Bill Idelson

Vic and Sade may have been the best comedy of them all from the days before television replaced radio in the living rooms of the nation. The show aired in one form or another for over a decade, usually five or six days a week, with every script written by the brilliant but barely remembered Paul Rhymer. Although more than 3,500 shows were produced, many of the scripts and all but 358 of the original recordings have been lost or destroyed.Author Bill Idelson, who along with Art Van Harvey and Berdardine Flynn was a principal character in the stories taking place in "the small house half way up in the next block", would seem to be in an ideal position to shed light on this almost forgotten gem, but sadly fails to do so. The book consist mainly of reproductions of Rhymer scripts, with only a smattering of memories and very few "backstage" tidbits. These are interspersed with letters from Rhymer as well as ribald jokes and comments the creator of the show was apparently known for. While occasionally amusing, they render the book unsuitable for the younger reader, which is unfortunate given the broad family appeal of the original material of Vic and Sade. Careless (or, possibly, no) editing makes it difficult to tell at a glance whether a particular paragraph exists in an original Vic and Sade script, or as a note on the back, or whether it is in fact the work of Rhymer or Idelson. All in all, a disappointing effort, suitable only as an introduction to the neophyte ADULT fan, or those whose hunger for information about this classic show is simply insatiable.… (más)