Pie-splattered comedian Soupy Sales dies at 83

AP ^ | October 22, 2009 | David N. Goodman

[John W]

DETROIT – Soupy Sales, the rubber-faced comedian whose anything-for-a-chuckle career was built on 20,000 pies to the face and 5,000 live TV appearances across a half-century of laughs, has died. He was 83.

Sales died at Thursday night at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, New York, said his former manager and longtime friend, Dave Usher. Sales had many health problems and entered the hospice last week, Usher said.

At the peak of his fame in the 1950s and '60s, Sales was one of the best-known faces in the nation, Usher said.

[mtg]

He was a hoot back in his day.

[rockinqsranch]

Reh-OH-rahr White Fang. RIP Soupy Sales.

[Frank_2001]

RIP

[krb]

[Kartographer]

Rest in peace Soupy the world is a bit sadder now with your passing and another small but fun part of my childhood has gone with you. Now who am I going to send those green pieces of paper from out of my dad’s wallet too? :-)

[My hearts in London - Everett]

This is so sad! I remember watching him on Hollywood Squares ~ was that the name of it?? It’s been so long! He seemed like a good natured, nice guy.

[FredZarguna]

White Fang, how come every time I write "F," you see "K?"

[I Drive Too Fast]

ping

[Sparky1776]

Didn’t he ask kids to grab money out of their parent’s wallets and send it to him (as a joke) on TV? Funny guy back in the day! RIP.

To Boston members - I’m sure Howie Carr will have a lot to say on this on Friday’s show as he knew him from working in restaurants way back when.

[Batman11]

RIP Soupy!

“How come every time I see F you see K?” :)

[Dahoser]

I guess it’s going to take a little extra postage to get those $1 bills to him now. RIP, Uncle Soupy.

[HerrBlucher]

Good ol Soupy Sales, may St Peter open the gates of heaven for him......after he hits him with a pie!

[jazusamo]

RIP, Soupy.

He was quite an entertainer.

[LaybackLenny]

Noooooooo! OMG, I loved Soupy growing up. "Soupy Sales Sez Do The Mouse." Wacky, at times blue, always a laugh riot. Tons more class than that perverted SS wanna be "Pee Wee Herman."

RIP

[Rembrandt]

It would only be right, if before they close his casket, they smash a pie in his face. He wanted to live that way, he should be allowed to rest that way.

[John W]

Barry Mitchell created this biographical tribute to Soupy Sales. A live version was performed for the legendary comedian during his birthday dinner at the New York Friars Club. (Watch Barry take a pie in the kisser from Soupy at 01:41). From Barryfunny.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT5TKTt5BeA

[sonofstrangelove]

I met Soupy at the the Museum of Television and Radio. Exteremely nice man. I paid 50 dollars to have a pie thrown at my.

[Slings and Arrows]

Q. What’s worse than a pit bull with AIDS?

A. The guy who gave it to him.

RIP Soupy.

[LaybackLenny]

Sales was born Milton Supman on Jan. 8, 1926, in Franklinton, N.C., where his was the only Jewish family in town. His parents, owners of a dry-goods store, sold sheets to the Ku Klux Klan. The family later moved to Huntington, W.Va.

WTF?! Wonder if they sold sheets to "Sheets" Byrd?

[John W]

The Soupy Sales Show Theme Song

http://www.televisiontunes.com/Soupy_Sales_Show_%28The%29.html

[fkabuckeyesrule]

I remember as a kid watching him on Whats My Line.

[itssme]

I can still see that open door and the extended furry arm of White Fang or Black Tooth gesturing to Soupy...and those funny sounds that White and Black made...it was sophisticated humor at that time for a kid my age...it was witty and slapstick and soooooo funny, and I will never forget Soupy and the whole gang. Rest in peace, Soupy. (Are there any re-runs of any of his shows?)

[sonofstrangelove]

Yes. You can check the internet for any videotapes made. I never forget my encounter with Soupy. It was rather fun getting slapped in the face with a pie.

[concentric circles]

Soupy gets a birthday treat, live, on the show (YouTube - Adult Viewers and inquisitive younger folk deprived of a proper upbringing)

[Shadowstrike]

RIP Soupy. You made us all laugh.

[Richard Kimball]

I paid 50 dollars to have a pie thrown at my.

Thrown at your what?

[originalbuckeye]

Bookmark

[sonofstrangelove]

Face

[Yaelle]

RIP, Soupy.

One of his famous lines on TV was “I took my girlfriend to the baseball game. I kissed her between the strikes and she kissed me between the balls!” Didn’t he get fired for that one?

[BigEdLB]

Rip Soupy - You were a lot of fun!

[Right Brother]

White Fang, how come every time I write "F," you see "K?"

Wasn't that the skit that got him kicked off the air?

[BigCinBigD]

May God rest your soul. And Soupy, thank you.

[LaybackLenny]

ROFLMAO!! That one never gets old! I think the neighbors probably think I’ve flipped out I’m laughing so hard...through my tears.

[Richard Kimball]

This is the classic when the crew had a stripper hidden behind the door.
It shows both the camera angle the audience saw and another camera angle showing the stripper, so there IS nudity.
Sales said he thought the camera showed the topless stripper live, and was afraid his entire career was over.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdUD4giJPOk

When I looked through some of the old clips I was surprised at how much PeeWee Herman stole from Soupy.

[DavidAccord]

Hopefully he is in Heaven now, throwing whipped cream pies at the various angels there . . :)

[Richard Kimball]

Good man. You had me worried.

[SueRae]

Wow- RIP Soupy. And love live White Fang and Black Tooth. Enjoyed many a day watching his show.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Did anybody pick him in the last Howie Carr Death Pool?

[MarineBrat]

Oh, now that was a classic! :)

[Rebelbase]

” His parents, owners of a dry-goods store, sold sheets to the Ku Klux Klan”

WTF? I’m sure the butcher sold them meat, the pharmacy sold them aspirin, The dentist fixed their teeth, The gas station sold them gas, the lumber yard sold them wood, etc, etc, ad naseum.

[tina07]

RIP..I’ve been seeing him on the game show channel, my mother watches old Pyramid shows with Dick Clark and Soupy has been on lately..

[FredZarguna]

Soupy got kicked off of national TV for telling kids to mail him the funny pieces of green paper with the pictures of Presidents in their Dad's wallets.

Some people claim the "you see K" didn't happen. I have friends who swear it did. Back in those days there were still independent stations in large-market towns. Soupy had an afternoon show on Channel 48, Kaiser Broadcasting out of Philly. I loved Soupy but didn't see that particular show, so I won't swear to it, personally.

Soupy was a hoot. In the seventies he was on a syndicated game show where celebrities played for people at home called Can You Top This? IIRC, the immortal Wink Martindale was the moderator. A celebrity panel of three was presented with a topic, and each comedian had to come up with and perform a pertinent joke. Typically, it aired after the local news at night, so the bits were occasionally risqué -- by the standards of ~35 years ago. I always thought Soupy's were the best.

Our world is diminished. RIP.

[GoldStandard]

I just saw this guy yesterday on the $100,000 Pyramid.

[headstamp 2]

“Happy new baby, we knew you had it in you.”

RIP Soupy.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Yes he was, God rest his soul.

[redhead]

"I can still see that open door and the extended furry arm of White Fang or Black Tooth gesturing to Soupy...and those funny sounds that White and Black made...it was sophisticated humor at that time for a kid my age...it was witty and slapstick and soooooo funny, and I will never forget Soupy and the whole gang. Rest in peace, Soupy. (Are there any re-runs of any of his shows?)"

Do you remember seeing the one where he opened the door and there was a naked woman standing there (out of audience view, of course)? His triple take was awesome to behold.

[redhead]

LOL! I should have finished reading the thread! LOL! that’s the one. Oh, my, Soupy! Rest in peace.

[Semperfiwife]

He was quite ahead of his time. No one on Saturday Night Live ever came close to his risque but on prime time humor!!!

[grey_whiskers]

Aw, crud.

Another legend gone.

RIP, Soupy.