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Soupy Sez!: My Life and Zany Times

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Soupy Sales was to kids growing up in the 50s and 60s what Ernie Kovaks was to adults: a comedian with attitude, a visual zaniness unmatched by other kids-show performers, a kids show host who just happened to do kids shows...but shows where he talked TO and never DOWN TO the kids. And his seemingly ad lib (a lot was planned), crazy, punny, pie-in-the-face and slapstick schtick won over may ADULT viewers too...such as Frank Sinatra, who asked to appear on his show -- and get a pie in the face (he DID, and Sales lived to talk about it..).

Today's question: could the former Milton Supman, now 75, write a show biz bio that goes BEYOND being a syrupy fanzine bio to a tell "all" book offering something of interest to those who want to go into comedy or show biz -- yet STILL be a FUNNY book?

The answer is YES.

I collect show biz bios and this is one of the few that I actually underlined. It is outstanding in its genre. It's a book that will be interesting to those who SAW Sales in his prime AND those who want to learn more about show business' realities, the importance of self-confidence, goal-setting, and comedy.

If you loved Soupy as a kid, you won't be disapppointed. It's all here: info about his shows in Ohio, L.A. and New York, his battles with corporate "suits" who tried to typecast and creatively stifle him, the (in)famous joke where he asked kiddies in his New York audience to sneak into their sleeping parents' rooms and send him those little green pieces of paper in their wallets with George Washington's picture on it (many did), his hit record (The Mouse), details about who played his characters White Fang, Black Tooth, Pookie, info about his other television, movie, and radio work...and more. A key secret revealed: his favored pie ingredient was...shaving cream.

If you like LOTS of puns and one liners, the book is crammed with them. In fact, Sales seems greatly influenced by the Marx Brothers' word play jokes (much as the late Steve Allen was).

But there are some other qualities in this bio that you do NOT see in other show biz bios -- and it is HIGHLY refreshing...and WORTH THE PRICE of this book. It makes the book a great GIFT for any aspiring young comedian, actor or kids performer who also wants to perform for adults (his secret here: he did NOT change his act for adults...long before it was fashionable, he appealed to -- and was appealing to -- the "inner child" in adults).

He talks about personal and career ups and downs with great candor. At an early age he was "addicted to the sound of applause" but upon entering show biz he admits he was "unprepared for the kinds of people I was going to meet in the business, the kinds of people who didn't know how to be straight with you, the kinds of people whose only interest in you would be what you could do for them."

He learned that when he was on top, everyone wanted him around, wanted to swim in his pool, eat his food, and drink his booze. When he wasn't on top, many of his show biz "friends" wouldn't return phone calls. In the end, Sales may not have received the recognition comedians such as Abbott and Costello, or even kids show performers like Buffalo Bob Smith, got. But he did his comedy HIS way with integrity -- usually walking away rather than compromising with the typcasting, penny-pinching corporate suits. So he never really compromised the kind of crazy comedy HE loved -- and his fans loved.

Sales has had some physical ailments recently, but still performs and attends autograph shows, etc. His book was a LOT more enjoyable, meatier, and informative than I ever expected...and it's a great book or gift for his fans, comedy lovers, aspiring comedians -- or anyone who just wants to read an inspirational story about a guy who loved applause and kept plugging away, no matter what.

Read SOUPY SEZ! by Soupy Sales with Charles Salzberg, the
tale of the TV/Radio personality that helped me grow up . . . before reading the book, I had the impression that Soupy was a real nice guy . . . I'm now convinced.

I never felt he talked down at me . . . rather, he invited me
into his world . . . and what a world it was!

This book gave me a better feel for what I saw on an almost
daily basis . . . Soupy had been and still is one of my heroes . . . in fact, he helped teach me the one dance that I could do without making too much of a fool of myself: the mouse.

I liked his tales of showbiz, as well as the recollections of
several of his friends and colleagues . . . the many pictures
were an added "plus."

There were several memorable passages; among them:
There is a definite art to pie-throwing. You can use whipped
cream, egg whites or shaving cream, but shaving cream is
much better because it doesn't spoil. And no tin plates. The
secret is you just can't push it and shove it in somebody's
face. It has to be done with a pie that has a lot of crust
so that it breaks up into a thousand pieces when it hits you.

[his infamous request of kids that got him suspended]
So I moved up as close to the camera as I could, and I
said, "Hey, kids, last night was New Year's Eve and your
mom and dad were out having a good time and it's only right,
since they work hard all year long. And they're probably still
in the bedroom asleep. Now, what I want you to do is tiptoe
into the bedroom and don't wake them up and you'll probably
see your mom's pocketbook on the floor along with your dad's
pants. Now, be real careful, because we don't want to wake
them up, but I want you to go into your mom's pocketbook
and your dad's pants and you'll find some little green pieces
of paper with pictures of guys with beards on them. Now,
what I want you to do is take those little pieces of green
paper and put them into an envelope, and on the envelope,
I want you to write Soupy Sales, Channel 5, New York,
New York, and you know what I'm gonna send you in
return? A postcard from Puerto Rico."

Soupy's Definitions:
Apple turnover--a command a fruit peddler uses when training
an apple.

Bacteria--the back door of a cafeteria.

Bewithces--the way people in Brooklyn say, I'll be right
there"--I'll bewitches in a second!"

Blue jeans--tight pants that tell dirty jokes.

Chestnuts--people who are crazy about Dolly Parton.

Dialogue--how you make a phone call to a tree.

Operating room--Warren Beatty's bedroom.

Stopwatch--the command a policeman gives to a Rolex
who's going too fast.

Here for the first time in print.Soupy Sales gives his fans his life story.As he takes his fans thru his early days in Franklinton,N.C.to his formative years in Huntington,West,Virgina.(The place that he still calls his home town),where he developed his talents as a radio broadcaster and as an entertainer.To his work in Cincinatti and Cleveland ,Ohio.Where he not only continued to work as a radio broadcaster and nightclub performer.But where he was introduced to the medium that would make him famous:Television.The book also looks at the creation of the kidult tv comedy show( on WXYZ TV Ch.7 in Detroit,Mi.,on KABC TV Ch.7 in L.A.,Ca. and on WNEW TV Ch.5 in NYC) for which he is still remembered.That was seen on Network and on local tv and his constant fighting with network and local station execs for creative freedom.Which he eventually lost and he was forced to work in other ventures.

While Soupy's memiors are not written in the tell all vein.He does gives us insight into the development of his many show business ventures and he allows us all to share in the memories of his childhood and his love for his family,his friends,his fans, for his hometowns:Huntington,West, Va. and NYC and for his work.

The book also recalls the recent accident that has impaired his physical stammina but not his ability to perform for his audiences and the love that has been expressed to him
at a recent Birthday Tribute that was held for Sales at The NYC
Frair's Club a few years ago.Where he still was able to maintain
a successful rapport with his fans.

The book also has some rare photos from Soupy's private
collection and a complete videography of his tv work(Which I have complied for the manuscript)that not only looks at his most
famous tv shows:"Lunch With Soupy Sales"/"The Soupy Sales Shows".The Tv Ography also recalled his guest appearances on many tv series and specials and his appearances at NYC's Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parades on NBC TV In the mid 1960's.

If you're looking for a truly enjoyable and informative
autobiography? This is the best gift to have for Christmas and/or Hankakah! BTW:"Soupy Sez!:My Life & Zany Times!" is also
available in both hardcover and in paperback. Kevin S.Butler.

There's no doubt Soupy Sales is truly an American original, and I just had one comment to make about that, relating to how he got kicked off the air for a year back in the 60's.

He was angry at the producer of his show for some reason, and so at the end of the hour-long show, where Soupy says goodbye to all the kiddies, he holds up his hand, and says, (I think I'm recalling it more or less correctly, but cut me a little slack, since it's been almost 40 years). Anyway, at that point he said: "This is for White Fang, this is for Pookie, and this is for our producer," as he ticked them off on his fingers.

Unfortunately for both Soupy and the producer, he curled each finger down as he did this, leaving only his middle finger sticking up at that point, and was now basically giving his boss the finger on national TV, for all the little kiddies and their now outraged parents to see.

I read the show immediately got thousands of calls from angry parents all over the country, and that this led to his one-year long hiatus from the air-waves.

Anyway, that was probably one of the most outrageous moments in kiddy TV ever, and it probably took someone as funny, feisty, and as off-the-wall as Soupy to bring it to us. I was delighted to find Soupy is still around and kicking at age 75, and that he could bring this engaging and funny story of his life to us.

I grew up watching Soupy Sales, and frankly, I have a fond place in my heart for this lovable goofball."My Zany Life and Times" is a sweet and nostalgic look behind the scenes of a "kids" comedy show unlike any before or since. If you never saw any of the incarnations of the Soupy Sales Show, I don't know that you'll get anything much out of this. However, if you did and if you enjoyed it any where near as much as I did, this will bring you back to a time when nutty off-camera voices and puppets in the window could make you smile and laugh and more importantly, walk away with that same good fealing when the show was over.
Reading this left me with much the same feeling.

Remember that Golden Era of Detroit television, from the late 50s thru the 60s, starring Soupy Sales, Bill Kennedy, Rita Bell, Jac LeGoff, Morgus & George Pierrot? Not to forget Tiger baseball, of course.

How 'bout that Roy O'Brien commerical, "Get on right track, to 9 Mile & Mack?" Ha!

And my favorite:

"You can have scurvy free ... longitivity.
Call ... Twin ... Pines."

Soupy & White Fang will always be two of my heroes.

For anyone who grew up watching Soupy Sales on Televison,this book is a must.It,s a hilariously funny,warm and very truthful account of a career that spans 50 years.I can,t reccomend it enough.You won,t be able to put it down (Soupys put Super Glue on the edge of the pages.) Great fun!!

This book is a highly recommended,excellent autobiography of Soupy Sales.Hopefully Someday his reknowned 1966 Movie"Birds Do It"co-starring Tab Hunter and Arthur O'Connell will be released on dvd/vhs including the film trailer that's been very,very long overdue and should be a smashing hit!!Video distributors both large and small should aggressively pursue the released of this superbly Soupy overlooked gem of a movie!!So spread the word!!

I have so many recollections of Soupy Sales and his television programs, that there are not enough words to describe the joy that he brought to this viewer.

Soupy, White Fang, Black Tooth, Pookie, Hippy and the nut at the door have made me laugh harder and more consistently than any other entertainers. The laughter involved copious tears and sides that literally hurt long after the gags were performed.

Perhaps the funniest episode I ever watched was performed in Hollywood and involved what I still believe as one of the biggest pie throwing fights ever, in a make believe bakery with Soupy as the baker. I don't think that I have ever laughed so long and so hard.

Soupy's book, "Soupy Sez", comes as a great memoir for his fans. The book as well as reviving some very funny bits and lines, tells the story of a very talented man who worked hard to entertain and just plain make people laugh and for my money, he succeeded very, very well.

This book is a long awaited treasure for me and would only become more valuable if I could be blessed with Soupy's autograph on it's inside cover.

Soupy, thanks for entertaining me always and thanks for this great book.

Soupy, with a kid's show that some adults also watched, during
the height of the cold war, not a railroad engineer (like engineer
bill in los angeles) ,nor a sheriff (sheriff john), not exactly
a clown (no bozo), but a child-like adult man living in a hovel
with two dogs -- one mean and one loving, and two other puppet
characters, and with a girl friend (peaches), who was himself in
drag! occasionally, someone at the door to interact with. even
though a television show, there was only a radio in the shack!
the genius of soupy sales creating something out of nothing as did
Ernie kovacs, who died young in a traffic accident.

Sales was born Milton Supman in Franklinton, North Carolina
Milton (soupy) graduated from Huntington High School in
Huntington, West Virginia in 1944. He then enlisted the United
States Navy and served on the USS Randall in the South Pacific
during the latter part of World War II.
Sales next entered Marshall College, where he earned a Master's
Degree in Journalism.

yadda. yadda.

Sales moved to Detroit in 1953, then sometime around 1960 moved
to los angeles, and then went national.
fondly, remember visiting a friend, while listening to one of
soupy's record albums: "that's why I love to get a pie in the
face".