Gene Scanlon, a college student at Columbia:
“I had a date with Marilyn Monroe (and she paid for it)”
Scanlon and a buddy (Paul McElaney,
not named on the program) were young Jersey City reporters who traveled across
the US on $5 each, depending on the kindnesses of strangers and chronicling
their adventures. Scanlon claims that while in Hollywood, they got a
pre-stardom Monroe to take them to dinner. A 1950 newspaper article confirms that the two men dined
at the legendary Brown Derby, but doesn’t mention Monroe, nor who picked up the tab. At the time of this episode, Monroe is
rocketing to fame. She would marry Joe
DiMaggio in January. Scanlon would return to the show in 1958 (
E284
).
Mr. Z: “I shot down 12 enemy planes in World
War I”
Elliott White Springs was a flying ace
credited with 12 “kills” and even more planes he downed, all in 1918. He was considered the third-ranking ace of
WWI. In private life, he wrote books
about his war experience, did some barnstorming, and ran his family’s textile
business, successfully carrying it out of the Great Depression. Though the original South Carolina factories
have closed, the family name lives on in the Springmaid brand. Bill, an aviation nut, recognizes Col.
Springs, and excuses himself from playing the game.
Special Guest Patti Page: “I’m going to sing a
duet with an Airedale”
Page is there to plug her latest
single “Changing Partners” but Garry (and the Secret creators) can’t help but
reference her huge hit “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” and have her
perform it alongside an actual howling dog. (See
E36
and
E37
) Her singing partner “Flash” appeared for two
years in Top Banana, a hot Broadway
show of the era.
A New Jersey newspaper briefly mentions that Cumberland County businessman Abe Lobel was supposed to be on tonight's show, though the article doesn't indicate what his secret might have been. Since this episode has been reviewed, we know he did not appear. We do not know whether his appearance was rescheduled.
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