Soupy Sales: Cultural Landmark of the 1960s

Soupy Sales was an extraordinary phenomenon. Coming of age in the transition from local, live, come what may television to the slick and less genuine productions, Soupy was loved by hipsters, Frank Sinatra,* little kids (I suspect mostly boys) across America and yet considered fairly dangerous to the television suits. With Soupy, you never knew whether you would get childish pranks, "college humor" puns**, tough humor or sentimentality. You would learn about jazz, old popular songs of the 1920s and 1930s, silly songs, and even some then-contemporary Motown.

Here is the obit from the LA Times.

And of course, there was the infamous never aired episode with the naked woman at the door of his television home (yes, she is naked, I repeat as a warning to the feint of heart; scroll down and click on the phrase that begins "widely distributed clip...")...Something I first heard about as a teen, but always figured it was an urban legend.

Rest in peace, Milton Supman or should I quote the estimable Pookie in saying, Rest in peace, Boobie. You were a true cultural landmark and a great friend of and inspiration to creative young minds everywhere.

* That's Sammy Davis, Jr. and Trini Lopez with Sinatra...and I wonder if the "father" of the "child" is William B. Williams, the well-respected NY radio personality.

** A personal favorite: "Show me a red dye, and I'll show you a dead communist."