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January 2015

Bad mosquito netting – From the Red Skelton radio show, 9/3/1948, “Red Returns after the Summer” – Red Skelton and Rod O’Connor swap mosquito jokes!

Bad mosquito netting

Bad mosquito netting –  From the Red Skelton radio show, 9/3/1948, “Red Returns after the Summer” – Red Skelton and Rod O’Connor swap mosquito jokes!

Rod O’Connor: You’ve got a nice tan.

Red Skelton: That’s not a tan, that’s the color I turn when the mosquitoes drain all the blood out of me!

Rod O’Connor: The mosquitoes were bad, huh? Why didn’t you use mosquito netting?Read More »Bad mosquito netting

A  Critical History of Television's The Red Skelton Show, 1951-1971

A Critical History of Television’s The Red Skelton Show, 1951-1971

Product description for A  Critical History of Television’s The Red Skelton Show, 1951-1971

A Critical History of Television's The Red Skelton Show, 1951-1971

Buy from Amazon.com The Red Skelton Show was on the air for 20 years, the longest-running primetime network comedy variety series on television. It was a top 10 series for nine years–an accomplishment surpassed only by Gunsmoke and Home Improvement. The series has a few unimpressive achievements too, such as becoming the first top 10 series to be cancelled by a network.

Here is the history of The Red Skelton Show, beginning with its debut in 1951 and its great initial success. It was one of the top five television series that year, and Skelton and his show were nominated for Emmys. The author then details the show’s decline in popularity; its move from CBS to NBC in 1953 and its slow rise back to the top; its glory days of the 1960s, when it became an hour long show and finished at number two for two different years; CBS’s surprise cancellation of the show in 1970 despite its place in the top 10; and the failed last season back with NBC. There are three appendices: Appendix A lists cast and crew credits for the show, Appendix B lists special guests by season, and Appendix C offers information on the post-Red Skelton lives of many of the shows principal players.

Read More »A Critical History of Television’s The Red Skelton Show, 1951-1971
Herringbone suit – From the 1948 Red Skelton radio show, “G. I. Joe’s Memories” – where Red picks on his announcer, Rod O’Connor, over his new suit

Herringbone suit

Herringbone suit –  From the 1948 Red Skelton radio show, “G. I. Joe’s Memories” – where Red picks on his announcer, Rod O’Connor, over his new suit

Red Skelton: Well, Rod, you look good tonight – I like your suit.

Rod O’Connor: Herringbone.Read More »Herringbone suit

Red Skelton’s eye exam – From Red’s opening monologue on “The Red Skelton Show” (January 25, 1971) – Red talks about a visit to his eye doctor.

Red Skelton’s eye exam

Red Skelton‘s eye exam – From Red’s opening monologue on “The Red Skelton Show” (January 25, 1971) – Red talks about a visit to his eye doctor.

This doctor starts examining my eyes, now you’ve got to hear some of the conversation that went on. I said, “The eye’s making me dizzy.”

He said, “Well, let’s not blame it on the eye.”Read More »Red Skelton’s eye exam