Joey Bishop and Deborah Kerr die today

Stefani · Post by **Stefani** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:01 pm

Both will be missed.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071018/ap_ ... _bishop_12

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071018/ap_ ... it_kerr_11

stuartwsa · Post by **stuartwsa** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:28 pm

And don't forget '50s pop vocalist Theresa Brewer, who died yesterday. Whoever said these things come in threes was right on the mark!

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 7:43 pm

Two of my favorites.

What did Theresa Brewer sing? I know the name. "To Know him is to Love him"? Oh - that's a Ronelle's song with Phil Spector, isn't it?

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:44 pm

"Put a little nickle in
In the nichelodeon
dad da da da da da da (can't remember the words)
and music, music, music

I know, I'm pathetic. It's been a few years since I heard it.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:03 am

Oh! Thanks, Angel! My mother used to sing that around the house all the time. It could be called "Music, music, music".

Yeah -
"Put another nickel in
??????????
All I want is ????? (it could be "loving you")
And music, music, music!"

We would make a good song-writing team.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:59 pm

augusta @ Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:03 am wrote:Oh! Thanks, Angel! My mother used to sing that around the house all the time. It could be called "Music, music, music".

Yeah -
"Put another nickel in
??????????
All I want is ????? (it could be "loving you")
And music, music, music!"

We would make a good song-writing team.

By George, I think you've got it!

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 11:53 pm

Put another nickle in, in the nicholoden, all I want is loving you and music, music music.........closer, my dear come closer, the best part of any melody is when your dancing close to me......so put another nickel in in the nicholodien all I want is loving you and music music music........

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:19 am

I haven't thught of that song in years. I can remember hearing that on the radio.

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:33 pm

AAAhhhh but those were simpler times!!!

Constantine · Post by **Constantine** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 10:26 pm

That song is one of my earliest memories. My grandmother used to sing it to me when I was two years old.

A few years later, somebody bought me a record which (unbeknown to the giver, I'm sure) changed the lyrics to make them more "suitable" for kids.

Instead of "all I want is loving you and music, music, music," it had "let the leader man begin the music, music, music[!!!]"

Instead of "closer, my dear come closer" it had "louder, let's play it louder."

The idiot who thought those up obviously had a filthy mind. My grandmother used the original words when singing it to me.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:31 pm

Aw.. Theresa Brewer is gone! My Uncle had a restaurant and she came there to sing once-I was a little girl so that was when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Nice lady. And Deborah Kerr- classy lady!
http://www.teresafans.org/

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:07 am

"....I was a little girl so that was when dinosaurs roamed the earth."

Ahem... Well, I suppose - but depending on how far you want to stretch that rubber band, I was technically born while dinosaurs still roamed the earth...on the eastern side of the Mississippi, anyway.

(I spent my earliest formative years as the occasional hanger-on 'round a Sinclair filling station. Remember their mascot??)

A few years ago I was talking to a friend here - passing time at a Shriners garage sale probably - and she mentioned that she'd once been a schoolmate of Teresa Brewer. I'm not really sure just when, but it would have been...well, just slightly before dinosaurs roamed the earth I guess, huh?

My friend described her as really a very sweet girl, lots of fun and someone who loved to laugh. (Canaries would turn pea-green with envy when she sang, even in those days apparently. but that's expected I suppose given the way things went.)

When dinosaurs roamed the earth. Bah!

I think I'll watch an episode of You Bet Your Life and then go to bed.

Hooray for Caprain Spaulding, the African explorer....

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:28 am

Aw Doug- you're just a whippersnapper! Oh yes, the Sinclair dinosaur-a brontosaurus. I got an inflated one when Daddy filled up the tank. Momma also got a complete matching set of iced tea glasses over time, one per fill-up!
Duz detergent gave away dishes and tea towels in their boxes of soap powders, and then those great Green S&H stamps! we thought we millionaires getting those!
I just remembered another Teresa Brewer hit- Let Me Go Lover! I was maybe 6 when that came out and Aunt Dorothy used to sing it at the top of her lungs- "Let me go-let me go- let me go lover. Turn me loose turn me loose. .etc " Oh, those great girl singers like Brenda Lee, Patsy Cline, Peggy Lee, Patti Page and Doris Day- Connie Francis, Dinah Shore. Where have they gone? Those were good days. Shoot, I just remembered Johnny Crawford from The Rifleman. He tried a singing career too. I had his photo and Sal Mineo's over my bed. And oh that Paul Anka back in 1958!

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:21 am

Shelley @ Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:28 am wrote:Duz detergent gave away dishes and tea towels in their boxes of soap powders...

Oh my gosh, whatever happened to Duz?!

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:30 pm

I remember those inflatable Dinos, Shelley, but never had one that I recall. The Sinclair premium I remember most (and not all that fondly) was a Bronto-shaped bar of soap. The filling station owner must have given it to me – at least as I remember it now. On the way home, it for some reason came to mind that said Bronto-shaped bar of soap might make a good snack. (It was, after all, green which in my limited experience meant either mint or lime-flavored.) So I used what few teeth the average child has at roughly two years old and took a large bite of the soap bar. Bad idea that, to say the least. The worst part was it didn’t taste like lime at all!

I remember both the S&H and the TopValue Stamps, hehe. Gad what a slew of those things we had – everybody and their monkey’s uncle gave ‘em out in those days.

Lessee here… Let me go, let me go – let me go, Lover. Let me be, set me free from your spellllll. You made me weep, cut me deep (words I’ve forgotten and refuse to look up because that’s cheating) Lover. The vocalist I recall on that one though isn’t Teresa Brewer but someone else who probably covered the song later. Jo Stafford, maybe? Doesn’t sound quite right, but that’s all I can think of at the moment. I know it wasn’t Kay Starr, her biggest that I know of was Wheel of Fortune. (Ha! I had to peek, but the singer I'm thinking of for Let Me Go, Lover was Joan Weber.)

Where have they all gone? Well, beyond the obvious answer – I really wish I knew. Most folks nowadays tag it as music of innocence – and I’m thinking back even as far as Glenn Miller or a bit earlier – but it was more than that…yaknow?

Three coins in the fountain, each one seeking happiness; thrown by three hopeful lovers – which one will the fountain bless?

shakiboo · Post by **shakiboo** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:53 pm

How bout April Love sung by Pat Boone??? or the show that used to be on saturday night called Hit Parade?? I think Teresa used to sing on that if I remember correctly.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:21 pm

Ah yes- Pat Boone- the antidote for Elvis' swiveling hips. My fav of his was Love Letters in the Sand.
Joan Weber sang Let Me Go Lover on TV first, but Patti Page and Teresa Brewer both had hits with it- the year was 1954. Our TV was a huge wooden cabinet the size of an armoire with a TV screen about the size and shape of a small fishbowl and tubes inside which were 10 inches long!. Sunday was Granny's favorite, Liberace. We crowded around the old parlor with 12 foot ceilings after the 2 hour biscuit and gravy Sunday dinners with the extended family to watch it. Uncle Eugene snored on the settee. He was a farmer and spent long hours on his John Deere tractor in the sun- so he deserved a nap. Then it was out to the hallway where the old upright piano stood to have Cousins Charlotte and Dixie Lee pound out Hush Little Baby Don't You Cry, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, and then Aunt Dotty warbling Let Me Go Lover. I also recall a song called This Old House is Getting Shakey which everyone seemed to think was hilarious. Mostly I just slid down the banister and watched Uncle Frank (called Butterball) scratch his bald head and put his thumbs under his red suspenders. He lived in granny's parlor during the week and courted Miss Alice down the street who was the pianist at the Methodist Church and a long-time widow. All this was followed by blackberry cobbler with home made hand-turned ice cream on the huge porch and much catching of fire flies in jars amongst the big "snowball" bushes until it was time to get washed in the galvanized tin tub placed on 2 chairs in the kitchen , with that coral-colored Lifebuoy soap and then to brush my teeth with Ipana. Then it was Tinkerbell jammies, one chapter of The Bobbsey Twins read by mother and Lights Out with Tiny Tears cradled under my arm. Ah yes, the 50's.... civilized times.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:24 pm

I wonder whatever became of Ipana tooth paste? I know it was around for ages. They used to sponsor (among other things) the Fred Allen Show on radio.

I never cared much for Uncle Miltie - to this day fellers in dresses just don't do a thing for me - but he was...alright I suppose. My favorites were Ed Sullivan (provided he had that bunch of plate-spinners booked, that is) and Red Skelton. Red was the best because his brand of comedy - well, it was a variation on that cliche`d phrase So simple a child... and I can attest to thoroughly enjoying his antics even as a youngster of two or three years old.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:06 pm

I loved Ipana toothpase because they started selling it in an aqua round plastic container. My mother weirdly wouldn't let me have a squirt gun. I found that an empty Ipana tootpaste container worked much better than a squirt gun and held more water. So I outsmarted her.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:21 pm

Up next on Your Hit Parade it's Bucky Beaver, Spaceguard with a few inspirational words about Ipana tooth paste.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCdWfVhlYIM

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:51 pm

Angel @ Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:06 pm wrote:I loved Ipana toothpase because they started selling it in an aqua round plastic container. My mother weirdly wouldn't let me have a squirt gun. I found that an empty Ipana tootpaste container worked much better than a squirt gun and held more water. So I outsmarted her.

I used to use a yellow salad mustard container as a squirt gun. The trouble was, it ran out of mustard too fast and I had to resort to water after that! I wasn't allowed a chemistry set as a kid, either. Strange.

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:19 pm

I finished reading these posts, and I can't believe all the memories you guys made me think of. I remember getting a spatula on a box of Tide detergent and they had a huge box of Tide of wheels that would go up & down the aisle. Do you remember Salvo? Wasn't that the detergent commercial that the big hand would come out of the washing machine holding the soap which was actually a round block. I loved Ed Sullivan & his mouse Topo Giggo (sp?) Red Skelton was a favorite along with Tottie Fields. And no one could sing God Bless America like Kate Smith. See what you all started, I'm going to be thinking of these things all night!!! Good Memories though. Also don't forget Jackie Gleason, I know he was in the Honeymooners but I thought he also had a variety show where he would play a bartender. Push over & make room, I guess I was also born around the time of the dinosaurs. [/i]

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:48 pm

I used to use a yellow salad mustard container as a squirt gun. The trouble was, it ran out of mustard too fast and I had to resort to water after that!

...and your mother got a year's supply of Tide every Christmas huh, Yooper?

That one gives a whole new meaning to having a yellow streak down the back!

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:10 pm

Nadzieja - you do have the right feller in mind there, that was Gleason for sure. Did he play the bartender too tho? If I remember right, the skits you're referring to usually involved Reginald van Gleason III, sitting at the bar?

With him it's particularly difficult to recall because he did so many things. Skelton was the same way of course but in his case it was easier to keep track!

Gleason had - he was a bandleader too I think? Good grief - Melancholy Serenade just started running thru my head here.

One of my very favorite Skelton bits was his advertisement for Guzzler's Gin.

I remember the detergent ad you mention too, but had totally forgotten what the product was!

The mouse was my other favorite Sullivan bit, after the plate-spinners!

Constantine · Post by **Constantine** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:21 pm

I believe Reginald van Gleason was in other skits and didn't appear at the bar. I could be wrong.

The bandleader was one Ray Bloch, if memory serves.

The Sullivan mouse's name was Topo Gigio.

This is somewhat more recent, but does anyone remember the night that Red Skelton was on Garry Moore's show and cracked up Carol Burnett by ad-libbing a reference to an earlier skit? (She had appeared as the first woman president. In the later skit, in which she played a different character, as she entered, Skelton said, "What's the matter? Did they vote you out of office already?" This totally wrecked the skit, but who cared?)

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:42 pm

Likely as not you're right, Constantine. I can only really recall three characters that Gleason ever did offhand: Kramden. Reginald van Gleason III, and "The Poor Soul." It could very well be him I'm remembering as being associated with the bar.

The Skelton scene you mention I don't recall - but it would be so typical of Red to have done that. I know for a fact he did it to Martha Raye (and others) many times.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:23 am

Gleason's character was Joe the bartender. One of the regular customers was Crazy Guggenheim, played by Frank Fontaine.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 9:08 am

We used to laugh so much at the "Joe the Bartender" routine because my dad was a bartender and had so many of Gleason's mannerisms in those skits.