Vic and Sade
Encyclopedia
Vic and Sade was an American
radio program created and written by Paul Rhymer
. It was regularly broadcast on radio from 1932 to 1944, then intermittently until 1946, and was briefly adapted to television
in 1949 and again in 1957.
During its 14-year run on radio, Vic and Sade became one of the most popular series of its kind, earning critical and popular success: according to Time
, Vic and Sade had 7,000,000 devoted listeners in 1943. For the majority of its span on the air, Vic and Sade was heard in 15-minute episodes without a continuing storyline. The central characters, known as "radio's home folks," were accountant
Victor Rodney Gook ([Art Van Harvey]http://www.artvanharvey.com), his wife Sade (Bernadine Flynn) and their adopted son Rush (Bill Idelson
). The three lived on Virginia Avenue in "the small house halfway up in the next block." The program was presented with a low-key ease and naturalness, and Rhymer's humorous dialogue was delivered with a subtleness that made even the most outrageous events seem commonplace and normal.
Vic and Sade was first heard over NBC's Blue network in 1932 and originated in Chicago. At the height of its popularity, it was broadcast over all three major networks and as many as six times a day.
In 1940, the actor who played Vic, Art Van Harvey, became ill, and Sade's Uncle Fletcher (Clarence Hartzell) was added to the cast to fill the place of the missing male lead. When Van Harvey recovered his health, Uncle Fletcher was kept on as a fourth character.
During World War II
, the actor who played Rush, Bill Idelson, was called into military service, and he left the show. The spring months of 1943 were a tumultuous period, but eventually a second son figure, Russell Miller (David Whitehouse), was brought in, and the program continued as it always had. The show faltered somewhat with Whitehouse, who sounded as if he was reading his lines aloud in school. Idelson later returned as Rush.
Paul Rhymer frequently gave each of the principals a day off, by confining his scripts to only two of the main characters. Vic and Sade would discuss a domestic problem while Rush was in school; Sade and Rush would review the day's events while Vic was still at the office; Vic and Rush would tackle some project while Sade was out shopping. Several episodes deliberately make no forward progress whatever, as the cast introduces the episode's premise but gets bogged down in endless details, not resolving the story at all!
Vic and Sade was technically a "soap opera," in time slots slanted toward an audience of housewives, and sponsored by food items and cleaning products. Rhymer evidently felt some pressure from the sponsor's advertising agencies to include more romance and human interaction into his scripts, like the other daytime dramas on the air. Rhymer complied in his own dry way, by adding ridiculous touches (his romantic lead, Dwight Twentysixler, always speaks with his "mouth full of shingle nails"!) and oddball characters (Orville Wheeney, the slow-witted gas-meter man; Jimmy Custard, the crochety town official who never quite makes clear what he does; Mr. Sprawl, the frail old man who dotes on "peanuts with chocolate smeared on the outsides").
Vic and Sade went off the air September 29, 1944 but was brought back several times. In 1945, the cast was augmented to include many characters who were previously only talked about. In 1946 it was a summer replacement series, now in a half-hour format and played in front of a live studio audience. Later that year it became a sustaining (unsponsored) feature on the Mutual network.
In 1949 three television episodes were made (with only Bernadine Flynn remaining from the original cast), using an elaborate set that included the whole house as well as the front and back yards. In 1957 Vic and Sade ran for seven weeks as a television series but returned to the original three-character format, with Art Van Harvey back as Vic.
The show's strength and appeal stem from its author's unique outlook on the world, his peculiar sense of humor, and his ability to create a universe of people, places and fascinating situations out of exiguous material.
Sade
Rush/Russell
Uncle Fletcher
Bess and Walter
Fred and Ruthie Stembottom
Sade's other friends
Vic's work associates
Vic's lodge acquaintances
Rush's friends
Russell's friends
Neighbors
Townfolk
, where Rhymer grew up.
As well, several actual Illinois communities near Bloomington were frequently referenced on air:
--not to mention these communities along Route 66 between Chicago and Bloomington:
, Norman Corwin
, Stan Freberg
, Edgar A. Guest, Ogden Nash
, John O'Hara
, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jean Shepherd
, James Thurber
, Tom Lehrer
and Hendrik Willem van Loon
. Nash and O'Hara both compared Rhymer to Mark Twain
, while others made a comparison with Charles Dickens
, but Rhymer defies comparison since his work is basically a sui generis
. The series had an influence on the writing of Kurt Vonnegut
, who called it "the Muzak of my life."
Bernadine Flynn said the show once received a letter from a judge who called a recess each afternoon so he could listen to Vic and Sade.
, Ed Roberts, Ralph Edwards
, Mel Allen, the legenday New York Yankee announcer (went by Melvin) and Jack Fuller.
In addition to Rhymer himself, directors included Clarence Menser, Earl Ebi, Roy Winsor, Charles Rinehardt, Homer Heck, and Caldwell Cline.
The organist for the 15-minute version was Lou Webb.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio program created and written by Paul Rhymer
Paul Rhymer
Paul Mills Rhymer was a United States scriptwriter and humorist best known as the creator of radio's long-run Vic and Sade series. With a listening audience of 7,000,000, Vic and Sade was voted the number one daytime radio series in 1942, and Rhymer is regarded by many as one of the great humorists...
. It was regularly broadcast on radio from 1932 to 1944, then intermittently until 1946, and was briefly adapted to television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
in 1949 and again in 1957.
During its 14-year run on radio, Vic and Sade became one of the most popular series of its kind, earning critical and popular success: according to Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Vic and Sade had 7,000,000 devoted listeners in 1943. For the majority of its span on the air, Vic and Sade was heard in 15-minute episodes without a continuing storyline. The central characters, known as "radio's home folks," were accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
Victor Rodney Gook ([Art Van Harvey]http://www.artvanharvey.com), his wife Sade (Bernadine Flynn) and their adopted son Rush (Bill Idelson
Bill Idelson
Bill Idelson was an actor and scriptwriter best known for his teenage role as Rush Gook on the radio comedy Vic and Sade and his later, recurring television role on The Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1960s, before making a distinguished third career as a television writer, director and producer....
). The three lived on Virginia Avenue in "the small house halfway up in the next block." The program was presented with a low-key ease and naturalness, and Rhymer's humorous dialogue was delivered with a subtleness that made even the most outrageous events seem commonplace and normal.
Broadcast history
| Dates | Format |
|---|---|
| June 29, 1932 to September 29, 1944 | 15 minutes daily |
| August 21, 1945 to December 7, 1945 | 15 minutes daily |
| June 27, 1946 to October 26, 1946 | 30 minutes weekly |
| July 11 to July 25, 1949 | three half-hour television episodes as part of Colgate Theatre, Monday nights. |
| c. spring 1957 | seven 15-minute television episodes for WNBQ, Thursday nights. |
Vic and Sade was first heard over NBC's Blue network in 1932 and originated in Chicago. At the height of its popularity, it was broadcast over all three major networks and as many as six times a day.
Overview
Vic and Sade was written by the prodigious Paul Rhymer for the entire length of its long run. The principal characters were a married couple living in "the small house halfway up in the next block." After the first weeks in production an extra character, an adopted son, was added to the show, and it was in this format, with only three characters, that the program thrived for the next eight years and won many awards for the writer, actors and sponsor.In 1940, the actor who played Vic, Art Van Harvey, became ill, and Sade's Uncle Fletcher (Clarence Hartzell) was added to the cast to fill the place of the missing male lead. When Van Harvey recovered his health, Uncle Fletcher was kept on as a fourth character.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the actor who played Rush, Bill Idelson, was called into military service, and he left the show. The spring months of 1943 were a tumultuous period, but eventually a second son figure, Russell Miller (David Whitehouse), was brought in, and the program continued as it always had. The show faltered somewhat with Whitehouse, who sounded as if he was reading his lines aloud in school. Idelson later returned as Rush.
Paul Rhymer frequently gave each of the principals a day off, by confining his scripts to only two of the main characters. Vic and Sade would discuss a domestic problem while Rush was in school; Sade and Rush would review the day's events while Vic was still at the office; Vic and Rush would tackle some project while Sade was out shopping. Several episodes deliberately make no forward progress whatever, as the cast introduces the episode's premise but gets bogged down in endless details, not resolving the story at all!
Vic and Sade was technically a "soap opera," in time slots slanted toward an audience of housewives, and sponsored by food items and cleaning products. Rhymer evidently felt some pressure from the sponsor's advertising agencies to include more romance and human interaction into his scripts, like the other daytime dramas on the air. Rhymer complied in his own dry way, by adding ridiculous touches (his romantic lead, Dwight Twentysixler, always speaks with his "mouth full of shingle nails"!) and oddball characters (Orville Wheeney, the slow-witted gas-meter man; Jimmy Custard, the crochety town official who never quite makes clear what he does; Mr. Sprawl, the frail old man who dotes on "peanuts with chocolate smeared on the outsides").
Vic and Sade went off the air September 29, 1944 but was brought back several times. In 1945, the cast was augmented to include many characters who were previously only talked about. In 1946 it was a summer replacement series, now in a half-hour format and played in front of a live studio audience. Later that year it became a sustaining (unsponsored) feature on the Mutual network.
In 1949 three television episodes were made (with only Bernadine Flynn remaining from the original cast), using an elaborate set that included the whole house as well as the front and back yards. In 1957 Vic and Sade ran for seven weeks as a television series but returned to the original three-character format, with Art Van Harvey back as Vic.
The show's strength and appeal stem from its author's unique outlook on the world, his peculiar sense of humor, and his ability to create a universe of people, places and fascinating situations out of exiguous material.
Characters
Part of the magic of Vic and Sade is that all of the action, all of the people and all of the places in the town were created strictly through the dialogue. Listeners heard just the voices of the three, later four, principal speaking characters, embellished with very few sound effects.Speaking characters
Vic- Victor Rodney Gook was the chief accountant of the Consolidated Kitchenware Company Plant Number Fourteen. He was the Exalted Big Dipper of the Drowsy Venus Chapter of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way, a fraternal order founded by R.J. Konk. Vic's passion was parades, alarm clocks, cigars, wide-brimmed hats and doorbells. He was often asked to submit articles to the Kitchenware Dealers Quarterly and the lodge magazine. Rush's/Russell's nickname for Vic was "Gov." Vic's good deed was always looking out to help Hank Gutstop get a job, allowing Hank to pay Vic back (Sade thought little of Hank, a constant source of friction with Vic). Vic's opening line upon entering the house through the kitchen screen door was usually, "Hi-dee-hi, Ho-dee-ho," a borrowing from Cab Calloway's version of "Minnie the Moocher."
Sade
- Sade was a housewife who took pride in her housekeeping. Her interest outside the home was primarily focused on the Thimble Club sewing circle where she and the thimble ladies would get together to sew and gossip. She was very pragmatic about things and had little sense of humor. Her world extended to a very small radius and she cared little for anything outside her tightly drawn circle. Vic has addressed Sade as "Uncle Harry" and "Corporal Johnson," but his usual nickname for her was "Dr. Sleech" (he also called her "kiddo" quite a bit) and Rush/Russell just called her "Mom." Her unfulfilled goal was to go shopping with Ruthie & have each come out even in their money when they got home; it never balanced as she felt Vic & Rush would make fun of her money struggles.
Rush/Russell
- Rush's/Russell's favorite activities were playing baseball (and football) in Tatman's vacant lot, watching the fat men play handball down at the YMCA, taking in the moving picture show at the Bijou Theatre, and reading about the adventures of Third Lieutenant Clinton Stanley. Rush and Russell had the same friends, but they differed in character: Rush was the schemer who was always looking for ways to make a quick buck and had an angle on everything; doing homework, and especially algebra, was not high on his priority list. Russell enjoyed and did well in school despite the fact he was more the dreamer, the naive young romantic; he was always willing to lend a hand no matter how impractical his outlook was; it follows then that chores around the house were not something he excelled at. Sade's usual nickname for Rush/Russell was "Willie," and Vic might make a nickname out of another boy's name (e.g. "Roscoe"), a girl's name (e.g. "Margaret"), or a compound noun (e.g. "Brain-Fog" or "Stove-Poker").
Uncle Fletcher
- Uncle Fletcher was a talker who had an outrageous story and advice about everything. If there were one activity, outside of telling stories, that he can be noted for, it would be riding on Gumpox's garbage wagon, and he even got a special pass to allow him to do so. He would sometimes fall into the garbage. He especially enjoyed discussing the interesting facts and statistics about such things as his watch fob collection, key collection, photos and snapshots, and his landlady's washrag collection. And he liked popping popcorn. He was always bringing up names of people he assumed Sade knew, of which she never did. Uncle Fletcher liked to always bring up the fellow who walked to his own funeral: "He made his plans, walked to the mortuary. There he later died." Uncle Fletcher would get embarrassed giggles when he addressed his family members as Vic Honey and Rush Honey. He frequently told anecdotes about characters with names such as Rishigan Fishigan of Sishigan Michigan.
Non-speaking characters
The following characters were not portrayed by actors until very late in the show's run (and rarely even after that) but were frequently discussed by Vic, Sade, Rush and Uncle Fletcher.Bess and Walter
- Sade's sister and her husband. Walter ran a barbershop in Carberry, Michigan, and Bess would send letters and postcards that always began "Dear sister and all, Thought I would write and see how you are feeling." Bess and Walter's daughter Eunice (nicknamed Yooncie) was learning to play the piano; the pieces invariably found her stomping on the loud pedal with both feet and dragging her fingernail down the white or black keys. Walter always had knee problems.
Fred and Ruthie Stembottom
- ... enjoyed playing Five Hundred with Vic and Sade. Ruthie would go with Sade to the washrag sales at Yamilton's Department Store, where she always ended up in the underwear department. Fred often tried to extort hard manual labor out of Vic (pour concrete floors, tear down partitions, change tires on the car) on the pretext of inviting him over to play cards, and serving Vic "buckets" of warm lemonade.
Sade's other friends
- include, among others: Mis' Brighton, Mis' Trogel, and Mis' Appelrot.
Vic's work associates
- Mr. Ruebush (his boss), Miss Hammersweet (his secretary), Gus Fuss (from Plant Number 17 in Dubuque, IowaDubuque, IowaDubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
), Mr. Buller (in Chicago) and Lolita DiRienzi (in the boxing department -- Sade was quite jealous!).
Vic's lodge acquaintances
- Hunky J. Sponger, and the members of the All-star marching team: Y.Y. Flirch, J.J.J.J. Stunbolt, Harry Fie, I. Edson Box, Homer U. McDancy, H.K. Fleeber, Robert and Slobert Hink, O.X. Bellyman of Detroit and honorary member Pom-Pom Cordova.
Rush's friends
- Smelly Clark, Blue-tooth Johnson, Rooster and Rotten Davis, Leland Richards, Vernon Peggles, Milton Welch, LeRoy Snow, Heinie Call, Willis Roreback and Russell Duncan (not to be confused with Russell Miller). Nicer Scott was his deadly enemy. Mildred Tisdel, Eunice Raypole and Anabel Hemstreet were the girls in the neighborhood.
Russell's friends
- Russell had most of the same friends as Rush with the addition of Oyster Crecker. His enemy was Heinie Call, although their relationship never reached the same feverish pitch as Rush and Nicer.
Neighbors
- Mis' Harris, Mr. and Mis' Donahue, Charlie Razorscum, and Ike Kneesuffer (who played indoor horseshoes in his basement; also worked with Vic, always discussing the boxing dept at Plant 17 in Dubuque, Iowa on the phone). There was also Mis' Call, Mis' Fisher and Grandpa Snyder.
Townfolk
- Hank Gustop (also in the Lodge as exaulted " Little Dipper," a peach of a fellow, known for sleeping 10 hours outside on the Illinois Central depot platform, fond of cigars), Stacey Yop, Alf Musherton, Pelter Unbleat, and B.B. Baugh. Mr. Gumpox was the garbage man. The Brick-mush man once got his head caught in a revolving door (at Yamilton's). Rishigan Fishigan from Sishigan, Michigan was introduced to the show as part of Mr. Buller's Christmas shopping list, but soon became a regular friend of both Vic and Uncle Fletcher.
Setting
The town in which Vic and Sade live is unnamed (although at least one episode had the humorous credit "Sade's gowns by Yamilton's Department Store -- Crooper, Illinois") but is actually a vaguely fictionalized Bloomington, IllinoisBloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, where Rhymer grew up.
Catchphrases
- "I have Bluetooth Johnson out by the garbage box"
- "Keep him there!"
- "Vic one, Rush nothing"
- "Thunder, Thunder, Thunder!"
- "Take care of trash"
- "Hank Gustop is healthy!"
- "Get my full lodge regalia- boots, sword, tunic, plumme hat, robe"
- "Ruthie and me, we come out even!"
- "Here come the pasteboards"
- "Sloppy Sloppy Sloppy "
- "Get me volume 7 from my lodge library"
- "I'll paste him one upside the snoot!"
- "Lodge Lodge Lodge. Money Money Money."
- "Left-handed counterfeiting ALbanians"
- "On the top step but one"
In town
- The Bright Kentucky Hotel (which was shabby)
- The Butler House Hotel (which was expensive)
- The Ten Cent Store
- The Greek's Confectionery
- Croucher's Grocery Store
- Yamilton's Department Store (the place with washrag sales)
- The Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy (which had only 3 tables)
- The Royal Throne Twenty-five-cent Barbershop
- The People's Bank Building
- The Unity Building (where Lodge meetings were held)
- The courthouse
- The Bijou Moving Picture Theater (usually featuring films starring Gloria Golden and Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman)
- Tatman's vacant lot (where Rush/Russell played baseball; at one time it was called Seymour's vacant lot)
- Kleeberger's Haberdashery (who Vic perpetually owed $2)
- Miller Park (which featured a zoo and a lake)
- The Interurban Train Depot
Communities oft mentioned
- Sweet Esther, Wisconsin (town of the daily parade)
- Grovelman, South Carolina (described as the geographical center of the United States)
- East Brain, Oregon
- Yella Jump, North Dakota
- Sick River Junction, Missouri (home of the Missouri State Home for the Tall)
- Fiendish, Indiana
- Dismal Seepage, Ohio
As well, several actual Illinois communities near Bloomington were frequently referenced on air:
- StanfordStanford, IllinoisStanford is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 596 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Stanford is located at ....
- MinierMinier, IllinoisMinier is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,244 at the 2000 census. Minier is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Minier is located at ....
- HopedaleHopedale, IllinoisHopedale is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 929 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hopedale is located at ....
- DelavanDelavan, IllinoisDelavan is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,825 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Government:...
- HudsonHudson, IllinoisHudson is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,838 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hudson is located at ....
- KappaKappa, IllinoisKappa is a village in Woodford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 170 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- El PasoEl Paso, IllinoisEl Paso is a city in Woodford and McLean Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,695 at the 2000 census, and 2,870 in 2009...
--not to mention these communities along Route 66 between Chicago and Bloomington:
- TowandaTowanda, IllinoisTowanda is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- LexingtonLexington, IllinoisLexington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,060 at the 2010 census. There are two theories of its name. One says it was named for the Battle of Lexington, where General Gridley's father fought...
- ChenoaChenoa, IllinoisChenoa is a city in McLean County, Illinois, USA. The population was 1,785 at the 2010 census. Located at the intersections of Interstate 55, Historic Route 66, and U.S. Route 24.Founded in 1854 by Mathew T. Scott, Chenoa was created to provide a retail and trade center for his farm tenants as well...
- PontiacPontiac, IllinoisPontiac is a city in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,931 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Livingston County...
- DwightDwight, IllinoisDwight is a village in located mainly in Livingston County, Illinois, with a small portion in Grundy County, Illinois. The population was 4,260 at the 2010 census. Dwight contains an original stretch of the famous U.S. Route 66, and uses a railroad station designed in 1891 by Henry Ives Cobb. It is...
Influence
Once voted the best radio serial in a poll of 600 radio editors, Vic and Sade also received praise from many well-known listeners, including Ray BradburyRay Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
, Norman Corwin
Norman Corwin
Norman Lewis Corwin was an American writer, screenwriter, producer, essayist and teacher of journalism and writing...
, Stan Freberg
Stan Freberg
Stanley Victor "Stan" Freberg is an American author, recording artist, animation voice actor, comedian, radio personality, puppeteer, and advertising creative director whose career began in 1944...
, Edgar A. Guest, Ogden Nash
Ogden Nash
Frederic Ogden Nash was an American poet well known for his light verse. At the time of his death in 1971, the New York Times said his "droll verse with its unconventional rhymes made him the country's best-known producer of humorous poetry".-Early life:Nash was born in Rye, New York...
, John O'Hara
John O'Hara
John Henry O'Hara was an American writer. He initially became known for his short stories and later became a best-selling novelist whose works include Appointment in Samarra and BUtterfield 8. He was particularly known for an uncannily accurate ear for dialogue...
, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jean Shepherd
Jean Shepherd
Jean Parker Shepherd was an American raconteur, radio and TV personality, writer and actor who was often referred to by the nickname Shep....
, James Thurber
James Thurber
James Grover Thurber was an American author, cartoonist and celebrated wit. Thurber was best known for his cartoons and short stories published in The New Yorker magazine.-Life:...
, Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer
Thomas Andrew "Tom" Lehrer is an American singer-songwriter, satirist, pianist, mathematician and polymath. He has lectured on mathematics and musical theater...
and Hendrik Willem van Loon
Hendrik Willem van Loon
Hendrik Willem van Loon was a Dutch-American historian and journalist.-Life:He was born in Rotterdam, the son of Hendrik Willem van Loon and Elisabeth Johanna Hanken. He went to the United States in 1902 to study at Cornell University, receiving his degree in 1905...
. Nash and O'Hara both compared Rhymer to Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, while others made a comparison with Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, but Rhymer defies comparison since his work is basically a sui generis
Sui generis
Sui generis is a Latin expression, literally meaning of its own kind/genus or unique in its characteristics. The expression is often used in analytic philosophy to indicate an idea, an entity, or a reality which cannot be included in a wider concept....
. The series had an influence on the writing of Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
, who called it "the Muzak of my life."
Bernadine Flynn said the show once received a letter from a judge who called a recess each afternoon so he could listen to Vic and Sade.
Extant episodes
Despite such high praise, 2000 disc recordings of the show were destroyed just before 1940 and some 1200 have been lost since that time. Today only about 330 original recordings have survived. (See #Audio downloads). It is estimated that Rhymer wrote more than 3500 scripts for the show. Some of his scripts were collected in books (See #Bibliography).Wisconsin Historical Society
Paul Rhymer's papers, including many Vic and Sade scripts and recordings, are held at the Wisconsin Historical Society.Principal cast
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Vic Gook | Art Van Harvey (1932–1946, 1957) Frank Dane (1949 TV) |
| Sade Gook | Bernadine Flynn |
| Rush Gook | Bill Idelson (1932–42, 1945-6) Dick Conan (1949 TV) Eddie Gillilan (1957 TV) |
| Uncle Fletcher | Clarence Hartzell (1940–46) |
| Russell Miller | David Whitehouse (1943–44) |
Supporting characters
As noted above, supporting characters were rarely heard before the end of the original run in 1944. The following is a parital list of those who made the transition to "on-stage" supporting characters.- 1938 (Special appearance)
- MR. GUMPOX Cliff Soubier
- 1943
- DOTTIE BRAINFEEBLE Ruth Perrott
- BLUE-TOOTH JOHNSON Dick Toerne
- CHUCK BRAINFEEBLE
- LELAND RICHARDS
- 1945
- MR. SPRAWL Johnny Coons
- ORVILLE WHEENEY Johnny Coons
- SMELLY CLARK Johnny Coons
- MIS' HARRIS
- JIMMY CUSTARD
- DWIGHT TWENTYSIXLER
- SWEETCORN MCBLOCK
- L.J. GERTNER, ET AL.
- 1946
- MR. SPRAWL Johnny Coons
- ORVILLE WHEENEY Johnny Coons
- HARRY DEAN Johnny Coons
- MIS' HARRIS
- MIS' KELLER
- MIS' KESLER
- POLICE CHIEF CULLERSON, ET AL.
- 1949 (for television)
- IKE KNEESUFFER Cliff Soubier
Other personnel
Announcers included Bob Brown (from 1932–40), Ed HerlihyEd Herlihy
Edward Joseph "Ed" Herlihy was an American newsreel narrator for Universal-International. His voice was heard in countless films on every subject, making him one of the best-known voices in broadcast history...
, Ed Roberts, Ralph Edwards
Ralph Edwards
Ralph Livingstone Edwards was an American radio and television host and television producer.-Early career:Born in Merino, Colorado , Edwards worked for KROW-AM in Oakland, California while he was still in high school...
, Mel Allen, the legenday New York Yankee announcer (went by Melvin) and Jack Fuller.
In addition to Rhymer himself, directors included Clarence Menser, Earl Ebi, Roy Winsor, Charles Rinehardt, Homer Heck, and Caldwell Cline.
The organist for the 15-minute version was Lou Webb.
Discography
LP records- Paul Rhymer's Classic Vic & Sade Original Radio Broadcasts. Producer, George Garabedian. Writer, Paul Rhymer. LP. Annaheim: Mark56 Records, 1976.
- Son of Jest Like Old Times: More Genuine Original Recordings of Radio's Most Famous Funny Men. LP. New York: The Radiola Company, c1971.
- "Vic and Sade: Exactly as heard on Mutual on October 26, 1946." The Spike Jones Show. LP. Sandy Cove, Conn: Radio Yesteryear - The Radiola Company, 1972.
- Vic and Sade: One Full Hour with Radio's Homefolks. Writer, Paul Rhymer. LP. New York: Golden Age Records, 1978.
Further reading
- Idelson, Bill (2007). The Story of Vic & Sade. Albany: BearManor Media ISBN 1-59393-061-5
External links
- Dick Judge's compilation of Vic and Sade opening lines
- Max Schmid on Vic and Sade
- Rick Schrage on Vic and Sade
- Stephen M. Lawson on Vic and Sade
- Vic and Sade.net
- Part 1 of a student film based on an episode of Vic and Sade
- Part 2 of a student film based on an episode of Vic and Sade
- The Crazy World of Vic and Sade
Audio downloads
- Internet Archive (surviving Vic and Sade episodes) 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
- Interviews and 300+ episodes
- Vic and Sade episode (6/30/41)
- Vic and Sade mp3 downloads at jezner.com
- The Crazy World of Vic and Sade (Sound-improved episodes)