R.I.P. Soupy Sales

Cidu Bill on Oct 23rd 2009

Filed in Bill Bickel, Soupy Sales, YouTube, television | 17 responses so far

17 Responses to “R.I.P. Soupy Sales”

  1. Kit Oct 23rd 2009 at 01:55 am 1

    Oh no! I loved Soupy! The True Old School. Long will he live in our memories.

  2. Catlover Oct 23rd 2009 at 03:29 am 2

    Another Soupy Sales lover here. Saw him 40+ years ago in NYC in a one-man show. Collected his trading cards. Milton Supman will long live in our hearts.

  3. Frank the curmudgeon Oct 23rd 2009 at 03:53 am 3

    I was not overly fond of his humor but I am sorry to see him go.

  4. chuckers Oct 23rd 2009 at 05:55 am 4

    Man, why do I only hear about people passing on by reading this site?

    “Mr. Sales, I watch your show off and on”

    “Oh? How do you like it?”

    “Off.”

  5. Bearman Oct 23rd 2009 at 06:04 am 5

    They need to do a remake of the Sunshine boys with some of these old comedians.

  6. Nicole Oct 23rd 2009 at 08:02 am 6

    I will probabaly spell this wrong .. But I remember most of the word to Pafalafika

  7. Kevin A Oct 23rd 2009 at 11:20 am 7

    Living outside NYC as a child, I had Soupy Sales and Sandy Becker to add warmth to my life by simply enjoying themselves and their chance to be with us. They were kid shows and still they, for the most part, talked to us in the same full voice, tone, and attitude that they’d use with adults. Kid shows for adults.

    Soupy’s Carolina accent and uban humor kept the world looking like a welcoming party that was not just waiting for me but coming to visit every afternoon.

    It was mostly improvised or written that day and shown live for most of the run so they needed to feel connected to themselves and to us just to get through it.

    Because they were live, almost no clips exist. Most are from the late 50s, not the early 60s when I watched. Nowadays, everything is checked, double-checked, market-tested, scripted, pre-taped, edited, and comparatively love-less.
    I think the best Sesame Street is when Elmo and Abby-Cadabby are on Bonnie Hunt — I mean on her show — because they start interacting like real people (real people from Planet Honestly Funny).

  8. Elyrest Oct 23rd 2009 at 12:28 pm 8

    When I saw that Soupy Sales had died I felt a little twinge in that part of me where childhood memories live. Soupy along with Sandy Becker and Paul Winchell inhabit a 1960’s vacation playland. I’ll miss the joy he gave me as a child. I’ll also miss his quick wit that he showed so strongly on the much loved (by me) “What’s My Line” game show.

  9. Catlover Oct 23rd 2009 at 01:42 pm 9

    To the names Soupy Sales, Sandy Becker and Paul Winchell, I will add Sonny Fox (Wonderama). I was first pleased and then shocked to hear “Sonny Fox” (not the same one) cursing it up recently on XM Radio. (I thought there were rules about common stage names.)

  10. Scott Oct 23rd 2009 at 03:01 pm 10

    White Fang approaches a cafe Soupy is running with a pickaxe.
    Soupy: “Sorry, we don’t serve miners here.”
    *pie* (No pies in the clip - tsk tsk)

    Shows like this, and Sandy Becker’s, gave kids growing up in the ’50s and ’60s a taste of
    what vaudeville was like. Everyone in my elementary school and junior high watched Soupy. When a
    Turkish diplomat came to our sixth grade assembly, the very first question for him was: “what does Pafalafika mean?”

  11. June Oct 23rd 2009 at 03:52 pm 11

    Soupy was a friend of my husbands late in life and he came to my wedding! His advice to us: Get married at 8am. That way if it doesn’t work, you’ll know by noon and the whole day won’t be shot.

  12. Sal Oct 23rd 2009 at 05:56 pm 12

    Catlover, the Sonny Fox who is currently cursing on Satelite Radio isn’t the same Sonny Fox I remember from my chioldhood in Brooklyn. I saw him in person one day at a Key Food store where he was doing an appearance.I loved KLastima,(one of his characters) and he was hip about rockmusic long before anyone else. I really miss him and Soupy.

  13. David Oct 23rd 2009 at 10:49 pm 13

    Soupy was just a little before my time, so I didn’t grow up watching him. I do enjoy classic comedy though, and know about him. The first story of his I think of is the one about the little green pieces of paper.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-OGy3Kh7yM

  14. Nicole Oct 24th 2009 at 07:45 am 14

    Sal … I grew up in Brooklyn as well and rememberber Sonny Fox, but also remeber Key Foods. My mom would walk there every week pulling her shopping cart behind her

    UH-OH — looks like we are turning into geezers right before our eyes

  15. Keera Oct 24th 2009 at 09:01 am 15

    As sad as it is to miss a beloved performer, it is always delightful to read people’s memories here of the deceased and even get a bit of comedy with it. Thanks, gang! And thanks, Soupy!

  16. Todd Oct 24th 2009 at 09:48 am 16

    Soupy needs to walk if he has to carry a pickaxe, or put the pickaxe down if he needs to run. (Referencing Scott’s description of the scene.)

  17. az Oct 24th 2009 at 12:55 pm 17

    ahhhhh, circa Jean Sheppard.
    a hipster to admire.

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