The People's Choice

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.

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.

I was surprised by this show.

It was interesting seeing Jackie Cooper doing a sitcom, and for 50's sitcom fare - it was actually very funny. It made me grin, because you could still see the cherubic face of Mr. Cooper's Our Gang character, who swooned over Ms. Crabtree, their teacher.

Since I've recently begun collecting classic TV on DVD and now have a TON of it, I have obtained a single episode of this series on a DVD collection:

This was an episode where Sock had to stand in as a proxy for a buddy of his still in the service, to get married. Mandy, meanwhile, figured he was marrying someone else. Cleo the basset hound's remarks, and still camera shots were hysterical.

I'd love to find further episodes of this series, but cannot locate any on DVD or VHS - - - Does anyone know where to purchase more of this series?

Thanks-

Rick Marques

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!

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.