43-07-22 Rishigan Fishigan and the Penthouse

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

old man

Afraid the passing freight train engineers will throw coal into the new 'penthouse' that he is building, Rishigan Fishigan asks Uncle Fletcher to live there, being he's an old man - and the railroad engineers won't throw hot coals into an old man's living quarters.

SEE THE SCRIPT

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This script is a very important one for the researcher of this great radio program.  First, it testifies to there being a Jayne Bayne - not that we ever doubted it.  But this little lady was only a verbal and second hand ghost (to most of us) until now.  Secondly, it shows us there really was a penthouse for Fishigan and his bride to be.  Third, there is proof here that the engineers lobbed hot coal into the Bright Kentucky Hotel.  It also helps to date a few other episodes.

Trivia:

+ There are few better stories than the one Fletcher tells about William Gubbitchocrank, who got married and regretted it five minutes later - slapping himself with his bare hand for over a half hour.  Had 1,700 head of buffalo fall on him.  His brother, Howard, swallowed a shotgun and later turned to putty.  Stuff 'turning to putty' seems to have haunted Uncle Fletcher.

+ Poor Betsy Vines, wife of Keith.  She never got to eat any pie in 40 years.  Her husband would take her piece every meal.  Pretty sad when you think about it.

42-10-06 Vic Tells a Strange Rishigan Fishigan Story

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Vic relays a very strange story about Rishigan Fishigan from Sishigan, Michigan.  Somewhere, a cornet mournfully plays, "Would That These Pale Hands Chrysanthemums Might Gather."

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This episode was apparently just recently found and may be available soon, but this is something that is unconfirmed. It does, however, seem to to be a new disc find.

The title is one I have given the episode only as a point of reference.

44-05-05 Rish Fish's Short Career

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND RUSSELL MILLER

Almost the very same story as 39-06-21 Hank's Job Royal Throne Barbershop, except Rishigan Fishigan gets the job instead of Hank Gutstop and Russell Miller is in the episode instead of Rush.

SEE THE SCRIPT  (part 1) (part 2)

44-03-22 Grand Re-Opening of the Tea Shoppy

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND  DAVID WHITEHOUSE

• The Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy is now under management of Pom Pom Cordova.  Sade's Thimble Club is backing the venture. Thimble Club Vice-President, Mis' Fenwick, is the new owner.  Pom Pom, as manager and hostess, will put up a glamorous front for drumming up business.  One of the big, free attractions: Pom Pom and Lolita di Rienzi duets on Caribbean Dream Flute and Tropical Guitar.
• The shop re-opens at noon tomorrow: free funny hats for the gentlemen, free noise-makers for the ladies, cigars and roses for the old folks.  Russell and his pals will be handing out these items.
• Sade will attend the grand re-opening with Ruthie Stembottom, Mis' Trogle, and Mis' Hendricks.
• Sade: "everybody happy as my undershirt, huh?"
• Vic fears Sade will pounce on him in regard to Pom Pom. 
• Rishigan Fishigan is passing out handbills on people's porches.
• Russell: "they're really doing it up brown." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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So it comes out that the rumor Mis' Appelrot was passing around was somewhat true.  Vic doesn't seem to have any part in the backing - although, oddly enough - the Thimble Club seems to have way, way more to do with the Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy changing hands than Vic.

Pom Pom and Lolita make their musical dreams come true.  I'm sure their music was very pretty; it's a shame there are no  muted silver moonbeam chimes to go along with them.

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.)

41-xx-xx The Stillness of the Afternoon is Broken

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

Sade's quiet afternoon is broken when Rush, Fletcher and Vic invade her telephone conversation.

The family all find out they are going separate ways.

SEE THE SCRIPT
______________________

This episode features Sade, Vic, Russell and Uncle Fletcher in a somewhat crazy caricature of itself. After all, where else are you going to find "the horse that choked Billy Patterson" (to my knowledge this script is the only one to have a horse choke Billy Patterson!) and Vic admitting readily that he bought a hat, right to Sade's face (although no brim size is mentioned.) The episode also is crammed with exaggerations (especially from Sade) and lots of trivia that conflicts with prior episodes. This doesn't make the episode unfun but rather a curious anomaly and well worth hearing.

Trivia:

+ Uncle Fletcher contends a romance is brewing between his landlady, Mis' Keller and Rishigan Fishigan.  

+ Sade somehow knew that Vic had bought a new hat. It's never explained how she knew this.

+ Mis' Keller's name in this episode is "Helen." We'll be told over and over later in the series that her name is "Leota."

+ Mr. Gumpox now has an automobile horn on his garbage wagon.

+ Rishigan Fishigan dressed up. He was wearing nearly the same outfit as Uncle Fletcher in this episode.

+ Vic got his initials put inside his hat. The hat salesman's name was Arthur Willis.

+ The town has two ladies named Mis' McFreemer. One lives on South Morris Ave. and the other on West Monroe Street.

43-xx-xx Rishigan Fishigan Gets Married

Clarence Hartzell (Uncle Fletcher) once told a brief story about Rishigan Fishigan that was neither left to us via an audio episode or found in the scripts or notes.  The story goes something like this:

Rishigan Fishigan (from Sishigan, Michigan) got married to Jayne Bayne (from Payne, Maine.)  They wanted to spend their honeymoon in the Bright Kentucky Hotel but the penthouse had no stairs going up to it.  The only way to get up to the penthouse was to shinny up a drainpipe -- and no self-respecting woman is going to want to shimmy up a drain pipe.  (((HEAR)))

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We have evidence of penthouse atop the hotel being built in July of 1943.

The title is one I made up for identification purposes only.

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

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

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

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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

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

Trivia:

+ Paul Rhymer used the word, soporific.

43-02-02 Bright Kentucky Hotel and the Locomotive

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY AND BERNARDINE FLYNN

• Vic is just off the phone from speaking with Y.I.I.Y. Skeeber.  He almost  shuddered at the startling news.
• Vic: "On the west side of the building – where our garbageman's room is located – there is only six inches of space between the speeding train and the wall."
• He's waiting for further word about the arrival of train #9 south-bound from Chicago.  The hotel may remain standing or may not. It may become a pile of "remnants, a poor sick heap of twisted bleeding planks.  Vic drags out the story for dramatic impact.  Sade reacts impatiently.
• Rishigan Fishigan is the hero of this tale, possibly having saved the life of every man in residence at the Bright Kentucky Hotel.  He had seen a newspaper article stating that the C & A Railroad had purchased a new locomotive.  It seemed to him that the locomotive was larger than the ordinary ones.  He called the Superintendent of Motive Power of the C & A shops and verified it's a larger locomotive.  He raced back to the Bright Kentucky which was quickly evacuated.
• Now there's nothing to do but wait.  Skeeber phones.  Turns out the new locomotive had twenty-seven twenty-eighths of an inch clearance.
• Vic: (low, vibrant tones) "In fact it scraped the paint."  - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Realistically, the Bright Kentucky Hotel is probably a death trap.  Petitions have been drawn up for it's removal; it was condemned in the 1910's; this episode here proves that there could easily be a very drastic accident where a speeding locomotive runs into the hotel, potentially killing several people... and yet we laugh about it.

But that's a crazy Paul Rhymer script for you.

The hotel is full of the town's seediest - and most notorious - characters.  It's located near the most dangerous part of town (many rails from both the railroad and the interurban station's streetcars merge there.)

I recently went on Google Earth and took a look at the city of Bloomington, to see if there was such a convergence of tracks and here's what I found:

Bloomington, Illinois circa 2011

Perhaps in Rhymer's mind, this was very near the place where the Bright Kentucky Hotel sat. By my count, there are currently 13 tracks there; there's room there for many more and you wonder if there weren't 20+ tracks there in the 1940's?  No wonder Sade worried about Uncle Fletcher's welfare at night when crossing these tracks!  Look at the photo enlarged - imagine it's nighttime and there are 20 tracks there.  It looks to be a good 75 yards across.  Would you feel comfortable crossing those tracks at night?

The hotel is an icon for the show.  Exploring it's various stories can be a great way to spend an afternoon.

46-08-22 Sade and Mis' Kessler Fight

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

Sade, having gone over to Mis' Kessler's home to borrow an egg beater, comes home all in a dither because the two had a "monstrous" quarrel over Mis' Trogle's shoe size!

Then Mis' Kessler comes over and the argument continues but it's far from being "monstrous."

And when the argument can't be settled, Vic has a simple solution to ending it.

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One of the better episodes in "Series 3" but that's not saying much.

Gone are the card games, the talk of Rush's daily activities and the thousand other little things that make Vic and Sade special.  "Series 3" continues on as if it's a different show altogether.

Trivia:

+ The episode begins with Rush reading from a Third Lieutenant Stanley novel. The enemy he faces is a counterfeiting clarinet virtuoso.

The book tells of the Lieutenant waving a crimson pennant. When asked by Vic why the Lieutenant would do this, Rush states that it's done by the Lieutenant to show he liked the kisses from Lady Margaret. If he doesn't enjoy the kisses, he "whips out a green pennant and waves it." He also has a brown pennant he waves if he enjoys a hug she gives him and a purple pennant if he doesn't enjoy the hug. He also has a grey pennant if he enjoyed the kiss but not the hug. There's also a burnt orange pennant to wave if he enjoyed the hug but not the kiss. If he enjoyed both the hug and the kiss, there's a maroon pennant to wave. There's also a striped pennant... but we never find out what that's for - and it might be a good thing we don't know.

+ Sade says Mis' Trogle wears size 5½ shoe, Mis' Kessler says 4½.

+ Mis' Kessler is a member of the Thimble Club.

+ Mis' Watson was mentioned for the first time; she lives on Chestnut Street. She likes Sade's peanut brittle and is a member of the Thimble Club.

+ Mis' Armbruster was mentioned also for the first time. She is an 87 year-old member of the Thimble Club. She has been known to be somewhat confused as she told the ladies her son was a balloonist (he might actually be a balloonist, yet the ladies still think she's confused.) She also thought Mis' Trogle wore size 4½ shoe.

+ Rogers' shoe store was mentioned for the first time. It's owned by (drum roll) Mr. Rogers who also makes his V&S debut.

+ Mis' Trogle's daughter is Margaret who is about 11 years old.  She talks to Vic on the phone and tells him that her mother wears 2 different shoe sizes.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Larry Wayne from Dismal Seepage, Ohio; he founded the city of Blue Grove, Minnesota and named every street in the city "Alvira Jordle."  He married a woman aged 36 - he was also 36

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Verly W. Rozstingy who tried to get the Southeastern part of North Dakota to succeed from the union.  Married a woman 19 years old and hit her on the head with a coal scuttle immediately after the wedding ceremony so there wouldn't be any doubt in her mind who was boss.

+ The part of Mis' Kessler was played by veteran actress Viola Berwick.

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

46-07-25 Moving to Peoria

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

Vic comes home with startling rumors: Consolidated Kitchenware Plant Number 14 is moving to Peoria! But Vic is so excited about the "news" that he begins acting rash.

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Not a memorable episode and the sound quality is well-below par.

Trivia:

+ Rush reads from a Third Lieutenant Stanley novel; this one is about counterfeiting diesel engine mechanics!

+ Smelly Clark's grandmother lives in Towanda.

+ Blue Tooth Johnson's father works for the Chicago-Naulton railroad.

+ Both Dismal Seepage, Ohio (Plant #7) and Sweet Esther, Wisconsin (Plant #4) are home to Consolidated Kitchenware Plants.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Arladeen Hogsflat (perhaps Hogflutch) who loved all states but especially West Virginia. Was an armed guard at the Missouri State Home for the Tall. In 1909, quit that job and became Supervisor of the Laundry at the Ohio State Home for the Bald.

+ Harry Dean makes his "Series 3" debut, bringing Vic a ticket (one-way to Peoria) that he had accidentally left at the interurban station. According to Rush, Dean likes to hang around the station. After Sade finds out Vic has bought a ticket to Peoria, she treats him with ice and has him lay down.

+ Chief Cullerson and Harry Dean both seem familiar with Ike Kneesuffer and seem to be acquainted with indoor horseshoes.

+ The telephone number for Consolidated Kitchenware Plant #14 is #8956-W.  Mr. Ruebush's secretary is Edith Ferris.

+ The lease expiration date for the Consolidated Kitchenware property is May 11, 1976.

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

46-07-18 Midsummer Madness

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

When the people around her begin losing their temper, Sade suspects "Midsummer Madness."

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"Midsummer Madness" is the heat of the summer; everyone is hot, bothered and irritable.

Trivia:

+ Ruthie Stembottom had some kind of argument with Mr. Kroucher, the grocer - so bad of an argument that she said she would not trade with him anymore.

Later though, they make up and things between them seem to be back to normal.

+ After Rush gets kicked out of the Bijou (by manager Milton Ferberman, no less) for making comments about Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman and Gloria Golden, he plans on suing the theater. Recall Blue Tooth Johnson had plans on more than one occasion to do this as well.

However, later, Mr. Ferberman calls up Rush offers him $1.75 to usher at the evening picture show, which Rush gratefully accepts.

+ Vic and his boss Mr. Ruebush exchanged feverish remarks about a missing paper.

However, Mr. Ruebush calls later and apologizes and invites Vic to the Butler House Hotel to eat supper.

It is revealed Mr. Ruebush's initials are "J.K."

+ Uncle Fletcher comes over to the Gook house complaining that he's been insulted by landlady, Mis' Keller and plans to give her his six months' notice. (Actually, it seems he was mad because she threw out hyena grease because it was stinking and put on top of her sideboard.)

He's also mad at her because "she claims she's too busy to listen" to his dreams.

However, she later calls and everything seems to be all right.

+ Uncle Fletcher keeps his hyena grease in a crock that says, "Compliments of Sweet Esther, Wisconsin" on it.

+ It rains in this episode.

Here's Bernadine Flynn as Sade and Clarence Hartzell as Uncle Fletcher doing a commercial for Fitch Shampoo: {{{HEAR}}}

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

46-07-11 Chief of Police Visits

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

Vic has offered Chief of Police William Cullerson the use of his front room for his office while workman are at work at the police station.  The Chief is on the lookout for a man with endless aliases.

Vic wants to help and gets a hold of a uniform.  This gives him a chance to play a tough Irish cop.

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Uncle Fletcher told stories like crazy when he first joined the cast.  They gradually tarried off into no stories at all (during the end of the "Series 1.")  "Series 2" saw a smattering of stories but none of them really worth writing about.

This episode, however, harkens back to the first days of Uncle Fletcher, in that he tells a bunch of stories.  Some of them are rehashes of previous stories - or at least he uses elements of things that he's previously used.

Still, this is the Uncle Fletcher we got to know and love when he came aboard.

Trivia:

+ The narrator says Rush is mending his seam on his "indoor baseball." This was the same thing Russell was doing at the beginning of episode 44-07-26 Sade Pleads to See a Movie. And I still don't know what an "indoor baseball" is.

+ Uncle Fletcher talks about F.L. Rodgisherly, who gave the advice of, "Never go to sleep." His life seems to parallel those of Eugene Parklow and George McFulferm (or perhaps Uncle Fletcher just has his names mixed up.) He ran for coroner and got beat. Ran for sheriff and got beat. His one big ambition was to run for mayor and get beat; he realized that ambition.

+ Uncle Fletcher talks about Virgil K. McSneese who married a woman 38 years old, hit her on the head with a straw suitcase in disgust, poked her father in the jaw, wore his shoes on the wrong feet and held a section gang at bay with a 2x4 plank.

+ Uncle Fletcher talks about Bobton L. McQuirk who invented a vinegar bottle that had a button.  Married a woman 19 years old.  Deserted the powdered rabbit business.  Painted his house and barn without the use of either paint or paintbrush.  Died.

+ Uncle Fletcher talks about Mervin L. Melkowitz who refused all drinking water that didn't come from a stream in Idaho.

+ Police Chief Cullerson is on the lookout for Cortney Van Corlick (aka The Cunning Culprit from Covington, Kentucky, aka The Intrepid Evildoer of El Dorado, Arkansas, aka Ronald Rudman the Ruthless Ruffian from Radford, Rhode Island, aka Irving Ishouwood the Injurious Ingrate from Indianapolis, Indiana, aka Phillip Peggles the Purloined Pickpocket from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -- whose real name is Pete McPunker.)

+ In a fun swipe at Uncle Fletcher, Vic tells Rush to "Go down cellar."

+ Mr. Sprawl shows up looking for his daughter Mis' Harris. When he notices Chief Cullerson and then Vic dressed up as a cop, he tries to flee under the davenport, spilling all of his peanuts with the chocolate smeared on the outside of them.

+ Vic, who somehow has a police uniform for himself, puts it on and talks now and then with an Irish accent: {{{HEAR}}}

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46-07-04 Women's Auxiliary

 

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

Sade spoke for Vic and told Vernon Korkell she would fix it so that he could join the Sewage Worker's Silver Cornet Band, even though his instrument is the piano, not the cornet  (it is revealed that he also plays the banjo.)  Vic argues with Sade and tells her the banjo doesn't belong in an all-cornet band.

Meanwhile, Vic has news of a Women's Auxiliary for his lodge. Sade - not-so-suprisingly - refuses to join, despite the promise that she can ride either a horse or a motorcycle.  Eventually she changes her mind when she makes a deal with Vic - that if he will fix it so that Vernon can play his banjo in the Sewage Worker's band, she'll ride in the parade.

Intertwined is Rush and Orville Wheeney practicing "evil chuckles."

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This is the first episode of "Series 3" that was presented "in full" - that is, no prior editing was done to it.  "Series 3" begins with a vignette or gist of the episode that gives you a hint of what the episode is about.

The 30 minute Vic and Sade episodes were really a bad idea.  There's more of the new characters, there's the annoying incidental music and almost three times the story length of those in the first and second series.

While this episode seems to be about the lodge, it's not really about the lodge at all.  It's much more about these suddenly-real characters.

The idea that Sade would agree (at any cost) to ride in a lodge parade at all -- seems silly. 

Trivia:

+ In this episode we learn that Vic's in-laws Bess and Walter Helfer once gave him long underwear for Christmas. Recall they once gave him a pair of easy slippers as a Christmas gift as well. They were decorated with Indian heads and tassels.

+ Vic says this is the first time the Women's Auxiliary has been official at his lodge. True, but once there was mention of a Women's Auxiliary Marching Team.

+ Rush says Mildred Tisdale publicly said he "wasn't good-looking."  Rush then goes on to say that, "He's plenty good-looking!"  This is not the first time he's gone down that avenue of thought.

+ Orville Wheenie is again a gas meter reader.  Recall he was fired from this same job in "Series 2."

+ Rush reads aloud from a volume of Third Lieutenant Stanley.  In it, he faces counterfeiting clothes manufacturers.  He has a solid gold revolver in a mink holster.  He also has twin rows of teeth(!) - of course, the color of old ivory.

+ When Uncle Fletcher and Roy Dejectedly (a real character now in "Series 3") arrive, they say they are seriously talking about buying part of the Little Tiny Petite Pheasent Feather Tea Shoppy.  However, they only plan on investing $9.00.

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46-06-27 Assembling a Piano

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

Uncle Fletcher promises he will revive a thrown-out, chopped up piano so that Vernon Korkell can give Rush piano lessons.

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Welcome to (what I call) "Series 3" of Vic and Sade. The episode is intertwined with a lazy bassoon/fat alto saxophone in almost a cartoonish way. I'm not sure I'm quite enamored with it. The episode in full lasts 30 minutes; about 22 minutes plus when all the junk has been taken out.  All known surviving copies of this episode were already edited, thus this is not my editing job.

"Series 3" has a live audience.

Trivia:

+ Sade's daily newspaper love story has lately been about the Hawaiian islands.

+ Vic reads in the paper that "Mr. Ed McNilch invented a bicycle that could say 'mama.'" This is a big part of Vic and Sade nostalgia. But you may have read erroneously that the man was named Godfrey Dimlock; the below sound clip will prove this to be untrue: {{{HEAR}}}

+ Vic also reads that Mis' Cora Bucksaddle "swallowed a shotgun."

+ Robert and Slobert Hink and Cupid and Stupid Golfbake were mentioned in the local paper, even though both live in Hoopston, which is many miles away. Each couple was mentioned as going to see a Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman and Gloria Golden movie. Why it was in the local paper is anyone's guess.

+ The actress who plays Mis' Harris in this episode is definitely not the same one who played the part in "Series 2."

+ Vernon Korkell's mother-in-law mowed the ivy off the side of her house, even though her arms got tired holding up the lawnmower and she was on a step ladder....

+ Mis' Keller's dog is named "Elizabeth."

+ B.B. Baugh uses piano wire for suspenders, Pelter Unbleat uses piano wire for an auxilary cord for his automobile.

+ Rush is asked to do his imitation of a man with his head caught in a revolving door at the post office.

His voice register is noticeably lower than the previous time he did such an imitation. In that episode, it was the Brick Mush man who got his head caught in a revolving door.

+ Sade says she was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Uncle Fletcher says he was born in Tomahawk, Wisconsin.

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45-12-07 There's Going to be a Great Day

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

The city the Gooks live in has been accepted to host the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way Convention in May of 1946 and Vic is to be Grand Marshal.

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A fun episode.

Trivia:

+ This episode marks the end of the surviving "Series 2."  The next series originally was a 30 minute series that had a live audience.

+ Mis' Harris is over visiting Sade (and Rush) and the three talk about the Donahue attic mystery.

+ Sade, for the first time in the entire series, refers to Mis' Donahue as "Mrs. Donahue."

+ Sade, who previously said she was going to confront Mis' Donahue about the attic goings-on changes her mind in this episode as she says, "Until she says something herself about this business, I'm certainly not going to."

+ Uncle Fletcher gives his two cents about the attic, saying he doubts there is a insane murderer or "hairy ape gnawing at his chains" crouching up there.

+ Being the Grand Marshal, Vic was given his choice of transportation: a horse, a motorcycle or a rickshaw. He chose all three!

+ During the convention, Vic has the duty of climbing up on his roof and shooting off a Roman candle at midnight. He'll also have to install 3 extra telephones in his house.

+ In passing, Vic mentions there will be dirigible balloon rides.

+ Uncle Fletcher mentions Ernie Spoocher from Belvidere, Illinois.

+ Vic feels so good about the news, he gives Mis' Harris a kiss.

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45-11-29 Uncle Fletcher Arranges Phone Calls

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

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

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

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

Trivia:

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

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

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

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

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

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45-11-27 Parade of Interruptions

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

Sade complains to Vic that she can't get any work done because visitors keep interrupting her.

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And she aint kidding! Sade is interrupted by a total of nine people, including Vic.

This is a better than the average show, although, it's not one of the better ones.

Trivia:

+ Vic came home early from work because workmen were hammering on the steam pipes.

+ Sade complains to Vic about the visitors simply walking in the house without knocking. This was never a problem before 'Series 2' because there were no real people (save the Brainfeebles and Leland "I Want My Mommy" Richards.) This "problem" was created by Paul Rhymer!

+ Those who had bothered Sade before Vic arrived:

• The Brick Mush man
• Mr. Sprawl (he came to bring embroidery hoops that Mis' Harris had borrowed.)
• Vernon Korkell (not to read the meter but to kiss-off time.)
• Mr. Gumpox (he just noticed the big chip knocked out of the garbage box. That incident occured July 28, 1944, almost a year and a half prior to this incident!)
• Mr. Erickson (wanted to see if the back porch really needed to be fixed.)
  
• Rishigan Fishigan (came by to see if the Gooks needed their windows washed.)
  
• A cosmetics saleman (he had some stuff to smear on your face to make you look pretty.)

Once Vic got to the house, more visitors (all real characters) arrived:

• Orville Wheenie (he came by looking for Vernon Korkell who was long gone)
• Uncle Fletcher
• Mr. Gertner (The City Water Inspector; his first appearance. He seems to know Uncle Fletcher pretty well, since he calls him "Fletch.")
• Jimmy Custard (Still confused, he's lost his glasses and thinks Sade is called, "Mrs. Emerson.")
• Harry Dean (A telephone repairman; his first appearance.)

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45-11-23 Five Sleeping Beauties

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

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

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

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

Trivia:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Voice of Twentysixler: {{{HEAR}}}

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