During his comedy program HOBBY LOBBY/ABC/1959-60 Charley Weaver
would tell folksy stories about his rural hometown (population 308)
and the hobbies of such inhabitants as Grandpa Ogg and Grandma Ogg,
Byran Ogg, Goo Goo Schultz, Gomar Cool, Widow Darby, Grandma Heise
(the richest woman in town), Clara Kimball Moots, Elsie Krack,
Wallace Swine, and the twins Fred and Gladys Swine, Grandpa Snider,
Dr. Beemish, Melvin and Leonard Box, Ludlow Bean, Birdie Rodd, Joe
Cutter and Irma Clodd.
An earlier version of the Charley Weaver character first appeared on
a comedy entitled "Uncle Charlie" on the anthology DRAMA AT
EIGHT/DUM/1953.
In the 1960s, Cliff Arquette revealed to talk show
host Merv Griffin that his Charley Weaver character was inspired by
a friend of his grandmother: “Yes, as a kid in Ohio I would visit my
Grandmothers house and listen as she read
letters from a friend of hers who had moved to Mount Ida,
Arkansas. Those letters were fascinating. My Grandmother would cluck
and make comments after each sentence. We grandkids loved them,
although we weren’t real sure what they were about."
Uncle Charley Weaver, who sported a mustache, squashed hat, and
glasses, continued to spin yarns about his hometown of Mount Idy
when he appeared on:
- DO IT YOURSELF/NBC/1955 (Fix-It Show)
- THE RCA
VICTOR SHOW/NBC/1951-54 (anthology)
- THE ROY ROGERS & DALE EVANS
SHOW/ABC/1962 (Musical Variety)
- THE JACK PAAR SHOW/NBC/1957-62 (Late Night Talk Show)
- HOLLYWOOD SQUARES/NBC/1968 (Quiz Show - night time version)
- THE JONATHAN WINTERS SHOW/CBS/1967-69 (Comedy Variety).
Cliff Arquette (who was born in Toledo, Ohio) once reported that
his Charley Weaver character was inspired by a friend of his mother,
who wrote letters from Mount Ida, Arkansas which were lovingly read
to her whole family.
External Links
Back to Top
