Spade Cooley

While watching a “Honeymooners” re-run the other night, Norton mentioned a record by Spade Cooley. I knew the name but have to admit that I wasn’t all that familiar with his work. So, off to you tube I went. Man, was I surprised at the wealth of entertainment, as well as the actual story of Spade and what happened to this man who was at one time giving both Ed Sullivan and all the rest, quite a run for the money in the TV ratings.

Western Swing music has always held a fascination for me. The blending of big band instruments with traditional country music can produce some smooth music, ideal for dancing. Spade Cooley’s band was composed of Spade Cooley, real name Joaquin Murphey Donnell Clyde Cooley, on steel guitar; Tex Williams (no relation to Ted), on vocals; and the rest of the members on everything else.

Cooley was born in Oklahoma in 1910 and began studying classical violin and cello at age 4. By the time he was 8 years old he was performing in public. He eventually made it to Hollywood and served as a stand-in for Roy Rogers in many of his films. He also played with the legendary Riders of the Purple Sage in the late 1940’s, before forming his own band in 1941. Carolina Cotton joined the band as a fiddle player and yodeler a few years after.

His TV career began in 1948 with a show on KTLA which ran for 11 years, and even affected the ratings of other shows airing opposite his, including Ed Sullivan’s. The Spade Cooley Show ended in 1959, shortly after he was charged with the death of his wife, Ella Mae. They had been arguing since 1952, when she claimed to have an affair with Roy Rogers. That was never proven to be true.

By 1958 she apparently wanted a divorce so badly that she told him she was a member in a “sex club” as a way to get him to dissolve their marriage. Infuriated, he struck her in the chest with such force that he ruptured her aorta, causing her death. In 1961 he was sentenced to life for the crime. No proof of her claim of alleged infidelity has ever surfaced.

His trial was unusual in that he was so remorseful that he refused to even testify on his own behalf, accepting his life sentence without an appeal. In August of 1969 he was scheduled for release on parole in February of 1970. That same month he performed a concert for the Alameda County Sheriffs Association. 

In front of 3,000 lawmen he gave one of the finest performances of his career. After leaving the stage he collapsed and died, never living to be paroled. His body was returned to the prison, where it was cremated. Today he is interred at Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery in Hayward, California.

"Harry and Tonto" with Art Carney (1974)

In this 1974 film, Art Carney; universally known as Ed Norton on the TV sitcom “The Honeymooners” with Jackie Gleason; finally got to show off his dramatic skills, as well as win the 1974 Oscar for Best Actor. And with a script by Paul Mazursky and Josh Greenfield, this is one story that is timeless in its dealing with the subject of aging.

When Harry, a retired Professor who is widowed and lives alone, learns that he must vacate his Manhattan apartment; after decades of living there with his wife; he decides to stay. With only his cat Tonto for company, he remains in the building until forcibly evicted by the Police and his landlord. His apartment building is being torn down to make way for a parking garage.

With nowhere to go, he lives with his son Bert, played by Philip Burns, and his family for a bit, before deciding to head out for Chicago, by bus, where he has a daughter, Shirley, played by Ellen Burstyn, who is divorced and owns a bookstore.

Traveling by bus proves to be a non-starter, as Tonto will not use the rest room as a litter box, which forces Harry to buy a used car in order to continue their journey. Along the way he meets, and befriends Ginger, a 15 year old hitchhiker, played by Melanie Mayron. She has no plans, or destination, and becomes a companion for Harry and Tonto. Together, they arrive in Chicago to visit Shirley.

From Shirley’s they decide to take a side trip and see one of Harry’s old flames from 50 years ago, a woman named Jesse Stone, played with great tenderness by Geraldine Fitzgerald. When they arrive at her old home they discover that she is now in a nursing home, which they  decide to visit. As the journey progresses, they are joined by Harry’s grandson, Norman, played by Josh Mostel, and they continue on their quest to find Harry’s “place” in an ever changing world. 

Ultimately, he leaves Josh and Ginger to find their own lives, while he decides to visit his playboy son, Eddie, played by Larry Hagman, who lives in Los Angeles. Along the way Harry and Tonto  visit Las Vegas, where they encounter an old Indian Chief, played by Chief Dan George, as well as spend a night in jail.

A beautifully paced and nuanced film, with much to say about our changing roles in life as we age, gave Art Carney the chance to prove that he could hold his own against the other Oscar nominees that year, which included Al Pacino in “The Godfather”, Dustin Hoffman in “Lenny”, and even Jack Nicholson in “Chinatown.” If you have never seen this film before; or, have not seen it for some time; you really owe it to yourself to watch this very poignant tale which still holds true, almost 40 years after its release.  

'The Head of the House" - The Honeymooners March 31st, 1956

This episode, titled "Head of the House", from "The Honeymooners" was first aired 56 years ago today. A lot of things have changed since then, but the silent battle of wits between men and women still rages. In this episode, Ralph, who has answered a question for the Inquiring Photographer in the daily paper about who is the "head of his house", sets out to prove that he is, indeed, "master of his own domain." What the boys don't know is that Alice has replaced the wine with grape juice. But that doesn't stop Ralph and Ed from getting drunk.

And, even as a kid, I was cognizant of the similarities between "The Honeymooners" and "The Flintstones." Both shows were about two working class guys, married to their sweethearts, and always in trouble with them nonetheless. In this "Flintsones" clip from 1961, Fred and Barney skirt their chores, only to be discoverd by their hardworking wives, Wilma and Betty. This was actually a private film made for Winston-Salem rather than for the show. The legendary team of Hanna-Barbera knew how to satirize, and in "The Finstones" they created a whole parallel world in fictional Bedrock, to that of Ralph and Ed in "real Life" Brooklyn.