal, invasive and difficult.

After a few minutes of trying to answer the questions, Sade, Rush and then Vic all decide it's a pointless act to fill out the questionnaire and they throw them away.  The $4.80 isn't worth all of that.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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When they lived in Dixon, Vic and Sade lived on West River Street.

The Secretary of the lodge headquarters in Chicago, Illinois is L. B. Washman.

The President of Congress in Charge of Finance for the lodge is J. K. Latimer of Stuckley, Pennsylvania.

The Exalted Auditor of the lodge is Clyman Smurch.

39-04-07 Mixmaster Beats a Strong Personality

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Mr. Personality?

(Special contest script: promoting The advantages of having a MixMaster to make great food with Crisco.)

Sade now has her new MixMaster, and raves about it.  Meanwhile, Vic was complimented by his Chicago boss, Mr. Buller, and was told that he has a 'strong personality' and does his best to impress his family with the news, but no one really seems to care.

SEE SOME DIALOGUE AND THE SYNOPSIS

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The Sunbeam MixMaster and Crisco promotion was still going on as of this script.  Not every script during this time involved the MixMaster but it's my guess that several do.  This script was done in a way that doesn't seem like a commercial.  As a matter of fact, it seems to fit in nicely.  Kudos to Paul Rhymer.

While Sade is raving about all she can make with the MixMaster, it occurs to me that she really wasn't mentioned in the shows as much of a cook. She did cook beef punkles and brick mush of course, and once she made 'Hooper Dip' and 'upside-down cake', but not much else.  She entices Vic and Rush in this episode with mentions of mashed potatoes and chocolate pudding.

Trivia:

+ According to Rush, off-and-on-crush Mildred Tisdel has a strong personality.  (By the way, if Rush doesn't have a strong personality, I'll eat a horse.)

+ The script suggests that the hype about the MixMaster might have been going on a month prior.

38-11-25 Hank's Christmas Scheme

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Vic and Rush are impressed with Hank Gutstop's idea to wrap, then hide Christmas presents from families and then deliver them on Christmas, dressed as Santy Claus.  Sade, though, is unimpressed.

SEE SOME DIALOGUE AND THE SYNOPSIS

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You can see that Vic's fake attitude towards the undone meat (pretends he is mad) and it is the impetus for future jokes about the meat not being done, such as when he tells Sade on numerous occasions that she should [paraphrasing] "pack your bags and quit the premises."  Of course, there's never a lunch episode where they don't have to wait for the meat to cook.

The Santy Claus scheme by Hank isn't a bad one but I worry how much business he'd garner by charging fifty cents a package. Ten cents seems to be a much more reasonable rate.

The boys think it's a reasonable rate while Sade disagrees.  When in doubt, always take Sade's side.

This episode doesn't seem particularly funny but it's part of the 1938 formula of episodes so much that "hearing" this one isn't hard to do if you try.

Trivia:

+ This episode was broadcast the Friday after Thanksgiving, 1938.

+ Although I hesitate to call 1938 an "early episode" this is one of the rare early episodes where Sade is actually sarcastic.

+ Even in 1938 Sade really dislikes Hank Gutstop.  This episode has an all-time great zinger in it from Sade when she says: "I wouldn't dirty my shoe kicking him downstairs."  Come on Sade, tell us how you really feel.

+ There's another great line in this episode from Rush: "I bet if mom was drowning in the Atlantic Ocean an' Hank Gutstop rescued her an' saved her life, she'd say, "ish".

36-12-17 Sade Goes Christmas Shopping (Joyeux Noel)

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Sade comes home very tired after battling the Christmas shoppers at Yamilton's; but the men are just as tired from their day.

SEE THE SCRIPT SYNOPSIS

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You will find a lot of similarities with this episode and 44-07-18 Fantastic Sale at Yamilton's.

TRIVIA:
* One of the funnier conversations in the series appears in this episode:

RUSH: I been playin' basketball in the gym ever since school let out.  I can hardly drag one foot after the other.

VIC: I been manipulating large business enterprises.  I can hardly drag one brain after the other.  

Joyeux Noel:

was a series of widespread unofficial ceasefires that took place along the Western Front around Christmas 1914, during World War I. Through the week leading up to Christmas, parties of German and British soldiers began to exchange seasonal greetings and songs between their trenches; on occasion, the tension was reduced to the point that individuals would walk across to talk to their opposite numbers bearing gifts. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, many soldiers from both sides – as well as, to a lesser degree, from French units – independently ventured into "no man's land", where they mingled, exchanging food and souvenirs. As well as joint burial ceremonies, several meetings ended in carol-singing. Troops from both sides were also friendly enough to play games of football with one another. (Source: Wikipedia)