Stubby, Soupy, Pinky, Andy, Pee-Wee

This blog now transitions from our favorites Ernie (Kovacs) and Edie (Adams) . . .



To favorites named Stubby, Soupy, Pinky and Andy!

We're big fans of the chubby yet dapper entertainer Stubby Kaye. Here's the irrepressible Stubby extolling the accomplishments of "Jubilation T. Cornpone" in the 1959 movie of Al Capp's comic strip Lil' Abner.



Now watch Stubby crush it as Nicely Nicely in Guys & Dolls!







Here he is with Nat King Cole in Cat Ballou!



Stubby was so cool, he recorded an album titled Music For Chubby Lovers. As a short chubby guy (and much closer to resembling Stubby than Frank Sinatra of Songs For Swingin' Lovers fame) I think this is great!





Vividly recall seeing a game show for kids on TV back when I was 8 years old - and did not see said program again until 61 years later on YouTube. This elaborate kidvid program was titled SHENANIGANS and sponsored by toy-meisters Milton Bradley. The host was - drum roll - Stubby Kaye!



Was there anyone who hosted kids' shows at that time this blogger liked as much as Stubby Kaye (including local San Francisco Bay Area TV hosts Mayor Art, Marshall J and Captain Satellite)? Heck, yeah - the goofy and always wacky Soupy Sales!





Soupy packs an impressive quantity of 100 proof silliness into the briefest of bits - and sustains the unabashed lunacy over a half-hour show.



Soupy very likely was inspired to enter by the popular kidvid shows by the alarmingly energetic but upbeat and likeable burlesque comedian and tap dancer Pinky Lee.



Pinky was something of a king of kidvid in the 1950's and often booked interesting acts on his show, such as the gal here with her trained dogs.



As fate would have it, one of the films I have sought out to spring on a unsuspecting Psychotronix Film Festival audience (but never actually landed) was the 1937 Educational Pictures 1-reeler Dental Follies starring Pinky Lee and directed by Christie Comedies mainstay William Watson. It's not as funny and unrelentingly bizarre as the three Jefferson Machamer's Gags N' Gals 2-reelers produced by Al Christie for Educational in 1936-1938 but still pretty good.



A competitor of Soupy and Pinky in the kidvid universe was Andy's Gang, hosted by Andy Devine.



A favorite bit from Andy's Gang is the Squeaky's Circus segment.



For some reason, Andy Devine and Andy's Gang get me thinking of . . . Andy Kaufman.





There was a meeting of one of Way Too Damn Lazy To Write A Blog's all-time favorite movie directors and favorite comedians when Andy was a guest on an unsold pilot, Orson Welles' talk show. Not surprisingly, Orson, an avid fan of comedy and comedians, is a very good interviewer and manages to disarm Andy.

Welles, a magician and provocateur himself, understands and respects Kaufman's derring-do as an actor, comedian and performance artist, so this the only time this writer has ever seen a talk show which offers a glimpse of Andy the person as opposed to Andy the performer.



And then, while fondly remembering Stubby Kaye, Pinky Lee, Soupy Sales, Andy Devine and Andy Kaufman - and with apologies to late-night TV sidekick supreme Andy Richter and Mack Sennett Studio/Columbia Shorts Department slapstick king Andy Clyde - we now direct the spotlight to Paul Reubens a.k.a. Pee-Wee Herman, star of the greatest kidvid show in the history of television, Pee-wee's Playhouse and member of The Groundlings. Do we believe Pee-wee was profoundly influenced by Pinky Lee, 1950's kidvid and 1930's radio comedian Joe Penner? Yes.



The gang at Way Too Damn Too Lazy To Write A Blog regard the epic feature comedy Pee-Wee's Big Adventure as a high holy water mark for both Mr. Reubens and director Tim Burton.





Pee-wee's appearahces on late night TV, especially with David Letterman and Conan O' Brien, were invariably memorable.







Want to see the following documentary, Pee-wee As Himself very much. Like the late, great Mr. Reubens, it looks like tons of fun.



What's the best way to follow up these clips? With the first episode of Pee-wee's Playhouse!



In closing today's post, we express appreciation for the chuckles, chortles, guffaws, laughs and good entertainment provided by Stubby, Soupy, Pinky, Andy and Pee-Wee. As the talented, funny and reliable performers George Wendt (of Cheers and Second City Chicago) and comedienne/cartoon voice artist Ruth Buzzi passed recently, the world's rations of belly laughs have taken a most unwelcome hit at the worst possible time.