Soupy Sales died today at age 83. He was a HUGE part of my childhood, my first comic crush. I would watch his show every weekday and loved being a part of his crazy group of friends. There was White Fang ('The Biggest, Meanest Dog in the United States') and Black Tooth (The Biggest Sweetest Dog in the United States'), partial puppets whose only visible on-screen body parts were their big paws. Then there was Pookie, this adorable lion puppet who appeared in Soupy's window and mouthed the words to many songs. Later on there was also Hippy the Hippo who never spoke. There was Willy the Worm, Hobart and Reba who lived in the old-time potbelly stove, Peaches (the girlfriend who was really Soupy in drag) and Philo Kvetch, the detective who had an archrival names Onions Oregano. These characters were part of the most wonderful sketches with puns galore. And he always had his "Words of Wisdom" each day. Watch the video...
Soupy's lasting legacy is probably the pie in the face. He gave and he got, all in good fun. Famous stars of the day would show up at his door and you knew just what was coming!
He had a dance called the Soupy Shuffle and a record album called Do The Mouse, a little dance step he created with a cute little gesture. Years ago, I took that album to a comedy show where he appeared. When he saw it from the stage, he stopped his show and said to me, "So YOU'RE the one who bought the other copy!" I just loved him. Bye, Soup!!
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