44-03-29 Letter From Bess Suggests Sade Come Visit

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

A letter from Aunt Bess temporarily sidetracks Vic from a game of indoor horseshoes and then, has him accidentally laughing.  However, instead of blowing up, it only slightly aggravates Sade.

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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Sade usually would take out her frustration on Vic or Rush (or in this case, Russell) but instead, she seems to keep it inside.  Russell was the true instigator anyway.

TRIVIA:

* Walter read in the Freeport paper that the Consolidated Kitchenware plant in Dubuque, Iowa had a fire.  I'll bet Gus Fuss was in a rush.  And talk about your warm lemonade...

* Euncie is still learning the same piano piece ("The Great Colorado Train Robbery Scottish") and trying to do it without looking at the sheet music.

* Russell somehow gets under the davenport, looking for a penny.  The davenport  must be huge.  Bluetooth was also under this davenport in 1939.

* Is it a joke when the Paul Rhymer script tells of a man who was college-educated who's purpose was sharpening razors?  Even though we have oceans of articles on Rhymer, I have yet to even be offered a hint why he was seemingly so fascinated with barbers and razors.

* The letter suggests that Sade come for a visit; Bess all but eliminates Vic and Russell from coming in her wording.  It seems that Sade probably didn't take up her sister on her offer - according to the episodes we know to exist shortly after this aired.

44-07-11 Don't Scrape off the Watts!

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Sade buys a large reading bulb for Vic at a bargain sale. When he tries to clean it's contact points, Sade thinks he's destroying it, makes a fuss and shows just how ignorant she is about anything scientific.

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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A very hard-to-define episode and there's not a lot going on.  In some ways, a bit similar to 34-11-21 Washing Machine on the Blink.

Trivia:

+ Sade confuses "watts" with "witts" and "volts." She thinks the new light bulb she bought might be "a million volts."

+ Sade had to elbow her way to the bulb: {{{HEAR}}}

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

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

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

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

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

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


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

TRIVIA:

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

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

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

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

44-05-31 The Fascinating Allen McClutch

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN AND RUSSELL MILLER

Russell plans to study algebra with Allen McClutch. Allen is the most fascinating character that Russell ever met.

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Allen can make his elbows touch behind his back, he's had his tonsils out twice, he's never been to a dentist, has never tasted strawberries, uses a whole teaspoonful of stickum on his hair on Sundays. Also, a chunk of ice in his mouth don't make his teeth ache, and he's got a grandmother with a black mustache. (Lives at 1218-1/2 West Oakland Avenue, way out past the railroad tracks - if you stroll under the Olive Street viaduct and glance at the concrete abutment you'll see printed in letters 3 feet high in bright red paint the name "Allen McClutch.") In all probability he'll be wearing a bandage on his head, which he does to mystify the public. His father's a machinist at the C & A shops. His family moved from Sanderson, Minnesota. He swallows ice cream without either leaving it melt in his mouth or chewing it. When he uses the telephone in public he holds the transmitter to his ear and talks into the receiver to further mystify people. He enjoys annoying people by poking them in the stomach and saying, "How's the old breadbasket?"

Russell: "Allen McClutch wouldn't any more lower himself to use the back door than a rabbit." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

44-04-24 Howard, the Runaway

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN AND RUSSELL MILLER

• In the alley behind Graham Street, Howard suddenly bolted – all the way to Seminary Avenue. 
• Russell: "…shrill screaming and high-pitched yells of wild-eyed people."
• Russell: "Howard lost a good many true friends by his rash action."  Mr. Gumpox cried at having been betrayed by his old friend.
• Smelly Clark thinks Howard did it out of boredom, Heine Call thinks he was startled out of an exciting dream. Oyster Krecker thinks he was just blowing off steam.
• Mis' Razorscum thinks he was probably bit by an insect (also Sade's idea).
• Russell resolves to stand by Howard unless and until "it's proven his action was deliberately malicious."
• Russell (about Howard): "He's innocent as the new-mown hay." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Howard is a horse most everyone loves.  But at this point in his life, he was a bit of a dangerous creature.

Two months later, he would knock holes in two garbage boxes, perhaps the product of getting loose and creating helter skelter.

44-02-23 Old News About Belvidere – Ugh

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

Uncle Fletcher comes over with a book of newspaper clippngs about the city of Belvidere; Russell and Sade realize it's useless to inform him that they really have no interest in the book.

SCRIPT (page 1) (page 2)

___________________________

TRIVIA:

+ Oyster Krecker's first name is Joseph.

+ Russell's on the phone and is bored with the story of Oyster's cousin Lombard in Galena buying a catfish for 15 cents.  Then Lombard got in a fist-fight with the fella he bought it from and he poked him with the catfish upside the snoot. The fella threatened to call the police and hit Lombard with the fish. Lombard smacked the guy in the face with it. Then Lombard threw his shoes at him.  They later buried the hatchet and formed a beautiful friendship.

+ Uncle Fletcher receives a phone call.  Vic guesses it's Lou Webb, the organist that can play the pipe organ with a knife and fork instead of fingers and also…  It's Mis' McFolkerson calling to say she's found eight more books of newspaper clippings about Belvidere.  Webb was really the show's organist (1943-44).

+ Mis' Folkerston also runs a rooming house in the Gook's neighborhood (Mis' Harris runs another and so does Mis' Keller.)

44-01-06 Letter To Walter (another version)

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Sade gets to thinking about her sister Bess in Carberry, (yes, another letter), which leads her to prod Vic to write Walter.  Vic has nothing to say to Walter, so he writes him about stuff he had found in the newspaper.

Sade gets upset and goes to bed early, which is the kiss of death in the Gook household.

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2) (part 3)

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Though this script idea is very similar to this one, it is quite different.  Rush was in the previous version, and got Vic in trouble with Sade.  This episode sports Russell, who is more interested in talking about Oyster Krecker's cousin Lombard than anything else.  Both versions have pretty much the same ending.

Sade thinks Vic can write Walter just like he writes his pals in the lodge, but she fails to realize that he dislikes his brother-in-law, for all kinds of reasons that are never expressed on the program, only implied.  Vic would never come right out and tell Sade that Walter is a fat-head.  Doing so would only anger and hurt her.  Instead, he just ignores Walter - and ignores thinking about him too, it seems, or at least as little as possible. 

When he is prodded to write him, he remembers (perhaps) that in the first version of this episode, Sade told him:

SADE: Put down a little chatty talky-talk.

VIC: Such as what? 

SADE: Oh... "Business is fine... I suppose you read in the newspaper about this, that, and the other thing. Looks like big doin's in Washington, D.C. with Congress making different laws..." You know...

Though she didn't tell him to copy from the newspaper (he did this in both letters), Vic has such a poor relationship with Walter that basically, this is all he can find to say to him.  It's like talking about the weather with a stranger, something I know that I am prone to do in that situation where I am almost forced into talking to someone I don't know.  Vic doesn't know Walter - and doesn't want to, either!

Sade mentions he should rattle off lodge trash to Walter, but Vic seems to think that lodge business should stay in the lodge.  Lodge secrets, no matter how small and insignificant, are still lodge secrets.  And he is the Exalted Big Dipper, after all.  Will Sade never learn?

Trivia:

+ Writer Paul Rhymer does a very interesting thing here; he has Russell use the word proffering, a 12th century word that pretty much means to offer.  He seemed to enjoy using archaic words in his scripts.

+ Cousin Lombard is a fellow I'd like to know a whole lot more about.

+ The letter to Walter:

"Dear Walter, How is every little thing with you?  We're all first-rate. Harry Murchison and family of 818 West Chestnut Street is moving to Fiendish, Indiana the first of next month.  His brother Clifford is the proprietor of a large shoe store in that city, and a partnership is to be set up.  Mr. & Mrs. Murchison and their two beautiful little girls, Elizabeth and Dorothy, have many friends in this community who will be sad to see them leave.  Mr. Murchison will be remembered as solo-trombonist with the Sewage Disposal Workers' Semi-Classical Silver Cornet Band.  The best wishes of hundreds of local people will accompany the Murchisons to their new home.  Well, Walter, I guess that's all for this time.  Yours truly, Vic."

43-12-30 Trial Visit Trial Visit

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

This could be Roy...

• Fletcher has stopped by to announce that Roy Dejectedly will visit  him one night next week rather than next month.  He's also going to visit with Parker Gibbs in Dismal Seepage, Ohio one night.  The idea is that Roy will then decide where he'd rather spend a week next month.  He'll test the beds and meals provided in both places and then make a decision.  Sade is outraged at this rudeness. - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

__________________

No one ever accused Sade of liking Roy Dejectedly; as a matter of fact, she probably doesn't like him.  The occurrences in this episode may be the impetus of that.  He's plain rude.

Trivia:

+ Russell talks about climbing into a barrel of Bibles... Rush, also talked about the same thing. (See: 40-03-25 Smelly Clark's Big Date) and on other occasions as well.

+ Uncle Fletcher threatens to get a switch and thrash Russell. Times have sure changed...

+ Vic was in the cellar polishing his lodge sword.

+  When I was a kid growing up in Texas, when someone talked at the same time you did and was saying the same thing you were saying, we called that a 'jinx.'  And whoever said it was a jinx first made the other person buy them a cream soda.

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)

43-12-08 Foot-stool For Mr. Ruebush For Christmas

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic's co-workers have bought a footstool to give Mr. Ruebush for Christmas.

Vic, who is annually in charge of the present each year for the boss, is very, very unhappy with the purchase made behind his back.  Now Vic must be responsible for the awkward present and he's worried about how Mr. Ruebush is going to react when he gets the present.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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Without the audio, it's hard to tell just how good this episode is but just from reading this script, you'd surmise this was probably one of the better ones.

Christmas cards, Christmas songs, Christmas lists and Christmas gifts - all of these are twisted and strange in the crazy world of Vic and Sade.  You wonder how much these Christmas episodes influenced Jean Shepard, when he penned the short story that became the hit movie, A Christmas Story?  He also wrote the forward to Vic and Sade: The Best Radio Plays of Paul Rhymer and was a known, huge fan of Rhymer and the series.  Surely the warped Christmas' of the Gooks played into his imagination as the family in that film is a bit Gook-ish.  As a matter of fact, the film has a very strong Vic and Sade feel.  Don't you agree?

43-12-07 Uncle Fletcher – Veteran Man-hole Man

STARRING: DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

• Russell has been having a dull chat on the phone with Oyster Krecker:  "I've had a good many dull telephone conversations during the course of my career, but I believe this one takes the cake for being the dullest. Yeah. Beg pardon?  Repeat that dull remark, please, Oyster, I didn't quite catch it. It looked like rain yesterday?  Say, I believe that's the dullest remark you've made yet.  Let's hang up, Oyster.  Huh?  Draw a merciful curtain over this dull, sick telephone call."
• Fletcher: I expect you know what and where Detroit, Michigan are.
• Fletcher cautions Russell not to play with the telephone because he might get electrocuted.  "A little lad about your age living in Detroit, Michigan succumbed to temptation one afternoon when his mama was away from home, and he commenced to play with the telephone and what do you think happened?  Russell: (bluntly) "He got electrocuted".  Fletcher: (gently) "Yes. And all they ever found of him was one of his little patent leather booties with the tosil singed at the bottom."
• Fletcher mentions he's due at the corner of Main and Washington Streets at 4:30.
• He's carrying a red flag under his arm.  Russell thinks he's got the job of substituting for the watchman on the street gang.  Russell has jumped to an incorrect conclusion.
• Fletcher: "Art McWhinniman is going to be working in a man-hole at Washington and Main and I will serve as man-hole guard."  
• When city hall asked Fletcher to do the job, he wanted to know who'd be in the man-hole. That's important because of the need for teamwork.  He begins to explain using the example of a horse standing in the road.  
• He and Russell bicker a little over the horse's name.  Phone rings.  Fletcher insists on answering it. Russell: "Yeah, I guess you better.  I certainly don't want to get electrocuted."  Russell recognizes the voice on the phone is that of Mis' Trogle. But Fletcher, as he's inexplicably prone to do, tells her she's got the wrong number and hangs up, goes back to talking about his man-hole job, explaining he's an old hand at this business.  Why put a rookie on the job? "I'll be as cool-headed at Washington and Main as I'd be at the corner of Virginia and Kelsey in this quiet neighborhood." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason
  

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It appears that Russell was snarky on the telephone.  As I've mentioned before, it's my opinion that Russell is as his best when he's being a jerk.

It's a known fact that people can get electrocuted through the telephone during a lightning storm; although on average, only one person is killed this way each year.

Why is it that Uncle Fletcher hangs up the phone of Sade's lady friends when they call?  You wonder if he ever answers the phone at his landlady's house and if so, does he do the same thing there to her lady friends?

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.

43-11-24 Vic Brings Home A High-Crown Cowboy Hat

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic arrives home. Sade and Russell had both seen him approaching as they talked, but he enters without the parcel he had been carrying. Sade immediately inquires if he bought a hat. They discuss the fact that there have been no recent disputes about hats, and they're probably due for one.

Tom Mix - popular man

Vic tells Sade (and a nosy Russell) how the hats are popular in Dismal Seepage, Ohio... and Sade tells him (while walking out on him) to take the hat back to Kleeburgers. 

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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When you see 'hat' in the title, you know what's about to take place at the small house halfway up the next block.  Audiences in 1943 knew what was about to take place too, provided they'd been listening a while.

Why does Vic even bring the hats to the house?  Why not keep the hats at Ike's house?  Leave one at work and one at the lodge?  Why does he torment himself?  Perhaps he lacked the love of his mother as a child and yearns to be idled by Sade's nagging voice?

Have you noticed that as time goes by in the series, the wide-brimmed hats have suddenly become cowboy hats?  Vic can't resist buying hats with larger and larger brims.  Did we miss Vic purchasing a sombrero?  I wouldn't be surprised.

We see that Russell is stitching up an indoor baseball.  I've made note of it before but I have yet to figure out what an "indoor baseball" is.  Both Rush and Russell have stitching duties with theirs, in various episodes.  Vic and Sade expert Louie Johnson suggests a soft baseball of some sort.

44-08-09 Mr. Gumpox Has Lost His Dentures

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

The garbage man, Mr. Gumpox has lost his upper plate of dentures and asks those in the neighborhood if they wouldn't mind looking for them near their house. Sade is out looking for them when Vic and Russell arrive.

The plot is an excuse for the family to gab about the neighbors and on the subject of teeth, in general.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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The premise used here would be most unusual for most shows but somehow you don't feel it's one bit out of the norm for Vic and Sade.

This episode also introduces us to some University Street neighbors we never knew existed before now, although we never find out exactly where they live.

Trivia:

+ At the beginning of the show, we find that Vic and Russell have just gotten back from the Bijou. There's a couple of odd things about this; firstly, Vic says he had to play hooky from work that afternoon to be able to go, making us know it was a weekday. Why then, wasn't Russell in school? Did he play hooky as well?

Another thing, we know that Vic hates Gloria Golden films. However, he explains why he went to the theater this day: A) he got to miss the last few hours of work; B) the theater was cool and it's obviously a warm, August day and C) we don't know it was a Gloria Golden film the boys saw.

We never find out the name of the movie the boys see at the Bijou but Hector Harwood was one of the stars in the film (though Gloria Golden is never mentioned we do find out it was a love story...)

Russell reminisces about older films and film stars he remembers: Gilmore Griswold in The Four Gun Cattle Thief and Wild Western Dynamite. He also recalls Bill Bleatman in The Cavalier Cowboy and I Hate You.

+ Sade has a variety of flower in her flower garden with the name, "Panther Blood" (not found on the internet, so we can assume it's made up.)

+ Vic and Russell talk about Sade before they ever reach her and both agree she's "close-fisted" - that is - she's a tightwad. I had never been given that impression in the previous episodes.

+ Mr. Gumpox's upper plate of false teeth cost over $100. According to this site, the current price for such is anywhere from $300 to $600.

+ Wallace Avenue is mentioned for the first time and it seems apparent that it lies to the west of where the Gooks live. Mr. Gumpox's garbage route begins at Kelsey Street and ends at Wallace Avenue. We don't know how large of an area that is.

+ Mis' Corkle is mentioned for the first time. She lives somewhere in the Gook's neighborhood - probably on University Street. She probably has a young son named Curtis.

+ Mis' Snyder is mentioned for the first time and also lives in the Gook's neighborhood, probably on University Street.  It's very possible that she is the wife of Grandpa Snyder.

+ Mis' Drummond is mentioned for the first time; her son is named Artie. They probably also live on University Street.

+ While the family is looking for Mr. Gumpox's teeth, Vic picks up a cigar butt and asks, "Is this them?"

+ Mis' Razorscum looks out her window as the neighbors in alleyway behind the Gook house search for the missing dentures. She does not help with the search and instead of ridiculing her or saying something nasty, Sade just says, "That's not like her."

+ The dentures are finally found by Mr. Overholt.

+ The script was a repeat from the days when Rush was doing the show since there is a script that shows Rush in it instead of Russell.

Vic is being silly: {{{HEAR}}}

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

44-08-03 Sunday School Alumni Reunion

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

When an old friend of Russell's pays him a visit, he realizes how much things have changed in two years and sees how much he has grown.

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This episode has the same theme as 39-12-xx Rush Is Getting On In Years but it's not taken from the same script.

Trivia:

+ At the beginning of the episode, the announcer refers to Fred Stembottom as "Ted."

Razor ad, August 1944

+ The friend who came for a visit is Fat Johnson. He and his family moved to Quincy, Illinois two years back. He used to be quite hefty but has lost a lot of weight. He was not only close friends with Russell but also Rooster Davis.

+ Russell used to belong to the "Blue Light Sunday School" class. They called themselves "The Warriors of the Right" and the class consisted of Russell, Rooster Davis, Allen "Fat" Johnson, Smelly Clark, Mildred Tisdel, Oyster Krecker, Eunice Raypole and Lester "L.W." Trout.

+ Lester Trout now goes by the monicker of "L.W." because it sounds more business-like. At age 16, he can be found behind the counter selling magazines and candy in the Chicago-Alton depot.

+ We find out that Smelly Clark has 2 gold teeth. He shaves every 5th Sunday and carries his razor in his hip pocket.

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44-07-26 Sade Pleads to See a Movie

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Few things bother Vic more than Gloria Golden. He deplores her films. It seems by the 1940's most every film that comes to the local Bijou and the surrounding theaters all show her films - and only her films.

Sade has heard and read about the current film in the Bijou, Smoldering Teardrops and she wants to go. Vic wants no part of seeing it. Sade keeps asking him.

Meanwhile, Russell has been told by Mildred Tisdel that he should consider a new hairstyle, so he's busy looking at himself in the mirror. After a while of looking at himself, he narcissistically begins telling Vic about his wonderful head features. Eventually, Vic is so sick of listening to Russell that he decides to take Sade to the movies.

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This one may remind you of 40-02-20 Rush's Good Looks.

Trivia:

+ Russell is in the process of stitching up his "indoor baseball."   I have yet to figure out what this means.  Rush also stitched up an indoor baseball in a later episode.

A 1945 pompadour

+ Mildred suggested Russell change his hairstyle to a "pompadour" but Sade insists his hair is not long enough to do this.

+ A newspaper review of the Gloria Golden film called her, "The curly-headed darling of the civilized world."

+ Smelly Clark is older than Russell.

+ Mildred tells Russell that he had a noble head like Julius Caesar.

+ Russell says that he has intelligent eyes, a strong determined nose, sensitive ears, a rich curving chin, a sweet generous mouth, sturdy teeth, delicately-tinted gums and an appealing throat!

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44-07-17 Marching Plans Disappear

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic gets an exciting letter from Honky J. Sponger at lodge headquarters, that proposes a month-long All-Star Marching Band camping trip in Dismal Seepage, Ohio. Such a trip would bring much-needed publicity to the marching team.

Of course, Vic is raring to go, until his family reminds him of the various ailments of other members of the marching team and other things that could go wrong.

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There's not much of anything funnier in the whole series than the All-Star Marching Team. We all know of Vic's enthusiasm for marching and so when he is shut down from this, you know he has to be heartbroken.

Vic doesn't give a second thought of spending the whole hot month of August in a Chataqua tent, with two people to a cot. He doesn't even seem to think about the money lost from taking a whole month off from Consolidated Kitchenware. Face it: the joys of marching are a drug to Vic.

Trivia:

+ Russell says Smelly Clark and Blue Tooth Johnson were almost in a fist fight. We never do learn what caused the anger between the two but the instigator seems to have been Archie McDuffer, a mean, big kid who was at Tatman's vacant lot.

+ We find that Monroe and Lee Streets intersect somewhere near the vacant lot.

+ Among the events we have missed (due to missing episodes) are Homer U. McDancey is in the hospital for an unspecified ailment; Y.Y. Flirch had his foot broken when a fast passenger train hit him and Robert and Slobert Hink and Vic are on the outs - Vic even went so far as to call them, "crooks."

+ The way Sade talked, E.W. Smith may also be a part of the All-Star Marching Team. He would be the 11th member, but someone could have quit or maybe someone lost their position. Russell makes mention that there are [still] only 10 members of the team.

+ Russell read that Dismal Seepage, Ohio reaches an average high temperature of 115 degrees in August and has 80 mosquitoes per square foot of air.

+ At the end of the episode, a dejected Vic goes over to Ike Kneesuffer's to pass time playing indoor horseshoes. Vic often does this when he is disappointed.

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44-07-13 Uncle Fletcher Miffed with Sade

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

Sade had a bit of a run-in with Uncle Fletcher. He was being pouty and maudlin about his landlady, Mis' Keller who is possibly getting married and moving to Yellow Jump, North Dakota. He had come around to speak to Sade about it, but again, she was busy and after he went on and on, she had put him in his place.

So Uncle Fletcher comes back over to the house and Vic and Russell are home now too. He asks to borrow Vic's atlas and looks up a dozen or more places and the shortest routes to them. Sade sees this as Uncle Fletcher trying to worry her that he may move away, and she supposes he thinks this might frighten her.

However, if you know anything about the show at all, you know that Rule #1 is that you can't fool Sade because she knows exactly what's going on in the other character's heads. Her uncle still makes it known how displeased he is at her by mostly ignoring her and treating her coldly.

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In this current run (July-ish of 1944) we have the opportunity to hear the show almost daily as it happened for almost a month. We have rarely seen Uncle Fletcher act coldly, but this episode shows us that he can be quite sensitive and have his feelings hurt and like Vic, acts a bit like a child when things do not go his way.

Trivia:

+ While doing the dishes, Russell dropped and broke a fancy gravy boat that was given to Sade by her sister Bess. We do not hear Sade chastising him like she did multiple times to Rush, when he broke her precious, antique pickle and olive shoe.

+ Uncle Fletcher adds "honey" when he addresses Vic and Russell in this episode (ie. "Russell honey") but when addressing Sade - which is minimal - he simply calls her by her name.

Vic and Sade writer Paul Rhymer shows that he could write punny jokes like Fibber McGee and Molly's Don Quinn or the writers of Abbott and Costello's material if he wanted to, when Uncle Fletcher asks Vic for his book of maps: {{{HEAR}}}

+ Coincidentally (or not) Quinn was quoted as saying that Vic and Sade was his favorite radio show (next to Fibber McGee and Molly.)

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44-07-10 A Collection of Personal Treasures

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Vic and Sade are attempting to play a game of checkers but Sade is a horrible player and Vic does the wrong thing by basically calling her a 'halfwit.' It's about that time that Russell comes home to show off a box of treasures he's borrowed.

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Sade never makes an official checker move. It's safe to say that Sade is a horrible game opponent.

Trivia:

+ The box of personal treasures belongs to Emmett Samuelson, his first mention. He's a member of Russell's Sunday School class.

+ Believe it or not, there's a coal mine mentioned in this episode as being at the end of West Jefferson Street. As ridiculous as that may sound, a browse through the internet shows that indeed, Bloomington, Illinois (where Paul Rhymer grew up) has a coal mine!

After basically calling Sade a 'halfwit' and knowing he's dug himself a hole, Vic is self-deprecating: {{{HEAR}}}

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44-06-29 War Bond Visitor

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

Vic, Uncle Fletcher and Russell are all expecting company. But Sade puts the kabosh on their visitations by explaining that Mis' Ogelsby is coming over. Although it's oddly never said in this episode, Mis' Ogelsby is obviously the War Bond salesman for that part of the block/street/area the Gooks live in.

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While not a propaganda piece as other radio programs like the Fibber McGee and Molly or Burns and Allen's forays into the subject, this episode simply uses the premise of Mis' Ogelsby coming over as a time that the family should listen closely to what the War Bond seller has to say. Cleverly done and the point made - without the propaganda - and without even mentioning it was a War Bond saleslady.  As a matter of fact, I might not have known she was a War Bond saleslady if not for the title provided with the audio episode.

Trivia:

+ Mis Ogelsby was mentioned for the first time. We can assume she lives in the Gook neighborhood since she is the War Bond seller for the area in which the Gooks live. She is going door-to-door selling the bonds.

+ Russell mentions Oyster Cracker's cousin Lombard again.

+ Uncle Fletcher goes on and on about Ernie McDisher of Clinton, Iowa. He liked to skulk around the Mississippi River. He and his wife, Velma Scoffburgle-McDisher live in a boxcar. Velma is cousin to Pelter Unbleet.

Ernie used to find arrowheads, strawberries, four-leaf clovers, bicycle sprocket wheels and catfish. He once cut open a catfish and found a dme, which he made into a watchfob. {{{HEAR}}}

+ Uncle Fletcher says Pelter Unbleet may have found a way to remove the smell from Hyena Grease.

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