Name: Mister Ed
Portrayed by: Bamboo Harvester; voiced by Allan Lane
TV series: Mister Ed (1961-66)
Occupation: Horse
Family and Friends: Wilbur Post was not only Ed's owner, but also his best friend (Ed affectionately calls him "Buddy Boy"). Ed's mother, Betsy, was a plough horse. Ed tried to adopt a son, Snuffy, in the episode "My Son, My Son." Ed was quite the ladies' horse. He had many girlfriends, including Princess Helen (he gave her a heart-shaped bundle of hay), Daphne (an equine film star), Sabrina, and Lady Linda. Friends who attended his nine-year-old birthday party included Domino, Flossie, and Frenchie.
Talents: Well, Ed could talk! He was also a musician (played the accordion, wrote a song called "Empty Feedbag Blues"); painter; athlete (played baseball, surfed, etc.); college mascot; and interior decorator.
Trademarks: Feigned illness to garner sympathy (e.g., used apples in his cheeks for "Ed Gets the Mumps"); left detailed notes on his whereabouts when he ran away from home.
Classic quotes: "I love Christmas. Wilbur is so full of the spirit of giving and I'm so full of the spirit of receiving" and "You know, I only talk to you, Wilbur."
Celebrities Who Met Ed: Zsa Zsa Gabor, Mae West, Leo Durocher, George Burns, and Clint Eastwood.
Classic episodes: "Ed the Stowaway" (Ed goes to Hawaii and surfs); "The Horsetronaut" (Ed volunteers to be the first horse in space); and "Ed Goes to College" (to become a Ph.D.--Palomino Horse Doctor).
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When I was a kid I used to think it would be so cool to know an animal that could talk. But then I'd start to think about all the problems Wilbur had and I was glad my life wasn't entirely like a sitcom.
ReplyDeleteCW, your comment reminded me of a cynical Saki short story called "Tobermory" about a talking cat. Since cats apparently hear everything, Toby's talking turned out to be a bad thing.
DeleteRick, this is a great Post, pun intended too! I always loved Mr. Ed whose Occupation (Horse) and Talents ("Well, Ed could talk!") certainly describe him perfectly. He was quite good at using the phone with the help of a pencil to help him dial. Ed would persevere to achieve what he wanted or thought he wanted. I do not remember the name of the episode but I do remember the Mr. Ed angel on one shoulder and the Mr. Ed devil on the other shoulder and that always rang home with me. Mr. Ed is a great way to introduce 15 great TV characters from the 1960s. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing who else made your list!
ReplyDeleteDelightful comment, Toto! As for Ed's telephone in the barn...in one episode, there's a temporary party line that allows Ed to romance Clint Eastwood's horse.
DeleteOh, Rick, the crazy has finally come out! I don't remember much about Mr. Ed, as I only saw some reruns in passing when I was a child. I found the whole concept that people watched a show about a talking horse to be a reflection of the predominate use of LSD during this time period. Still, I enjoyed reading his resume.
ReplyDeleteKim, I loved MISTER ED as a kid, but never appreciated how funny it was until I watched it in reruns on Nick at Nite. It was still being broadcast last year on MeTV, I think. It's timeless!
DeleteWell, as one of those adolescent girls who loved horses before she discovered boys, I have to admit that Mr. Ed was one of my first crushes. And he was indeed catnip to the fillies! Thanks for remembering a great character.
ReplyDeleteYour comment made me smile! I couldn't find the exact quote, but probably my favorite bit of dialogue from MISTER ED was when Wilbur finds Ed on the floor in the house. Wilbur asks Ed why he was sleeping on the floor and Ed replies: "Because you and Carol had the bed upstairs!"
DeletePlus - Mr. Ed (who had beautiful blonde flowing locks) could surf and run the bases at Dodger Stadium. Even the Beatles couldn't do that!
DeleteIn terms of hair style, Ed was Fabio before there was a Fabio!
DeleteA very fun post about a very fun character! Have to pick up this show on DVD...my classic TV comedy shelf is pretty bare compared to the drama section. :)
ReplyDeleteHaven't seen many episodes but I do remember one where Mr. Ed was riding a surfboard...am I imagining this or did it really happen?
Curious as to who the other 14 characters will be...
D'oh! I just re-read your post and saw that you made reference to Ed's surfing -- twice, yet! Serves me right for commenting before I'm completely awake.
DeleteBTW, Rick, how do you think Mr. Ed compares to his cinematic rival, Francis the Talking Mule? Those movies are quite fun as well. (I wish Universal would get busy and release the rest of the films on DVD to complete the series.)
I enjoyed all the FRANCIS movies except the last with Mickey Rooney (I missed Donald O'Connor). I think Ed had more personality than Francis...but then the writers had five seasons to develop Ed's character traits. As you may know, Arthur Lubin, who directed all the FRANCIS films except the Rooney one, created MISTER ED.
DeleteReally, how can you not love a talking horse? (like how you listed his occupation: "Horse") I always enjoyed how the voice actor would make his pronunciation of 'Wilbur' sound like a whinny ("Wwhhilburrr"). I'm surprised no one has yet made a Mister Ed movie.
ReplyDeleteYes, Allan Lane--who played Red Ryder in several "B" films-did a wonderful job with Ed's voice.
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