#Wally Maher

[papermoonloveslucy]

VACATION TIME

April 29, 1949

“Vacation Time” (aka “Trailer Vacation to Goosegrease Lake”) is episode #41 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on April 29, 1949 on the CBS radio network.

Synopsis ~ It's vacation time, and Liz and George have decidedly different plans. He wants to go camping with a trailer he borrowed from a friend, while she's set on a glamorous vacation at Moosehead Lodge.

This episode later partly inspired the premise of “Liz Learns To Swim” aired on June 11, 1950. 

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) and Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) do not appear in this episode. 

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz (above right), a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

Frank Nelson (Policeman) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”. This is one of his 11 performances on “My Favorite Husband.”  On “I Love Lucy” he holds the distinction of being the only actor to play two recurring roles: Freddie Fillmore and Ralph Ramsey, as well as six one-off characters, including the frazzled train conductor in “The Great Train Robbery” (ILL S5;E5), a character he repeated on “The Lucy Show.”  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs.  

Wally Maher (Joe Risley) was born on August 4, 1908 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was known for Mystery Street (1950), The Reformer and the Redhead (1950) and Hollywood Hotel (1937). He was heard with Lucille Ball in the Lux Radio Theatre version of “The Dark Corner” (1947), taking the role originated on film by William Bendix. He died on December 27, 1951.

Milton Stark (Filling Station Attendant) was a theatre actor and director, who also appeared on radio and television, although usually in supporting roles.  He also worked as a dialogue coach and acting teacher. At UCLA a scholarship was established in his name. He lived to the age of 103. 

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers, it is a cold rainy afternoon, but Liz is in her bedroom standing in front of the mirror wearing a back-less, strapless sun dress.” 

Liz calls Katie in to show off her sun dress, but Katie is disapproving that is so revealing.  Liz has shopped for summer vacation clothes.  Liz’s bathing suit cost’s forty dollars. 

KATIE: “That’s a lot of money for two doilies and a diaper.” 

Liz says that husbands only approve of scanty swimsuits when they are on any woman but their wives. 

LIZ: “I want to look good for George. He’s going to see a lot of me this summer.” KATIE: “He’s not the only one!”  

The topic of revealing bathing suits was later also mined for comedy on “I Love Lucy.”  In “Off To Florida” (ILL S6;E6) Ricky thinks Lucy’s new skimpy new swimsuit is for Little Ricky!  Lucy also buys a swimsuit that Ricky feels is too skimpy when shopping for their California trip in “Getting Ready” (ILL S4;E11)

Liz says they are going to Moosehead Lodge on Lake Okeechobee. Liz calls it a real swanky place.  Katie reminds Liz that George prefers more rugged vacations.  Liz says she will suggest it to George at dinner. 

Lake Okeechobee is a real place, located in central Florida, although it is far more conducive to George’s type of vacation than Liz’s, highlighting nature through fishing and nature.  

Although there are places called Moosehead Lodge in America, it unlikely that a moose would be associated with central Florida and that it would be an upscale resort of the type Liz is describing. 

At the bank, George talks to his co-worker Joe about scheduling vacations.  Joe says that his ideal vacation is in a trailer.  If George likes the idea, he will lend the Coopers his trailer.  George will suggest it to Liz at dinner. 

After dinner, both Liz and George get cozy with the idea of easing the other into going on their dream destination.  Liz ‘just happened’ to hear about a place that she vaguely remembers. 

LIZ: “I did hear of some place called Moosehead Lodge. It’s probably situated in groves of stately pines, on the shores of an emerald green lake, its rustic beauty enhanced by lawns and flower beds. Each luxurious room is furnished with clean, comfortable box spring beds, modern bathroom and shower. Ten dollars a day, American plan. Oh, George, let’s go there. We can relax and enjoy a continual round of  glorious entertainment, sports, good food, and true fellowship, see your travel agent for details.”

George realizes that Liz has been plotting a vacation.  George says he has a better idea - two weeks in a trailer.  Liz is less than keen. George says that they can borrow Joe Risley’s trailer!

LIZ: “Keen with mud on it.”

Liz is worried that nobody will see her new vacation wardrobe if they are cooped up in a trailer.  They are at an impasse.  Liz suggests they go on separate vacations.  When George reluctantly agrees, she breaks down in tears.  

Liz moans to Katie that she already misses George, and the vacation doesn’t begin for two months.  George phones from work to talk to Liz.  George offers a compromise.  They will take a trial weekend trip in the trailer, and if she doesn’t like it, he will go to Moosehead Lodge!

Vacationing in a trailer was explored by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in their 1953 comedy MGM’s The Long Long Trailer.  The film mines a lot of physical comedy from the trailer’s unwieldy movement and how Lucy’s character Tacy Bolton copes with it. 

ANNOUNCER: “George is just driving up with the trailer hooked up to the back of the car.”

Liz remarks how small the trailer is.  

GEORGE: “Keep an open mind.” LIZ: “I’ll have to close it or it won’t fit in that trailer.” 

They tour the inside, which is smaller than Liz thought.  Just then, a knock at the trailer door and there’s a policeman (Frank Nelson) issuing them a parking ticket! Forty bucks for parking illegally!

The next morning George and Liz get an early start on their trial trailer trip.  Liz has brought along a little light reading for the trip: “Inside Moosehead Lodge” by Liz Gunther. 

Motoring along the highway, George is enjoying the drive. 

LIZ: “Travel is great. I wouldn’t go anywhere without it.”

George says it is so smooth, you wouldn’t even know the trailer is back there.  Liz notices that it isn’t!  George forgot to hook it on!   Finally, they are off (again) to Goosegrease Lake. Liz reads one of those sequential signs along the roadside: “If Your Whiskers...  Won’t Behave... Take a Tip Use....”  Liz goes silent. 

GEORGE: “Use what?”  LIZ: “The last sign’s torn down. Now we’ll never know.” 

Almost everyone in the audience knew it was Burma-Shave.  From 1926 until 1963 the ‘brushless’ shaving cream company dotted the American highways with small red signs, each containing a line of a short rhyme that the driver could read without slowing down as they drove by.  At one time, there were over 600 different rhymes on signs!  

The idea was given a nod on a 1955 “I Love Lucy” episode “First Stop” (ILL S4;E14) with the roadside signs for Aunt Polly’s Pecan Pralines. 

LUCY: Fifty miles to Aunt Sally’s Pecan Pralines. later... LUCY: 300 yards to Aunt Sally’s! ETHEL: 200 yards! FRED: 100 yards! RICKY: Just around the bend! LUCY: You have just passed Aunt Sally’s. 

Liz is quite sure that George’s shortcut has gotten them lost. They stop to ask directions from a laid back filling station attendant (Milton Stark) who tells them they don’t want to go to Goosegrease Lake.  He suggests they go to the hot springs, instead. 

Oops! Milton Stark has trouble pronouncing ‘Goosegrease’ and  the audience is aware of his flub. When he asks Lucille Ball “What ya gonna do there?” She deliberately says “We’re gonna goose a grease”, instead of “grease a goose”, which causes more giggles from the cast and gales of laughter from the audience. 

FILLING STATION ATTENDANT: “You can’t get there from here!”

Next morning Liz wakes up and looks around.  She sees beautiful green grass and a little flag with the number 18 on it!  A golf ball comes crashing through the window. The policeman from who ticketed them earlier knocks on the trailer door. They have illegally camped out on the 18th green of the municipal golf course - only two miles from home!  Liz said they didn’t know where they were going. 

POLICEMAN: “Do you know where you’re going now?” LIZ: “Yes!  To Moosehead Lodge!” POLICEMAN: “No, to the city jail! Come on!”

End of Episode

[meanstreetspodcasts]

Tomorrow on Down These Mean Streets, we’ll hear Brett Halliday’s ace gumshoe Michael Shayne tackle tough radio mysteries!

Wally Maher stars as Shayne with Cathy Lewis as his loyal secretary Phyllis Knight, plus we’ll hear Jeff Chandler in a more hard-boiled take on the “reckless, red-headed Irishman.”

Click here to subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts.

Click here to listen via Stitcher.

Click here to find the show on Spotify.

[contentabnormal]

This week on Content Abnormal we present Michael Shayne’s investigation of “The Ghost of Moccasin Hill”!

[frankentyner]

Piecing together a Michael Shayne mystery for the next Content Abnormal and found out Shayne is voiced by Screwy Squirrel.

[ducktracy]

Know where that "I like him, he's silly" line comes from?

YES!! from a radio show called Tommy Rigs and Betty Lou--the character Wilbur (played by Wally Maher, inspiration for Screwy Squirrel) would say the same catchphrase often.

my friend Devon Baxter has a clip of Maher saying the line on The Jack Benny Show (as well as various references in cartoons)--the entire article of radio show catchphrases in cartoons is VERY informative! i can't recommend it enough!

[johngarfieldtribute]

My boy! Such sincerity in all he tackled. He recorded a story about equality for children called HOW RAYMOND THE WHITE RABBIT AND ROBERT THE BLACK RABBIT SAVE RABBIT TOWN. The run time is 18:37.

Although out of print the record may be obtained used. Here is some info at Discogs. I believe it was recorded in 1946.

Another Garfield record album from radio broadcasts, “Hollywood Immortals On Radio From Nostalgia Lane” contains Pride of the Marines and Blood on the Sand. Here is a page on Discogs.

Julie did a good bit of radio too. Here’s a listing of his radio appearances. Not sure how complete it is.

RADIO SAMPLING:

Some comedy with Eddie Cantor spoofing THE SEA WOLF can be played here.

John Garfield, Lurene Tuttle and Wally Maher appear in, “Courage a la Carte,” by Agnes Ridgeway.

Below with Lurene Tuttle in “Operation Nightmare”.

On Burns & Allen, George has written guest John Garfield a bad check. John is a very tough guy who knows, “the code of the underworld.”

Lux Radio, Pride of the Marines broadcast with Dane Clark and Eleanor Parker. Sargent Al Schmid is listed as a special guest. Alternatively, here’s the broadcast on YouTube since things go missing.

Chase and Sanborn Hour 21:00 mark in Courage à la Carte

Screen Director’s Guild presents Body and Soul

Suspense with Raymond Burr in Death Sentence

On the Martin and Lewis radio show

The House of Squibb’s Academy Award Theatre presents Pride of the Marines

Silver Theatre presents Escape from Tomorrow

Johnny Eager in a Frontline Theater Production

[rapidteszt]

Bill Maher denounces cancel culture and says the war on jokes must end

Bill Maher denounces cancel culture and says the war on jokes must end

Breadcrumb Links Television “We need to get past this endless, ruthless, zero-tolerance mindset” Publication date : April 11, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 2 minute read • 33 comments Bill Maher arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. Photo by Evan Agostini /Vision/AP Reviews and…

[chronicrift]

Presenting the Transcription Feature

There was no shortage of private detectives during the golden age of radio. We’ll start tonight with an entry new to our program: “Michael Shayne, Private Detective.” You’d never guess by listening to his tough but lovable voice here that star Wally Maher was the voice of Screwy Squirrel and the Turkey in the classic 1945 Tex Avery short “Jerky Turkey.” Tonight, he takes on a tricky case at a local college. Then on “You Bet Your Life,” Groucho Marx complains to a pharmacist about the amount of cotton in pill bottles, then banters with a Hollywood baker and a couple who have eight children.

  Episodes

Michael Shayne, Private Detective

November 5, 1946

“Return to Huxley”

2:23

  You Bet Your Life

October 28, 1953

“The Secret Word is ‘Chair’”

28:40

Check out this episode!

[papermoonloveslucy]

TOO MANY TELEVISION SETS

October 14, 1949

"Too Many Television Sets” (aka “Liz and George Order a Television Set” aka “Television”) is episode #58 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on October 14, 1949.

This was the sixth episode of the second season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 43 new episodes, with the season ending on June 25, 1950.

Synopsis ~ Liz can't get George interested in buying a television set, until they spend an evening at the Atterburys, who have one. With his interest piqued, George arranges one be sent over on trial. Little does he know Liz has done the same thing - as have the Atterburys!  

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George's boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father's garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on "Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricarodo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

GUEST CAST

Jay Novello (Joe Beckett, the Atterburys’ Neighbor) would appear on “I Love Lucy” as superstitious Mr. Merriweather in “The Seance" (ILL S1;E7), nervous Mr. Beecher in “The Sublease” (ILL S3;E31), and Mario the gondolier in “The Visitor from Italy” (ILL S6;E5). He also appeared on two episodes of “The Lucy Show,” but dapper Novello is probably best remembered for playing Mayor Lugatto on “McHale’s Navy” in 1965.

Wally Maher (Mr. Trimble) appeared on radio as the title character in the series “The Adventures of Michael Shayne, Private Detective”. In 1947 he appeared on radio with Lucille Ball in “Dark Corner”. Earlier in 1949, he was heard on “My Favorite Husband” in “Vacation Time.” He was a regular on “Let George Do It” and “Lineup” and was frequently heard on “The Cavalcade of America” and “Lux Radio Theatre.” Maher passed away in December 1951, only 43 years old.    

Although the original Michael Shayne, the role was later played by Richard Denning (George Cooper). 

Peter Leeds (TV Deliveryman) was born in Bayonne, NJ, and will also be heard on “My Favorite Husband in “Mother In-Law” in November 1949 and “Dance Lessons” in June 1950. He will be seen as the Reporter questioning the Maharincess of Franistan in “The Publicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31). He starred with Lucy in the films The Long, Long Trailer (1953) and The Facts of Life (1960) with Bob Hope. Coincidentally, he also appeared in “Lucy and Bob Hope” (ILL S6;E1) as well as an episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1971.

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers, dinner is over. George Cooper is in the living room reading the paper. Liz Cooper is in the kitchen talking to Katie, the maid.”

Liz tells Katie that she has a plan to get George to buy her a television set. She is going to hold up a big glass pie plate in front of her face and pretend like she’s a television wrestler.  

LIZ: “Do I look like television?” KATIE: “Well your face is all wavy and distorted.” LIZ: “I look like television alright.”

Liz enters the living room with the pie plate in front of her face, but George thinks she is a washing machine. 

Lucille Ball actually voiced a washing machine named Lina for a Westinghouse industrial film titled “Ellis in Freedomland” (1952).  In 1958, she hid inside a washing machine at the end of “Lucy Buys Westinghouse”, another industrial film for the appliance manufacturer. 

In 1952′s “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (ILL S1;E30), Lucy Ricardo dispenses with the pie plate and disembowels her television set to look like she’s on the air! Like George, Ricky isn’t buying it. 

George guesses that Liz is supposed to be a sailor looking out of a port hole, but warns her that he is not going to buy a television set, effectively ending the conversation. Liz says she is a social pariah because she doesn’t have a television set. 

LIZ: “I never know who won the fights or what Kukla and Fran are doing to Ollie.” 

“Kukla, Fran, and Ollie” was a children’s television show created by Burr Tillstrom that aired from 1947 to 1957. Kukla and Ollie were puppets and actress Fran Allison interacted with them. The show won a 1949 Peabody Award and went on to win two Emmys. 

George suggests Liz read the newspaper or listen to the radio instead. 

LIZ: “Television is taking the place of the newspaper.” GEORGE: “It is, huh? Well, I’d like to see you wrap the garbage in a television set!”

Before the advent of plastic garbage bags, food waste from the kitchen was generally wrapped in old newspapers before being deposited in the trash bin outside the home. 

LIZ: “Every house on the block has an aerial. Our house looks positively naked.” 

Before cable television and internet streaming, homes received television broadcast signals via an antenna (aerial) on the roof. In “Lucy Puts Up a TV Antenna” (TLS S1;E9) Lucy Carmichael decides to save the cost of an installation and erect the aerial herself - to disastrous results. 

George agrees to buy the aerial - but not the television set.

LIZ: “Oh, great, that’ll fool everybody. Before we go out at night we can peel onions so our eyes will be bloodshot!” 

Liz asks George to buy him an apple box instead. 

LIZ: “If I have to watch it [TV] through a store window, at least I’ll have something to sit on.”

Before television sets became affordable to the general public, it was not uncommon to find people gathered in front of an appliance store window to view it from the street. 

Liz answers the telephone. It is Iris, who brags about her brand new television set, which was delivered the day before. 

IRIS: “I did my knitting last night with Ed Wynn; I had breakfast with Tex and Jinx; and this afternoon I took a bath with Hopalong Cassidy!” 

“The Ed Wynn Show” was a variety show broadcast from September 22,1949 to July 4, 1950 on the CBS Television Network. Comedian and former vaudevillian Ed Wynn was the star of the program. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz made their television debut as a couple on the show on Christmas Eve 1949, just a few weeks after this episode of “My Favorite Husband”.

“Tex and Jinx” were Eugenia “Jinx” Falkenberg and her husband John “Tex” McCRary. The couple were popular radio hosts who began on television in January 1947. 

“Hopalong Cassidy” made the leap from books and movies to the small screen on June 24, 1949, kicking off the legacy of the Western on television. These were not new, but simply cut-down versions of the feature films that were in cinemas from 1935 to 1948. The film / TV series had William Boyd in the title role. A new TV series (also starring Boyd) with newly-filmed adventures, began  in 1952.  

Iris’s comment about “taking a bath with Hopalong Cassidy” gets a big reaction from the “My Favorite Husband” studio audience not used to salacious innuendo. 

Iris comes up with an idea to help Liz convince George to buy her a television set. She invites the Coopers to come over, where their TV will be showing a football game. George will naturally see the joys of owning a TV and give in! 

Instead of Iris or Rudolph, the Atterbury’s front door is answered by their neighbor, Joe Beckett (Jay Novello), the local TVM (television moocher).  He says they just missed the big brawl!

GEORGE: “Mr. and Mrs. Atterbury?” JOE: “No. The Terrible Turk and Gorgeous George!” 

Wrestling matches were very popular on radio and early television, producing such colorful wrestlers as the Terrible Turk and Gorgeous George. George Raymond Wagner (1915–63), was known as Gorgeous George because of his long blonde hair. He was mentioned on “I Love Lucy” in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25) and “Ricky’s Movie Offer” (ILL S4;E6). In 1949, Republic Pictures released a film starring Gorgeous George. Laurence LeBell (1907-48) was known as Ali Alaba, The Terrible Turk, a name that was used by many wrestlers from the late 19th century onwards. He died in a car crash just weeks after this episode aired. 

Joe warns the Coopers not to sit behind Iris because they only have a ten inch screen. (Liz adds that Iris has a 16″ neck.) He advises that they visit the Schraders who watch “Pantomime Quiz” and serve sandwiches. The Andersons have beer, but you have to watch Western movies.

“Pantomime Quiz” (later titled “Stump the Stars”), was a television game show hosted by Mike Stokey. Running from 1947 to 1959, it has the distinction of being one of the few television series to air on all four TV networks during the Golden Age of Television. Lucille Ball is reported to have been on the series in December 1947, which would make it her television debut. 

George realizes Liz’s scheme but is insistent that he won’t watch television. When he hears a football game is on, however, he is intrigued, and decides to see “how bad it looks”. 

Liz’s incessant chattering makes Mr. Atterbury miss several key plays in the game. Mr. Beckett is back but then the picture suddenly goes black!  They have to imagine the game and the commercials. 

ANNOUNCER: “Liz’s plan to get George interested in television has blown a fuse.  Right now, Liz is on her way downtown to drown her sorrows by buying a new hat...”

On her way down Sheridan Boulevard, Liz stops in front of a Trimble’s Appliance Store to gaze at the television in the window. An elderly man stops to chat with her about the joys of television. He convinces her to go in and ask about buying one. Of course, he turns out to be Mr. Trimble himself. She tells him to send over a set on trial. 

Later that day, George finds himself in front of the same store, where he encounters the same elderly man!  Needless to say, Mr. Trimble is successful in selling another set to George!  Mr. Trimble thinks the address sounds familiar, but isn’t sure.

Still later, the Atterburys are doing the marketing when they stop in front of Trimble’s Appliance Store. Mr. Atterbury, already having a set, is convinced to send one to George Cooper. Mr. Trimble is now positive that he’s gotten the same address three times. He thinks he is being tricked and vows that he will only send over one TV set on trial, not three. 

After dinner, the Coopers decide to stay in for the evening. The doorbell rings. Unbeknownst to one another, they both are expecting a TV delivery, but instead, it is the Atterburys. A moment later the bell rings again and a deliveryman (and Mr. Beckett) is there with one new television set. Naturally, the Atterburys, Liz, and George, all think they are the ones who bought the set! 

The Atterburys think the Coopers are ungrateful and they decide to leave. Rudolph tries to take the TV set with him, but the set is damaged in the tussle.

LIZ: “You’re right Iris, this IS the television set you sent out!” 

This ending is reminiscent of when the Ricardos and Mertzes argue over who broke a TV set Fred and Ethel gave Lucy and Ricky as a gift. They, too, argue over ownership of the set, until it is irreparably damaged!

LUCY: “Look what happened to YOUR television set!” 

[meanstreetspodcasts]

Bring on the Line

“We take you now behind the scenes of a police headquarters in a great American city, where under the cold glaring lights will pass before us the innocent, the vagrant, the thief, the murderer. This is The Line-Up.”

Dragnet is the best-known police drama from the Golden Age of Radio; even people who have never heard an episode know the iconic theme music and Jack Webb portrayal from film, television, and parody. Less known but just as strong is The Line-Up, a series that premiered on CBS on July 6, 1950 and kept pace with Webb’s program in its early years on radio.

The series was set in “a great American city” (unnamed at first, but later revealed to be San Francisco in the television version of the series) and it followed the police as they tracked down killers, thieves, con men, and mob bosses. Each episode opened with a line-up of suspects, sometimes connected to the crime of the week, who were questioned by officers while anxious eyewitnesses watched and tried to recognize them. These scenes were wonderful displays of characterization, humor, and sound design as the hushed observations from the gallery mixed in and out of the loud defiant answers of the suspects being questioned.

The Line-Up was originally developed by Elliot Lewis, Morton Fine, and David Friedkin - the trio behind Broadway is My Beat and later Crime Classics. After the initial eight week run on CBS, the series was turned over to Blake Edwards and Jaime del Vallee, the creative team behind Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Edwards and del Vallee shepherded a series that had the realism of Dragnet (especially in how it portrayed the frequent monotony of police work), but that was more nuanced and allowed for richer characters to populate its precinct.  Joe Friday and his partners were cops; the men on The Line-Up felt more like real people.

And to get that level of characterization, you need great actors in the roles. The Line-Up started strong at the top.  In what may be his greatest radio role (and that’s saying something given his two decades of work in the Golden Age of Radio), Bill Johnstone starred as Lt. Ben Guthrie. Johnstone first rose to prominence when he succeeded Orson Welles as The Shadow, a role he played from 1939 until 1943. He moved to Hollywood and joined the incredible talent pool of west coast radio players. Johnstone was a fixture on Suspense, Escape, Sam Spade, and many more. Cops were something of a specialty for Johnstone; he appeared opposite Sydney Greenstreet in several episodes of The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe as Inspector Cramer, and he played Lt. Ybarra opposite Van Heflin on The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. The prematurely gray-haired Johnstone had a rich voice that gave his characters an “older than their years” sound, and that technique was put to great use as Ben Guthrie. He was overworked (long hours and trips to the coffee pot were standards on the show) but Johnstone captured Guthrie’s determination to close a case through the late nights.

Johnstone was supported for the first years of the program by actor Wally Maher as Sgt. Matt Grebb. Grebb called the titular line-up that opened each episode and his wry dressing-down of suspects added some levity to the dramatic scripts. Grebb could also be counted on to rib Guthrie about the latter’s bachelor lifestyle. Grebb played a role similar to that of Frank Smith on Dragnet, but Maher was given more opportunity to make Grebb a true character. Sadly, Maher passed away at age 43 in 1951, leaving a hole in not only The Line-Up, but the reperatory cast of Hollywood radio actors.

Actor Jack Moyles (who enjoyed a run as a radio detective in Rocky Jordan) played Sgt. Pete Carger, Guthrie’s new partner, for the duration of the radio run following Maher’s death. As a tribute to Maher (or perhaps because the late actor’s style was so closely associated and identified with the program), Moyles used a similar delivery and cadence when calling the line-up at the start of each episode.

The Line-Up aired on CBS from July 6, 1950 to February 20, 1953. Like other shows of the era, it transitioned to television (albeit without its radio cast).  The TV version starred Warner Anderson as Lt. Guthrie and Tom Tully as Inspector Grebb.  Grebb received a promotion for TV because the San Francisco Police Department Bureau of Inspectors had no “Sergeant” rank.  The series ran on CBS television from 1954 to 1960, and a feature film spin-off hit theaters in 1958.  Ditected by Don Siegel (later he would direct Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry), the film co-starred Eli Wallach.  Anderson returned as Guthrie for the film.

As more episodes of The Line-Up continue to enter circulation, it’s a great time to discover this series.  Fans of police drama and sharp writing would do well to sit in the gallery and watch as the suspects are paraded out and questioned.  Just don’t pay too much attention to their answers, as they often lie.

[mortongolf]

Acushnet Holdings Corp. Announces Retirement of Wally Uihlein, President and CEO, effective as of January 1, 2018

Acushnet Holdings Corp. Announces Retirement of Wally Uihlein, President and CEO, effective as of January 1, 2018

David Maher appointed President and CEO of Acushnet Holdings

Acushnet Holdings Corp. (NYSE: GOLF) (“Acushnet”) announced today that Wally Uihlein, President and Chief Executive Officer, has notified the Acushnet Board of Directors of his plan to retire, effective January 1, 2018. Uihlein started with Acushnet in 1976 and has been the senior golf executive since 1995. Uihlein will remain on the…

[frankkennedypress-blog]

MUA HERE TO STAY

The once influential Maritime Union of Australia has a decreasing membership due to a loss of employment within the seafaring sector.

The dwindling down has led to a merger with the Construction Forestry Mining and Employees Union (CFMEU). The MUA has no longer sole representation of the maritime industry with the new and third operator in Melbourne choosing a third and rival union. This act performed by a former national official of the MUA and now manager of the new terminal operation.

The new terminal unionists enjoy far cheaper fees and better coverage for their dollar and the workforce say. MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin and Deputy Warren Smith could not persuade the employees or the company of a better proposal offered by the Australian Maritime Officers Union. The MUA officials have been damaged by poor performance in Victoria over the past decade and several high profile cases have caused hostility amongst members.

The MUA suffered a serious blow in the dispute of 1998 when Union breaker Chris Corrigan received generous concessions on redundancies and guarantees of industrial harmony from John Coombs the National Secretary who not long after retired to a vineyard in close proximity to the industrial mogul.

Paddy Crumlin succeeded, who members for years have been critical of the dictatorial style of leadership and numerous paid positions internationally with the International Transport Federation and Federally with board positions with Maritime Super and others attracting a salary comparable to the current Prime Minister. Other union officials enjoy paid positions without scrutiny of qualifications and members of the union are subject to fees up to three thousand dollars annually. Questionable transactions on funds have also plagued the union for years.

Now there is a proposed merger and for some there is a long debt that needs to be repaid to the construction union. Western Australian Branch Secretary, Christy Cain a former militant unionist that came to power from funds from the CFMEU. A current National MUA official from Perth handed a large sum of money to fund a campaign against the then State Secretary Wally Pritchard who alleges that Cain had assaulted him in company at a local hotel. This resulted with the Wharfies wanting to expel Cain at the time and with Crumlin refusing to expel Cain. Christy would later set up a social media campaign with the funds and was elected. A large portion of his family now enjoys employment through the union.

Cain has always used intimidating tactics and has a relationship with an outlaw motorcycle gang that came to notice in the murder of a former detective and his friend in a car bombing in WA.

Cain’s victory leads to the CFMEU black listed members on building sites finding lucrative employment off shore at the expense of seafarers as the reward after a vicious campaign for the position. Cain then set about to control the National office and now has the significant position of the Presidency of the MUA. Cain’s nemesis returned recently when Pritchard surfaced again, this time for the deputy secretary position rumored to be sponsored by the outgoing Mick Doleman as was a highly qualified Safety professional.

Doleman in the words of the current Deputy Secretary Will Tracey “fell on his sword” the position was made vacant reluctantly and rather than the position going to the current National officials Ian Bray or Warren Smith. It is said that Tracey was provided with damming correspondence that resulted in his resignation.

Tracey leapfrogged into the opportunity which Doleman supporters believe as having “scabbed” his job. Smith not long after challenged unsuccessfully for Tracey’s position and now is seeking favour of Labor left stalwart Anthony Albanese for a safe seat into Federal politics.

Doleman, rather than be blackmailed out of his position negotiated an alternate post with the International Transport Federation for the Oceanic and South Pacific region but tensions remain divisive. Doleman with his years of service in trade unionism is a powerful force and a cunning operator.

Tracey is also no stranger to political skulduggery and had a previous bitter battle with ALP leader Bill Shorten when both were in the Australian Workers Union: a nemesis of the CFMEU.

It is also said that Will Tracey is married to the daughter of CFMEU boss Tony Maher.

Shorted had the Australian Council Trade Union discipline Tracey for his conduct and if the merger of MUA and CFMEU is to increase the power of the Left faction, Shorted will once again need to be victorious. Cain has been unsuccessful in Western Australian political endeavors with MUA official Adrian Evans contesting a then marginal seat, which has become now a Liberal safe seat. Cain also sponsored Chris Brown who was railroaded by the Right faction of Labor and lost the party endorsement.

The huge MUA donation to the ALP was never returned despite Cain’s insistence.

Cain lost further power when his eastern state support base led by recently deposed Victorian Secretary Kevin Bracken was defeated by Joe Italia who endured during the election campaign the misfortune of his motor vehicle tyres being slashed, house vandalized and a series of harassing late night phone calls. A neighbor of Italia’s, was filming the two offenders via a security system.

Bracken, once called a “dill” by then Prime Minister Gillard also orchestrated the deliberate loss of support for the “Qube 2″ and the dismissal of two popular local members. This case is now lodged with the High Court despite pleas from Cain and Tracey not to proceed.

The curious case dubbed locally as the “Qube 2″ of two employees who work for the Spirit of Tasmania at Station Pier has now attracted a prominent film producer’s interest. Executive producer Bert says that now that the case has been lodged in the high court means that there is significant interest as a television production. “Everybody loves a waterfront story. It’s bankable and its popular”. To add further insult the production team had a pre-production sit in and take minutes during the recent Court proceedings in Sydney involving the once close friend of Paddy Crumlin, Buster Russell.

“Buster” says he was offered a job by Crumlin in place of running against Tracey for the number two position in the last election. He had run previously attracting forty eight percent of the vote and confident he would win second time around. Crumlin offered him a position of manager at the ITF seafarers club if he did not contest the election and despite friends advising him against it, he took the job. “Paddy was pleading me to take it, ringing three times a week”, telling me the industry is dead and I need to think about my future”. Within a short time he realised the job was not what was offered and lost his position with the premises now sold. Frustrated he approached the union and a pushing match developed with NSW State Secretary Paul McAleer. No punch was thrown by either man. Buster was then king hit from behind by an official identified as Joe Deakin and after regaining his feet, he staggered outside the Sussex St building and realised what had happened.

A few days later the Officials from the Sydney Branch had him charged with assault and an AVO was served upon Buster.

Buster had sent what the magistrate described as “abusive texts” not threatening as what two of the NSW officials had been claiming. Whilst in the Court both Officials claimed that he possessed a knife hidden up his sleeve.

McAlee under oath and cross examination stated he was acting under instruction from the MUA executive of Crumlin, Cain and Tracey. Cain and Tracey recently were rallying the troops at a Melbourne Terminal and were both told to shove off after they confirmed they acted in this manner. Blue collar workers see this act as “a dog or rat in old speak or Grubs, scum or filth to a younger generation” as told by a veteran wharfie.

Worse still they are being viewed as police informers by the MUA membership which Crumlin has been labeled before, as he is related to high ranking NSW police officer. It is one thing to be identified as a snitch but deliberately giving false statements to ensure the incarceration of a member who posses the union’s dirty secrets is a new low in unionism. “We couldn’t write this stuff” Bert quips and the transcripts have been purchased by the production company. The four Sydney officials, McAlee, Keating, Garrett, and Deakin with the three National officials Crumlin, Cain and Tracey have much to answer.

The past two decades if scrutinized will show the MUA hierarchy in poor light at a time when Unions can least afford the scrutiny and the CFMEU might question the recent Memorandum of Understanding publicized. The union has been going in overdrive in social media but unfortunately “We had a person at the Court and now have purchased the transcripts for the production; it gives us depth for the show which is the primary stage of pre-production” Bert says. Russell through his long association of being within the inner circle of union matters knows all about financial transactions and an audit would be controversial and damaging. The act of having him removed from the election and an attempt at incarceration was devious but that plan has now unraveled. “It is the act of desperate men who need to hold on to power and privilege at any cost but the genie is now out of the bottle and social media has been our weapon with the responding MUA Executive trying desperately to plug the dissent”.

The High Court action, Sydney transcripts and the forthcoming television production will see the end of several reputations and many diehard members will be disillusioned. The Federal Government needs to perform a forensic audit on the finances of the Maritime Union of Australia.

Both parties would recognize the value of such an audit.

If Malcolm Turnbull wants to deflect the recent critics’ from his front bench and all politicians that claim travel expense funds then he will need to act upon the recent manifestations of what can only be described as corruption. Shorted will need to be seen as equally strong and should be in favour to prevent what the Left of his party have planned for him and the future direction of the ALP.

In the wake of the Heydon Royal Commission into Trade Union Corruption it appears the MUA had been well greased and come out unscathed. It certainly makes one wonder about what deals the MUA has with the Government.

After the rorts in the UK the British system of disclosure could be a great act to follow. Voters want to see all corruption identified and corrected. Be it from its representatives skimming tax payers through travel expenses or unions skimming funds, superannuation or insurance fees from members who pay for service.

Industry and Voters demand strong guidance when told to make austerity sacrifices and Tony Abbott has strength in spades if Malcolm Turnbull dislikes the possibility of dirt on his hands.

Corruption measures should apply equally to both sides of the political divide and the tripartite of Governments, Corporations and Unions equally. A snout in the trough is just that and Australian people shouldn’t condone such practices any longer.

[newagesispage]

                                                              FEBRUARY          2020

PAGE  RIB

 *****

Just as we said good bye to 2019, 75 of The Rolling Stones outtakes and such were released for a minute on You tube.  The thinking seems to be that the tracks which could be found under 69RSTRAX were ‘released’ before public domain sets in.

*****

Check out Somebody up there likes me, a doc about the life of Ronnie Wood.

*****

Bill Wyman has a new book out set for release on Feb, 29 called Stones: From the Inside

*****

The film, The Burnt Orange Heresy looks great and will open on March 6.

*****

Steve Martin has been talking about next year’s Hulu series he did with Martin Short, Only murders in the building. I thought it was a bit but apparently it is real and I can’t wait!!

*****

I loved Samantha Bee’s take on ghost sex: Spook softly and carry a big dick. Too funny!

*****

Bill Maher just bought a new place in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island for a mil. The area boasts hardly any cars as most people get around on foot or by golf cart.

*****

Stephen Colbert’s executive producer Tom Purcell came up with the idea years ago for a home makeover show that does a re-do on murder houses. Someone else came along and thought it again because now we have Murder House Flip.

*****

Abby Huntsman has left the View.

*****

The Oscar noms are out with Joker leading the pack. There is Leo and Joaquin for actor and Hanks, Hopkins, Pacino, Pesci and Pitt for supporting. That is the TOUGH category. For actress there is Cynthia Erivo and Renee Z. Kathy Bates is up for supporting. Johansson is up for 2. For films, they love Ford V Ferrari, The Irishman, Jo Jo Rabbit, Marriage Story, Joker, Little Women, 1017, Parasite and Once upon a time in Hollywood.

*****

Dave Chappelle, Marianne Williamson and Donald Glover are helping to raise $ for Andrew Yang.

*****

The last season of Criminal Minds is officially underway and I was so fucking glad that Dorian Harewood was there for the final shows. Woo Hoo!!

*****

Neil Young and John Oliver are now American citizens

*****

Interrogation is a new tv series that looks promising.

*****

Wes Anderson’s new film, French Dispatch that he wrote with Hugo Guinness, Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola will be out on July 24. The production features Benecio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand and Bill Murray.

*****

The Russell Simmons doc about his incidents with women has lost its executive producer, Oprah.

*****

John Stewart has written and directed a new film, Irresistible starring Steve Carell and Chris Cooper.

*****

I am so sick of the multiple pens it takes to sign the documents when they sign something into law etc. You are wasting our money signing a letter at a time, politicians just so U can give some crap as a keepsake. Let’s have a real signature! I don’t think the average person would be allowed to sign official papers that way.

*****

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has decided on their new inductees: Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, T Rex, Whitney Houston, Notorious B.I.G., Nine inch nails and the Ahmet Ertegun award will go to manager Irving Azoff along with journalist and manager Jon Landau.

*****

Julian Castro is out, Marianne Williamson is out, Cory Booker is out.** Sanders got the endorsement of Nevada’s largest teacher’s union and the black caucus.** Bloomberg says he will use his $ for whoever is the democratic candidate. He is also running an anti-gun ad during the Super Bowl.

*****

I wish Rep. Doug Collins would stop talking.

*****

Ken Jennings was the big Jeopardy winner in the showdown.

*****

Diego the tortoise has had so much sex that he saved his species. There were only a few of them left and now there are about 2,000.

*****

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be here July 24.

*****

Warren and Bernie got into it after the January debate. They sort of called each other liars.

*****

Hillary Clinton is the first female chancellor of Queens University.** The Justice department inquiry into Hillary has finally ended. They found nothing.

*****

The Golden Globes had some very deserving winners like Succession, Brian Cox, Laura Dern, Olivia Coleman, Patricia Arquette and Joaquin Phoenix. Tarantino was honored for his writing. I think the best dressed were numerous this year. There was hardly a wrong choice except for J Lo, Thomasin Mckenzie, Ryan Seacrest and Beyonce. I loved Joey King, Michelle Pfeifer, Kaitlin Deaver, Rose Leslie, Cate Blanchett, Ellen and Portia, Phoebe Waller- Bridge, Cynthia Erivo, Eddie Murphy and Paige Butcher, Brad and Leo, Zoe Kravitz, Helen Mirren, Annabelle Wallis, Lisa Lu, Bill Hader, Kerry Washington, Lisa Bonet, Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson, Patricia Arquette and Nicole Ansari-Cox.

*****

The SAG award also had some very well dressed which included Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Williams, Lupita Nyongo, Zoey Kravitz, Millie Bobbie Brown the Schitts Creek cast and Patricia Arquette. Christina Applegate was a bit too old school but she rocked it. The people on the SAG carpet were very chatty.  Parasite was named best cast. Other winners included Zellweger, Joaquin, Sam Rockwell, The Crown, Laura Dern and Dinklage. I have not seen The Morning Show but I was a bit shocked to see Jennifer Aniston win over Jody Comer, Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Coleman or Elizabeth Moss. This was an award from her fellow actors so I suppose they wanted to send her some love. Her ex Brad Pitt won as well and went on and on about himself.

*****

The Grammys were pretty somber with a lot of ballads and the sadness of the death of Kobe Bryant that day. Aerosmith refused to let drummer Joey Kramer play with them and many found the performance a mess. A wonderful moment was Tanya Tucker and Brandi Carlile with their song that went on to win best country song. Tanya Tucker won best country album. Other winners included Billir Eilish, Lizzo, Elvis Costello and the imposters, Gary Clark Jr., Nipsey Hussle and John Legend, Willie Nelson, Michelle Obama and Dave Chappelle. I had no love for the fashion of Ariana Grande or Rosalia. My best dressed were Lizzo, Camila Cabello, Elle Mai, Jameela Jamill, Billy Porter, Bebe Rexha and Alessandria Ambrosia.

*****

Roman Polanski’s An Officer and a spy captured the most noms at France’s Cesar awards.

*****

What IS Iran’s cyber capability? Give us details when it comes to Trump’s act of aggression against Iran. Wasn’t he supposed to get us out of the Middle East?** Our own government has concluded that withholding aid to Ukraine was illegal even though half the Senate does not seem to care.

*****

Dori Miller is the first person who was not a President to have an aircraft carrier named after him. The African American hero was at first not recognized for his bravery but FDR changed that. Construction will be completed in about 8 years.

*****

Gustav Klempt’s missing Portrait of a Lady was found in a hole in the wall of a house. It had not been seen since 1997.

*****

Kathy Griffin got married on New Year’s Eve to her long time love, Randy Bick with Lily Tomlin officiating.

*****

Venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi pled guilty to obstruction of justice for impeding a Federal investigation into the inaugural fraud.

*****

Eric Swalwell has said that everybody will want the Trump trial in the future wherein the person on trial gets to make the rules. It will be a thing. Who needs witnesses?

*****

So there is a story that many Puerto Rican’s have had to move to the continental U.S. (mostly Fla.) because of the lack of help they have received from the current administration. Now, they can only vote in primaries in Puerto Rico but when they settle in other places they can actually VOTE for President. Lesson: Help Others!

*****

A Federal court just affirmed an injunction preventing the Trump administration from discharging air force members living with HIV. It is hard to keep up on all the despicable things this administration is doing.** Scary Clown 45 thinks he is responsible for low cancer rates. They have been steadily going down anyway. He wants a 4.9 bil cut in medical research, 897 mil cut in National cancer institute and a 763 mil cut for the CDC. Luckily it didn’t happen.

*****

Apparently before the impeachment trial began, Trump’s legal team gave thousands of dollars in contributions to Moscow Mitch, Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz. What a sad time for this country. KEEP INVESTIGATING ANYWAY.

*****

A new immigrant prison just opened in Baldwin, Michigan, run by GEO, a for profit prison company.

*****

The wall is costing about 20 mil a mile and the 100 miles or so completed have mostly been repairs to existing structure. When G W Bush was in office the cost was about 4 mil a mile.** About 30 feet of the wall feel into Mexico due to high winds.

*****

Season 7 of Grace and Frankie will be the last.

*****

The White House streamed a sermon from the Holy City Church of God in Christ in Memphis. The event that VP Pence attended for the MLK holiday was led by a pastor who claimed that our gay friends were possessed by demons.

*****

Days alert: Loved Kristen’s call back to Rosemary’s baby again when talking about little Andy or Jenny. I can’t believe that in those same flashbacks we learned what a horrible Mother’s Day they had.  How could so much go wrong in 1 day? ** Hooray, More Tony and Anna!! ** The heartbreak of John and Marlena and the evil of the brainwashed really harkens back to the heyday of Days.** I wish that the baby mix up story would bring Tate and Theresa back to town! It is time for she and Brady to get back together!

*****

Rudy has started a podcast.

*****

I am often not a fan of tradition (royal, religious or otherwise) but I admit it gave me great comfort to see the articles of impeachment walked carefully to the Senate chamber. We still have a little bit of order amidst all the chaos of the Trump era.

*****

The Astros are cheaters.

*****

The super bowl will be upon us on Feb.2 with Kansas City V San Francisco.

*****

6139 military vets committed suicide in 2019. R.I.P.

*****

R.I.P. victims of the Australian fires, Chris Tolkein, Neil Peart, David Olney , Terry Jones, Mr. Peanut , Jim Lehrer , victims of the Calabasas helicopter crash and Buck Henry.

[viggletips]

Coming to Hulu in January 2020

Hulu is kicking off the new year with a mix of new and old movies and TV shows that will be added to the streaming service in January.

Reality series including “The Bachelor,” “Project Runway” will release this month, along with “Cooks vs. Cons” and “Cutthroat: Kitchen.”

On the film front, “13 Going on 30,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” “Forrest Gump” and “Little Miss Sunshine” are arriving early in January.

Several children’s classics will be added on the platform as well. “Dennis the Menace,” which stars a young Mason Gamble as a neighborhood hooligan, and the animated saga “An American Tail,” starring an adventurous mouse named Fievel, will be available to stream.

See a complete list of movies and TV shows coming to Hulu in January 2020:

Jan. 1 Bring It!: Season 4 Brockmire: Season 3 Damages Deputy: Series Premiere Divided States Fox’s New Year’s Eve Special with Steve Harvey Glam Masters: Season 1 Hoarders: Season 10 Hunting JonBenet’s Killer: The Untold Story: Season 1 Making a Model with Yolanda Hadid: Season 1 Married at First Sight: Season 8 Party of Five: Series Premiere Project Runway All Stars: Season 7 Rescue Me Secret Life of a Gang Girl: The Untold Story: Season 1 Swamp People: Season 10 The Curse of Oak Island: Seasons 2-3 and Season 6 American Buffalo Arbitrage Bachelor Party The Bellboy Blood Diamond Captivity Cinderfella The Conspirator The Cookout Crazy About Tiffany’s Crisscross Cube Cube 2: Hypercube Cube Zero Dangerous Curves Dennis the Menace Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! Dracula 3000 Drop Dead Sexy Eyes Wide Shut Fierce People The Final Cut The French Connection Girls! Girls! Girls! Golden Gate The Good Guy Gone Grace Unplugged Gridiron Gang How to Eat Fried Worms Kansas Knowing Last Rites The Last Boy Scout The Little Richard Story MASH Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie Music from Another Room My Best Friend’s Wedding Mystery Team P2 Pacific Heights Pi The Patsy The Polar Express The Pom Pom Girls The Possession Shy People Star Trek: The Motion Picture Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Star Trek: Insurrection Swimming with Sharks The Tenant Two Family House Unforgettable Uptown Girls Basketball Beauty Shop Born on the Fourth of July Fire with Fire Footloose Forrest Gump Hot Shots! House of the Dead Jackie Brown King Kong Lethal Weapon Lethal Weapon 2 Lethal Weapon 3 Lethal Weapon 4 Little Miss Sunshine Night at the Museum No Country for Old Men Pulp Fiction Rocky Balboa Schindler’s List Spaceballs Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Vampire in Brooklyn Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins XXX

Jan. 2 Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins

Jan. 3 The Wedding Guest

Jan. 4 The Upside

Jan. 5 Last Man Standing: Season 8 Black Clover: Season 1 Sex Guaranteed Power: Season 6

Jan. 6 The 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards Conan the Barbarian The Art of Self Defense

Jan. 7 America’s Got Talent: The Champions: Season 2 Mid-Season Premiere The Bachelor: Season 24 Jeopardy!: The Greatest of All Time Manifest: Season 2 Mid-Season Premiere Harpoon

Jan. 8 Ellen’s Game of Game’s: Season 3 Mid-Season Premiere Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back: Season 3 Premiere Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 1 Mid-Season Premiere

Jan. 9 Meet Wally Sparks (1997)

Jan. 10 Homeland: Seasons 6-7 Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th An American Tail An American Tail: Fievel Goes West An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde

Jan. 11 Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector: Season 1 Mid-Season Premiere Green Book

Jan. 12 Little Men The Outsider: Series Premiere

Jan. 13 Lodge 49: Season 2 The New Pope: Series Premiere

Jan. 15 Peppermint

Jan. 16 Good Trouble: Season 2 Mid-Season Premiere MacGruber

Jan. 17 Endlings: Season 1 Everythings’s Gonna be Okay: Season 1 Mid-Season Premiere Grown-ish: Season 3 Mid-Season Premiere The Skeleton Twins Real-Time with Bill Maher: Season 18 Premiere 13 Going on 30 Bruno Dazed and Confused End of Days Get a Job Hamlet 2 Meet the Blacks Nanny McPhee Peter Pan The Aviator

Jan. 19 Justified Life, Animated Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 10 Premiere Avenue 5: Series Premiere

Jan. 20 9-1-1: Lone Star: Series Premiere The Detour: Season 4 Honeyland Emanuel

Jan. 22 Bakers vs. Fakers: Season 1 Beat Bobby Flay: Seasons 6-7 Chopped: Seasons 32-35 Cold Hearted: Season 1 Cooks vs. Cons: Seasons 1-3 Cutthroat Kitchen: Season 11 Dessert Games: Season 1 Dr. Pimple Popper: Season 2 Flea Market Flip: Seasons 10-12 Good Eats: Reloaded: Season 1 Guy’s Grocery Games: Season 14 House Hunters: Seasons 111-117 House Hunters International: Seasons 113-115 Murder in the Heartland: Season 2 Puppy Bowl: Seasons 14-15 Spring Baking Championship: Seasons 1-4 Unexpected: Season 1, Season 2 Worst Cooks in America: Seasons 11-13

Jan. 23 The Prodigy Love and a Bullet The Vow Underworld: Awakening

Jan. 24 Shrill: Season 2 Outmatched: Series Premiere The Bold Type: Season 4 Mid-Season Premiere Tokyo Ghoul: Season 3

Jan. 25 Second Act

Jan. 27 Brian Banks Luce Five Feet Apart

Jan. 30 Fighting with My Family

Jan. 31 Grandma Spider Man: Far from Home

[papermoonloveslucy]

TRYING TO CASH THE PRIZE CHECK

December 9, 1950

“Trying To Cash The Prize Check” (aka “The ‘Everybody Wins’ Prize Check”) is episode #109 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on December 9, 1950. 

Synopsis ~ Liz goes on the radio quiz show and wins a check for $500, but she only gets to keep it if she can cash it within 25 minutes, and the banks are all closed!

This was the 15th episode of the third season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 43 new episodes, with the season ending on June 25, 1950.

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) had worked with Lucille Ball on “The Wonder Show” on radio in 1938. One of the front-runners to play Fred Mertz on “I Love Lucy,” he eventually played Alvin Littlefield, owner of the Tropicana, during two episodes in 1952. After playing a Judge in an episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” in 1958, he would re-team with Lucy for all of her subsequent series’: as Theodore J. Mooney in ”The Lucy Show”; as Harrison Otis Carter in “Here’s Lucy”; and as Curtis McGibbon on “Life with Lucy.” Gordon died in 1995 at the age of 89.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricardo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968. 

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) does not appear in this episode. 

GUEST CAST

Frank Nelson (’Happy’ Hal Brubaker) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”.  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs. His trademark was playing clerks and other working stiffs, suddenly turning to Benny with a drawn out “Yeeeeeeeeees?” Nelson appeared in 11 episodes of “I Love Lucy”, including three as quiz master Freddy Fillmore, and two as Ralph Ramsey, plus appearance on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” - making him the only actor to play two different recurring roles on “I Love Lucy.” Nelson returned to the role of the frazzled Train Conductor for an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1963. This marked his final appearance on a Lucille Ball sitcom.

Nelson adds one more quizmaster to his list of credits with ‘Happy’ Hal Brubaker. He joins Smiley Stembottom and Freddy Fillmore. 

Bobby Jellison (Mr. Uh-Uh-Uh) will play the recurring character of Bobby the bellboy throughout the Hollywood episodes of “I Love Lucy”.  Viewers may also remember him as the milkman in “The Gossip” (S1;E24). He makes one more appearance as another luggage jockey in “Lucy Hunts Uranium,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour”.

Jerry Hausner (Loan Store Clerk) was best known as Ricky Ricardo’s agent in “I Love Lucy” and as the voice of Waldo in “Mr. Magoo” and several characters such as Hemlock Holmes, The Mole, Broodles and Itchy in “The Dick Tracy Show.”  On Broadway, Hausner had the role of Sammy Schmaltz in Queer People (1934). On radio, he was a regular on such shows as “Blondie”, “The Jim Backus Show”, “The Judy Canova Show”, “Too Many Cooks”, and “Young Love”. Hausner died of heart failure on April 1, 1993. He was 83 years old. 

Wally Maher (Mr. Trimble, the Grocer) was born on August 4, 1908 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was known for Mystery Street (1950), The Reformer and the Redhead (1950) and Hollywood Hotel (1937). He was heard with Lucille Ball in the Lux Radio Theatre version of “The Dark Corner” (1947), taking the role originated on film by William Bendix. He died on December 27, 1951.

Sandra Gould (Woman in Audience) is probably best remembered as the second actor to play Gladys Kravitz on “Bewitched” (1966-71). On “I Love Lucy,” she played Nancy Johnson in “Oil Wells” (ILL S3;E18) and makes a brief appearance as an alarmed strap-hanger in “Lucy and the Loving Cup” (ILL S6;E12). In 1962 she appeared in the fourth episode of “The Lucy Show” as a bank secretary.

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers this morning, they’re at breakfast, and from the way Liz is looking at George, she’s either madly in love or has some ulterior motive in mind.” 

Liz wants to buy a new dress to wear to the club dance on Saturday, which costs $89.50. George won’t allow it but Liz is determined to get it by hook or by crook. 

Later the doorbell rings and it is Iris Atterbury. A downbeat Liz tells Iris about the dress she wants. Iris is going to a radio broadcast and wants Liz to go along to cheer herself up - and possibly win enough money to buy the new dress. 

The show is called “Everybody Wins” hosted by ‘Happy’ Hal Brubaker (Frank Nelson), a local radio game show. It is sponsored by Grandma Grimes Cold Cream.  The first contestant is the woman with the reddest hair - Liz Cooper! Another woman in the audience (Sandra Gould) objects!

WOMAN: “Are you kiddin’ sister? At home, I’m a redhead. Next to you, I’m a brunette!”

Liz wins a $500 check just for stating her name. The catch is, Liz must cash the check in 25 minutes without telling anyone it is a stunt for a radio show.  She’s assigned a man (Bobby Jellison) to watch her to be sure. Liz confesses that her husband is a banker. Brubaker reminds her that the show went on the air at 3pm when the banks close.

Liz and Iris tear out of the studio toward the bank. They bang on the door to get the guard’s attention. Liz sees George but can’t tell him why she needs to get in. Their watchdog chaperone intervenes with a warning “Uh uh uh!” every time Liz starts to explain. Mr. Atterbury comes by and Iris asks him to cash the check, but Mr. Atterbury says to come back in the morning.  Liz pleads with him, but Mr. Atterbury cites state law. Liz stages a fake stick-up to get the cash. Mr. Atterbury points out that she hasn’t got a gun.  

With twelve minutes left, Liz and Iris start out to look for somewhere else to cash the check. 

End of Part One

Bob LeMond does a Jell-O commercial that gives a recipe for a quick dessert during the holidays.  

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers again, Liz and Iris have just left the bank to try to find another place to cash the $500 check from ‘Everybody Wins’ which Liz can keep if she can cash it in the next 15 minutes. George and Mr. Atterbury have prepared to return to their work.”

At the bank, Mr. Atterbury and George are alone. He turns on the radio. 

MR. ATTERBURY: “I wouldn’t want anyone to know that we go over the books with ‘Arthur Godfrey’”! 

Arthur Godfrey (1903-83) was a tremendously popular host and entertainer. His CBS morning radio show “Arthur Godfrey Time” aired five times a week. He also had an evening program titled “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” which soon transitioned to television. It was the lead-in to “I Love Lucy” in 1951 and promoted Godfrey did on-air promotion for “Lucy.”  Many years later Godfrey guest-starred as himself on “The Lucy Show.”  Although tremendously popular whenever he aired, Godfrey was noticeably absent from afternoons, so it is unlikely that George and Mr. Atterbury tune in to his program at 3pm. 

When the radio comes on, however, it is tuned to “Everybody Wins”, not Arthur Godfrey.  

HAPPY HAL BRUBAKER (over radio): “Thank you, Mrs. Malone for being such a good sport and jumping off the high ladder with an umbrella. You missed the mattress so you don’t get a prize. Thanks anyway, and we hope that little old leg of yours mends soon!” 

This verbal gag is brought vividly to life on television with the appearance of a heavily bandaged former winner Mrs. Peterson (Hazel Pierce) who went over Niagara Falls in a barrel!  

George and Mr. Atterbury tune in just in time to hear Hal Brubaker report that Liz Cooper has not yet returned from cashing her check!  They realize what all her secrecy was about and, after a brief disagreement, they fill their pockets with cash and race off to find her!  

Liz and Iris see a loan shop sign “Do You Need Money? Hmmm?” in neon. The clerk (Jerry Hausner) tells them he will deduct the interest and the carrying charges giving her $14.32 with $50 weekly re-payments for 36 weeks! To get $500 they need to borrow $13,000! 

They run out of the shop with only six minutes left. George and Mr. Atterbury spot them, but rather than explain and waste time, the girls duck into a taxi to go to Trimble’s Grocery, where Liz is sure Mr. Trimble will give her the cash. 

Elderly grocer Mr. Trimble (Wally Maher) is in a chatty mood, wanting to talk about a mushy eggplant he sold her. He agrees to cash the check but is slow counting out the money from the cash drawer, making Liz a nervous wreck. He finally finishes, only to misread the check and count out $5.00 instead of five hundred! 

Liz and Iris give up and go back to the radio station. Meanwhile, George and Mr. Atterbury give up chasing Liz and Iris and decide to go to the radio station.  Liz arrives with a minute and a half to go. Defeated, she tears up the check just as the boys come racing in with the $500 cash.  With 45 seconds to go they scramble to reassemble the check!  Liz finds the final piece just as time expires. 

Brubaker reveals that he tricked her. The “Uh Uh Uh” man had the money all the time and would have cashed the check had Liz just asked. George is outraged and punches Brubaker in his ‘Happy’ face!  As a consolation, George agrees to give Liz the money anyway - plus $89.50 for the new dress.

LIZ: “Oh, George!  You really are my favorite husband!” 

In the final live Jell-O commercial, Lucille Ball takes on the character of a famous lady novelist and Bob LeMond is her interviewer. Lucy adopts a nasal voice as Elizabeth Dopplefinger Hopenshmice. The voice is similar to the one she will do as Isabella Clump in “The Million Dollar Idea” (ILL S3;E13). Elizabeth says she first imagines a book cover and then writes a story around it.  Bob LeMond says he would like to see a bowl of Jell-O on the cover of a book, but Elizabeth prefers a more romantic cover and kisses him. LeMond still wants Jell-O on the cover.  

Bob LeMond reads the credits. There is a recorded message from Instant Sanka.  

END EPISODE

[meanstreetspodcasts]

Happy Birthday, Wally Maher (August 4, 1908 - December 27, 1951)

One of the best character actors of the Golden Age of Radio, Wally Maher could be heard in regular rotation on Suspense, Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, and more. He starred as private eye Michael Shayne (opposite Cathy Lewis as Shayne’s girt Friday; the pair made for a wonderful crime-solving duo) and Sgt. Matt Grebb of The Line-Up. Elsewhere in gumshoe world, Maher co-starred with Bob Bailey as police Lieutenant Riley on Let George Do It. Lung cancer claimed him far too soon at the age of 43.