Soupy Sales - Archive Interview Excerpt

Soupy Sales (1926-2009) was interviewed for one hour at the Friars Club in New York, NY. Sales talked about breaking into television in 1950 at local station WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, with The Soupy Soda Show, a teenage dance show. He talked about other local markets where he worked including Clevelands WXEL-TV where his show Soups On provided him the opportunity for getting the first pie in his face— which would become his trademark gag. Sales talked about his several year run with WXYZ-TV Detroits Lunch with Soupy Sales, a childrens show, which also had an adult following. Sales described the series in detail including the look of the set and the characters who appeared (including lion puppet Pookie and dog puppet White Fang, whose great white hairy arm was all that was seen). Sales described his network break, with a replacement series at ABC in the mid-50s. He talked about his work as host/ performer on The Soupy Sales Show that ran on ABC, first originating in Detroit, then in Los Angeles. He also described his shows second primetime incarnation on ABC in 1962. Sales detailed the celebrities who appeared on his show, which famously included Frank Sinatra. Finally, Sales described reviving his series at WNEW in New York (and talked about the incident which got him suspended— when he told children to send money to him care of the station). The interview was conducted by Charles Salzberg on July 24, 2002.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Soupy
• Sales
• The
• Show
• throwing
• pie
• Frank
• Sinatra
• Emmy
• archive
• interview

[dbrew2u]

RIP Soup. We had you for a short time. Now heaven has you forever.

[2degucitas]

It's so awesome that you captured this before he left us. I remember him from the 60's, he was always happy and made us laugh.

[09bnunez]

soupy u were a big part of my youth [age 12 in 1960s]..iwas so sad when i heard of your passing[i cried] but you brought so much laughter in my life..i love every show you did back in the day[60s]...ru throwing cloud PIES at everybody in heaven? R.I.P PIE MAN....

[sampson1959]

love soupy!what a great guy and his show still makes me laugh to this day.

[gmonet46]

At 66, I hear the strain in his voice, but the warm-ness of his memories. We have only those memories to keep us going in our final years, and his were ones we could only hope to have had! I mean having Frank Sinatra ask to be pied? How big is that?

[beggin1967]

soupy,i loved you so much,you always made me laugh,parent or child, this was hard on him as he had already suffered a stroke. rest in peace,Soupy,we miss you.

[jj8899usa]

we will never forget u :(

[leonard5616able]

I USED TO RUN HOME FROM LAFAYETTE H.S. IN BROOKLYN TO WATCH SOUPY AND THE GANG(?)

[BayWay60]

it was summer of63?-64 that i spent a weekend at theParamont thearter(ny)at a  gigantic musical party show of the bestR&B,SOUL+ROCK of the time and the future.....all hosted by SOUPY

[SoupySalesChannel]

We loved you Soupy RIP

[143AC]

I'm glad that Soupy recorded this interview for The TV Hall Of Fame's archives..otherwise..a history of his career in local and

network kids tv history would be lost forever!

[Noren1260]

I really liked Soupy. He was funny and clean and made kids laugh. There is so much crap on television now and no, I'm not playing the Old School card. Most of the humor on television now is either canned or formula. Rest in peace,