"First Family" actress Naomi Brossart with Vaughn Meader on "To Tell the Truth" (January 7, 1963)

Actress Naomi Brossart, who played Jackie Kennedy on Vaughn Meader's wildly successful 1962 album "The First Family", appears as a contestant on a 1963 episode of "To Tell the Truth" hosted by Bud Collyer with panelists Tom Poston, Peggy Cass, Theo Bikel, and Kitty Carlisle. Vaughn Meader introduces the segment and identifies the real Naomi Brossart at the end.
Vaughn Meader's humor album poking good-natured fun at the Kennedy clan was a huge hit at the time, but (of course) abruptly fell out of favor later in 1963.

[@brianarbenz7206]

Vaughn Meader, with whom I was acquainted, said he gave Naomi Brossart a large payment from his wealth earned from the album. She had opted for a flat fee, figuring The First Family had little chance of going big. Abbott Vaughn Meader was a big hearted person.

[@Trefoile]

That is great to know. Thank you for sharing that information.

[@Trefoile]

This was wonderful! The albums still hold up today.

[@BigBingFan]

I always enjoyed so much, Bud Collyer. He always signed off with, "God Bless You." I sure miss class and dignified people, wearing a coat and tie, unlike so many today. Vaughn Meador I grew up with and played his record over and over and over. I was 7 when JFK was killed, and my parents went to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Breakfast that morning, and sat about 10-12 feet from them at the head table. Sad day, what would transpire.

[@shirtless6934]

Yes "God bless you" as he peddled cancer sticks (cigarettes) on air.

[@CBSEye]

This was so much fun. Who will ever forget "The First Family". Never saw this clip. Thanks! - JG

[@ruthpaige6689]

What a wonderful show. Thanks for posting.

[@billyshepard5514]

It was the biggest selling record of all time, until November 1963 when stores removed this record from sale and it disappeared as did Mr Meaders money and career.

[@pamelalagree-kanotz6845]

Loved this album and the Kennedys!

[@ponekingpetch3595]

The Amazing "One Year Career" of Vaughn Meader.

[@Farrah300]

It's very sad because after President Kennedy's assassination, it was all over.

[@robertbruce6865]

“Have Some Nuts” is a great comedy album. It’s a damn shame that it didn’t receive the kudos that it deserve. I’m not sure if this story is true, but supposedly, Lenny Bruce took the stage on the evening of November 22, 1963...stood silently for a few seconds...and said, “Well...Vaughn Meader’s fucked.” Sadly true.

[@cellpat2686]

As I watched Vaughn walk across the stage I was in awe of how JFK- like he was. Naomi was great as Jackie. They fooled all but 1 contestant.

[@EMBpodcast]

I know this entire comedy album by heart!

[@nguyendailam6703]

The Rubber Schwan is mine

[@robertbruce6865]

My wife and I went to Cuber (JFK pronunciation) in the Summer of 2018. We were sitting in a cafe at lunch, giving our server our order, and I had to resist the temptation to order a Cheeken Sandwich...with a live Cheeken.

[@allenjones3130]

Theo Bikel is probably best remembered for having originated the role of Captain Georg von Trapp in THE SOUND OF MUSIC on Broadway.

[@williamlaneve9236]

I remember the album well as a youth. My parents played it alot as they loved Kennedy.

[@user-tv8mg2vh5f]

Still have my original album. If only we could laugh like that today. Well, maybe someday!

[@JayTemple]

Hey, I have this album!

[@danielgregg2530]

If this doesn't take you back, nothing will . . .

[@hibob418]

Even though she had on an over-the-top wig, she was on the album cover.

[@morrisrooney]

November 22, 1963...the day Vaughn Meador's career came to an end in Dallas.

[@gotch09]

Yeah, i remember after 11/22/63 you couldn't give Meader's album away.

[@LostandFoundTravel]

Jayne Mansfield Yeah - Naomi is my great aunt and for a brief period she was making BANK off the record. Then Jack and Jackie got in the convertible...

[@Theomite]

Goes to show that when the gravy train runs away with you to always be prepared for it to derail suddenly.

[@rrgomes]

baysvoice IMDB implies that she is.

[@RayNDeere]

Lenny Bruce performed that night at a club and his first words were "Man, is Vaughn Meader f*****d"

[@RayNDeere]

The quote I saw was "He sounds more like Teddy than me. So now Teddy's mad"

[@richardleon6848]

I think the quot was , " he sounds more like Teddy and now he is annoyed."

[@MrUhwoody]

That was a funny album. Happier days..

[@tomitstube]

still amazes me they gave them a carton of cigarettes as a door prize. the world was about to drastically change in 10 months.

[@rayjr62]

I remember reading where comedian Lenny Bruce, who appeared on stage in Los Angeles on the night of November 22, 1963, took the stage....stood there in silence for about 40 seconds and then began his show by saying, "Man, is Vaughn Meader fucked." Sadly, Vaughn Meader never recovered from the JFK assassination. And you could make the argument that the U.S. has never recovered from 11/22/1963.

[@Farrah300]

That of course, what of that time. No one would dream of doing that today knowing what is known about smoking.

[@Farrah300]

There is an episode that was sponsored by a cigarette company in which the panel had to guess which of the first three contestants was really, Brian Hyland. True story.

[@spockboy]

Bob Collier was the voice of Superman in radio shows and cartoons.

[@alphadogstudio]

Supposedly, Lenny Bruce opened his first set after the JFK assassination with, "Poor Vaughan Meader!"

[@hibob418]

Legend has it that Lenny just stood there without saying a thing, really milking the silence and suspense at what he'd say first, and finally he just shook his head and said, "Vaughn Meader is fuc*ed."

[@nguyendailam6703]

@@hibob418 I love that story.

[@rayjr62]

@@hibob418 I read where he said "Boy, is Vaughn Meader fucked while performing at a nightclub in L.A. the night of the assassination.

[@mohammedcohen]

...his 'great vigah' line usually elicited huge applause...he sounded just like JFK delivering those two famous words!!!

[@kenhenderson7999]

Actually, JFK's only comment on the record was "He sounds more like Bobby than me" :-).

[@t18amgr]

Teddy.

[@stephenkennedy8767]

At a press conference JFK said it sounded more like Teddy

[@danielgregg2530]

My father thought so, too. (Or at least he thought I sounded more like Bobby doing Vaughn Meador than Vaughn Meador did doing JFK. Or something like that. I forget which.)

[@booksteer7057]

Brossart looks so familiar, but she has only one other credit on IMDb and no Wikipedia page. 🤔

[@feinstei]

The producers of the album destroyed all unsold copies of both First Family albums (according to Wikipedia) after that fateful day.

[@danielgregg2530]

There were two?

[@blobydude420productions4]

Yes number 2 focuses more on songs

[@itorapadas]

Months later they ceased doing this gig.

[@libertyann439]

Number 2 really was trying too hard. Our country and Mr. Meader were to soon suffer a great loss.

[@jamesmarshall8836]

liberty Ann She was the only one to pronounce her name NYE-OH-MEE instead of NAY-OH-MEE.

[@metropromise5915]

I instantly knew it wasn't number two when she mispronounced Naomi as Nyomie.

[@floozzz-c7z]

help my last name is meader

[@faithmouse]

Theodore Bikel, Worf's dad.

[@getbent88]

and the murderer of Boss Hogg on an episode of Columbo.

[@robertbruce6865]

One of my all time favorite albums is “From Bondage To Freedom”. I sang “Scots Wha Hae” at my dad’s funeral in 2020...he named me in honor of Robert De Brus, King of Scots.

[@uranusimploding9830]

It's a shame that his career went away ...he would have been a good one to play JFK in movies ....

[@kikovazquez7277]

It was such an amazing phenomenon while it lasted. Vaughn Meader had to have other tricks up his sleeve in reserve, as even if the tragedy of Dallas had not occurred in 1963, he couldn't sustain fame and fortune for much longer relying exclusively on the JFK impersonation. He probably did have fresh material but he was unable to land on his feet despite the "First Family" fans having warm feelings for him.

[@user-kt1kb7rm7o]

NAOMI19631963

[@SFKelvin]

I got it right!

[@donaldmanthei1224]

The middle lady pronounced it Ni-o-me instead of Na-o-me. I wonder what that means.

[@MCO18]

#3 is HOT!

[@inkey2]

I always thought Salem and Cool tasted awful. Newport was by far the best tasting menthol cigarette

[@woodykelleher9253]

Wasn't Bud Collyer Superrman?

[@arpeggiomikey]

I believe so, in the radio serial.... 🤔🧐😁🙏

[@brober]

Kitty Carlisle was a personal friend of Jackie's

[@ralphadamo1857]

How personal?

[@dimbulb1178]

Sandy Barkin was cute!

[@woodykelleher9253]

#1 was actually kinda pretty.