Russell and Jean Johnson - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

ididn'tdoit · 07-02-2007, 12:21 PM

I just rewatched the Russell and Jean Johnson segment today, the elderly Florida couple who helped a stranger down on his luck. The Johnsons didn't have much money but they gave him about $5 and some sandwiches.

Just before Christmas they received anonymous checks for $500 in the mail, 5 years in a row, the Johnsons believe they were sent by the stranger. Not usually my kind of segments but this was such a heartwarming story IMO

Any thoughts on this? Have there been any updates on this story?

wiseguy182 · 07-02-2007, 06:15 PM

Yes, this was one of the better lost loves stories, although I'm not totally sold that the stranger was the one who sent them the checks. In reality, this guy probably went to a ton of houses around that time, and most people have at least a little food to spare, so he probably got help from many people at that time. I highly doubt Russell and Jean were the only ones to help him. Also, as unfortunate as it is, reversals of fortune like the one the stranger is believed to have encountered are extremely rare. If he was a vagrant, than the odds of him remembering an address (I don't believe he had a pen and paper with him) are also low.

RightOnDude · 07-03-2007, 11:50 AM

maybe they told one of their friends or relatives about the incident, and those people decided to do a little something for them in return. But just to "kick it up a notch" UM suggests the vagrant may be responsible.

I haven't seen this one in awhile, but how do you send an "anonymous" check?

DP1 · 07-08-2007, 10:41 PM

I always thought the guy might have been one of those rich people who posed as a homeless guy.

ididn'tdoit · 07-09-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DP1

I always thought the guy might have been one of those rich people who posed as a homeless guy.

Why would anyone wanna do that

ForeverPluto · 07-09-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DP1

I always thought the guy might have been one of those rich people who posed as a homeless guy.

...or even a rich guy who at that time was down on his luck. Maybe once his luck...or money improved, he decided to return the kindness to Russell and Jean.

mozartpc27 · 07-12-2007, 09:05 AM

Watched this one again on volume 10 (which I received yesterday). I had actually requested it be included, mostly because it is one of my sister's all-time favorite cases.

I wondered too about the "anonymous" check --- in the segment, it looks like the check is drawn on the Bank of Florida, but that could just be a generic bank name the producers of Unsolved Mysteries made up. So, this leads me to wonder --- what exactly is UM withholding here? You'd figure there would have to be an issuing bank name somewhere on the check that would provide a clue, and I can't think of any type of check that doesn't require at least a name. Cashier's checks often don't require the signature of the "remitter," using the signature of the bank president or some other official instead, but I've never seen one that didn't have the name of the payer somewhere on the check. However, the name could just be a company; if that's the case, this might have been what UM was withholding, to ensure that any call to the telecenter was legitimate.

DP1 · 07-12-2007, 10:21 PM

I've read about cases where rich people start acting like homeless people. It's named after a real person but I can't remember whom.

Maybe it was an act by a rich person to see if anyone was worthy of charity.

wiseguy182 · 07-13-2007, 01:26 AM

That's a good point, mozart, however the name of the payer on the check could have been in the form of a signature, and a lot of signatures are illegible to everyone except the person signing it.

As for the rich person disguising himself to be homeless to see if anyone was worthy of his charity, that is certainly possible, however that's going to pretty far lengths to give a lot of money to complete strangers.

James T · 07-13-2007, 02:25 AM

That was a strange segment- the wife was acting like Charles Manson was at their door then she calms down right away when her husband says about four words to the guy, I also thought it was strange that they had a cheque so there must have been some type of name on it and I love the way the guy in the bank was able to tell them a cheque was not going to bounce in 3 seconds just by looking at it.

Corky Kneivel · 07-19-2007, 01:43 PM

This whole segment had me laughing. The way Russell Johnson was over acting and the random "slices of life" stillshots of the couple they used to show just how down-homey and average the couple are. That shot of Jean beaming broadly while holding a cake was the perfect touch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by James T

That was a strange segment- the wife was acting like Charles Manson was at their door then she calms down right away when her husband says about four words to the guy...

Yes! She comes into the garage all hurriedly, telling her husband of a bummy man outside asking after work he can do. The husband sizes him up within 10 seconds like he's some sort of Emergencry Room doctor and then demands, "OOh..we gotta live one here! Jean, prep this man for sammiches...lots of sammiches!! And gimme 50ccs of Iced Tea STAT!!"

I wonder if Russell started knocking up Skid Row Halfway Doll Houses in honor of his newfround friend, the tramp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by James T

I also thought it was strange that they had a cheque so there must have been some type of name on it and I love the way the guy in the bank was able to tell them a cheque was not going to bounce in 3 seconds just by looking at it.

Hahahaha!! Real good security measures they have at that bank.

I too wondered about the check endorsement but I figured it was probably a cashier's check or a money order from a bank. Those things you can pretty much endorse as:

A. Nonymous
123 Boulevard St. Apartment ABC
Town City, ST 90210

It would have to be a cashiers check because if that bank is not only cashing checks based on the "hold it up to the light" test, but cashing personal checks endorsed by "Your Christian Friend", "SANTA", or "Your Angel Bum" and written on checks issued by North Pole Savings & Loan, then they got serious problems with the banking system in Florida.

The checks are probably coming from someone who wants to torture the tellers at the Johnson's bank. You know those poor tellers have heard about this "angel" like 5 grillion times. Some time around the 4th year I bet they were like, "Aww...Criminey!! Here comes Russell and Jean again with yet another Immaculate Transaction. I cannot sit here and listen to that damn sammich and iced tea story again!! I'm going on break."

EDITED TO ADD:

When I watched this again the other day I was almost positive I had seen the actor who portrayed the Blessed Bum somewhere before. I kept seeing his face in my mind doing this one particular look, fixing his nose and mouth a specific way.

I am almost 100% sure that he was in an episode of The Sopranos. I think it was the first episode of Season 5, as Detective Lieutenant Barry Haydu (retired). He was the crooked cop who was being observed at his retirement party by Tony and Christopher. Tony then told Chrissey that the cop was the one who killed Chrissey's dad.

ididn'tdoit · 07-19-2007, 03:10 PM

Well your post had ME laughing, Corky Kneivel!

idol · 07-24-2008, 01:48 PM

The UM segment also acted like the guy just vanished off the steet when the Johnsons went to wave bye to him.

DP1 · 07-24-2008, 11:45 PM

Maybe it was a rich guy trying to find "the true spirit of Christmas." He found it with this couple and rewarded them for it.

Cori aka ChrisSCrush · 07-25-2008, 03:53 AM

Or Leave It to Beaver, episode 214: "Beaver's Good Deed."

07-02-2007, 12:21 PM	#1
ididn'tdoit Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2006 Posts: 405	Russell and Jean Johnson I just rewatched the Russell and Jean Johnson segment today, the elderly Florida couple who helped a stranger down on his luck. The Johnsons didn't have much money but they gave him about $5 and some sandwiches. Just before Christmas they received anonymous checks for $500 in the mail, 5 years in a row, the Johnsons believe they were sent by the stranger. Not usually my kind of segments but this was such a heartwarming story IMO Any thoughts on this? Have there been any updates on this story?

07-12-2007, 09:05 AM	#7
mozartpc27 Vigilante Logician Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 09, 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 924	Watched this one again on volume 10 (which I received yesterday). I had actually requested it be included, mostly because it is one of my sister's all-time favorite cases. I wondered too about the "anonymous" check --- in the segment, it looks like the check is drawn on the Bank of Florida, but that could just be a generic bank name the producers of Unsolved Mysteries made up. So, this leads me to wonder --- what exactly is UM withholding here? You'd figure there would have to be an issuing bank name somewhere on the check that would provide a clue, and I can't think of any type of check that doesn't require at least a name. Cashier's checks often don't require the signature of the "remitter," using the signature of the bank president or some other official instead, but I've never seen one that didn't have the name of the payer somewhere on the check. However, the name could just be a company; if that's the case, this might have been what UM was withholding, to ensure that any call to the telecenter was legitimate.
	__________________ "You can't say the words that the rock makes you feel like." - Patty Johnson

07-02-2007, 06:15 PM	#2
wiseguy182 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 11, 2006 Location: Wendy's salad bar Posts: 7,030	Yes, this was one of the better lost loves stories, although I'm not totally sold that the stranger was the one who sent them the checks. In reality, this guy probably went to a ton of houses around that time, and most people have at least a little food to spare, so he probably got help from many people at that time. I highly doubt Russell and Jean were the only ones to help him. Also, as unfortunate as it is, reversals of fortune like the one the stranger is believed to have encountered are extremely rare. If he was a vagrant, than the odds of him remembering an address (I don't believe he had a pen and paper with him) are also low.

07-03-2007, 11:50 AM	#3
RightOnDude Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 12, 2005 Posts: 266	maybe they told one of their friends or relatives about the incident, and those people decided to do a little something for them in return. But just to "kick it up a notch" UM suggests the vagrant may be responsible. I haven't seen this one in awhile, but how do you send an "anonymous" check?

07-08-2007, 10:41 PM	#4
DP1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 394	I always thought the guy might have been one of those rich people who posed as a homeless guy.

07-12-2007, 10:21 PM	#8
DP1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 394	I've read about cases where rich people start acting like homeless people. It's named after a real person but I can't remember whom. Maybe it was an act by a rich person to see if anyone was worthy of charity.

07-13-2007, 01:26 AM	#9
wiseguy182 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 11, 2006 Location: Wendy's salad bar Posts: 7,030	That's a good point, mozart, however the name of the payer on the check could have been in the form of a signature, and a lot of signatures are illegible to everyone except the person signing it. As for the rich person disguising himself to be homeless to see if anyone was worthy of his charity, that is certainly possible, however that's going to pretty far lengths to give a lot of money to complete strangers.

07-13-2007, 02:25 AM	#10
James T Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 23, 2006 Location: England Posts: 1,571	That was a strange segment- the wife was acting like Charles Manson was at their door then she calms down right away when her husband says about four words to the guy, I also thought it was strange that they had a cheque so there must have been some type of name on it and I love the way the guy in the bank was able to tell them a cheque was not going to bounce in 3 seconds just by looking at it.

07-19-2007, 03:10 PM	#12
ididn'tdoit Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2006 Posts: 405	Well your post had ME laughing, Corky Kneivel!

07-24-2008, 01:48 PM	#13
idol Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Maine Posts: 280	The UM segment also acted like the guy just vanished off the steet when the Johnsons went to wave bye to him.

07-24-2008, 11:45 PM	#14
DP1 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 394	Maybe it was a rich guy trying to find "the true spirit of Christmas." He found it with this couple and rewarded them for it.

07-25-2008, 03:53 AM	#15
Cori aka ChrisSCrush Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 30, 2001 Location: USA and still trying to be proud of it! Posts: 2,071	Or Leave It to Beaver, episode 214: "Beaver's Good Deed."