Word Origins

*SHYSTER

This Americanism was probably coined early in the nineteenth century, since its first recorded use, as cited in the Dictionary of American English, was in 1846. The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English suggests that shyster is a variant of shicer, “a person or thing of no account, worthless,” although the latter may actually be the newer word. In any event, there is some reason to believe that both are derived from the German (possibly through Yiddish) Scheisse. Walter Matthau, above, as William H. "Whiplash Willie" Gingrich, is perhaps the quintessential portrayal of a shyster, an unscrupulous professional, especially in a law practice or politics, in the film The Fortune Cookie (1966).

*Inspired by Charles Funk (1881–1957)

This is Jim Rockford

Dr. Soter's office. This is the third time you've canceled. Now, you have to have that root canal -- a sort foot has nothing to do with your mouth!

Jim's answering machine: So Help Me God, 1976
Guest star: William Daniels

Reel Character Series

 

The American character actress, Dorothy Adams (1900-88), began her film career in the late 1930s almost entirely in uncredited roles. She is probably best known for her downtrodden or careworn roles as a servant, maid or hard-working pioneering type, always generating a spark into a scene. She worked steadily through the 1950s before a brief transition into television. Adams' noted roles include “Elvy” in 1941's, The Shepherd of the Hills, starring John Wayne and the following year as the wild-eyed quirky “Deaf Annie,” a prison snitch whom every inmate assumed could not hear, in Lady Gangster starring Faye Emerson. She was noteworthy as the title character's maid, “Bessie Clary,” in 1944's Laura (above). Perhaps her most visible role was in 1946 as Wilma Cameron's mother in The Best Years of Our Lives.

Her film career was winding down by the 1960s, dividing her time as a popular acting instructor at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Adams married character actor Byron Foulger (also in demand) in 1921. They remained together until his death in 1970.

That Golden Voice

 

Matt Monro (Terence Edward Parsons 1930-1985) was an English easy-listening singer known as "The Man with the Golden Voice." He performed internationally over his 30-year career and was one of the most underrated pop vocalists of the Sixties. Despite being a chain-smoker and battling alcoholism in the Sixties and Seventies, his effortless style and amazing breath control never wavered. Coupled with his perfect baritone with a vocal timbre (always pronounced TAM-ber) that remained consistent over his entire range. Monro had early success in the UK with several Top 10 hits, including, "Portrait of My Love", "My Kind of Girl", "Softly As I Leave You", "Walk Away" and "Yesterday." 

Always with a singing career on his mind, he took numerous odd jobs, famously as a singing bus driver for London Transport. But he struggled to gain any ground through the Fifties. By early 1961, Monro had won ITV's A Song for Britain with "My Kind of Girl". His follow-up hits included that song, plus "Softly as I Leave You" (1962) and the title song written by John Barry for the film, From Russia with Love (1963), used over the final credits as many movie patrons were probably exiting the theater. Monro sang the Oscar-winning title song for the 1966 film, Born Free, also by Barry, which became his signature song. Monro continued to tour until just before his death.

Note: Early in his career, Monro was somewhat pigeon-holed as the "British Sinatra," perhaps due to his satirical recording, "You Keep Me Swingin" in the syncopated Sinatra style for EMI producer, George Martin and Peter Sellers album, "Songs for Swingin' Sellers." The latter chose to use it as the opening track on the record rather than record his own version, realizing he couldn't improve on Monro's performance. Sinatra once said Monro had a fabulous voice and lavished praise on his impeccable diction.

Word Origins

 

*DINGBAT

Bartlett's fourth edition (1877) of his Dictionary of Americanisms, decided that this owed its origin to a bat, or piece of wood or metal, that could be dinged, or thrown. That’s probably as good as any explanation, though the source of any bit of slang is usually highly dubious. At any rate, Americans use it, as we do its derivative, dingus, as a momentary name for anything of which the proper name is out of mind or unknown. 

*Inspired by Charles Funk (1881–1957)

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

Kimble reunites with the man who saved his life in the Korean War but his heroism left him physically and psychologically scarred.

Taps for A Dead War, 1964
Guest stars: Tim O'Connor, Lee Grant

Reel Character Series

Frank de Kova (1910-1981) was an American character actor in films, stage, and TV, often playing a Native American or Mexican bandit in westerns, or a modern-day gangster, all befitting his craggy face.

Born Frank Campanella, it was imperative a name change was in order so there was no confusion with the film actor of the same name, the older brother of television stalwart, Joseph Campanella. As DeKova, or De Kova, or de Kova—per his grave plot—he made his Broadway debut in Detective Story and was subsequently discovered by director Elia Kazan. In Hollywood, he appeared in Viva Zapata! in 1952 as the Mexican Colonel, and played Abiram in The Ten Commandments. He appeared in three films released in 1958: Cowboy with Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon, a quirky role in Machine Gun Kelly opposite Charles Bronson, and as the restrictive, old-school tribe counselor in Teenage Caveman, where Robert Vaughn played the cool, teen rebel with the perfect barber shop haircut. De Kova would reunite with Bronson in, The Mechanic in 1972.

De Kova was certainly most visible from his television work, including a role as Mafia hitman Jimmy Napoli in the ABC crime drama, The Untouchables, the western, Cheyenne, and a recurring role in Gunsmoke as a Kiowa Indian who is a trusted friend with Dodge City's marshal. He gained new fame as "Chief Wild Eagle" in the wacky western comedy spoof, F Troop, from 1965-1967. As the Seventies dawned, his work was less frequent, split between television and film. 

Television Talkers

 

Johnny Olsen (1910-85) was an American radio personality and television announcer. Before hearing his tenor voice on television, Olson was ensconced in radio. He joined WTMJ in Milwaukee in early 1933, organizing a five-piece jazz band called The Rhythm Rascals, and became one of the station's most popular personalities. He would later create the first iteration of Johnny Olson's Rumpus Room, which attracted major national performers. After World War II, he revived the show in 1949.

Olson began his tenure as a television announcer in 1949, but few knew about it. By the Sixties, his voice was closely associated with game shows, particularly the work for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, the original To Tell the Truth and What's My Line? He spent over a decade as the announcer for both Match Game and The Price Is Right, where his high-pitched enthusiastic, "Come on down!" became legendary and often parodied. From 1962 to 1970, he was the announcer for The Jackie Gleason Show. During the peak of his announcing duties in the 1970s and early 1980s, his distinct voice was heard on more than six other game show productions.

Word Origins

 

*SHINDIG

Although one authority cites a purported Southern United States meaning of “a sharp blow on the shins,” this may only be a transferred meaning, from the appearance of the word to an accidental kick received during a spirited dance or party. It seems much more likely that a shindig is a US alteration of the much older British word shindy, which is preceded by shinty and shinny. This last is a ball game of the seventeenth century or older that somewhat resembles field hockey. Its name may have been derived from a call used in the game, “Shin ye! Shin you!” or from the Gaelic sinteag, “a skip, jump.”

Note: The ABC music variety show, Shindig!, was broadcast from 1964 to 1966 and featured many high-profile bands and soloists. The show had competition from NBC's Hullabaloo, which began in 1965.

*Inspired by Charles Funk (1881–1957)

Word Origins

 

*CHOP SUEY

The chop is English, in the sense of “chipped” or “cut,” but the suey is Chinese sui, “bits.” Like the term itself, the concoction is of mixed origin. It was first devised over one hundred twenty years ago by Chinese operating a restaurant in Brooklyn, who composed it of bits of fried or stewed chicken or pork, rice, noodles, and sesame seeds or oil, and served steamy in its own juice. Author Herbert Asbury stated in 1928 it was the invention of a dishwasher in San Francisco about 1860. 

*Inspired by Charles Funk (1881–1957)

Owosso Motor Car Company

 

The Litestar or Pulse autocycles were considered Ground Cruising Recreational Vehicles (GCRV). Founder David Vaughn worked with the supplier of its bodies, Tomorrow Corp., but the two companies severed ties over numerous disagreements. Vaughn then changed the Litestar name to Pulse in 1985. The fiberglass body was designed to look like an aircraft with tandem seating. Including its rear-mounted motorcycle engine, the Pulse weighed in at about 1,000 lbs and considered by the DMV to be motorcycles. 

Technically a two-wheeled motorcycle, the Litestar featured two additional outrigger wheels under its "wings" that provided balance when standing still or in a turn. Though compliant with US federal regulations as a motorcycle, various states took issue with the Litestar. Initially, they had no reverse gear and there were some quality issues. Twenty-seven states were willing to license the vehicle. The Owosso, Michigan company went out of business in 1990 and in its five-year run, manufactured 347 autocycles. A number appear today at various airshows or classic motorcycle venues.

Photo: September 3, 2022. Marion, Indiana