Soupy Sales

Soupy Sales (born Milton Supman, January 8, 1926, in Franklinton, North Carolina) is an American comedian and actor.

Related Topics:
January 8 - 1926 - Franklinton - North Carolina - American - Comedian - Actor

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A graduate of Huntington High School in Huntington, West Virginia and Marshall University, Sales' career began as a script writer and then DJ at radio station WHTN in Huntington.

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Huntington - West Virginia - Marshall University - DJ

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Sales is best known for his long-running daily noontime children's television show. Improvised and slapstick in nature, Lunch With Soupy Sales was a rapid-fire stream of sketches, gags, and puns. Almost all resulted in Soupy receiving a pie in the face, which became his trademark.

Related Topics:
Television - Sketch - Pun - Pie

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Appearing on the show were the puppets:

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• White Fang, "The Meanest Dog in the USA"
• Black Tooth, "The Sweetest Dog in the World"
• Hippie the Hippo who never spoke
• Pookie the Lion, a 1950s hipster

The show originated in 1953 from the studios of WXYZ-TV in Detroit, Michigan. It was later syndicated nationally by ABC, and in 1964 found a weekday home at WNEW-TV in New York City. A new show appeared in 1978 with the same format.

Related Topics:
1953 - WXYZ-TV - Detroit - Michigan - ABC - 1964 - WNEW-TV - New York City - 1978

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Urban legend has it that on New Year's Day 1965 Soupy, miffed at having to work on the holiday, ended his live broadcast by encouraging his young viewers to tiptoe into their still-sleeping parents' bedrooms and remove those "funny green pieces of paper" from their pants and pocketbooks. "Put them in an envelope and mail them to me," Soupy allegedly instructed the children. "And you know what I'm going to send you? A post card from Puerto Rico!" In his 2001 autobiography Soupy Sez! My Life and Zany Times, Soupy admits it is true. He was suspended by the station for two weeks for encouraging children to steal. Soupy received $80,000 from viewers, mostly in play money. Any real money was donated to charity.

Related Topics:
Urban legend - 1965 - Puerto Rico - 2001

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Another urban legend is that he sneaked dirty jokes onto his show. Standards at that time would not have permitted him to remain on the air had he actually told them. There may have been some mildly risque jokes, but none of the ones attributed to legend. Footage exists, however, of a practical joke pulled on Sales during a live broadcast in the 1960s. As Sales was ending the show, he heard a scream coming from behind a door at the back of the set. As he went to open it, he saw a topless dancer gyrating with a balloon. Viewers only saw the balloon (although a second, non-broadcasting camera captured the uncensored version) and Sales was forced to try and keep the show going without letting on as to the risque events backstage. This event (in censored and uncensored variations) has been featured on many blooper compilations.

Related Topics:
Dirty joke - Practical joke - 1960s - Balloon - Blooper

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Sales was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 7, 2005, a day before his 79th birthday.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Walk of Fame - January 7 - 2005

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