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In this installment of my combined interview and glimpse at the 1935 season of Lum and Abner, Donnie Pitchford offers some background on the introduction of bandleader, Opie Cates as Luke Spear’s nephew. Another cast member to be introducved wwas Andy Devine, as Mose Moots. Donnie brings up the nature of pranks that were played behind the scenes. A connection to the Vic and Sade radio program is mentioned.
Down in Pine Ridge, Dick Huddleston and Lum discuss Abner’s success at the circus he acquired when the management couldn’t keep up on paying for their feed. His swap business is allowing the locval citizens to see the animals, and keep them fed as well. Watch out though, once it caches Squires attention, he wants a piece of the profits. Lum is unwilling to make Squire a full partner, and under the advice of Dick, the gents decide to let Squire manage their show. Those old Edwards sayings sometimes get A bner confused.
With all my notes exhausted, we wrap up with more mo ments of winging it, and hanging out. We touch base with early appearances on television, including pilots and kinescopes of auditions. Even with serious, life threatening post surgeery conditions, the old gents trooped on.
