Not Everything is Relative, But These Are...
You might be surprised who's related to whom. For example…
The Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet...No way? Way! Both were radio shows originating on WXYZ in Detroit. As you may recall, John Reid was the only Texas Ranger left alive after a party of 6, lead by his brother Captain Dan Reid, were ambushed by Butch Cavendish's Hole in the Wall Gang at Bryant's Gap. Dan's son, also named Dan, eventually became the Lone Ranger's junior sidekick. Remember his horse Victor? Britt Reid, the Green Hornet, was later established as the younger Dan's son, thus the grand nephew of the Masked Man. When the Lone Ranger property was sold to another company in the 1950s, this familial connection was pretty much forgotten.
Fred Flintstone and his son Fred, Junior…Never heard of him? He was included in some of the early publicity material before the show hit the air in 1960, and is featured in the first of the Flintstones' many Little Golden Books…a smirking little cave-boy with hair over his eyes and a big letter F on his bearskin. Needless to say, this went no further, Fred Jr. never appearing on TV or anywhere else. Maybe a velociraptor got him?!
Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston…When you hear they're related, you might assume they're aunt and niece due to the 23-year age difference, but they're actually first cousins. Whitney's mother Emily "Cissy" Drinkard and and Dionne's mother Lee Drinkard were sisters. They performed professionally as the Drinkard Singers, along with siblings Larry, Nicky, Anne, and Marie. Dionne was born Marie Dionne, named after her aunt, who herself was nicknamed "Rebbie" by the family.
And Dionne's family name was Warrick, but after it was misspelled Warwick on her first single, she decided to keep it that way. In 1971 she added an "e" to the end, as Warwicke, on the advice of her numerologist, and also to honor her then husband, actor and drummer Bill E-for-Elliot. When they divorced in 1975, she not surprising switched back. By the way, singer Thelma Houston is not related to any of them.
Candice Bergen and Polly Bergen…NOT!!! This is a common mistake. They are not related…Polly's real last name is spelled Burgin. Funny, when Edgar's daughter Candice was born in 1946, she was often called Charlie McCarthy's little sister. Another no-go is actor Adam Baldwin, who is no relation to the acting Baldwin brothers Alec, Daniel, Billy and Stephen.
Beetle Bailey and Lois Flagston…That's Lois from the comic strip "Hi and Lois." When the Korean War ended in 1953, Mort Walker feared people would tire of military gags, so he drew a sequence where Beetle visited his married older sister, her husband, and 3 kids…none of whom, I should point out, looked anything like they do today. Readers wanted the old Camp Swampy gang back, but the idea had enough potential to be spun off as its own strip, co-created by Dik Browne. That's why you'll occasionally see Beetle and Lois making appearances in each other's funnies to this day.
Kate Bradley and Pearl Bodine…This was mentioned just once, as kind of an inside joke, since actress Bea Benaderet played both parts. She was originally up for the roll of Granny on "The Beverly Hillbillies," but they decided the peripatetic Irene Ryan was a better fit, more of a Mammy Yokum type. Bea was offered the role of Jed's cousin Pearl Bodine, Jethro's mother, making Jethro and Elly May second cousins. She played this part for one season, then left to portray Kate Bradley on "Petticoat Junction." But since the 2 shows, and "Green Acres" for that matter, all took place in the same TV "universe," there were frequent character crossovers. In one series of episodes in 1968, Granny visits Hooterville to help look after Kate's newborn granddaughter.
Why does Dr. Granny do this? Because Pearl can't help with the baby as she sprained her back a waltz contest, and Pearl is Granny's son-in-law's first cousin, which is close enough kin for Granny. But the $64,000 question: Why was Pearl going to do this? It's implied, but never explicitly stated, that Pearl and Kate are somehow related. Now this may be a "kin of kin" situation, because oddly enough, Jed has no idea who Kate is. In fact, a running gag is Granny trying to explain it to him. He finally gives up, saying: "This is the most confused I ever been without Jethro in the house!"
Jerry Lee Lewis and his wife…OK, third wife. This caused quite a stir in 1957, he 22 years old, she just 13, and relatives to boot…altho this was unremarkable where they grew up in eastern Louisiana, and completely legal. Many different relationships are mentioned, but I'm here to tell you beyond the shadow of a doubt that they were first cousins once removed. Myra Gale Brown was the daughter of J.W. Brown, whose band Jerry Lee joined and eventually took over. Since J.W.'s mother and Jerry Lee's father were siblings, they were first cousins. Myra Gale is one down from that so it's first cousins once removed.
You might also hear that Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, and Jimmy Swaggart were "cousins," and in a roundabout way they were, altho their mothers were not sisters, as the 3 different surnames might suggest. Jerry Lee's father, Mickey's mother, and Jimmy's paternal grandmother were siblings, making Jerry Lee and Mickey first cousins, and both of them first cousins to Jimmy's father "Son" Swaggart. But also, Jerry Lee's mother and Jimmy's mother were sisters, making them first cousins on that side, while first cousins once removed on the other side. Honestly. Jerry Lee's dad Elmo had 10 siblings, you see.
Monsignor Berube and me…As are many Baby Boomers these days, I've been investigating my family tree, and my mother is a Berube. According to L'Association des Familles Berube, all in North America are descended from Damien Berube, a stone mason who arrived in Quebec from Normandy in 1671. Many North Country residents fondly recall the late Fr. Louis D. Berube. He was born in Belleville, Nova Scotia, raised in Lynn, Massachusetts, and served the Diocese of Ogdensburg until his death in 1999. Turns out he was my mother's 6th cousin, making him my 6th cousin once removed. Our lines diverged early on…he's descended from Damien's son Pierre, while I'm a 6th great grandchild of Damien's other son Mathurin.
A note from last month…While my baseball bar bet of a batter seeing 15 balls and strikes with just one plate appearance was correct as far as it goes, I have since realized, to my everlasting chagrin, that it didn't go far enough! The batter could come to the plate one more time, work the count full, then have the game end when a baserunner is caught stealing or picked off…for a grand total of 20 balls and strikes on just one at bat. Thanx to Jordan Walden and Curtis Granderson for showing me the light!
And once again, you can read older "Stolf's Oldies" columns at travelingcyst.blogspot.com. I post the previous month's when the current month's hits the stands. My daily blog at stolf.wordpress.com is now over a year old with no sign of letup. Woof! Check deepfriedhoodsiecups.wordpress.com, which is also daily, and on Sundays devoted to "Genealogy for Baby Boomers." Not to mention my podcasts: stolfpod.podbean.com and thewholething.podbean.com. Hey, if I don't toot my own horn, who else will? Plus, that would be slightly unsanitary. Till next month, keep on chooglin'…and rock on!
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