Sade's Thimble Club inspired others?

Check out this video:



Did you notice this sign?

I have a feeling the Thimble Club on Vic and Sade inspired other ladies to start their own such clubs.

Small talk of no importance

I saw the first robin of the spring!

Yesterday, I had a big Vic and Sade moment; I took a walk out to check the mail and up on a tree, not far from me, was a robin.

Now, 3 months ago, I couldn't have told you what a robin looked like.  But since the two episodes in Vic and Sade speak of "the first robin", I had done some research and even had posted a photo of a robin on the website.

So there was the robin.  I stopped, looked long and hard and smiled.  There was no one around to see us but I knew then and there I would be afforded all the luxuries of seeing the first robin of the spring.

No, it's not quite spring but there he was!  Pat me on the back.

Rarely-seen Clarence Hartzell photos

The following photos were given to me by the National Lum and Abner Society [Thanks to Donnie Pitchford, Sam Brown, Tim Hollis and The National Lum and Abner Society - Visit Donnie Pitchford's wonderful Lum and Abner Comics.]

I believe the bottom right photo is either Doc Withers (Lum and Abner) or Uncle Fletcher.  The rest, I believe, are for his television appearances.

Pickled watermelon rind

In at least this episode and this one, pickle watermelon rind is mentioned.

It is a strange food to most of us but it seems to be quite common in the upper midwest. 

This video will shed some light on the food:

Cousin Willie

Here's something I'll bet you didn't know: "Billy" Idelson was the star of his own radio show.  In 1953, Cousin Willie was a Summer replacement show.

Idelson played Cousin Willie.  He was a relative visiting California from Milwaukee and he never had the inclination to leave.

There are a few episodes available at OTRR.

1938 Stand By magazine

Not a magazine circulating on the internet

Bathhouse Theater?

Anyone have any info on this? (I can find very little.) 

A closeup of the photo reveals this might have been a re-creation of the episode about caramels (36-xx-xx Caramels on a Hot Day.)

Still, why would a photo of a re-creation bring $29 bucks?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-Bathhouse-Theater-Vic-and-Sade-Press-Photo-/200881505231?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item2ec57883cf

This is/Is this "brick mush" (video)

Blue Tooth under Gook davenport - ah ha!

The episode where Blue Tooth Johnson is under the Gook davenport is one of the first episodes of Vic and Sade I remember hearing.  It's taken me all this time (almost two years now) to have an "ah-ha!" moment of realization...

The episode takes place on October 31, 1939 - Halloween night.  Halloween is not mentioned in the script.  Realizing now that it's Halloween night tells me, for one thing, why all the kids were skulking around outside.  We don't know exactly why Blue Tooth is hiding from Smelly Clark but maybe the motive has something to do with Halloween or candy.

This would also explain why Vic and Sade (in particular) are freaked out about Blue Tooth hiding underneath the davenport.  Halloween night has an extra creepy chill in the air.

The first robin of the spring (an Illinois' thing?)

When I first read the Barbara Schwarz notes on this episode and also this one (each dealing with Hank Gutstop spotting the first robin of the spring and being hailed for it) I found them to be in the 'ridiculous' category.

Now, this very well could be or perhaps it was a tradition in Illinois or the Upper Midwest.  I write this because just this morning, I was checking out a Fibber McGee and Molly episode from 1945 where Fibber can't find his newspaper and he's anxious to find it because there is word in there about him being the one who spotted the first robin of the spring (the episode is from April 10 of 1945.)

Now, you may recall that the McGees live in Wistful Vista, which is very much like Peoria, Illinois.  Peoria and Bloomington (the city the Gooks live in, despite what you may have read) are not that far apart - less than 50 miles.  This might be some sort of tradition in this part of the country - or it could be phony stuff cooked up by writers Paul Rhymer and Don Quinn.  Rhymer and Quinn were buddies (one reason because they grew up in the same neck of the woods, one would think.)

So, without further ado, here's that bit of Fibber McGee and Molly - from the episode titled, No Newspaper:

(((HEAR)))

Rush Gook enjoyed nudity

We know Rush went to the Bijou and saw Tarzan in 1934. Here's a shocking clip from the film:

Imagining Vic admiring his lodge sword

A bit of a silly premise but you'll have fun if you enjoy the nonsense of Vic and if you will simply play along with this helpful video:

One of the favorite things I have read about Vic and Sade

Fan Jim Sizemore did an interview with me in my early days of listening to the show.  He commented about the show in a way that  is almost exactly how I feel.  He wrote:

V&S is the very top of my all time favorites, and there is no close second. It's the only radio show that I often think of out of the blue, without the prompt of a bit of music or some comment I happen to hear. The voices of Vic, Sade, Fletcher and Rush will just pop into my head unannounced; and when they do they always have something clever or wise and/or interesting to say.

This happens to me a lot. I especially 'hear' the voice of Rush and his feelings about whatever it is I happen to be doing.  It makes me giggle when it happens, as I sometimes say what he 'says' in my mind, in a very audible way.  When I am alone.  I think I am perhaps a bit crazy.

I do sometimes 'hear' Sade as well.  Not so much Vic or Uncle Fletcher though, and I am not sure why.

'Shock and Awe' will remind you of Vic and Rush and the faulty washing machine

See: Washing Machine on the Blink