That’s a good question. He had this squint thing but the eye that was open rolled around a lot, while the closed eye sort of flickered. Must be a Haggen genetic trait.
One classic episode has a relative show up and try to shoot of “the little hangy down part” of his ear. The back and forth with Milburn Stone had to be ad-libbed a lot I reckon.
Like you said, Genius. I mean, the male mule he rode was named Ruth. I don’t think they ever explained it, beyond a general “that’s a Haggen thing”.
Freegards
I’m not sure he explains the origin of the name “Ruth”, but in his own words, here’s his “ode to” and the history of “Ruth”. There’s quite a lot about the Civil War and ol’ Festus and Ruth fighting together in it. It’ll make you kinda teary-eyed.
It’s on youtube, and the person who put it together combined Ken’s record album selection with photographs from the war, and possibly the old Borax mule trains.
Here’s to old Ruth, and Ruth, and Ruth, and Ruth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo696R-yrn8