Posted on 07/04/2021 9:05:44 PM PDT by MAGA2017
Jean Shepherd the famous writer of "The Christmas Story", as an older "Ralph," recalls his memory of a particular Fourth of July from his high-school years in Hollman, Indiana. Ralph plays the sousaphone in the high-school band to the instructions of the baton-twirling drum master Wilbur Duckworth. Ralph is grudgingly set up on a blind date, only to find himself in the company of the gorgeous Miss Junior Corn Blossom, who rejects his advances. On the Fourth of July Duckworth causes a power outage by twirling his baton onto an electrical line during a parade; the town drunk Ludlow Kissel sets off an enormous firework that explodes under his own porch; and Ralph's father entertains the neighbors with his annual dramatic display of fireworks. "Ballad of Ludlow Kissel" is sung by Leigh Brown. Produced by Olivia Tappan.
It looks interesting watching the first minutes of it.
He did “A Christmas Story” the following year.
Jean Shepherd was one of America’s best story tellers. Whether about his childhood, adolescence, his time in the Army or just commenting on life in these United States, he was ALWAYS a good read or listen.
A pilot as well.
As a kid, many a night sneakily listening to his broadcasts on WOR.
I loved this when it first was broadcast in the early 80’s and couldn’t find a dvd or vhs tape. I finally found one on eBay but the quality was like watching an old video taped on an early vcr. Thanks for remembering this very special show. This may have preceded The Christmas Story.
Me too. Was he the guy that told the story of a relative during the depression that bought a mail order home. When it came every body rushed to the train station to see it, unpacked it, and the wind blew the assembly instructions away?
Me too, you should check out his book “In God WeTrust All Others Pay Cash” lol funny and includes the Christmas Story events and much more. I just love Jean Shepherd.
There are youtube channels that have a good deal of the episodes, thinning out in the earlier years.
This is it:
“By the same creative genius who wrote Christmas Story, this is a hysterical sendup of Ralphie’s life as a teenager. James Broderick plays “the old man” in this episode. Haven’t seen this since a PBS showing over 30 years ago. One scene that stands out follows: One of the Parker’s neighbors orders an entire house by mail from Sears. It arrives in railroad boxcars on a siding in town. All the fathers go down with the premise of helping unload the house kit from the cars. The beer starts to flow and it becomes a drunken ballet of opening hundreds of crates of house parts. Then it begins to rain and the hapless home buyer is abandoned by his inebriated friends”
DVD player broken, but its good to know who it was and wasn’t my 6 year old imagination
I never realized that being an Army communications specialist climbing telephone polls was such a dangerous and deadly occupation.
It such a shame they left out the Drum Major and his baton from the Christmas Story movie. Even if the parade was just in the background and then all the lights go out or something. I love that story. Hilarious.
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