>>>...just about my favorite b&w episode of TAGS, The Jinx with character actor >>>great John Qualen.He got special billing as Guest Star and rightly so. We all have special moments from TAGS but to me, I get choked up like others watching that touuching heartwarming and powerful scene at Floyds where , just for the moment folks, the bad guys of Mayberry make sport of Henry Bennett. Kind decent humble and decent like others from Mayberry, the tables are turned when his only support was from Andy and Aunt Bee. He comes in, he himself is ready to cry out upon his entrance that he must leave because ,he is looked upon now as the outsider not fitting in who has unleashed a wave of bad luck upon our beloved Mayberry. Note the choking up effect ,the on verge of tears John Qualen as Henry Bennett. It breaks me up. Our heads tell us its all playacting but our heart tells us, its brilliant writing and acting as only Henry Bennett can show us.<<<
I agree with you, Tom. That always touches me, too. John Qualen does a great job playing Henry Bennett and makes us feel real compassion for the character. This episode shows how deeply people can be hurt by what others think is harmless fun. There are probably Henry Bennetts in about every town, people who are the brunt of others' jokes or scorn and who are hurting far more than other folks realize. John Qualen was a gifted actor. He had a very good role in the old movie "His Girl Friday" with Cary Grant and Rosiland Russell. In a way, it was a similar role, a man who was misunderstood by others and who was hurting deeply because of it. He was very convincing playing that type of character. Thelma Lou (Janet) _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list WBMUTBB@wbmutbb.com http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
