THIS JUST IN: MRS BUFFORPINGTON FOUND!

[Brad from Georgia]

In the latest edition of the newsletter, Laura said that a correspondent had asked her whether a "Mrs. Bufforfington" had ever been a character on Jack's show. I found out recently that "Mrs. Bufforpington" (the name is, I guess, a play on "Buff Orpington," a British breed of chickens) had been a character on "Blondie," played by the actress Elvia Allman, who also played Mrs. Cora Dithers on the show. Her catch-phrase was "My husband invented the chicken."

Well, King--this case is closed!

[Brad from Georgia]

More: On IMDB, I learned that Elvia Allman had appeared in these Jack Benny TV shows:

1. Jack Takes Beavers to Dentist (12 January 1958) - Mrs. Brown (voice)
2. Dennis Gets a Million Dollars (19 October 1958) - Telephone Operator (voice)
3. Bachelor TV Lives (16 November 1958) - Actress
4. Airport Sketch (22 February 1959) - Actress
5. Slogan Contest (3 April 1960) - Actress
6. Crazy Airport (25 March 1962) - Actress
7. Jack Is Violin Teacher (8 April 1962) - Mable
8. Dennis Drives Jack to the Hospital (3 December 1963) - Actress

However, she apparently didn't play her "Blondie" character on any of them. According to 39 Forever, she was also a frequent cast member on the Benny show, playing Tootsie Sagwell, Maw Kettle, a girl singer, the secretary for an advertising firm, "Mrs. Allman" (sounds phony to me!), Daisy Dickinson, Jack's nurse, an angry woman, Chloe, an autograph seeker, Mr. Lewis's secretary, Madame Zimba, Myrtle, a neglectful wife, and a Superior Court secretary.

Whew!

[Yhtapmys]

Brad, I guess it wasn't here, but somewhere, in some guise, I posted something about Elvia's radio career in Los Angeles. It actually started in the mid-1920s.

It's odd that you mention her because in another thread, I talk about a news clipping from the LA Times of Nov. 4, 1933. It mentions not only Elvia Allman, but there is a picture of Verna Felton (called the "only NBC woman announcer in the West") and reference is made to Don Wilson, now doing sports at NBC New York. Unfortunately, the character recognition of the .pdf file is lousy and I can't read much of the transcription.

Yhtapmys

[shimp scrampi]

However, she apparently didn't play her "Blondie" character on any of them. According to 39 Forever, she was also a frequent cast member on the Benny show, playing Tootsie Sagwell, ...

Interesting, "Tootsie Sagwell" was Elvia's recurring character (or, one of several) on Burns and Allen. I'll have to have a gander at 39 FOREVER to see which episode that was and how the character fits into Jack's show. I'm guessing a B&A guest appearance?

[Brad from Georgia]

However, she apparently didn't play her "Blondie" character on any of them. According to 39 Forever, she was also a frequent cast member on the Benny show, playing Tootsie Sagwell, ...

Interesting, "Tootsie Sagwell" was Elvia's recurring character (or, one of several) on Burns and Allen. I'll have to have a gander at 39 FOREVER to see which episode that was and how the character fits into Jack's show. I'm guessing a B&A guest appearance?

Yep: 3/17/43. "Burns and Allen sub for Jack who 'has a bad cold.' ...Tootsie Sagwell . . . is crazy about Dennis." The show originated from NYC.