ill reveal tomorrow the name of the show buisness legend who did a cameo in
Casablanca. ONce the name gets out, check out your dvd players some day and
freeeze the scene. you tell me what you see. Ill bet my last dollar Warner
Bros put him up to it. This is on par with who is Mr/Schawamp? i love a good
mystery.but sadly we may never know the answer to both.And maybe thats for
the best. Wallace Ford i can tell you was heartbroken Hollywood didnt come
knocking to his door like they should had by time he passed on in 1966
espescially after his role in Patch of Blue.1965. ONe of his finest
performances was on of all things an episode of one of my favorite tv series
Father Knows Best. ITs one of the most fondly remembered episodes of that
acclaimed seriee. You hear that Elinor Donahue? from 1954 the Christmas show
with Wallace as Nick, mistaken as Santa Claus when the Andersons are
stranded up in the woods in a wintry cabin. What a memorable episide. The
series famous for its brilliant music ,its score scene for scene that still
holds up today. Imagine a comedy series remembered for its musical score.
The entire episodes not just the opening credits.ANd look at the TAGS
players who guested on that show. Catch Wallace in Freaks 1932 . very
talented man. Did i read Gritton Joe asking me if i knew Burt when he had
happier times?Of course. In 1970-71 at 88 he was in grand health long before
taking ill. BUt he stayed in harness til the very end. I have scores of
letters of happier days before illness set in. He didnt become an actor til
he was 65 His wife had just died when i came into his life. Old as he was he
kept on writing til nearly the end then his niece told me the rest. What a
chatterer too. he loved it when people remembered him. ANd he had plenty to
say. He told me they retook several times the tomatoe scene in that classic
episode with Barney and him and Hal Smith cracking up in between each take.
Someone said Joe Hamilton and Murray Hamilton look and sound alike?YOu know
the saying. no two people see the same thing. I only speak for myself. No
way do they look or sound alike. Outside of same last name i cant see a
blessed thing they had in common. Yes there is. THey were superb performers.
Murray performed til cancer set in and robbed us of him. JAws was his best
remembered role but catch him in that classic episode from Twilight Zone,
One For the Angels. The last thing id do is boast about myself but in case,
im happy to. Joe mentioned Dick Ryan. I think its safe to say this actor was
otherwise so forgotton by 1967 when he did a 5 second scene. it was a
godsend. im glad i caught up to him but sad im most likely bthe only fan out
there anywhere who picked up on that episode,spotted him and sent off a fan
letter. there were literally hundreds and hundreds of character actors ( all
died by 2008) back in the 30s and 40s in Dicks heyday. he was one of many
reliable standbys. a jack of all trades. this was his livlihood performing
as supporting player in films. He was like so many others, type casted which
is fine but by the 50s Hollywood was changing. .He wasnt seen as much in
films no fault of his own but now in television but never as top rated
character-supporting actor.He was a reliable thesbian . But his parts grew
much smaller til finally we last see him in such an insignicant scene from
Dont Miss a Good Bet..But leave it to Andy Griffith to spot him and others
to do a bit part. Its vital. its music to their vears to be wanted.Oh i
forgot on Wallace Ford. His line "Boy." no not really. his character Roger
was bluffing and threatening Andy Taylor looking down to him , belittling
this "kid." He knows Andys onto him . Liston to the sharp edge of BOY and
better yet "I just might have a hand in those penunias yet. ANDY with the
accent on ANDY shows the powerful scene . TAGS was chartering new waters by
1964 exploring with success new avenues.I want to close this out. Gritton
Joe just e mailed me. Finally then Ill shut up.. Im sorry Im too lazy to
look this up and the name escapes me but Ken and Joe and masny of you know
the name. In 1974 Frances Bavier told me one more performer not a regular
from the show that she said was very dear to her. he would sit between takes
laugh up a storm tell stories snd jokes and break everybody up. when she
told me (She forgot his name) i got her point. his character role was
anything but that of a Cut Up.In Barney Holds a Summit. this episode in my
opinon only is the best ever post Don Knotts guest episode and a gem all by
itself (Look at the power of that dramatic scene of Andy almost screaming
his head off at Barney back home handing him the phone) and the splendid
actor playing the head of the Russian Delegation (remember him saying
PICKLES) he died just a year or so ago i read in one of my movie magazines.
Everyone on the set simply adored him FRances told me. He was the opposite
of his grim character. Time to close shop. God Bless from Col.Tim and  I.
Tom Kessel.
An
' ".""..
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