John Hoyt line in "Beaver's Accordion" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

MichaelMartinD · 07-26-2021, 09:04 AM

In "Beaver's Accordion," when the accordion salesman (John Hoyt) is confronting Ward about the accordion he failed to pay for, and the accordion suddenly tumbles down the stairs - does Hoyt say "It almost worked, didn't it, Melvin?" Or was I hearing it correctly? It struck me as a funny and unusual line.

vitoscotti · 07-26-2021, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelMartinD

In "Beaver's Accordion," when the accordion salesman (John Hoyt) is confronting Ward about the accordion he failed to pay for, and the accordion suddenly tumbles down the stairs - does Hoyt say "It almost worked, didn't it, Melvin?" Or was I hearing it correctly? It struck me as a funny and unusual line.

This was a classic LITB goof. Ward tells June that a classmate once compared him to the actor Melvyn Douglas. Later, when the accordion falls down the stairs, Mr. Franklin derisively calls Ward "Melvyn", even though he was not present for the original conversation and therefore had no way of knowing about the Melvyn Douglas comparison.

Torgo · 07-26-2021, 12:07 PM

Not a goof, when Ward comes in the door June says "Ward, I'm glad you're home." Ward replies, "Why not, I'm the only man on Maple Drive with eyes like Melvyn Douglas." June then points out Hoyt waiting for Ward.

MichaelMartinD · 07-26-2021, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

Not a goof, when Ward comes in the door June says "Ward, I'm glad you're home." Ward replies, "Why not, I'm the only man on Maple Drive with eyes like Melvyn Douglas." June then points out Hoyt waiting for Ward.

Great catch. Someone should correct that on IMDb.

stevea · 07-26-2021, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

Not a goof, when Ward comes in the door June says "Ward, I'm glad you're home." Ward replies, "Why not, I'm the only man on Maple Drive with eyes like Melvyn Douglas." June then points out Hoyt waiting for Ward.

Thanks, Torgo, for saving me the time of checking this. I was pretty sure Ward had a line to this effect when Hoyt was there.

One of three Beaver appearances by Hoyt.

MichaelMartinD · 07-26-2021, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

One of three Beaver appearances by Hoyt.

I only remember this and Wally's Suit. What was the third?

stevea · 07-26-2021, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelMartinD

I only remember this and Wally's Suit. What was the third?

I think he played the headmaster when Beaver was to go to a private school, after he scored high on an IQ test--but Charles Fredericks had switched the papers--first season episode.

[Edit: By the way, good luck getting anything corrected on IMDb]

stevea · 07-26-2021, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

Not a goof, when Ward comes in the door June says "Ward, I'm glad you're home." Ward replies, "Why not, I'm the only man on Maple Drive with eyes like Melvyn Douglas." June then points out Hoyt waiting for Ward.

I was just thinking we can still get a small goof out of this. They had moved from Maple Drive to Pine Avenue a little over a year ago.

Torgo · 07-26-2021, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I was just thinking we can still get a small goof out of this. They had moved from Maple Drive to Pine Avenue a little over a year ago.

Oh yeah! Never even noticed that.

CosmicCharlie · 07-26-2021, 07:12 PM

Two-time Oscar-winner Melvyn Douglas was one of America's finest actors, and would enjoy cinema immortality if for no other reason than his being the man who made Greta Garbo laugh in Ernst Lubitsch's classic comedy Ninotchka (1939),

stevea · 07-26-2021, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

Oh yeah! Never even noticed that.

In the countless times I've seen the episode I never noticed it either.

The second technicality in that line was that the eyes reference was about Wally being told in school he had eyes like Robert Horton. Ward's earlier comment was that he was told he looked like Melvyn Douglas, not comparing his eyes. Later he told June Evelyn Bowdenhouse made the comment, and June didn't believe there was such a person (who would with that last name?). Then he told her she was real and was the first girl in Shaker Heights to wear galoshes with white fur around them.

Virtually anyone would say this eyes thing is way too picky, and I agree! The Maple Drive thing, not so much.

Torgo · 07-26-2021, 07:23 PM

Melvyn Douglas is funny as the friend in Mr Blanding Builds A Dream House.

His last film was the Peter Straub adaption Ghost Story in 1981 (which was also Fred Astaire's final theatrical film)

stevea · 07-26-2021, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torgo

Melvyn Douglas is funny as the friend in Mr Blanding Builds A Dream House.

His last film was the Peter Straub adaption Ghost Story in 1981 (which was also Fred Astaire's final theatrical film)

He died on 8/4/1981 at age 80.

vitoscotti · 07-27-2021, 03:13 AM

The whole John Hoyt/accordian bumping down the stairs/Melvyn comment scene supplies me with one of my biggest laughs in the series. June was lucky she didn't get hit on the head with the accordian.

MichaelMartinD · 07-27-2021, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I think he played the headmaster when Beaver was to go to a private school, after he scored high on an IQ test--but Charles Fredericks had switched the papers--first season episode.

[Edit: By the way, good luck getting anything corrected on IMDb]

You are right. I forgot about that episode!

07-26-2021, 09:04 AM	#1
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 577	John Hoyt line in "Beaver's Accordion" In "Beaver's Accordion," when the accordion salesman (John Hoyt) is confronting Ward about the accordion he failed to pay for, and the accordion suddenly tumbles down the stairs - does Hoyt say "It almost worked, didn't it, Melvin?" Or was I hearing it correctly? It struck me as a funny and unusual line.

07-26-2021, 12:07 PM	#3
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,050	Not a goof, when Ward comes in the door June says "Ward, I'm glad you're home." Ward replies, "Why not, I'm the only man on Maple Drive with eyes like Melvyn Douglas." June then points out Hoyt waiting for Ward. Attached Images
	__________________ "I'm going to go do something productive. I'm gonna go watch television." - Ray Peterson, The 'burbs "I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and Fries." - Stephen King "There's nothing wrong with G-rated movies, as long as there's lots of sex and violence." - Elvira Last edited by Torgo; 07-26-2021 at 01:02 PM.

07-26-2021, 07:12 PM	#10
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,459	Two-time Oscar-winner Melvyn Douglas was one of America's finest actors, and would enjoy cinema immortality if for no other reason than his being the man who made Greta Garbo laugh in Ernst Lubitsch's classic comedy Ninotchka (1939),

07-26-2021, 07:23 PM	#12
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,050	Melvyn Douglas is funny as the friend in Mr Blanding Builds A Dream House. His last film was the Peter Straub adaption Ghost Story in 1981 (which was also Fred Astaire's final theatrical film)

07-27-2021, 03:13 AM	#14
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,084	The whole John Hoyt/accordian bumping down the stairs/Melvyn comment scene supplies me with one of my biggest laughs in the series. June was lucky she didn't get hit on the head with the accordian.