Stevie Parsons

[Alan Brady's Hair]

Is it obvious his name is a combination of Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson?

I always noticed that he says "I rib you not," as Paar said "I kid you not." Today I noticed that he also caws like a crow like Allen.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Then there is the playwright from experimental theater, Thornton Alsbury, which blends Thornton Wilder and Edward Albee, and possibly a 3rd name I'm not aware of. Post-modern before post-modern was a thing.

[Alan Brady's Hair]

Very good! There's also playwright Harper Worthington Yates in "Baby Fat," who seems to be a combination of Harper Lee and a screenwriter named George Worthing Yates.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Given the above it's not too big a stretch to think Ray Murdock, the TV interviewer who got Rob to say he bases some sketches on Laura's odd behavior, is a parallel to Edward R. Murrow.

Probably the game show host who got Laura to admit Alan is bald, named Johnny Patrick, had a parallel too.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Very good! There's also playwright Harper Worthington Yates in "Baby Fat," who seems to be a combination of Harper Lee and a screenwriter named George Worthing Yates.

Strother Martin played Harper Worthington Yates with a definite resemblance to Tennessee Williams.

[Alan Brady's Hair]

It's interesting: it's said a lot that the show has stayed fresh because they tried to stay away from topical references, but there are some if you look for them.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Very broad, oblique cultural references are there but nothing limited strictly to it's own time. No Johnson or Kennedy references, other than the name of Rob's dream car, the XKG-JFK-400 Roadster.

[opus]

Originally Posted by Herbert T. Gillis

Very broad, oblique cultural references are there but nothing limited strictly to it's own time. No Johnson or Kennedy references, other than the name of Rob's dream car, the XKG-JFK-400 Roadster.

There’s an episode (Sam Pomerantz Scandals) where a guy does a run of impressions of then current celebrities, including JFK.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Originally Posted by opus

There’s an episode (Sam Pomerantz Scandals) where a guy does a run of impressions of then current celebrities, including JFK.

And they named the comic Danny Brewster, which sounds like Lenny Bruce.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

The Stevie Parsons epi is in now and it occurs to there might also be a Merv Griffin tie-in. Didn't Merv have different guest co-hosts with him for a series of shows? (I know Mike Douglas did that with John and Yoko years later.)

[Alan Brady's Hair]

Originally Posted by Herbert T. Gillis

The Stevie Parsons epi is in now and it occurs to there might also be a Merv Griffin tie-in. Didn't Merv have different guest co-hosts with him for a series of shows? (I know Mike Douglas did that with John and Yoko years later.)

Arthur Treacher was Merv's sidekick, I think pretty steadily. It looks like Merv hadn't been on long before the Parsons character was created.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Oh. Well then. Screw that.

What did Buddy's line, "succoTASH" mean, delivered wide-eyed and with a wave of the hand beside his face, as if he'd touched something hot? I don't remember that word used as slang and I haven't seen other examples from the time.

[Alan Brady's Hair]

Sylvester the Cat said "sufferin' succotash!" Maybe a very mild oath for people who didn't use real cuss words.

[Herbert T. Gillis]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

Sylvester the Cat said "sufferin' succotash!" Maybe a very mild oath for people who didn't use real cuss words.

Ah. A Sly reference.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Herbert T. Gillis

Given the above it's not too big a stretch to think Ray Murdock, the TV interviewer who got Rob to say he bases some sketches on Laura's odd behavior, is a parallel to Edward R. Murrow.

Probably the game show host who got Laura to admit Alan is bald, named Johnny Patrick, had a parallel too.

The "Coast to Coast Big Mouth" game show host could be a reference to Johnny Olson, a popular Goodson-Todman game show announcer. Around this time both To Tell The Truth and What's My Line?, two shows he announced, were popular on CBS.