Vic and Sade

Victor Rodney Gook was the chief accountant of the Consolidated Kitchenware Company Plant Number Fourteen. He was the Exalted Big Dipper of the Drowsy Venus Chapter of the Sacred Stars of the Milky Way, a fraternal order founded by R.J. Konk. Vic's passion was parades, alarm clocks, cigars, wide-brimmed hats and doorbells. He was often asked to submit articles to the Kitchenware Dealers Quarterly and the lodge magazine. Rush's/Russell's nickname for Vic was "Gov." Vic's good deed was always looking out to help Hank Gutstop get a job, allowing Hank to pay Vic back (Sade thought little of Hank, a constant source of friction with Vic). Vic's opening line upon entering the house through the kitchen screen door was usually, "Hi-dee-hi, Ho-dee-ho," a borrowing from Cab Calloway's version of "Minnie the Moocher."

Sade, the straightwoman of the cast, was a housewife who took pride in her housekeeping. Her interest outside the home was primarily focused on the Thimble Club sewing circle where she and the thimble ladies would get together to sew and gossip. She was very pragmatic about things and had little sense of humor. Her world extended to a very small radius and she cared little for anything outside her tightly drawn circle. Vic has addressed Sade as "Uncle Harry" and "Corporal Johnson," but his usual nickname for her was "Dr. Sleech" (he also called her "kiddo" quite a bit) and Rush/Russell just called her "Mom". Her unfulfilled goal was to go shopping with Ruthie and have each come out even in their money when they got home; it never balanced as she felt Vic and Rush would make fun of her money struggles.

Paul Rhymer had intended to introduce Rush by having Sade give birth to an 8-year-old boy, but the sponsor objected. On July 8, 1932 Vic and Sade discussed the plight of 9-year-old Rush Meadows, who was the son of one of Sade's school friends. On July 15th Rush arrived, and soon listeners forgot that the boy had been adopted by the Gooks.[5] Rush's favorite activities were playing baseball (and football) in Tatman's vacant lot, watching the fat men play handball down at the YMCA, taking in the moving picture show at the Bijou Theatre (pronounced, "BY-JOE"), and reading about the adventures of Third Lieutenant Clinton Stanley. Rush and Russell had the same friends, but they differed in character: Rush was the schemer who was always looking for ways to make a quick buck and had an angle on everything; doing homework, and especially algebra, was not high on his priority list. Russell enjoyed and did well in school (but sometimes spoke with imperfect grammar) despite the fact he was more the dreamer, the naive young romantic; he was always willing to lend a hand no matter how impractical his outlook was; it follows then that chores around the house were not something he excelled at. Some scripts featuring Rush were recycled to feature Russell, such as "Working on Hank Gutstop's Debts", "Sleepers Beware", and "Mr. Chinbunny Wants to Smoke Cigars". However, "Rush Tenders His Resignations" involved Rush's scheme to make it well known among his school's faculty that he was resigning from clubs he had belonged to, ostensibly to focus on academics, in order that they would reward his new resolve with better grades; "Russell Tenders His Resignations" is less in character. Sade's usual nickname for Rush/Russell was "Willie" (based upon Bill Idleson's actual name?) and Vic might make a nickname out of another boy's name (e.g. "Roscoe"), a girl's name (e.g. "Margaret", or "Margorie"), or a compound noun (e.g. "Brain-Fog" or "Stove-Poker," with "White-House" – used in "Christmas Suggestions for the Boss" on 26 November 1943 – being the actual surname of the actor portraying Russell).

Uncle Fletcher was a talker who had an outrageous story and advice about everything.[5] If there was one activity, outside of telling stories, that he can be noted for, it would be riding on Gumpox's garbage wagon, and he even got a special pass to allow him to do so. He would sometimes fall into the garbage. He especially enjoyed discussing the interesting facts and statistics about such things as his watch fob collection, key collection, photos and snapshots, and his landlady's washrag collection. And he liked popping popcorn. He was always bringing up names of people he assumed Sade knew, whom she never did. Uncle Fletcher liked to bring up the fellow who walked to his own funeral: "He made his plans, walked to the mortuary. There he later died." Uncle Fletcher would often address the family as "Vic/Sadie/Rush/Russell Honey," but once he denied Sade her "Honey" appellation because she had expressed impatience when he tried to relay some not-so-important news. He frequently told anecdotes about characters with names such as Rishigan Fishigan of Sishigan Michigan.

The following characters were not portrayed by actors until very late in the show's run (and rarely even after that) but were frequently discussed by Vic, Sade, Rush and Uncle Fletcher.

Bess, Walter, and "Yooncie"

Sade's sister and her husband. Walter ran a barbershop in Carberry, Illinois, and Bess would send letters and postcards that always began "Dear sister and all, Thought I would write and see how you are feeling." Bess and Walter's daughter "Yooncie" (apparently a misreading of "Eunice," although Rush referred to his classmate Eunice Raypool correctly) was learning to play the piano; the pieces invariably found her stomping on the loud pedal with both feet and dragging her fingernail down the white or black keys. Walter always had twinges in his kneecap.

Fred and Ruthie Stembottom

... enjoyed playing 500 (card game) with Vic and Sade. Ruthie would go with Sade to the washrag sales at Yamilton's Department Store, where she always ended up in the underwear department. Fred often tried to extort hard manual labor out of Vic (pour concrete floors, tear down partitions, change tires on the car) on the pretext of inviting him over to play cards, and serving Vic "buckets" of warm lemonade. They also serve as a means of transportation for Vic and Sade (who do not own a car), though before leaving, Fred must, inevitably, air up at least one tire. Uncle Fletcher developed the habit of calling Fred "Ted" (for no logical reason), others are influenced by this (including, it seems, Fred himself), and the name eventually sticks and Fred goes by Ted as the series progresses.

Sade's other friends

include, among others: Mis' Brighton, Mis' Trogel, and Mis' Appelrot.

Vic's work associates

Mr. Ruebush (his boss), Miss Hammersweet (his secretary), Gus Fuss (from Plant Number 17 in Dubuque, Iowa), Mr. Buller (in Chicago) and Lolita DiRienzi (in the boxing department – Sade was quite jealous!).

Vic's lodge acquaintances

His fellow-members of the All-star marching team: Y.Y. Flirch ( voted best looking man on east side of Lester, Neb), J.J.J.J. Stunbolt, Harry Fie, I. Edson Box, Homer U. McDancy, H.K. Fleeber (of Grovelman, South Carolina – also a Consolidated Kitchenware employee), Robert and Slobert Hink, O.X. Bellyman of Detroit and honorary member Pom-Pom Cordova.

Rush's friends

Smelly Clark, Blue-tooth Johnson ( whom Rush usually had " out by the garbage box"), Rooster and Rotten Davis, Leland Richards, Vernon Peggles, Milton Welch, LeRoy Snow, Heinie Call, Willis Roreback and Russell Duncan (not to be confused with Russell Miller). Nicer Scott was his deadly enemy. Mildred Tisdel, Eunice Raypole and Anabel Hemstreet were the girls in the neighborhood.

Russell's friends

Russell had most of the same friends as Rush with the addition of Oyster Crecker. His enemy was Heinie Call, although their relationship never reached the same feverish pitch as Rush and Nicer.

Neighbors

Mis' Harris, Mr. and Mis' Donahue (pronounced "Donahoo" by Sade and Rush/Russell), Charlie Razorscum, and Ike Kneesuffer (who played indoor horseshoes in his basement; also worked with Vic, always discussing the boxing dept at Plant 17 in Dubuque, Iowa on the phone). There was also Mis' Call, Mis' Fisher and Grandpa Snyder.

Townsfolk

Hank Gutstop (also in the Lodge as "Exalted Little Dipper," a peach of a fellow, known for sleeping 10 hours outside on the Illinois Central depot platform, fond of cigars), Stacey Yop, Alf Musherton, Pelter Unbleat, and B.B. Baugh. Mr. Gumpox was the garbage man. The Brick-mush man once got his head caught in a revolving door (at Yamilton's). Rishigan Fishigan from Sishigan, Michigan was introduced to the show as part of Mr. Buller's Christmas shopping list, but soon became a regular friend of Vic's (who would address him as "Fish" when they talked on the telephone); he was also the gentleman friend of Rush's Sunday School teacher Miss Neagel.

• The Bright Kentucky Hotel (which was shabby)
• The Butler House Hotel (which was expensive: where Hank was fired as house detective for arresting guests)
• The Ten Cent Store
• The Greek's Confectionery
• Croucher's Grocery Store (where Rush can buy bananas "if they're ripe")
• Yamilton's Department Store (the place with washrag sales)
• The Little Tiny Petite Pheasant Feather Tea Shoppy (which had only 3 tables; Hank was fired as hostess for excess eating)
• The Royal Throne Twenty-five-cent Barbershop (Hank quit on 1st day of job as business developer)
• The People's Bank Building
• The Unity Building (where Lodge meetings were held)
• The Bijou Moving Picture Theater (usually featuring films starring Gloria Golden and Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman)
• Tatman's vacant lot (where Rush/Russell played baseball; at one time it was called Seymour's vacant lot)
• Kleeberger's Haberdashery (who Vic perpetually owed $2)
• Miller Park (which featured a zoo and a lake)
• The Interurban Train Station
• The Illinois Central Depot – where Hank Gutstop frequently sleeps on the platform
• The courthouse – where Hank Gutstop frequently sleeps in the courtyard
• The Lazy Hours Pool Parlor – where Hank Gutstop plays bottle pool

• Sweet Esther, Wisconsin (town of the daily parade)
• Grovelman, South Carolina (described as the geographical center of the United States by H.K. Fleeber)
• East Brain, Oregon (home of Homer U. McDancy)
• Yellow Jump, North Dakota
• Sick River Junction, Missouri (home of the Missouri State Home for the Tall)
• Fiendish, Indiana
• Dismal Seepage, Ohio

As well, several actual Illinois communities near Bloomington were frequently referenced on air:

• Stanford
• Minier
• Hopedale
• Delavan
• Hudson
• Kappa
• El Paso – not to mention these communities along Route 66 between Chicago and Bloomington:
• Towanda
• Lexington
• Chenoa
• Pontiac
• Dwight

Paul Rhymer's papers, including many Vic and Sade scripts and recordings, are held at the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Announcers included Bob Brown (from 1932 to 1940), Ed Herlihy, Ed Roberts, Ralph Edwards, Mel Allen, the legendary New York Yankee broadcaster (went by Melvin) and Jack Fuller.

In addition to Rhymer himself, directors included Clarence Menser, Earl Ebi, Roy Winsor, Charles Rinehardt, Homer Heck, and Caldwell Cline.

The organist for the 15-minute version was Lou Webb.

Books containing complete Vic and Sade scripts.

• Firestone, Ross. The Big Radio Comedy Program. New York: Contemporary Books, 1978. (Contains: "Mr. Dempsey and Mr. Tunney Meet in a Cigar Store")
• Rhymer, Paul, ed. by Mary Frances Rhymer, foreword by Ray Bradbury. The Small House Halfway Up in the Next Block: Paul Rhymer's Vic and Sade. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1972. (30 scripts)
• Rhymer, Paul. Vic and Sade: The Best Radio Plays of Paul Rhymer, foreword by Jean Shepherd. New York: Seabury Press, 1976. (30 scripts)
• Whipple, James. How to Write for Radio. New York: Whittlesey House, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1938. (Contains "Sade Thinks Baseball is Just a Game")

Wylie, Max ed. Best Broadcasts of 1940–41. New York: Whittlesey House, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1942. (Contains "Mis' Keller's Birthday")

Periodicals

• Thurber, James. "Onward and upward with the arts: soapland", The New Yorker. Five-part series appearing on May 15, 1948 (pp. 34–44), May 29, 1948 (pp. 30–41), June 12, 1948 (pp. 46–53), July 3, 1948 (pp. 37–44) and July 24, 1948 (pp. 55–60).
• "Vic and Sade," Time, vol. 42, December 27, 1943. (p. 42).
• Williamson, Albert R. "Vic and Sade's Creator" The Magazine of Sigma Chi. Volume 55, Number 3, July 1936. (pp. 109–111).

LP records

• Paul Rhymer's Classic Vic & Sade Original Radio Broadcasts. Producer, George Garabedian. Writer, Paul Rhymer. LP. Annaheim: Mark56 Records, 1976.
• Son of Jest Like Old Times: More Genuine Original Recordings of Radio's Most Famous Funny Men. LP. New York: The Radiola Company, 1971.
• "Vic and Sade: Exactly as heard on Mutual on October 26, 1946." The Spike Jones Show. LP. Sandy Cove, Conn* Radio Yesteryear – The Radiola Company, 1972.

Vic and Sade: One Full Hour with Radio's Homefolks. Writer, Paul Rhymer. LP. New York: Golden Age Records, 1978.

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