39-12-25 Sorting Christmas Cards

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

• Vic is asleep on the davenport, and Rush insists Vic's only pretending to sleep.  Rush and Sade are sorting the family's Christmas cards: close friends in one heap, Vic's business acquaintances in another, and relatives in still another.
• Rush has re-arranged them according to size, which Sade rejects as unreasonable.
• There are cards from:  Elrod W. Floppman, kitchenware gink (Consolidated Kitchenware, Plant #7, Independence, Missouri): It's addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Gook and son, Gush.
• E. Flyman Sweel sent a card.
• Aunt Ella and Uncle Arch: addressed to Mr. & Mrs. V.R. Gook and son, Roast.  Rush is angry about that: relations should know better.
• Rush tries to provoke Vic to speak, and Sade asks him to get up in case they get unexpected callers.  Vic ignores them.
• Another card:  addressed to Mr. & Mrs. Victor R. Gook and son Hash.  From Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Tisdel.  Rush insists Mildred addressed the card on purpose:  "I'd recognize her handwriting if I was sewed up in a sack."  It was no mistake because she wrote it on the card and the envelope.
• More cards:  I.K. Breep goes to the kitchenware stack; Sade can't get Vic to confirm Breep is one of Vic's business acquaintances.
• Howard C. Clutts of Vandalia, Illinois – they think he works at plant #24, but still can't get an answer out of Vic.
• H.G. Whife, director of the Sewage Disposal Workers' Semi-Classical Silver Cornet Band: Rush is pleased his name is spelled correctly.  Sade points out the last name is spelled "Goocke".  they put his card in a "miscellaneous" pile.
• Whaddams S. Heemslotch goes in the kitchenware stack. Rush believes he's with Consolidated Kitchenware Plant #10 in Mena, Arkansas.
• Vic refuses to be baited until they whisper again with a hint of someone dying.  Rush returns to the cards and finds: Alfred an' Myrna Wheester extend best wishes of the season to Mr. an' Mrs. Victor Gook an' son, Slush.  Rush: "What's the matter with the human race anymore?"
• Phone rings – Vic jumps to it, thinking it's Mr. Buller.  Mis' Applerot has phoned to tell Sade she's on some Thimble Club committee.
• Rush says: "Goin' back to sleep, Gov?"  Vic says to Rush: "Later on in the evening I hope to find time to break your arm." (This is the only line that Vic says in the whole episode.)
• Vic goes back to sleep and Rush muses, "When an individual lies down on the davenport an' closes their eyes, they feel like they got to pretend they're dead to the world."
• Sade reads another card: "Mr. and Mrs. Q. B. Sleetch extend wishes for a Merry Christmas an' a Happy New Year to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Gook and son, Fish." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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See the short script/synopsis
 
Christmas cards - people selling them, bad poetry and Rush's mangled names - were, of course, favorite subjects of writer Paul Rhymer.

For those keeping score at home, the different names for Rush on the Christmas cards in this episode: Gush, Roast, Hash, Slush and Fish.

The Consolidated Kitchenware plant in Mena, Arkansas is another link to Lum and Abner.  Mena was the hometown of Norris Goff and Chester Lauck, Lum and Abner.

H.G. Whife is mentioned as the director of the Sewage Disposal Workers' Semi-Classical Silver Cornet Band.  He would not hold that position much longer.  In 1940, Ed Whinnie would become the band leader.

It's quite possible that Art Van Harvey was not in this episode and the line he "spoke" might have been from a transcription disc.  It was during this time that Van Harvey was ill with heart problems and it is unknown (by me anyway) exactly when he returned.  See this for further details.

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)

__________________

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.

41-01-03 Thimble Club's Exclusive Membership

In a strange turn, Mis' Appelrot proposes adding new members to the Thimble and the rest of the club seems shocked by this; Sade immediately shuts down the motion, as the majority wants the club to remain exclusive, including Ruthie, who cries at the thought.

The title is one I have provided 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] 

39-01-23 Mis' Appelrot's Flower Scheme

Sade is in a huff when she finds out Mis' Applerot is twisting the arms of the Thimble Club gals in a devious plot to almost force them to purchase flowers from her nieces' husband, who just so happens to run a flower shop on Center Street.

Sade goes so far as calling Mis; Appelrot, "rotten and deceitful" - strong language indeed, even for Sade vs Appelrot.

Sade even has plans to go on a phone call crusade to let the other Thimble ladies know what is going on.

I can't be for certain, but 44-04-19 B.B. Baugh and the New Dentist looks to be re-worked from this episode.

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]

38-01-10 Hawaiian Islands Itinerary

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNADINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

The Sacred Stars of the Milky Way have set a date for the members and their wives to go to Hawaii.  It's years away; but that does not stop Vic from writing down the proposed  itinerary.

Doing this sets off Sade and then Rush, who tease Vic so badly that he sets off for Ike Kneesuffer's basement for a game of indoor horseshoes!

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Trivia:

+ The lodge Hawaii trip must have been really big news because it was spoken about in other episodes; roughly a year earlier, Sade and Ruthie were trying to discuss the trip at a Thimble Club meeting, only to be shot down by Mis' Appelrot.

 + Rush is reading a Third Lieutenant Stanley novel but he neither reads aloud nor tells the title.  The only bit we get out of it is that there is danger afoot involving a 15' rattlesnake.

+ Sade's Daily Little Love Story must have been extra exciting this day as she goes on and on about the adventures involved, much like Rush does when he explains his adventure books. It also appears as though Vic sometimes reads the story (remember, this is early 1938) when he reads the paper.

+ This is the episode where Sade says: "As far as I'm concerned, the Hawaiian Islands might just as well be out in the Pacific Ocean."  (Bernardine Flynn had spoken about that line in an interview from the 1970's). ((HEAR))

+ Vic affectionately refers to Rush as: "sewer gas."

+ We find out that Consolidated Kitchenware has a plant in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  A new character is mentioned, George Frothmurder, who works there.

+ This episode resides somewhere in script form, but I don't have the script. But I can point you to a re-creation:

American Radio Theater's re-creation

39-07-13 Vic Explains How a Doorbell Rings

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON 

Mr. Erickson, the Gook landlord, gifts Sade with a brand new doorbell.  Vic is going to install it but wants to school Sade and Rush on how the thing works.

As usual, they aren't really listening and instead want to either tease Vic or Vic simply isn't explaining it the right way.

Either way, he quietly gets infuriated with them, just as Rush was infuriated with Nicer Scott earlier in the day.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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Nicer claims to have no sense of taste. He also claims to have 89 pairs of pants in cold storage (what is with Paul Rhymer and pants in cold storage?)

Vic says in this episode:

VIC: I know electric bells like I know the palm of my hand. 

This in reference to the doorbell gift Sade received from Mr. Erickson.  Recall there was the time that he could not fix the Donahue doorbell.  And many clocks have alarms, even electric ones.  And we know the problems Vic has with clocks.

40-11-22 Third Lieutenant Stanley - Bright Kentucky Hotel

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON 

In an episode that will remind you of 42-03-xx Mis' Applerot's Petition, Sade comes home from her Thimble Club meeting upset that Mis' Appelrot hijacked the ladies with a silly petition to knock down the Bright Kentucky Hotel.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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This is actually the earlier of the two scripts and it appears as though the scripts are similar, there was a major re-working done in the other script.

This script does not include Rush saying over and over, "I will not sign!" (the petition) but he does allude to the fact that Uncle Strap and Mr. Gumpox would be out of a job and a place to live, respectively.

This episode is also full of Rush reading from an unnamed Third Lieutenant Stanley novel.  He reads:

Third Lieutenant Stanley gave the villainous crew of counterfeiting smugglers one supercilious glance. Then his eyes softened as he turned and gazed at the oval face of Lady Margaret. The beautiful woman smiled bravely, revealing twin rows of perfect teeth the rich color of old ivory. Her hand trembled slightly as she twirled her dainty pink parasol and her small foot in its fashionable French spat tapped nervously. Third Lieutenant Stanley touched her arm. "Let us share a hug an' kiss before we fight these miserable wretches," he grunted. Nothing loath, the beautiful woman lifted her veil an' thrust her lovely head forward. Jabbering amongst themselves, the counterfeiting smugglers watched the exchange of tender caresses an' there was a burst of rude laughter as Third Lieutenant Stanley began to cry. "Sweetheart," he blubbered, "Five minutes from now I may be dead. But, sweetheart, I want you to know that my love for you transcends everything in...   The handsome young officer faced death valiantly. "You fellows can go jump in the creek, I'm not scared," he growled to the leader of the counterfeiting smugglers. But for Lady Margaret he had a sweet smile an' eyes that twinkled merrily. "Give me one more kiss an' one more hug before I kick the bucket, sweetheart," he gloated. The beautiful woman simpered and coquettishly pretended that the mother-of-pearl buttons on her fashionable French spats had come unbuttoned. Finally, blushing furiously, she lifted her veil an' thrust forward her lovely head. "Just one hug an' one kiss now," she warned an' Third Lieutenant Stanley howled loudly his satisfaction an' approval.

The best part of the book was a part he did not get to read, but instead, gives us the juicy details:

The counterfeiting smugglers try to murder Third Lieutenant Stanley by tying him to a tree an' smearing melted marshmallow all over his clothes an' releasing two grizzly bears from a cage. Grizzly bears are very fond of melted marshmallow so it looks like curtains for Third Lieutenant Stanley.

While in the world of Vic and Sade, ridiculous things happen to all of the characters, the things that happen to them must not break the laws of physics or nature - that is, the world of Vic and Sade is a real world.

The world of books and motion pictures, however, go beyond ridiculous, even in the world of Vic and Sade.  The marshmallows and the grizzly bears are an example of this, as are most Third Lieutenant Stanley novels dealing with animals.

There is a story in this episode about Mr. Gumpox that is well worth pointing out.  Rush explains:

He'll be asleep an' a fast passenger train'll flash by the Bright Kentucky sixty or seventy miles an hour an' by George the building starts to shake from the vibration an' he'll ride all around the room in his doggone bed just like you'd ride around in an automobile. One time he rode right outta the bedroom into the hall-way. Woke up the next morning in the hall by the fire-escape, thirty-five feet from the spot where he'd retired.

In an audio interview conducted in the 1970's, Jean Shepherd relayed this same story, but confused Gumpox with Rishigan Fishigan. [There may have been an episode like this about Fishigan, but consider that we know that Fishigan lived on the penthouse floor and the ground floor would be much closer to the trains than the penthouse.  It is also inferred that Fishigan was the only roomer on the penthouse floor.  So we assume that Shepherd was simply incorrect.]

44-03-10 Mis' Appelrot Spreads A Rumor About Vic

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• While in Chicago, Mis' Appelrot met a man who told her Pom Pom Cordova is going to manage the Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy, and Sade thinks Vic has been holding this intelligence to himself.
• Mis' Appelrot has led Sade to believe Vic's one of the backers and is on the Board of Governors of the restaurant.
• Lolita di Rienzi had told Vic about Pom Pom's plans and joked that Vic should be on the Board of Governors.  Mis' Appelrot also suggested Vic had agreed to play duets with Pom Pom on the Caribbean Dream Flute and Tropical Guitar.  Meanwhile, Russell squirms while waiting for Sade to concentrate on what items he's to buy at the grocery.
• Vic (kittenish): "Kiddo-widdow never even told Vicky-Sticky ‘hello' "
• Sade gets a cramp in her elbow – suggests it's a sign that your mother-in-law broke her darning needle.  - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason
  

____________________

It's not implied in the notes but it's evident that Sade is mad in this episode. She gets mad (or at least, pretends to be) whenever the subjects of Pom Pom and Lolita are brought up, especially in connection with Vic's name.  She may be jealous - she may just use it as an excuse to blow off steam against Vicky-Sticky.

In this episode, we have a rumor of information that may involve Vic and money.  And he's not said a word about it to Sade.  You can imagine that she's a bit curious to find out if the rumors are true.

We don't find out in this episode but will in the near future.

Dr. Keevy's name is brought up in this episode - and seems to be in each episode that Pom Pom and Lolita are in.

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)

___________________

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.

41-01-09 Sade Smashes Mis' Applerot's Wrist-Watch

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

• Sade arrives home from Thimble Club all upset.  Vic is busy polishing his sword – she wants to talk. Rush tries to the Uncle Strap story...
• Sade says she smashed Mis' Appelrot's wrist-watch into a million splinters with her "gravel".  She slammed the gavel down without noticing Mis' Appelrot's arm was between the gavel and the table. Mis' Howard muttered over and over: "Oh my heavens, oh my heavens!" Mis' Appelrot's acting like it wasn't an accident.  Sade's chagrined because when it happened, she laughed.  "...glass an' springs an' wheels flyin'".
• Rush tries to help, telling a story of a fella in Texas that let a ton of coal fall on his grandmother's foot and he laughed so hard he had brain-failure and died on the spot.  Vic puts a stop to this helpful story.
• Mis' Appelrot's arm was in the way because she was reaching over to snoop into Sade's record-book, which is none of her business.
• Afterward, Mis' Appelrot's words accepted the accident, "but her eyes were cold and accusing as a horse."
• Sade says she'll never pick up another "gravel" as long as she lives.  Rush asks, "Isn't the word ‘gavel'?"  Sade will not be corrected.  She moves on to organize dinner.
• Vic (chuckling): "Your mother flourishes a mean ‘gravel'."  Rush (chuckles): "Yes, sir."  Vic: "She's a cute girl." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason 

SEE SOME DIALOGUE AND SYNOPSIS

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This might be the first episode where Sade used the word 'gravel' instead of 'gavel.'  One of the many, many continuous jokes in the show's history.

If there was one character I would like to hear on the show, I think it would be Mis' Appelrot.  She would not be funny but I think she would make Sade mad a lot and I like it when Sade is mad!

40-11-08 Mis' Keller and Uncle Fletcher to Move to Town

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

• Vic and Rush arrive home to find Sade in a pensive mood. Mis' Keller has just left, having announced that she's renting a house on Kelsey Street, and Uncle Fletcher will be living there as well.
• Rush is delighted as a horse. Sade isn't so sure.
• Vic asks why they've decided to leave Dixon. Mis' Keller's married daughter has settled in town, and she wants to live nearby.
• Vic asks how can Uncle Fletcher tear himself away from Dixon?  Sade says he'd rather do that than tear himself away from the comforts of home.  Vic still wonders how he can tear himself away from his cronies in Dixon.  Sade explains his cronies are just about all gone:  Mr. Wheepman passed away in October. Last year Steve Juggle and P. W. Fleem died.
• Sade's having trouble imagining Uncle Fletcher living right in town, so close to the Gooks. Rush and Vic think he'll adjust quickly.  Rush: "He don't take any raw oatmeal off'n anybody.  Quiet and peaceful a a horse, but some guy rub him the wrong way an' there's liable to be a paste upside the snoot."
• Vic suspects Sade is wary about the move because she has a sneaking idea that Uncle Fletcher will be underfoot all the time. Sade admits, "he's such a cotton-head.  Like some little child. Person worries over him like they would an infant.  Always botchin' stuff up."  Sade feels responsible for him, and she's embarrassed at his riding on the garbage wagon covered in potato peelin's and introducing himself as her uncle.
• Rush answers the phone;  it's Uncle Fletcher, calling long distance.  Rush: "We're all happy as horses about it.  Best news I've heard in a coon's age."  Vic tells Fletcher: "...so I understand, an' I've left word with the sheriff not to let you inside city limits ."  
• Sade decides after all that she's glad Uncle Fletcher's moving to town. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Having Uncle Fletcher move to town will change the lives of most everyone associated with the family.  Sade's life will change the most as it is like she has another child to watch over.

Mis' Keller's daughter is Florence Upskutch.

39-08-16 Two Tons of Coal #2

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Dog gone the dog gone luck!

Sade has surprising news that the Donahues, their former next door neighbors, who had moved away just about a month prior, are moving back into their old house.

Rush realizes that he and Vic will be stuck moving back the two tons of coal that they were "gifted" with and Vic knows the boys will also be forced to help the Donahues move furniture.

SEE SOME DIALOGUE AND THE SYNOPSIS

_________________

Of course the men will scream like panthers!  Maybe Rush can come up with a better excuse than his "overalls are wrinkled" -- the flimsy excuse he used when he first had to move the large pile of coal.

Trivia:

+ Nicer Scott is up his old, narcissistic tricks - this time, claiming he's "The Most Popular Youngster on Virginia Avenue". Four months prior to this episode, Nicer extended his popularity farther than his street by claiming to have over 2 billion acquaintances.

+ Here's a bit of trivia you may have read before but forgotten:  Vic enjoys playing golf now and then.  It's mentioned in this script that he had a date with Mr. Buller to play at the end of the week.  Let's hope Vic wasn't asked to catch Buller's clubs from a fast passenger train...

+ It turns out that reason the Donahues moved back was they simply missed their neighbors.  (Never mind the fact that Mulberry Street is less than a mile away).

39-03-10 Sade – A Slick Operator

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Sneaky Sade finds a way to purchase a Sunbeam Mixmaster, a product being promoted by the show's sponsor, Crisco.

SEE SOME DIALOGUE AND THE SYNOPSIS (part 1) (part 2)

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The Sunbeam Mixmaster and Crisco teamed up on an advertising campaign in March of 1939. I cannot find any of those ads on the internet.  What I
did find though was that the Mixmaster probably did save a lot of time - if you were inclined to do things such as buff your silver. Yes, this mixer had an attachment to buff your silver. It also had an attachment to sharpen your knives and open cans. There were attachments to help you make mixed drinks, grind your own meat, and many other applications.

This is not the earliest date in which we have heard about Third Lieutenant Stanley.  He first showed up in the surviving material in January of 1939.

In case you didn't catch it when reading above, Sade cleverly used a penny and amplified it quietly to the enormous sum she was seeking from Vic.

Trivia:

+  If you haven't already figured it out, this was a special contest script: promoting the advantages of having a Sunbeam Mixmaster to make great food with Crisco.

+ Here's a list of all the kids Rush got a chance to name off before Vic stopped him:  Wendell Scott, Keith Vines, Ross Anderson, Lyle Roll, Lester Nafziger, Charley Neece, Everett Ireland, Harry Bliss, Ed Smoler, Bill Moore, Tom Keefer, Sam Sunkman, Millard White, Emory Jackson, Cecil Koker, Clyde Schnepp, Orval Lesters, Ellis Prossman, Joe Greel, Dwight Montgomery, Edmund Klin, Arch Cunningham, Robert Miller, Osbert Reynolds, Harry Ives, Walter Sneed and Franklin Obee.

38-06-08 Rush's Summertime Haircut

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

• Vic arrives home to find Rush on the back porch.  Sade has company, so they'd rather stay outside.  Vic thinks Rush looks dismal.  In spite of his tough demeanor, Rush denies this, saying he's "shakin' with inward laughter."  Why?  "Nicer Scott got his head shaved an' he's the most comical spectacle ya ever saw in your life." 
• Last night Rush was wanting to get his head shaved for summer. Mom put her foot down and ended it.  "Now Nicer Scott looks like a peeled onion while I still got a fine head of wavy hair."
• Sade wants Vic to come in and say hello to Mis' Applerot.
  Vic: "Why don't I just stay where I am? That woman talks the arm off a fella."
• Rush claims he's grateful his mother refused to let him go along with the crowd and have his head shaved.  Vic senses sour grapes.  Rush: "An' the funniest part of it is, to see Nicer you'd think he was proud of his appearance. Struts around like the People's Bank Building."  It's like the fox who lost his tail in a trap. He knows it won't grow back so he tries to convince the rest of the pack they'd be better off without the nuisance of having a tail.  Rush: "I shake with inward merriment."
• Rush points out that Nicer's hat won't fit now – flops right down over his eyes.  He has to have a safety pin to hold his hat on.  Rush: "An' you know what I do?"  Vic: "No. What do you do?"  Rush: "I curl my lip."  Vic: "Whatcha do that for?" Rush: "To show him I'm shakin' with inward laughter.  I done that about sixty times a school today."  Nicer accused Rush of being jealous. 
• Rush: "There's a million disadvantages to havin' your head shaved. Besides makin' your hat so big it won't fit ya, ya also run a dangerous risk of catchin' a horrible sunburn.  Vic: "That so?"  Rush: "Sure. See, a person's wavy head of full hair makes a protection.  When your head is shaved down to the bone ya got no protection.  The sun gets a straight shot at your skull an' pretty soon your brains melt down to a low gravy where ya finally don't know what one plus one is."
• Sade joins the boys; Rush thanks her.  She giggles because Mis' Scott told her all the positive effects of having Nicer's head shaved for the summer. Rush asks if Sade will allow him to have his head shaved now. She says okay.  Rush asks Vic for six bits.  Rush: "Give me seventy-five cents.  I'll beat it to the barber shop right now.  Quick.  Before Mom changes her mind." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

___________________

The episodes are few and far between when either 'the boys' (plus Russell) can trick Sade.  This one counts as one and the time they shocked her with the washing machine would be two.  I can't think of another time.

A head shave costing 75 cents is a bit amazing; I would have guessed 50 cents at the most.  This website about Portsmouth, Massachusetts says that a shave and a haircut cost 35 cents in 1940.

Mis' Appelrot and Sade appear to be friends in this episode.  It comes and goes.  Remember, in 1937, Sade took a car ride to Dwight with Mis' Appelrot, so they weren't always enemies.

Up to 1937 it seems they were not friendly.  In 1937 and 1938 they were friendly.  From 1939-1943 they were unfriendly.  In 1944 and beyond they were friendly.

Writer Paul Rhymer used the word "gravy" again when talking about 'melting.'  He also did this in a September 1937 episode.

37-01-18 Melvin Has Landed a Job

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Melvin Stembottom seems to have finally secured a steady job. He took some initiative and got himself a job working for the city, tearing up streets.

His family and friends are so excited for him and want to show encouragement - not to mention the fact that they don't want him to feel lonesome - that they have actually gone over in their cars to watch him and honk their horns for him so that he knows they appreciate his hard work.

___________________

This is a fun, ridiculous script.  Imagine a workman on a job having an 8 person cheering section?  Cars honking whenever Melvin, his first day on the job, does something extra good with his shovel?  Quiet and shy Ruthie giving the foreman a dirty look?  Ridiculous - thy name is Paul Rhymer!

It appears that Melvin and Doreen Otto (Mis' Appelrot's sister) are romantically involved.  It also makes one wonder if Cracky and Clarence Otto's aunt is Mis' Appelrot?

SEE THE SCRIPT

37-09-02 Lodge Convention Trip Story

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

On a very warm September day, Sade tells the story of how Mis' Appelrot stole Ruthie's thunder about a proposed lodge trip to Hawaii. 

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

___________________

Rush says Rooster Davis read a book where "some French explorer was traveling through the Sahara Desert in the blistering sun and the natives began missing him... and so went looking for him; all they found was a small pool of liquid. They poured him into a bottle and took the bottle to France and gave it a decent burial."

The above story is one I really wish I could hear.  I think it would be a 'Rush classic'.

By the way, you may not realize that there is a very high probability that Mis' Appelrot and Ruthie are in-laws. Although, I'm not 100% sure of this.

Hot day?  All three characters in this episode comment about the heat.  The "Heat Wave of 1937" was apparently pretty bad, although I don't have the data to prove it.  I did find a newsreel about it though:


Bess had written a letter to Sade about a month before this (actually, August 9, 1937) which Vic had put into his suit and had forgotten about. It was found in late 1940.

The letter gives details about the very hot 1937 Summer they were experiencing in Carberry: Bess says "The thermometer has been in the 90's even in the evening" and tells of a neighbor up the street "Going barefooted these terrible, hot days."

Below is a special note from Barbara Schwarz attached to the script obtained from the University of Wisconsin library:
Perhaps at the time she obtained the script these details were deemed correct; however, we now know of at least two other episodes involving Hawaii and the lodge, both from 1938 (38-01-10 Hawaiian Islands Itinerary and 38-05-11 Sade Refuses Simple Hawaii Research).

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)

36-04-07 Vic and Sade Discuss a Close Friendship

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY AND BERNARDINE FLYNN

The Gooks are in bed asleep when Sade wakes Vic and wants to discuss the fight Vic had with Fred Stembottom - mainly because she is afraid it will ruin her friendship with Ruthie.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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Dizzy Dean

Vic is mad at Fred because Fred needled him about Consolidated Kitchenware and insinuated that Vic was dumb for working there.

Vic had earlier needled Fred about his infatuation with Dizzy Dean, the baseball pitcher.

In 1936, Fred was not working at the foundry - he was working as a clerk (of course, I suppose he could be a clerk at the foundry... but I doubt it.)

46-08-15 Thimble Club Emergency (AFRS)

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

This is the day Sade is to host the Thimble Club meeting but she's completely forgotten about it. When she realizes the ladies are on their way, she gets Rush, Uncle Fletcher, Vic, Harry Dean, Mr. Sprawl and even Mr. Ruebush (he runs the carpet sweeper) to help her clean up the house.

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The sound isn't the best in this episode but it's mostly tolerable.

This is like a mish-mash of some other scripts together.  The one good thing about this episode is a couple Uncle Fletcher stories.

Trivia:

+ This was an Armed Forces Radio broadcast.  To my knowledge, this is the only AFRS broadcast made of Vic and Sade.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Owen V. Coonbreef He traveled extensively in the eastern part of North Dakota. He became an armed guard at the Ohio Home for the Obstinate but later changed positions to become an armed guard at the Missouri Home for the Agreeable. He converted all of his money into nickels and dimes to "make it convenient." He married a woman 21 years old - he was 24. Died in 1909.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells a story about Charley H. McSpillter from Belvidere. He married a woman 38 years old (he was 42.) He divided his time between Little Rock, Arkansas and Somerset, Kentucky. He sat aside every Thursday afternoon to practice on the automatic valve trombone, which he could play by ear. He could also play the violin, pipe organ, rope and steam [unintelligible] by ear. He loved cold oatmeal - preferred it to beef steak.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells another story near the end of the broadcast but it's just too muddled to make out what exactly is being said.

+ The Thimble Club meets on Thursdays.

+ Mrs. Thomas (who lives on West Chestnut Street) and Mis' Adams (of N. Stockton Blvd.) are members of the Thimble Club and were mentioned for the first time, as were their streets.

+ Mr. Sprawl, as always is obsessed with his "peanuts with the chocolate smeared on the outside" and is seeking his daughter (Mis' Harris) - something else he seems to be doing often.

+ Harry Dean comes over.  He brings homemade ice cream that his wife had made and had left over.

+ It's not known who played the part of Mr. Ruebush. 

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45-12-06 Rainy Day Fun in Kitchen

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

Sade is trying to entertain her Thimble Club ladies on a weekday only to have oceans of interruptions and guests in her kitchen.

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This episode has the same spirit and style of the older episodes, probably due to the fact that there is a lot of interaction between Rush, Vic and Uncle Fletcher. Rush actually gets some lines in this play.

Trivia:

+ Sade says Vernon Korkell came by (the day before) to read the gas meter. Mr. Gertner was also there the day before to check on the water. She also mentions the Brick Mush man was there the day before as was Mr. Erickson, checking on the back porch.

This sounds a whole lot like episode 45-11-27 Parade of Interruptions which is dated 10 days before this episode. I'm not saying someone along the line that the person who dated this episode (either in the official Vic and Sade logs or whatever) got this wrong -- but this seems like compelling evidence that it could be wrong.

+ Mis' Appelrot tries to give an essay to the Thimble Club ladies about "The Big Trees of California."

+ This is one of the few episode where it is mentioned that it is raining outside. Other episodes include 42-07-xx Thunderstorm and 44-08-01 Rotten Old Overshoes.

+ Uncle Fletcher rode over to the Gook house in the back of Mr. Gumpox's wagon, scrunched down, with a tarp over him as he tried to avoid the rain. This created steam and he talks about it almost the entire episode.

+ Mr. Sprawl has a whistle he got at the Ten Cent store. He calls it a "siren" and says it will be used for getting his daughter's attention when he wants soup or nuts with chocolate smeared on the outside. He blows it in the kitchen, twice, alerting and disturbing Sade during the Thimble Club meeting.

+ Jimmy Custard arrives and he is more confused than ever, referring to Vic, Uncle Fletcher and Mr. Sprawl all by the wrong names - he even thinks Mr. Sprawl is the "lady of the house" and calls Sade, "Mr. Montgomery."

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