Ace of Spades HQ

July 17, 2012

"Encyclopedia Brown" Author Donald J. Sobol, RIP
— Ace

Flags in Idaville at half-mast.

He wrote 80 books.

Posted by: Ace at 09:05 AM | Comments (176)
Post contains 23 words, total size 1 kb.

1 I read none of them.

Posted by: soothsayer at July 17, 2012 09:06 AM (9Q7Nu)

2 He didn't write them. /Barack Obama

Posted by: Mike the Grate at July 17, 2012 09:07 AM (Wzx0Y)

3 Is it wrong that I didn't read any of them?

Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at July 17, 2012 09:08 AM (RD7QR)

4 I read about three, because that's all the library had.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ at July 17, 2012 09:08 AM (ZKzrr)

5 Always a shame to lose a good author. RIP

Posted by: Vic at July 17, 2012 09:08 AM (YdQQY)

Is it wrong that I didn't read any of them?

Yes

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at July 17, 2012 09:09 AM (mFxQX)

7 He was there for me after that awful party at the Hardy Boys frat house

Posted by: Nancy Drew at July 17, 2012 09:09 AM (Y7XKa)

8 Were those books better than the Hardy Boys?

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:10 AM (GO2/t)

9 Brownie, we hardly knew ye

Posted by: Shaggy, Daphne, Fred, Velma at July 17, 2012 09:11 AM (Y7XKa)

10 No, no. He wrote one book eighty times.

Posted by: Kensington at July 17, 2012 09:12 AM (/AHDz)

11 "Mormonism on Gays" "Obama's Graying Temples is Sexy Says New Poll"

Posted by: Poshitico at July 17, 2012 09:12 AM (9Q7Nu)

12 Screw him.

Posted by: Bugs Meany at July 17, 2012 09:12 AM (/AHDz)

Kitty Wells died too.

Unexpectly.

At the age of 92.

Posted by: Minuteman at July 17, 2012 09:12 AM (0Zn1X)

14 He's being replaced with Wikipedia Brown, an annoying little Mac user whose facts are often inaccurate.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at July 17, 2012 09:12 AM (rXGCl)

15 Rather odd, in that Professor Marius von Totenkopf was last seen in Idaville

Posted by: Inspector Nigel Goodpenny at July 17, 2012 09:12 AM (Y7XKa)

16 Meh. How many giant robots did this Jones kid build?

Posted by: Tom Swift at July 17, 2012 09:13 AM (d0Tfm)

Were those books better than the Hardy Boys?

Were there any minorities represented in the Hardy Boys and I don't mean female.

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at July 17, 2012 09:13 AM (mFxQX)

18 Barack Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable tyrant.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at July 17, 2012 09:13 AM (8y9MW)

19 Speaking of Nancy Drew, Pamela Sue Martin was a hottie. Just sayin'.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:13 AM (GO2/t)

20 The govt was clearly responsible for his success as an author. His ability to write had very little to do with it.

Posted by: @PurpAv at July 17, 2012 09:14 AM (69eVP)

21 "Were those books better than the Hardy Boys?"
=====

Totally different animals. Hardy Boys books were full-lenth novels. Encyclopedia Brown books were collections of short mystery puzzles, each one was usually only a few pages long.

Posted by: Kensington at July 17, 2012 09:14 AM (/AHDz)

22 I stopped reading Encyclopedia Brown when, as a 5th Grader, I realized that much of his "reasoning" was forced and inaccurate.

Before that, I'd probably read 10 or 20 of them.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at July 17, 2012 09:14 AM (8y9MW)

23 Oh wow, I loved these books when I was in 3rd grade.

Posted by: Dave in Fla at July 17, 2012 09:15 AM (iuPnv)

24 "Romney Cousin an Obama Supporter" "Obama Likes Dick York as Darren Best"

Posted by: Poshitico at July 17, 2012 09:15 AM (9Q7Nu)

25 >>>Were there any minorities represented in the Hardy Boys and I don't mean female. Didn't they have a "spinster" aunt who was rather mannish?

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:15 AM (GO2/t)

26 Thank God, someone finally mentioned Encyclopedia Brown. It's like we were all pretending it didn't exist.

Posted by: oneisnotprime at July 17, 2012 09:15 AM (MarbK)

27 Oh wow, I loved these books when I was in 3rd grade.

You're welcome. The govt liked producing them for you

Posted by: Barak Obama at July 17, 2012 09:16 AM (69eVP)

28 He also wrote an more adult book recently with the protagonist Urban Dictionary Smith.

Posted by: Minuteman at July 17, 2012 09:16 AM (0Zn1X)

29 He also recycled his encyclopedia brown books into his two minute mysteries and vice versa.

Posted by: Avi at July 17, 2012 09:16 AM (Gx3Fe)

30 Damn Doc you are correct

Posted by: Velvet Ambition at July 17, 2012 09:17 AM (mFxQX)

31 And they had that fat fuck friend who was always pigging out and cockblocking.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:17 AM (GO2/t)

32 Read them in lower elementary. I always liked the token story in each book where Sally was able to solve the mystery before him.

Posted by: Ruby at July 17, 2012 09:17 AM (QAUe4)

33 My favorite ones were when Cyclo moved into puberty. "Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Snail Tracks on His Stomach" taught us boys an important lesson about the proper use of a beat sock.

Posted by: MrCaniac at July 17, 2012 09:17 AM (1grxW)

34 "Meh. How many giant robots did this Jones kid build?"

Thread winner

Posted by: Dave in Fla at July 17, 2012 09:17 AM (iuPnv)

I remember reading some of those....in the summer, for summer reading....but never in school.

And I had wondered why none of his books had ever been made into movies, or into a tv series....

From the article:

"The series inevitably attracted Hollywood, which tried for decades to adapt the books for the big screen, with Anthony Hopkins, Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn among those interested in the project. But legal disputes over who controls film rights have prevented any feature film from being made."

"Legal disputes" huh? ....The plot thickens.

Posted by: wheatie at July 17, 2012 09:18 AM (MbB0O)

36 Pamela Sue Martin was hot in the Dillinger movie. It's name is something like the Lady in Red.

Posted by: Avi at July 17, 2012 09:18 AM (Gx3Fe)

37 My condolences. By the way, and I hate to bother you with this small detail ...

Posted by: Lt Columbo at July 17, 2012 09:19 AM (Y7XKa)

38 Didn't they have a "spinster" aunt who was rather mannish?

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 01:15 PM (GO2/t)

Don't remember the aunt, but I thought their dad live with their "Uncle" Ted.

Posted by: MrCaniac at July 17, 2012 09:19 AM (1grxW)

In my grade-school, Encyclopedia Brown-reading days, if:

a) I'd known that Sobol was a Fieldston School graduate (and after that, Oberlin and the New School for Social Research); and

b) I'd been as traditional-leaning in my Judaism as I am now; and

c) I'd been as much of a Reaganite as I later became...

I would have skipped the Encyclopedia Brown-reading.

Meh.

Posted by: RamonAllones at July 17, 2012 09:19 AM (3lLli)

40 Actually, the government did all the work, and Sobol just sucked off obscene profits, instead of giving his fair share.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at July 17, 2012 09:19 AM (Pixxe)

41 He wrote 80 books. Someone taught him how to write.

Posted by: Baraka Occudouche at July 17, 2012 09:19 AM (FcR7P)

42 "Legal disputes" huh? ....The plot thickens.

Not really. What it means (or meant for Dr. Seuss books) was that he didn't want to relinquish the rights, but the production studios want to own them.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) Channelling Breitbart at July 17, 2012 09:20 AM (8y9MW)

43 And she wore those hot pants in Poseidon Adventure.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:20 AM (GO2/t)

44 "The Case of the Murdered Author by Greedy Hollywood Leftists"

Posted by: Dave in Fla at July 17, 2012 09:20 AM (iuPnv)

45 #39: There was an HBO series, back in the late 80s, I think. It starred the kid who'd played the little brother on The Adventures of "Beans" Baxter.

Posted by: Eddie Willers at July 17, 2012 09:21 AM (bRdb3)

46 His last book was "Urban Dictionary Smith and the Case of the Missing Blumpkin". Sally solved that one.

Posted by: Minuteman at July 17, 2012 09:21 AM (0Zn1X)

47 "I stopped reading Encyclopedia Brown when, as a 5th Grader, I realized that much of his "reasoning" was forced and inaccurate."
=====

Um, I had a brief nostalgia kick for Encyclopedia Brown last year, and I grabbed one of the books from the library.

It was as you said. Many of the solutions weren't nearly as ironclad as a reader could reasonably expect them to be.

The whole thing was kind of iffy.

Posted by: Kensington at July 17, 2012 09:21 AM (/AHDz)

48 Loved those books as a kid. Encyclopedia's father had to be the worst detective in the world, though.

Posted by: Chris at July 17, 2012 09:22 AM (gI9Bk)

49 Good grief. Jegg Greenfield now thinks Obama needs to get more politically involved in college sports. Story is up on yahoo. What a brain dead twit.

Posted by: jewells45 at July 17, 2012 09:22 AM (l/N7H)

50 That's JEFF Greenfield.

Posted by: jewells45 at July 17, 2012 09:22 AM (l/N7H)

51 47 And she wore those hot pants in Poseidon Adventure.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 01:20 PM (GO2/t)

And a young MasterCaniac became very interested in seeing that movie several times after seeing her in them.

Posted by: MrCaniac at July 17, 2012 09:22 AM (1grxW)

52 Didn't they have a "spinster" aunt who was rather mannish? Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 01:15 PM

That was their Aunt Gertrude. She used to come over and play Mah Jong with my Aunt May on Tuesday afternoons

Posted by: Peter Parker at July 17, 2012 09:23 AM (Y7XKa)

53 What a brain dead twit.

Which one, Greenfield, or Obama?

Posted by: Department of Slow, Hanging Curve Balls at July 17, 2012 09:23 AM (8y9MW)

54 William Raspberry just died at age 76.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/6vfuzhc (AP link)

Prostate cancer -- I am quite familiar with that little critter.

Posted by: GnuBreed at July 17, 2012 09:23 AM (ccXZP)

55 "Read them in lower elementary. I always liked the token story in each book where Sally was able to solve the mystery before him."
=====

And not until "Fifty Shades of Grey" had any book captured this kind of sexual tension again.

Posted by: Kensington at July 17, 2012 09:23 AM (/AHDz)

56 I read about three, because that's all the library had.

Posted by: HeatherRadishÂ™ at July 17, 2012 01:08 PM (ZKzrr)

Library? You're welcome.

Posted by: Barky O'Dogeater at July 17, 2012 09:23 AM (QKKT0)

57 Pamela Sue Martin was hot in the Dillinger movie. It's name is something like the Lady in Red.

She was hot in the Playboy spread. You can find nudes all over the net.

Posted by: Vic at July 17, 2012 09:24 AM (YdQQY)

58 WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

Posted by: Jegg Greenfield runs out of the blog bawling at July 17, 2012 09:24 AM (0Zn1X)

59 GERTRUDE was LARS' dUCK on Journey to the Center of the Earth

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:25 AM (9Q7Nu)

60 Hey, Jegg!!! BRRRAAAAPPPP

Posted by: Barney Gumble at July 17, 2012 09:25 AM (0Zn1X)

61 Hardy Boys was like crack when I was a kid. Never heard of EB.

Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 09:25 AM (KXm42)

62 She was hot in the Playboy spread. You can find nudes all over the net. Posted by: Vic at July 17, 2012 01:24 PM (YdQQY) OHHH YEAAAAA

Posted by: Kool-Aid Man... at July 17, 2012 09:25 AM (UZQM8)

Library? You're welcome.

*Ahem*

Posted by: B. Franklin at July 17, 2012 09:26 AM (d0Tfm)

64 who was the aunt in the 60's Batman series?

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:26 AM (9Q7Nu)

65 52 Loved those books as a kid. Encyclopedia's father had to be the worst detective in the world, though.

Posted by: Chris at July 17, 2012 01:22 PM (gI9Bk)

Please. Daddy was crooked. He couldn't investigate crimes and keep his stable of ho's in line chasing down leads in these petty crimes. He knew that if he turned his back on those ho's, they would be on the feet in no time, and a good ho, is a ho on her back or knees.

Posted by: MrCaniac at July 17, 2012 09:26 AM (1grxW)

66 52 Loved those books as a kid. Encyclopedia's father had to be the worst detective in the world, though. Posted by: Chris at July 17, 2012 01:22 PM

The kid is doing all the legwork, so why sweat it? Just a few more years and I can retire with a full pension

Posted by: Chief Brown at July 17, 2012 09:27 AM (Y7XKa)

67 Posted by: B. Franklin at July 17, 2012 01:26 PM (d0Tfm)

Actually, we think we're the ones chiefly offended, here.

Posted by: Andrew Carnegie and Nelson Rockefeller at July 17, 2012 09:27 AM (8y9MW)

68 Pamela Sue Martin with the 5head.

Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 09:27 AM (KXm42)

69 @57. Well, I guess it goes without saying. Both.

Posted by: jewells45 at July 17, 2012 09:28 AM (l/N7H)

70 Ant Bee, that old bat.

Posted by: Zombie Andy at July 17, 2012 09:28 AM (0It32)

71 Posted by: B. Franklin at July 17, 2012 01:26 PM (d0Tfm)

Actually, we think we're the ones chiefly offended, here.

Screw all of you.

Posted by: Ptolemy I at July 17, 2012 09:28 AM (QKKT0)

72 >>who was the aunt in the 60's Batman series? Aunt Harriet. Young Dick was a fan of her hors d'oeurvres.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:29 AM (GO2/t)

73 68
who was the aunt in the 60's Batman series? Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 01:26 PM

Brian Dennehy

Posted by: Meme Instigator at July 17, 2012 09:29 AM (Y7XKa)

74 >>>That's JEFF Greenfield.

That guy is an asshole.

Posted by: Jegg Greenfield, CMM reporter at July 17, 2012 09:29 AM (gCa4h)

75 Ant Bee, that old bat.

Posted by: Zombie Andy at July 17, 2012 01:28 PM (0It32)

I always thought it was Ain't Bee. Never could figure that one out.

Posted by: Opie at July 17, 2012 09:29 AM (QKKT0)

76 and who was the stupid old aunt on Bewitched who was always screwing up her spells?

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:30 AM (9Q7Nu)

77 78 >>>That's JEFF Greenfield.

That guy is an asshole.
Posted by: Jegg Greenfield, CMM reporter at July 17, 2012 01:29 PM

Glad you weren't talking about me. Glad I'm not dead too

Posted by: Jeff Goldblum at July 17, 2012 09:30 AM (Y7XKa)

78 Aunt Clara. Hated her.

Posted by: The Second Darrin at July 17, 2012 09:31 AM (QKKT0)

79 I'm sorry to hear that, those really were fun books as a kid. A bit predictable and formulaic, but fun. The Hardy Boys books were fun too. I never read any Nancy Drew stuff but those two series sold a bajillion books.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at July 17, 2012 09:31 AM (r4wIV)

80 >>>and who was the stupid old aunt on Bewitched who was always screwing up her spells? Paul Lynde.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:31 AM (GO2/t)

81 Bill Ayers wrote them.

Posted by: t-bird at July 17, 2012 09:31 AM (FcR7P)

82 80
and who was the stupid old aunt on Bewitched who was always screwing up her spells? Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 01:30 PM

Aunt Clara. I think she was actually Endora's secret lesbian lover

Posted by: kbdabear at July 17, 2012 09:31 AM (Y7XKa)

83 Hated her too. Bitch.

Posted by: The First Darrin at July 17, 2012 09:32 AM (QKKT0)

84 and who was Aunt Bee's best friend?

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:32 AM (9Q7Nu)

85 besides Mr Dildo...

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:33 AM (9Q7Nu)

86 and who was Aunt Bee's best friend?

I'll take Sitcom Hags for $100, Alex.

Posted by: Cicero at July 17, 2012 09:33 AM (QKKT0)

87 84 >>>and who was the stupid old aunt on Bewitched who was always screwing up her spells?

Paul Lynde. Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 01:31 PM

No, but he insisted I call him Bea Arthur at parties. He liked me a lot for some reason

Posted by: The 2nd Darrin Stevens at July 17, 2012 09:33 AM (Y7XKa)

88 Clara or Esmerelda? Weren't they both screwups?

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:34 AM (GO2/t)

89 90 and who was Aunt Bee's best friend?

I'll take Sitcom Hags for $100, Alex.
Posted by: Cicero at July 17, 2012 01:33 PM

Otis Campbell. Now you know why he drank so much

Posted by: Floyd the Barber at July 17, 2012 09:34 AM (Y7XKa)

90 yeah Esmeralda was wacky too

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:35 AM (9Q7Nu)

91 I'm with Chris at #52; I read all the Encyclopedia Brown stories as a kid, and tried to solve them before turning the page to find out. My success rate wasn't as good as young Leroy's (and when's the last time the hero of a story was named Leroy?), but I sure did a lot better than his father.

My favorite of Sobol's, though, wasn't an Encyclopedia Brown story - it was "Secret Agents Four," and I'd recommend it today to young readers.

Posted by: Keith Arnold at July 17, 2012 09:35 AM (Jdtsu)

sidebar video of hoodie boys getting run out of attempted robbery is hilarious.

Posted by: kallisto at July 17, 2012 09:36 AM (jm/9g)

93 Encyclopedia Brown came out of the closet last year. He is now my boy toy.

Posted by: Bugs Meanie at July 17, 2012 09:36 AM (Gx3Fe)

94 It was as you said. Many of the solutions weren't nearly as ironclad as a reader could reasonably expect them to be. Like Perry Mason, he always got the perps to confess. I always wanted someone to say to Mason, Yeah, that's my bumper jack, what of it?

Posted by: toby928© at July 17, 2012 09:36 AM (QupBk)

95 Luke, I am your Aunt Bea

Posted by: Darth Vader at July 17, 2012 09:37 AM (Y7XKa)

96 Aunt Bee's friend was Clara, not to be confused with Sara the operator.

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:38 AM (9Q7Nu)

97 96 sidebar video of hoodie boys getting run out of attempted robbery is hilarious. Posted by: kallisto at July 17, 2012 01:36 PM (jm/9g) And awesome.

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at July 17, 2012 09:38 AM (j5b23)

98 Who was the creepiest character on Andy Griffith?

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:38 AM (9Q7Nu)

99 There was an HBO series, back in the late 80s, I think. It starred the kid who'd played the little brother on The Adventures of "Beans" Baxter

Believe it or not, G. Gordon Liddy acted in an at least one episode of the series.

Posted by: Armando at July 17, 2012 09:39 AM (5iuEW)

100 bonus question: name the operator on Green Acres who drove Oliver crazy

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:39 AM (9Q7Nu)

101 Hey, did you know that the nosy neighbor on Bewitched was the aunt of Lenny Kravitz?

Posted by: Joe Biden at July 17, 2012 09:39 AM (Y7XKa)

102 Aunt Bee's friend was Clara, not to be confused with Sara the operator.

She appeared as both Clara Edwards and Clara Johnson. No explanation was ever given for the name change.

Posted by: Cicero at July 17, 2012 09:40 AM (QKKT0)

103 oh how interesting

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:40 AM (9Q7Nu)

104 102 Who was the creepiest character on Andy Griffith? Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 01:38 PM (9Q7Nu) That's easy, Floyd the Barber. I'm sure he showed Opie the "barbershop pole" on a special episode.

Posted by: The Huggable Robot Devil at July 17, 2012 09:40 AM (136wp)

105

Who was the creepiest character on Andy Griffith?

The crackhead, backriding, rockthrower Earnest T. Bass.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at July 17, 2012 09:41 AM (d0Tfm)

106

102
Who was the creepiest character on Andy Griffith?

Gomer Pyle.

Posted by: wheatie at July 17, 2012 09:41 AM (MbB0O)

107 Who was the creepiest character on Andy Griffith? Floyd Lawson. You just know he had teenage boys in his crawlspace, for year ... for years.

Posted by: toby928© at July 17, 2012 09:41 AM (QupBk)

108 wrong and wrong the creepiest character on Andy Griffith was... Howard.

Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 09:41 AM (9Q7Nu)

109 102
Who was the creepiest character on Andy Griffith? Posted by: soothsayerwing plover at July 17, 2012 01:38 PM

Goober by a mile. You'd be shocked at what he was putting into the power steering pumps

Posted by: Barney Fife at July 17, 2012 09:42 AM (Y7XKa)

110 She appeared as both Clara Edwards and Clara Johnson. No explanation was ever given for the name change. Goober was not originally a Pyle.

Posted by: toby928© at July 17, 2012 09:42 AM (QupBk)

111 Glad I'm not dead too

You said it!

Posted by: Abe Vigoda at July 17, 2012 09:43 AM (5iuEW)

112 Other Andy Griffith actors who appeared in more than one role:

Jack Dodson (Howard the Gay Blade, and an insurance agent)
Allan Melvin (multiple appearances, both B/W and color)
Rance Howard (Opie's real-life dad)

Posted by: Cicero at July 17, 2012 09:43 AM (QKKT0)

113

Yeah....that Floyd the barber character was pretty creepy.

I'd forgotten about him.

Posted by: wheatie at July 17, 2012 09:43 AM (MbB0O)

114 Fucking loved me some Encylopedia Brown. Back when it was cool to hang at the library and shit.

Posted by: Mister Christopher at July 17, 2012 09:44 AM (DQhAB)

115 Encyclopedia brown's book of weird and wonderful facts was a staple for me from ages 7-10.

Posted by: Truman North, iPhone snob at July 17, 2012 09:45 AM (KsbGf)

116 101 96 sidebar video of hoodie boys getting run out of attempted robbery is hilarious. Posted by: kallisto at July 17, 2012 01:36 PM (jm/9g) That was the most polite internet cafe I've seen yet

Posted by: cajun carrot at July 17, 2012 09:46 AM (UZQM8)

117 from the Wiki During season five, Goober was initially referred to as "Goober Beasley". To solidify the Gomer connection, his surname was changed to "Pyle".

Posted by: toby928© at July 17, 2012 09:46 AM (QupBk)

118 Well time to go folks. bbl

Posted by: Vic at July 17, 2012 09:46 AM (YdQQY)

119 How many books did he write that have characters in them that Democrats can use against Romney?

Posted by: © Sponge at July 17, 2012 09:47 AM (UK9cE)

120 I had to whip up a DNA kit out of coconuts and palm oil to prove to Gilligan that Mary Ann wasn't his cousin or sister. Stopped him from peeking into her hut at night

Posted by: Professor Roy Hinkley at July 17, 2012 09:47 AM (Y7XKa)

121 maybe they changed him to a Pyle to make people feel better about Gomer leaving the show?

Posted by: soothsayer at July 17, 2012 09:47 AM (9Q7Nu)

122 Helen Crump was also in the Blob, with Steve McQueen.

Posted by: toby928© free associates at July 17, 2012 09:47 AM (QupBk)

123 from the Wiki During season five, Goober was initially referred to as "Goober Beasley". To solidify the Gomer connection, his surname was changed to "Pyle".

You googled Goober. We've hit rock bottom.

When does football start?

Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 09:48 AM (KXm42)

124

MENDOZA!

Those and the Trixie Belden books were my very favorites growing up.

Posted by: alexthechick SMOD. Now with more ELE! at July 17, 2012 09:48 AM (VtjlW)

125 Floyd the Barber had a bit of that Lindsey Graham affectation to him, didn't he

Posted by: kbdabear at July 17, 2012 09:49 AM (Y7XKa)

126 Andy Griffith.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 09:49 AM (GO2/t)

127 When does football start? Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 01:48 PM (KXm42) Speaking of which, a NFLPA walkout killing/shortening the NFL season would do wonders for Preznit Shithead

Posted by: cajun carrot at July 17, 2012 09:49 AM (UZQM8)

128

Saw this in yesterday's "Take the Mitts Off, Mitt" thread:

-------------

325 Got curious from the posts here re. FB Dems. for Romney. Saw two growing groups Democrats for Romney and Romney Democrats. One linked to a post from Ace. Nice. Also Romney Democrats took out a small ad targeting Ohio voters.

Posted by: gracepmc at July 16, 2012 09:31 PM (rznx3)

-------------

It this true?

Is there really such a thing as....."Democrats for Romney and Romney Democrats"....?

Posted by: wheatie at July 17, 2012 09:49 AM (MbB0O)

129 Floyd thought acid was an "everyday" drug.

Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 09:49 AM (KXm42)

130

Posted by: cajun carrot at July 17, 2012 01:46 PM (UZQM

___

My firearm knowledge is minimal...how many shots would the hero have been able to fire with the type of weapon he carried?

Posted by: kallisto at July 17, 2012 09:50 AM (jm/9g)

131 Helen Crump or Thelma Lou?

Posted by: kbdabear at July 17, 2012 09:50 AM (Y7XKa)

132 First Ray Bradbury, now Encyclopedia Brown. This year seems intent on killing off my childhood, it seems. Yeah, looking back on it, the stories were pretty formulaic and weak. But I devoured those things when I was in fourth grade, especially the Sally stories. Me and my friends went through a 'junior detective agency' phase around that time, and I was the biggest and strongest, so I was always playing the Sally-style enforcer. Good memories.

Posted by: Rosa E. at July 17, 2012 09:50 AM (uk3ql)

133 I couldn't have possibly fucked up the country! I was in Antarctica watching the polar bears at the time!

Posted by: Barack Obama at July 17, 2012 09:52 AM (5iuEW)

134 The first season of AG was on recently. As always, it's interesting to see the actors grow into their parts. Griffith was actually pretty bad as Andy in the first episodes. Interestingly to me, Frances Bavier had the Aunt Bee character established from the first appearance. She was a pro.

Posted by: toby928© free associates at July 17, 2012 09:52 AM (QupBk)

135 My firearm knowledge is minimal...how many shots would the hero have been able to fire with the type of weapon he carried? Posted by: kallisto at July 17, 2012 01:50 PM (jm/9g) Being an astute master of the boom stick, my analysis concludes as follows: Who gives a shit that was awesome... My guess in all seriousness is that with the size of the gun it was a possible .22cal and 13ish rounds Someone hit me up with dem facts.

Posted by: cajun carrot at July 17, 2012 09:53 AM (UZQM8)

136 When does football start?
Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 01:48 PM

It ends on December 30 for the Cowboys, Eagles, and Redskins

Posted by: Eli the NFC East Comic at July 17, 2012 09:53 AM (Y7XKa)

137 Believe it or not, G. Gordon Liddy acted in an at least one episode of the series. He had a cool role on Miami Vice. When it was still good.

Posted by: Golan Globus at July 17, 2012 09:53 AM (7vSU0)

138

I READ ALL OF THEM.

It's okay, morons. You can all benefit off of my efforts once Congress passes the Comprehensive Knowledge Care Act, and redistribution of smarts is compulsory.

Posted by: reason at July 17, 2012 09:53 AM (XiVKO)

139 The first season of AG was on recently.

I liked how Barney called Andy "cousin Andy." You never heard that again after the first couple of episodes.

Posted by: Cicero at July 17, 2012 09:54 AM (QKKT0)

140

He had a cool role on Miami Vice.

When it was still good.

Obviously, that must have been during the Elvis the Gator, Guard of the Sailboat period.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at July 17, 2012 09:55 AM (d0Tfm)

141 If IMDB is to be believed, Hal Smith aka Otis had quite the career as a voice actor. Beauty & the Beast etc.

Posted by: toby928© free associates at July 17, 2012 09:56 AM (QupBk)

142 .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun From the article page two, I denounce myself. Maybe 10-12 rounds from what I could google in 30 seconds or less.

Posted by: cajun carrot at July 17, 2012 09:56 AM (UZQM8)

143 Frances Bavier had the Aunt Bee character established from the first appearance. She was a pro. Posted by: toby928Â© free associates at July 17, 2012 01:52 PM (QupBk) Best Aunt Bea epsiode - where she learned to fly a plane. No histrionics. No hi-jinks.

Posted by: The Huggable Robot Devil at July 17, 2012 09:56 AM (136wp)

144 When does football start?

Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 01:48 PM (KXm42)

Training camps start on July 27, IIRC, Hall of Fame game on August 5. Yes, I miss football.

Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at July 17, 2012 09:57 AM (RD7QR)

145 #103: I do remember that! He played himself, and was dating Beans's mom.

Posted by: Eddie Willers at July 17, 2012 09:57 AM (bRdb3)

146

I liked how Barney called Andy "cousin Andy." You never heard that again after the first couple of episodes.

That show was set in the South, right? Trust me, they were all related whether they knew it or not.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at July 17, 2012 09:58 AM (d0Tfm)

147 OK, later gators.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy at July 17, 2012 09:59 AM (d0Tfm)

148 Training camps start on July 27, IIRC, Hall of Fame game on August 5. Yes, I miss football.
Posted by: joncelli, heartless Con and all around unpleasant guy at July 17, 2012 01:57 PM

Adrian Peterson and a few others are already in midseason form with DUI arrests

Posted by: Eli the NFC East Comic at July 17, 2012 09:59 AM (Y7XKa)

149 "Encyclopedia Brown"? Ha. He ripped me off.

Posted by: Ellery Queen at July 17, 2012 09:59 AM (exvgC)

150

@139 -

Thanks.

It *was* awesome. The robbers came in like a boss and left like a clown car. I hope their peeps tweet that shit all day long.

Posted by: kallisto at July 17, 2012 09:59 AM (jm/9g)

151

"He's being replaced with Wikipedia Brown, an annoying little Mac user whose facts are often inaccurate."

roofle.

Although I will assess a penalty of five points for "winning" an RIP thread.

Posted by: reason at July 17, 2012 10:00 AM (XiVKO)

152 84 >>>and who was the stupid old aunt on Bewitched who was always screwing up her spells?

Paul Lynde.
*
*
"Endora, when I think of you as a blood relative . . . I long for a transfusion."

Posted by: Uncle Arthur at July 17, 2012 10:01 AM (exvgC)

153 Posted by: Ellery Queen Hal Smith played Coroner Will Bailey on your show. The circle is now complete.

Posted by: toby928© free associates at July 17, 2012 10:03 AM (QupBk)

154 Steve McQueen.

Posted by: eleven at July 17, 2012 10:05 AM (KXm42)

155 "How many books did he write that have characters in them that Democrats can use against Romney?"
=====

Ooh! Ooh! Mitt Romney is a meanie, and Encyclopedia Brown's villain was Bugs Meany!

Four more years, baby!

Posted by: The Democrats and Their Palace Guard Media at July 17, 2012 10:05 AM (/AHDz)

156 If IMDB is to be believed, Hal Smith aka Otis had quite the career as a voice actor. Beauty & the Beast etc.
*
*
He did indeed. In the '80s and '90s he played a sort of Andy Taylor-ish character on the kids' Christian radio series "Adventures in Odyssey," and the producers and writers used to have fun inserting in-jokes and connections to Andy Griffith and the Otis character into episodes.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius at July 17, 2012 10:06 AM (exvgC)

157 "Ooh! Ooh! Mitt Romney is a meanie, and Encyclopedia Brown's villain was Bugs Meany!"
=====

That's gotta mean something!

Posted by: Typical Democrat Voter at July 17, 2012 10:07 AM (/AHDz)

158 A bud of mine's been a life-long Andy Griffith fan. When he finally met the man he was the meanest SOB ever.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at July 17, 2012 10:09 AM (GO2/t)

159 an annoying little Mac user whose facts are often inaccurate.

obviously the Emperor is distracted, lemme fix that up.

a treasonous annoying little Mac user with euro-fag hair whose entire worldview would be pathetic if his boyfriend hadn't been given way too much access by an Army screwup.

Posted by: DaveA at July 17, 2012 10:09 AM (yVsIQ)

160 Hal Smith was great as "Whit"

Posted by: soothsayer at July 17, 2012 10:10 AM (9Q7Nu)

161 "A bud of mine's been a life-long Andy Griffith fan. When he finally met the man he was the meanest SOB ever."
=====

I have heard this about him.

Posted by: Kensington at July 17, 2012 10:17 AM (/AHDz)

162 i loved floyd

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work, team dagny at July 17, 2012 10:18 AM (NZF8l)

163

Posted by: soothsayer at July 17, 2012 02:10 PM (9Q7Nu)

I used to really like listening to those, and yes the voice acting was *very* good. Do you know if he did the Mr Whittaker voice for the TV series as well? Or, I could just go look it up I guess (but I probably won't).

I recently bought several used Ellery Queen books because I'd liked the series when it was on The Mystery Channel, back when it had mysteries. For some reason I think I like the show better.

Posted by: Polliwogette, teahada Hobbit at July 17, 2012 10:30 AM (h6HiH)

164 I read a lot of those.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - late for despot training again at July 17, 2012 10:33 AM (hLRSq)

165

I LOVED Encyclopedia Brown. I even wrote a copy-cat story when I was in 4th grade. The plot had to do with a beauty contest, Q-T (for a fake tan), and a summer rainstorm. It was quite clever, at least to my 10 year old self.

The series is up there with Mrs. Piggly-Wiggly. Sorry to hear Mr. Sobol is dead.

Posted by: LASue at July 17, 2012 10:37 AM (pWeX5)

166 What the hell is wrong with my spacing?

Posted by: LASue at July 17, 2012 10:39 AM (pWeX5)

167

Posted by: LASue at July 17, 2012 02:39 PM (pWeX5)

Did you do any editing around the area missing spaces? Sometimes it helps to double space if you have to do any deleting or adding while writing the post.

Posted by: Polliwogette, teahada Hobbit at July 17, 2012 11:02 AM (h6HiH)

168 Hate to nitpick but flags fly at half staff on land. They fly at half mast on a boat.

Posted by: Bill R. at July 17, 2012 11:08 AM (y1O6P)

169 Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Missing Whitespace.

Posted by: reason at July 17, 2012 11:27 AM (q/kmn)

170 48. Interesting that he went to Fieldston. One leg of the triad of elite schools the upper East and West siders have their maids transport their precious youngins. Riverdale Country school, Horace Mann and Fieldston. All within a half mile of each other. Horace Mann gave us Spitzer.

Posted by: Fromdabronx at July 17, 2012 11:36 AM (BqbY/)

171

"Ooh! Ooh! Mitt Romney is a meanie, and Encyclopedia Brown's villain was Bugs Meany!"
=====

That's gotta mean something

Bugs Meanie was also a big, thuggish bully who wasn't too smart. Encyclopedia (Leroy) Brown always outsmarted him, and made him look stupid.

Mitt Romney was a big, thuggish bully in high school who cut some kid's hair because he was gay. Obama's always outsmarting Romney and makes him look stupid.

Posted by: Marv Cloggenstein at July 17, 2012 11:41 AM (WGmy2)

172 What?! The ice cubes were made of ginger ale? So obvious. Haven't seen Andy Griffith up here. Must be somewhere else. Mt. Pilot maybe.

Posted by: Sir Arthor Conan Doyle at July 17, 2012 11:41 AM (msPO3)

173 167 I used to really like listening to those, and yes the voice acting was *very* good. Do you know if he did the Mr Whittaker voice for the TV series as well? Or, I could just go look it up I guess (but I probably won't).

I recently bought several used Ellery Queen books because I'd liked the series when it was on The Mystery Channel, back when it had mysteries. For some reason I think I like the show better.
*
*
Polliwogette, I had no idea there was a TV series. Neat. (I used to be crazy about the voice of the girl who played the narrator, Kris, in the early radio shows.)

Ellery Queen, I gotta admit, is an acquired taste. The early books go all the way back to the Thirties -- part of the charm, though -- and Ellery was less human than he became later. Try Cat of Many Tails from '49: It's a very good serial killer story from long before that term was coined.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius at July 17, 2012 11:50 AM (exvgC)

174 Ah, the old Scholastic Book Service! I got every Encyclopedia Brown book they offered. I still remember some of them, like the one involving a blind man, a safe, and some ginger ale.

Posted by: Otis Criblecoblis at July 17, 2012 12:42 PM (IlZPo)

175 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at July 17, 2012 02:20 PM (6o4Fb)

176 One of my few highlights of grade school was reading Encyclopedia Brown during library time. They rivaled the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Posted by: hadsil at July 18, 2012 08:14 AM (HYDTz)

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