drexelgal Reviews

Phillies Jackpot Bowling (1959–1961)

Blowhard

[10/10 · 21 January 2008]

The show was great, but the Midwesterner who made the comments has demonstrated why Chicago will always be the "second city" to New York. Can anyone decipher his windy (pun intended) gibberish? Bowling was bowling. Milton Berle was Milton Berle. And television was television. Get over it, and get over the fact that you Midwesterners were still addicted to an adult male dressed as Bozo long after the rest of the nation had moved on.

Whatever you have, I am sure it is hard to spell, and contains the prefix "psycho".

Seek help.

Soon.

Grindl (1963–1964)

Read and if you don't like it, TOO BAD!

[5/10 · 7 May 2007]

Most of you remember one of the FEW episodes of this forgotten NBC series. The one many of you have mentioned are of the anal-retentive wife who cataloged every item in her kitchen. If I remember right, this was the FIRST episode, Season 1, Episode 1, telecast on Sunday, 15-September-1963, and titled "The Gruesome Basement". Now, those of you who were born after 1975 and went to a public school, please try to stay with me here ....

... the murderous husband on that episode was none other than the bald-headed TELLY SAVALAS. He was so fed up with his wife's anal-retentive ways (and this was DECADES before pencil-necked computer geeks would try to make this a VIRTUE) that her killed her with a pickax in their basement ...

... now, try to STAY WITH ME HERE ...

... at that time, my father --- who is STILL ALIVE TODAY AT THE AGE OF NINETY-TWO (92) --- said, during that episode, when Telly Savalas' shadow was shown wielding a pick over the head of his unsuspecting wife, "He could say to his friends, 'Did I ever tell you how I PICKED my wife?'" {EMPHASIS ADDED}.

You have to remember, this was late 1963, and John F. Kennedy was still two months away from assassination, and humor was different then.

So, if you don't like this comment, you can drop dead. Okay? Okay!

Comedy Tonight (1970– )

Brits don't get it

[8/10 · 1 May 2007]

The "Brit" who snidely berated this program is further proof of why they should stick to trying to master the apparently lost art of dental care.

American humor (or "humour", as they bloatedly spell it) is different from the brown-toothed British variety. That is, it is actually funny.

While some of us on the advanced side of the Atlantic may find Monty Python to be marginally funny, British humor consists of actors speaking in squeaky voices, and men dressed as women --- somewhat akin to today's Democrat Party. Except, the Democrats are occasionally funny.

And, while Benny Hill may have been considered funny, his act consisted of Red Skelton knockoffs. Furthermore, his lonesome decline and decay need no further mention.

In short, the brown-toothed Brits should remember that the humor of this program is best critiqued by someone who culture is closer to that of the program itself.

That is my opinion. I do NOT welcome yours.

Two for the Money (1952–1957)

Patronizing perception inaccurate

[7/10 · 23 April 2007]

Herb Shriner was not a "Southerner", as a previous commenter so patronizingly stated. He was actually born in Toledo (Ohio), one of the Northernmost points in the contiguous 48 states, and grew up in Indiana. His "slow drawl" was actually a Midwestern twang that put him in the company of Will Rogers. His sons, Wil and Kin, were also successful in television --- Wil, as a comedian who was highly touted by another Hoosier, the gap-toothed neurotic David Letterman, and Kin, as an actor in TV soap operas.

Television was different in the 1950s, with the new medium finding its way and relying upon stage performers and radio personalities who were accustomed to working live. And, even then, the Civil War had ended 90 years previous, so the South was once again part of the US.

The Big Store (1941)

Not the best

[6/10 · 13 January 2006]

By 1941, Groucho didn't want to make any more movies. The Brothers continued to do so just to keep oldest Brother Chico afloat, due to his gambling habits.

Someone commented earlier about Virginia O'Brien, the deadpan singer in the "rockabye" sequence. The deadpan delivery was her "shtick", and predated a similar approach taken by Keely Smith some years later. Legend has it that the first time a spotlight fell on Ms. O'Brien for an on-stage solo, she froze, an delivered her song with a pre-Botox facial paralysis. The audience thought it was part of the act and roared approvingly with laughter. From then on, Ms. O'Brien sang no other way. (She also sings a few bars of the Jerome Kern song, "A Fine Romance" in the semi-bio, "'Til The Clouds Roll By".) The big store is best remembered (and viewed) for the rousing "Sing While You Sell" piece about 38 minutes into the movie.