In Clem the Artist, John Carradine and Franklin Pangborn discover Clem Kadiddlehopper’s hidden painting talent & exploit it!
The Kadiddlehopper Mural or Clem the Artist – The Red Skelton Show season 7, originally aired April 22, 1958
Monolog
- We now have major league baseball out here, at last. And the way the Dodgers are playing, that’s how they’re gonna end up.
- I didn’t get to see much of the game myself. I was way up in the top [row], and a satellite kept blocking my view.
- Red mimes a grandfather and his grandson watching a baseball game through a fence knothole. “Beware of pop flies”
Act I
Painter Gregory Grumbucker comes to the Kadiddlehopper farm, to paint landscapes. There, he meets the genial nitwit, Clem Kadiddlehopper, and is inspired to paint his portrait. When Grumbacker’s gone for a moment, Clem turns the painting around, and does a quick painting on the back. Then he turns it back around, so the painter’s none the wiser.
Act II
Two weeks later, Grumbucker’s back at the farm to paint more landscapes. His friend Stevens tracks him down there — he’s sold Clem’s painting for $500 — ten times more than Grumbucker’s work sells for! They quickly decide that Clem is the artist, and they want him to come to New York City, where they’ll make a fortune off his work. But Daisy June doesn’t want him to go! It’s a very funny rule of three moment, where their offers are surpassed by her kisses! Until he kisses the mule by mistake! And says that’s the best kiss yet! So she sends him to New York!
Act III
Shortly after in New York City, Clem is the toast of the town — “which is a lot for a crumb like me!” and can’t keep up for the demand for his work. Grumbucker and Stevens bring in three new, beautiful models. And Clem goes ape over the first two. But it’s the rule of three again, as the third model goes ape over Clem!
Then, Clem displays his artwork, offends the wealthy (and overweight) patron of the arts, Mrs. Davenport, and even gets hired to do the mural for the new art museum she’s donating to the city. So, after destroying a priceless bust, he’s off to work! First, a very funny bit with a prop ladder — and then, five years later, he displays his masterpiece at the grand opening! “Mural? I thought you said mule!”
Clem paints what he feels
… And I have been feelin’ too good!
Trivia
- Last screen appearance of Franklin Pangborn. He died 3 months after this broadcast.
Cast of characters
- Red Skelton … Self – Host / Clem Kadiddlehopper
- John Carradine (Bluebeard 1944; The Monster Club) … Gregory Grumbucker
- Franklin Pangborn (The Bank Dick; Reveille with Beverly) … Stevens (as Franklyn Pangborn)
- Joan Tabor … Daisy June
- Barbara Morrison … Mrs. Davenport. The patron of the arts, who’s donated an art museum to New York City. And hired Clem to paint its’ mural.
- Diana Crawford (Intent to Kill) … Miss Jones, one of the models. Who goes wild for Clem!
- David Rose and His Orchestra … Themselves
- Art Gilmore … Announcer (voice)
- Gilchrist Stuart (The Sound of Music) … The Butler (uncredited)