The Mickesketeer

Mickelangelo:

Yeah, I was fascinated, amazed, and quite tickled that Mel Blanc had done over 300 character voices. Some of those character names just completely cracked me up. I did not know about his fast car fetish. He was a short little shit, so he probably fit better in a sports car. Kudos on Scout, Buttermilk, and Topper. But did you tell me Cisco's pony's name, or Pancho's? What a tease you are.

As to the MARX BROTHERS. God, I loved the 1973 interview that Dick Cavett did with Groucho. They reran it recently on TCM. Groucho's real first name was Julius. He was called Groucho because when the brothers were in Vaudeville (where they worked with Charlie Chaplin and W.C.Fields), Groucho was in charge of the money purse or bag, and it was called the "grouch" bag. Some say is was his sunny disposition that led to his nickname. When they traveled to gigs in those days, they always rode the train. Mother Minnie always booked them for "children's" fares, even though they were all in their 20's. At one point a miffed conductor said,"One of your children, madam, is smoking a cigar, and one of the others is shaving in the men's room." "Oh," she said,"How fast they grow up.". Groucho was in the middle of the five brothers. Chico and Harpo were the oldest. Zeppo was the "singing" brother who played the straight man and leading man in some of their earliest films. The fifth brother, the baby, was Gummo. Yes, he was in their vaudeville act, but never appeared in any of the films. Groucho's characters all had wonderful names, like Rufus T. Firefly, and Hugo Z. Hackenbush, and Otis B. Driftwood. Yes, Groucho always contended that actress Margaret Dumont never really "got" the jokes they used on her in the films. That makes it funnier in a way. "I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I never know." Chico and Harpo were womanizers, infamous, but not Groucho. They were still in vaudeville when as a practical joke, Harpo chased a half naked chorus girl across the stage when Groucho was performing. That became one of his trademarks for all the films. "I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception." Groucho died in 1977, only 3 days after the death of Elvis Presley. Groucho's death was hardly noticed, and that's a shame. His brother, Gummo, had died 3 months earlier, and the family never told him, not wanting to upset him. "Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others." One of his favorite songs to sing was LYDIA, THE TATOOED LADY. "I drink to make other people interesting." He always said,"When I die, I want to be buried on top of Marilyn Monroe." He was cremated, so it wouldn't have worked out too well. "Paying alimony is like buying hay for a dead horse." After going to the premiere of SAMSON & DELILAH (1949) with the beefcake star Victor Mature, and the demure Hedy Lamarr, Groucho said," No picture can hold my interest when the leading man's tits are bigger than the leading lady's." It is said that the FBI had a file on him because he made some comments about Communism. His quiz show, YOU BET YOUR LIFE was both on the radio and the television (1947-1956). What was the name of his announcer? "Remember, you are only as young as the woman you feel." In NIGHT AT THE OPERA, Groucho and Chico knock out the lead singer with a mallet, so that brother, Zeppo, could get the big break as the understudy. When the stage manager asked what happened to the lead singer, Groucho said," Oh, he pulled a knife on me, so I had to shoot him."

Now, Mickster, as to TOPPER. I always thought Hoppy's horse should have gotten its own show or comic book, like Silver, Trigger, and Champion did. As to "Cosmo Topper" the hilarious character appearing in TOPPER (1937), he was played by English actor Roland Young, with Billie Burke as his wife. Of course the movie was a smash hit because the ghost couple, the Kerbys were played by Cary Grant and Constance Bennett. Later there was TOPPER TAKES A TRIP (1938) with Roland Young. Billie Burke was still the wife, and Constance Bennett returned, but not Cary Grant. Still late there was TOPPER RETURNS (1941) with Roland Young and Billie Burke, and in that film Joan Blondell was the pesky ghost. Roland Young died in 1953 just as they were making plans for the TV series, TOPPER, which ran 1953-1955 for 78 (30 minute) episodes. Cosmo Topper was played by Leo G. Carroll. As a nine year old kid, who had seen the original film on TV, I thought it was the same actor. On the TV series, who played the Kerbys? Of course there was the inevitable TV movie remake, TOPPER in 1979. Who played Cosmo in that one? Kate Jackson and Andrew Stevens were the Kerbys.

Sir, I understand and accept your lethargy and dislike of research. Your raw recall is phenominal. I use a bit of both, recall and research. So I guess when you do not make mention of something, I will spill the beans in my reply, and endeavor to keep the scales balanced. God knows that your naked brainpan is both awesome and dangerous enough without cluttering it with even more trivia and actual facts. "Just the facts, Mam'"

As to DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID (1982), with Steve Martin playing detective Rigby Reardon, and Rachel Ward playing Juliet, the femme --I am not sure which line you are referring to. I remember at one point she said to the head Nazi," Careful, I could be your Heinamackafrau." Rigby asked what that was, and the Nazi said,"My cleaning woman."
I loved the part where Jimmy Sue's (Lana Turner) father is angry with Rigby.
Father: (played by Edward Arnold) Don't go near my daughter again! Don't try and see her. Don't write her and don't phone her.
Rigby: But can I use her underwear to make soup?
One of my favorite parts was when Juliet sucked the bullet out of Rigby's chest (Carl Reiner must have had a blast directing this). Rachel Ward smiled, and we see the bullet in her teeth, but the flat back of the slug is shown facing out. It she in fact had "sucked" it out of the open wound the head of the slug would have been pointing out.

Kudos and more kudos on your correct picks, the young Mickey Rooney playing the young Clark Gable in MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, with William Powell and Myrna Loy in the cast. And hell yes, it was old pal, Leo Gordon playing Dillinger in BABY FACE NELSON. And Yes again on Yul Brynner as the 50's Lafitte and Fredric March as the 30's Lafitte, with Anthony Quinn directing the remake. No, as a student of history, I really did not know that that rascal Jim Bowie was in cahoots with Jean Lafitte, nor did I know he killed Lafitte's son in a duel over business; Christ, a Bowie knife against a sword, that must have been some damned duel.

As to Spring Byington and her trivia corner. She played Dolly Madison, by the way in THE BUCCANEER (1938), and was quite a dish; a sexy dame. Her television series was DECEMBER BRIDE, which ran from 1954-1959. Her character was Lily Ruskin. Nancy Kulp, pre-THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, played the Butch librarian. Arnold Stang did some of the episodes too. Pete, the cigar-chomping complaining neighbor was played by the great character actor, Harry Morgan. The wife he incessantly complained about, but that we never saw was Gladys. The spin-off series, done in 1960 for one season (nominated for an Emmy) was called PETE AND GLADYS. But sir, you are mistaken --Harry Morgan did star in it for the full run. His mysterious wife, Gladys, was played by Cara Williams. But her character was not written as a nagging wife, so the show had no real heat or conflict, and kind of died on the vine. There was another DECEMBER BRIDE actress that transfered over to PETE AND GLADYS. She played Hila Crocker. She got a lot of the wise-cracking good line. Who was she?

Yeah, Squint did his best growling out the song in PAINT YOUR WAGON, but yeah Lee Marvin stole the show with "I was born under a wandering star" rendition. You might also be right that Sinatra was still pissed off about losing the part of Terry Malloy to Brando in ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), while they were filming GUYS AND DOLLS IN 1955. At least Brando had to suffer through playing Napoleon in DESIREE (1954) in the interim.

Do you really have a HOWDY DOODY clock? That would be great. Yes, 2007, will be a landmark year for the MICK & BUTT SHOW --there is no doubt in my mind. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946). Christ, Mick, Frank Capra lived to be 95 years old. What the hell did you want from the man? He was born in 1897, and died in 1991. By the way, who played Clarence the angel?

Alan Hale Sr. to Lee Remick was tough for me. I liked the trail you took better, but at least I got there. We were both "close" on Fess Parker to Claude Rains. You did:
Fess Parker in BATTLE CRY with Van Heflin.
Van Heflin in SHANE with Jean Arthur.
Jean Arthur in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON with Claude Rains.
I did:
Fess Parker in BATTLE CRY with Van Heflin.
Van Heflin in 3:10 TO YUMA with Glenn Ford.
Glenn Ford in THE WHITE TOWER with Claude Rains.

And now for the Mick GREAT NUMB NIPPLE BANGER, getting from Brian Donlevy to Brian Dennehy. It took me a few minutes, big guy. How about:
Brian Donlevy in SOUTH OF TAHITI (1941) with Henry Wilcoxen.
Henry Wilcoxen in F.I.S.T. (1978) with Brian Dennehy.

And your task, sir, is to get from Judy Garland to Lloyd Nolan.

"When I was in Africa, I shot an elephant in my pajamas."

The Glennster of the Shire.

Mick wrote:

Wow, I didn't know he did that many recognizable voices not counting all his sound effects and his other work. I heard him say in an interview how poor his family was growing up in the depression so his only extravagance was sports cars and driving fast which damn near killed him in a bad car wreck in the 60's and laid him up for over a year and he always walked with a limb and a "hitch in his getalong" after that. I was remiss in my horse feathers: Tonto's equine was Scout, Dales was Buttermilk and Hoppies was Topper. Okay no more horse'n around but horse feathers had four of my kindred souls the Marx Brothers in it along with the great fat broad Margaret Dumont and what was the name of the singing brother and the fifth one who was in their earlier vaudeville act but not the later movies and no it wasn't Karl Marx and what was Grouchos real first name?

Speaking of Topper what two actors played Cosmos in the movies and tv who had identical voices and were remarkable look alikes. As you well know all great men througout history have always known "what the public doesn't know won't hurt them" and that is why I only rely on my spontaniety, considered by all Freudians to be of the highest genius category ever to be recorded, instead of doing any research on a subject or reply with the ludicrous, I can't remember or I used to know and that's why if I don't reply you know that you stiffed me. Like the magic of Martin and Lewis or Laurel and Hardy one has to be the workaholic (you) while I like Martin and Hardy hate to rehearse and simply rely on my spontaneous genius and feed off you or the situation and throw away my script. What was the phrase that made Steve Martin go balistic in Dead Men Don't wear plaid that the femme fatale used at the end to fight the dreaded nazis.

Lena Hornes song was in the movie with the same title Stormy Weather. Mickey Rooney was Lester Gillis and the young Clark Gable, what irony, with your old buddy Leo Gordon as Dillinger in Baby Face Nelson and William Powell and Myrna Loy were the two actors in Manhattan Melodrama who teamed up later as Nick and Nora Charles with there terrier Asta solving those hard to crack cases in The Thin Man. Jean Lafitte was my buddy Yul and the earlier one was Frederick March, who was around forever, and Tony Quinn was able to direct the Yul one which must have been fun to play a part and then direct your character years later. Incidently, did you know that the Alamos Jim Bowie was in kahoots with Lafitte in the then illegal slave trade and they both made a fortune from it and Bowie was forced to kill Lafittes son with his infamous knife, Lafittes son had his sword, over territory and business matters. You mentioned Spring Byington in the earlier version, what was the name of her tv show and who played Pete the cigar smoking neighbor and his character became a spin off series but he didn't star in it but who played him and the wife which Pete in Spring Byingtons show only mentioned but you never saw her just like George Goble used to mention spooky old Alice?
Okay, so squint Clint didn't tackle the Harve Presnell songs like They Call the Wind Maria and the preachers rendition of No Name City but for Lee and Clint it was different you must admit and nobody could ever do better than Lee with I Was Born Under A Wanderin Star! One of my all time favorites. I still think the feud between Sinatra against Brando had the seeds in who played Terry Malloy not just no singing talent for Brando in Guys and dolls?

The old clock on the wall tells me its Howdy Doody time so all of us in Howdydoodyville and the Doodyville express want to end this year with a signed fat contract with one of the major networks for at least 3 more years for the sake of Buffalo Bob, Clareabell the clown, Princess Summerfallwinterspring, Chief Kowabunga, Phennias T. Bluster and of course Howdy so keep your fingers crossed and your other hand on your wallet for our next adventure coming up in 07, details later. Remember what the Angel 2nd class, AS2. Clarence said to George Bailey: "You see George you really have had a wonderful life. Oh, how we need Frank Capra again!
Kudos on Alan Hale Sr to luscious Lee Remick,
my way was Alan in the Inspector General with Gene Lockhart,
Gene in Miracle on 34th Street with Maureen Ohara,
Maureen in Spencers Mt with Hank Fonda,
Hank with Lee in Sometimes a Great Notion.

Okay, Fess to Claude: Fess was in Battlecry with Van Heflin,
Van was in Shane with Jean Arthur,
Jean was in Mr Smith Goes To Washington with Claude. Your nipple number is Brian Donlevy to Brian Dennehy.

Regards, I'm still working on my ASII, Your guardian angel Mick the wingless wonder.