Milwaukee Accents - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James · 01-07-2001, 07:52 PM

Did anyone on L&S speak with a Milwaukee ("mi-WOCK-ee") accent? It seems to me that all of Laverne (Penny Marshall), Lenny (Michael McKean), Squiggy (David L. Lander), and Frank (Phil Foster) spoke with New York ("noo YAWK") accents, as if 730 Knapp Street was in the Big Apple instead.

RussJohnsonsProfessorGirl · 01-07-2001, 11:00 PM

No, but that's just me because I live in Wisconsin.

------------------
Love, Kati... a.k.a. - The Professor's Little Girl
***********
"Skipper, you are standing on your head, aren't you?" - Professor
"Of course I am, Professor" - Skipper
"Oh good. For a minute I thought I was working too hard." - Professor
***********
Lavenny Land
&
ThreeHourTour.cjb.net

LaverneShirley · 01-09-2001, 05:39 PM

Well of course they spoke with NY accents, that's where some of them were born and raise. I KNOW Penny Marshall was raised in the Bronx, I'm pretty sure David Lander was raised somewhere in New York, the others I'm not sure about. Anyway, no one on HD had a Milwaukee accent either, I don't think. Then again, I don't know exactly what that sounds like. I've lived in the Cincinnati area of Ohio all my life...

------------------
"Well, Laverne is sort of childish" -Shirley

"Childish? Childish? Coming from a grown woman who throws tea parties for her stuffed cat!" -Laverne

"Well at least I don't sew L's on everything I wear!" -Shirley

"Well that would be pretty stupid considering your name's Shirley!" -Laverne

James · 01-13-2001, 10:00 PM

The Milwaukee accent is like the Chicago accent except that the "short-O" sound is stressed, whereas in the Windy City the "long-O" sound is stressed. Having never lived in neither Chicago nor Milwaukee that's about all I know.

I hope this helps!

luvinjuan1980 · 06-17-2001, 12:40 AM

David Lander was Born in Brooklyn, NY
Michael McKean was born in Manhattan and
raised on Long Island, in Sea Cliff, which is in Nassau County I believe.
Phil Foster was born in NY, NY

Since we're kind of on the subject of accents. Is it me or do some of you think
a New Jersey accent sounds similar to a New York accent? They both sound cool to me.

------------------
Epstein: I refuse to speak on the grounds it may incinerate me.

Squiggy: We wanna be
like Ginger Rogers.
Lenny: And Fred Upstairs.

Jessica: Did the Devil make Chester disappear?
Mary: No, fear made Chester disappear.

[This message has been edited by luvinjuan1980 (edited 06-17-2001).]

RussJohnsonsProfessorGirl · 06-17-2001, 11:35 PM

Nope. Wrong-O.

David L. Lander: The Bronx (In his book)
Penny Marshall: The Bronx (In the bio book)
Michael McKean: Ney York, New York (in David's book)
Cindy Williams: Van Nuys, California (in the bio book)

Not sure about Phil Foster.

------------------
Love, Kati... a.k.a. - The Professor's Little Girl
***********
"Skipper, you are standing on your head, aren't you?" - Professor
"Of course I am, Professor" - Skipper
"Oh good. For a minute I thought I was working too hard." - Professor
***********
Lavenny Land
&
ThreeHourTour.cjb.net

luvinjuan1980 · 06-18-2001, 03:45 PM

Phil Foster is from NY, NY, I got that from Imdb. He died in Rancho Mirage, CA

In July of 85 of a heart attack.

------------------
Epstein: I refuse to speak on the grounds it may incinerate me.

Squiggy: We wanna be
like Ginger Rogers.
Lenny: And Fred Upstairs.

Jessica: Did the Devil make Chester disappear?
Mary: No, fear made Chester disappear.

TV Guy · 06-19-2001, 12:42 PM

In general, I think most actors shy away from doing accents, because not everyone can do it naturally. For every Meryl Streep, you have a Kevin Costner (remember his attempt at a British accent in "Robin Hood"). If they can't do it well, it becomes distracting for the audience. I'm from Boston, and Cliff's accent on "Cheers" was one of the worst I've ever heard. I would have preferred for the actor not to try it (Rhea Perlman didn't use an accent for Carla, yet she was still great in that role).

Moondance · 06-26-2001, 03:41 PM

Shirley spoke with an accent on L&S! I think it might have been Milwaukee but she lost it by the 5th or 6th eppie!! Mostly everyone on that show was born in NY! Laverne shouldn't have a Milwaukee accent cuz she was raised in Brooklyn! (= Frank brought her to Milwaukee when she was 10 years old! (:

Feenster Girl

------------------
God Looked down upon the rose and said no fair a flower grows. Then he searched the human race and named my Shirley, Angel Face!

01-07-2001, 07:52 PM	#1
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	Milwaukee Accents Did anyone on L&S speak with a Milwaukee ("mi-WOCK-ee") accent? It seems to me that all of Laverne (Penny Marshall), Lenny (Michael McKean), Squiggy (David L. Lander), and Frank (Phil Foster) spoke with New York ("noo YAWK") accents, as if 730 Knapp Street was in the Big Apple instead.

01-07-2001, 11:00 PM	#2
RussJohnsonsProfessorGirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 06, 2000 Location: Green Bay Posts: 92	No, but that's just me because I live in Wisconsin. ------------------ Love, Kati... a.k.a. - The Professor's Little Girl ********* "Skipper, you are standing on your head, aren't you?" - Professor "Of course I am, Professor" - Skipper "Oh good. For a minute I thought I was working too hard." - Professor ********* Lavenny Land & ThreeHourTour.cjb.net

01-09-2001, 05:39 PM	#3
LaverneShirley Mission Doll Senior Member Join Date: Jul 26, 2000 Location: Liberty Twp, OH Posts: 1,552	Well of course they spoke with NY accents, that's where some of them were born and raise. I KNOW Penny Marshall was raised in the Bronx, I'm pretty sure David Lander was raised somewhere in New York, the others I'm not sure about. Anyway, no one on HD had a Milwaukee accent either, I don't think. Then again, I don't know exactly what that sounds like. I've lived in the Cincinnati area of Ohio all my life... ------------------ "Well, Laverne is sort of childish" -Shirley "Childish? Childish? Coming from a grown woman who throws tea parties for her stuffed cat!" -Laverne "Well at least I don't sew L's on everything I wear!" -Shirley "Well that would be pretty stupid considering your name's Shirley!" -Laverne

01-13-2001, 10:00 PM	#4
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	The Milwaukee accent is like the Chicago accent except that the "short-O" sound is stressed, whereas in the Windy City the "long-O" sound is stressed. Having never lived in neither Chicago nor Milwaukee that's about all I know. I hope this helps!

06-17-2001, 12:40 AM	#5
luvinjuan1980 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 08, 2001 Location: West Sand Lake, NY Posts: 568	David Lander was Born in Brooklyn, NY Michael McKean was born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, in Sea Cliff, which is in Nassau County I believe. Phil Foster was born in NY, NY Since we're kind of on the subject of accents. Is it me or do some of you think a New Jersey accent sounds similar to a New York accent? They both sound cool to me. ------------------ Epstein: I refuse to speak on the grounds it may incinerate me. Squiggy: We wanna be like Ginger Rogers. Lenny: And Fred Upstairs. Jessica: Did the Devil make Chester disappear? Mary: No, fear made Chester disappear. [This message has been edited by luvinjuan1980 (edited 06-17-2001).]

06-17-2001, 11:35 PM	#6
RussJohnsonsProfessorGirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 06, 2000 Location: Green Bay Posts: 92	Nope. Wrong-O. David L. Lander: The Bronx (In his book) Penny Marshall: The Bronx (In the bio book) Michael McKean: Ney York, New York (in David's book) Cindy Williams: Van Nuys, California (in the bio book) Not sure about Phil Foster. ------------------ Love, Kati... a.k.a. - The Professor's Little Girl ********* "Skipper, you are standing on your head, aren't you?" - Professor "Of course I am, Professor" - Skipper "Oh good. For a minute I thought I was working too hard." - Professor ********* Lavenny Land & ThreeHourTour.cjb.net

06-18-2001, 03:45 PM	#7
luvinjuan1980 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 08, 2001 Location: West Sand Lake, NY Posts: 568	Phil Foster is from NY, NY, I got that from Imdb. He died in Rancho Mirage, CA In July of 85 of a heart attack. ------------------ Epstein: I refuse to speak on the grounds it may incinerate me. Squiggy: We wanna be like Ginger Rogers. Lenny: And Fred Upstairs. Jessica: Did the Devil make Chester disappear? Mary: No, fear made Chester disappear.

06-19-2001, 12:42 PM	#8
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	In general, I think most actors shy away from doing accents, because not everyone can do it naturally. For every Meryl Streep, you have a Kevin Costner (remember his attempt at a British accent in "Robin Hood"). If they can't do it well, it becomes distracting for the audience. I'm from Boston, and Cliff's accent on "Cheers" was one of the worst I've ever heard. I would have preferred for the actor not to try it (Rhea Perlman didn't use an accent for Carla, yet she was still great in that role).

06-26-2001, 03:41 PM	#9
Moondance MCR Moderator Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Posts: 4,008	Shirley spoke with an accent on L&S! I think it might have been Milwaukee but she lost it by the 5th or 6th eppie!! Mostly everyone on that show was born in NY! Laverne shouldn't have a Milwaukee accent cuz she was raised in Brooklyn! (= Frank brought her to Milwaukee when she was 10 years old! (: Feenster Girl ------------------ God Looked down upon the rose and said no fair a flower grows. Then he searched the human race and named my Shirley, Angel Face!