Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
Comedian Soupy Sales Dies At 83
Share:
by Jordan Yerman | October 23, 2009 at 06:18 am
128 views | 8 Recommendations | 2 comments
Soupy Sales, the comedian who originated the pie-in-the-face gag, has died at age 83. Soupy Sales, born Milton Supman, died at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx after being checked in last week. Soupy Sales' bio includes fighting for the US Army in World War II, where he would test his comedy routines on his ship's PA system. Soupy Sales began with stand-up comedy and radio work before he started his TV show, Soupy Sales Comics in 1953. His nighttime show, simply called Soupy Sales, featured his strange characters and puppets, as well as jazz legends such as Miles Davis and Duke Ellington; considering that this was before the civil rights revolution, Soupy Sales was ahead of its time, and is a precursor to Chappelle's Show, as well as clearly influencing Pee-Wee Herman.
Soupy Sales' sons, Hunt and Tony, are professional musicians who have performed with Iggy Pop and David Bowie.
With his loose-limbed physicality and malleable face, Sales honed his craft on children's television programs in the 1950s, blazing a trail for everything from "The Simpsons" to Pee-Wee Herman by cracking wise for kids while making jokes their parents found funny too. He's best known for his long-running kids show "Lunch With Soupy Sales," where he originated the pie-throwing gag.
Modern comedians like Howard Stern continued to sing his praises to a new generation.
“I’ll probably be remembered for the pies, and that’s all right,” Sales said in a 1985 interview.
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Most Recommended Stories in Culture
Recommendations (8)
Roy C
Vancouver, Washington, United States
jefhow22
Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States
Hugh Askew
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
caj1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 07:20 on October 23rd, 2009
If you liked slapstick, Soupy was your man. RIP
at 07:41 on October 23rd, 2009
I watched Soupy on TV in the late 50's into the early 60's...remember White Fang and....can't think of the other...Black Tooth ? or Black Fang and White Tooth? and all you saw was the paw and a bit of the arm of the character just off frame on the TV... and the reply he spoke to Soupy was..."oh dit...oh dit..oh daya"...I loved Soupy...RIP.