The People's Choice

I was a little girl when I watched this program. Like many sitcoms from this period, it knew how to be cute and clever without falling back on tired innuendos. I remember that I enjoyed it, and I even remembered the names of the main characters, but most of all, I was in love with Cleo. She was cuddly and adorable and just gorgeous. I would love to see them again, but I've heard rumors that many of the episodes have been lost. I hope this is not true. My dad actually got me a Basset Hound puppy. We called him Leo, and he was a great dog who I still remember very fondly, especially since he was the last thing my dad ever gave me before his sudden, untimely death. It was also my introduction to Jackie Cooper, best known as a child actor until this point.

I was 5 years old when it debuted in 1955. I watched the reruns in the sixties and I believe in the late seventies it was on Nic. I wish I could see them now. Starz has a channel that shows just all westerns how about one that does sitcoms from the 50's and sixties, TV land has moved on into the 70's and that's when the comedy show started to have more tragedy and less laughs.As I recall Mr. Ed talked to his human, but Cleo only made comments to the audience. I checked out Cleo's voice person and was surprised to see that she was Clara Randolph from Ozzie and Harriet.Mr. Ed's voice was Alan Rocky Lane a favorite on the Western channel from Star.I recall in the past 3 or 4 years there was a c-span channel called I think good TV, they had quite a few of the early TV shows including some western favorites of mine, maverick, Cheyenne, Bronco Lane and Sugarfoot.I can only hope that my children get to see these classics as I did back in the time where every show didn't have a underlying moment of truth.

Sock Miller was a nice young man, straight out of "Dear Andrew". His basset hound Cleo gave him advice, and it was a very funny show. I wish TVLAND would replay it.Mary Jane Croft, was the voice of Cleo, and many people know her from her being Lucille Ball's second sidekick after Vivian Vance.

Jackie Cooper stars as New City councilman Socrates "Sock" Miller. Patricia Breslin plays Mandy Peoples, daughter of New City's Mayor, who has her eyes set romantically on Sock. Her father is very much against this relationship as he believes Sock is a bit too unstable to provide Mandy a decent future. Sock lives in a trailer court with his Aunt Gus who supports the relationship with Mandy. Other regulars characters include Sock's mooching service buddy Rollo and Crutcher, the former councilman and rival for Mandy that Sock beat in the election. The writing is clever, the cast is very good and it's all given a little extra craziness as the audience is allowed to hear what Sock's basset Cleo is thinking in relation to the action. Eventually Sock and Mandy get married but keep it a secret as long as they can. This show is more then just inventing the secret marriage ploy. It is genuinely funny. If you like the era it may be for you. If not or if you can't stand black and white (too bad because you miss out on many good programs)then avoid this. However, if you don't mind black and white and enjoy dialog that isn't one continuous sexual innuendo please take a look. Cleo is a great!

Okay, it was the fifties. You couldn't suggest that attractive, favorable characters, you leads, could be having unmarried sex. But wait! Suppose they're *secretly* married! Then it's okay that they sneak off and do things that don't get explained, but provide opportunity for comedy as they perpetually are almost getting caught.