The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski 1985 ( Jean Shepherd )

Jean Shepherd narrates his story of alter ego, Ralph Parker's, infatuation with an exotic, Polish neighbor girl, Josephine Cosnowski.. The old man has his eye on a used Buick, and Randy has to portray a turkey in a school holiday pageant. This rarely seen giving offering from Jean Shepherd, set during Thanksgiving, was made for the PBS series, American Playhouse. It originally aired in February 1985. The transfer to DVD was made from my first generation SLP recorded VHS tape to a consumer grade DVD recorder..
My thanks and appreciation to J. Clement for his artful restoration and repair of this significant program. Also for the encoding of the mp4 file, optimized for KZbin in January and February of 2013.This encode replaces all previous versions. (fe)

[@Peter-pv8xx]

I have to watch this every Thanksgiving, like watching Alistair Sims A Christmas Carol, the best one.

[@tomzeeh6618]

I like Reginald Owen, too.

[@LandondeeL]

This is to Thanksgiving what Shep's ACS is to Christmas!

[@abbynormal7036]

Somewhere a fine fellow found the lovely Josephine Cosnowski and made her a good husband. She in turn gave him 3 children and lots of love and good food. Ralph was a dope.

[@davidlong1786]

Aren't we all at some point in our lives? Ahhhh to be able to go back and correct our mistakes.

[@michaelmakes1225]

It was too soon for Ralphie...the church social put him over the edge..."Howie, get the diaper bag" did it..

[@Thekarlskorner]

True Shepherd delight at it's best. Growing up in the Chicago area is just as Shepherd portrays it here in this gem of a movie. Thank you for sharing it.

[@jodipurdy-quinlan8625]

This was a fun one to work on back in the day - I am the 'one in the middle' walking down the street in the Polish neighborhood between 8:05 and 8:40!! Fun times!! Wish it was a little lighter!!

[@Finispshellnut]

Thanks Jodi, how very cool!

[@mamboman46]

Thanks for posting! I've been looking for this for years! I lost my copy in a house fire in 1991..Thank you Thank you! Sheer comic genius.

[@henrynevins1]

Thanks for making this available for Shep fans everywhere to enjoy, and for those who didn't grow up listening to him on the radio, to appreciate his wit and humor aimed at youth - his loyal following. I saw Jean twice at Princeton University for his annual show. Also got to meet and walk with him out to his car that he drove out to the show in. The car was an old dumpy looking foreign made convertible, just like the one Columbo drove in the TV series. Walking with him he was a very down to Earth regular guy and happy to answer anything I asked. One comment which sadly burst my bubble, having listened to him on the radio for years speak about his childhood friends Flick, Schwartz and Bolous, Shep said to me that they didn't exist. They are characters he made up, that were meant to be typical of most childhood friends people knew. I suppose that's logical from a professional story teller, how he wanted to be known, but I just wanted to believe that all those great stories were true. Sad that he's still not around. Jean's made for TV movie about his senior prom is priceless, better than "A Christmas Story", yet it's never shown, why?

[@Finispshellnut]

henry nevins Thanks you fathead!

[@justinm2037]

+henry nevins say it aint so i thought schwartz died in ww2

[@Finispshellnut]

Henry Nevins Shep has said various things about his friends over his career. It is pretty certain that Flick really existed as well as Schwartz. And as far as this movie not being seen. WGBH has all his PBS output but don't seem interested in re-issuing it. This was from my vhs copy and was painstakingly remastered by a gentleman in Texas that took an interest. It is far from perfect, but probably the best copy around.

[@tenchimasake]

Apparently all of his stuff was semi-autobiographical only. It's really weird how A Christmas Story is so revered and is a modern classic which is endlessly broadcast on TV every year and so beloved, and yet Jean Shepherd remains virtually unknown. None of these TV specials made a splash as neither did the sequel to A Christmas Story which came out a decade later and even had the same director. To be fair I guess it was a combination of different factors that made A Christmas Story a hit.

[@phoebecatgirl9968]

I LOVE the Jean Shepherd stories!! Have re-read "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories", "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash", "A Fist-full of Fig Newtons" and "Phantom of the Open Hearth" many times! I'm reading "Shep's Army" right now, a first-time ever publication of his descriptions of his Stateside rime during his WWII requirement in the Army. His anecdotal humor is addicting - it's something I can relate to, even though my childhood and teen years were some 20 years after his. The basics of those years are illuminated throughout his works.

[@m10bob22]

Several years ago I contacted the management of PBS Boston (who had the Jean Shepherd films), and they refused to either consider re-releasing them, nor offer them for purchase. I reminded them WE taxpayers are forced to help fund NPR/PBS with our tax dollars...and they certainly do NOT feel any sort of obligation to their "captured donors". The wife and I live on a VERY fixed income, retired and in our seventies...and while I have been able to show the Mrs the REAL Jean Shepherd boyhood home in Hammond, Indiana, maybe 120 miles from here...we cannot enjoy the works of that man...(even though PBS ALWAYS claims they owe the programming to "VIEWERS LIKE YOU"...)

[@joebobjones2238]

And yet ironically it is a battle over copyright, money and private interests that has kept the catalogue from release, not public broadcasting. WGBH would happily release the films if they could.

[@mariaelenafuentes180]

Thank you so much for uploading this! My dad has been raving about this movie for years and I'm so happy to surprise him with this on Christmas!

[@TheAskTrixieChannel]

I just gave this link to Josephine herself, Katherine Kamhi - she didn't know this was on KZbin! I think you made her day! :)

[@jasonrusso9808]

Probably still a walking dream.

[@Peter-pv8xx]

Watching on thanksgiving day 2019, I wish the hissing could be cleaned up.

[@Bignosebastard]

And the Masters sit in a PBS vault,what a disgrace.

[@recoswell]

probably music rights issues like with great american 4th, they used music without permission from jaws and a few other places.

[@tomzeeh6618]

Probably a legal thing, maybe a PBS thing, too. I wish someone would make quality Shep movies available; you don't have to produce a million copies: just do like Warner Brothers Archives - special order kinda thing. That's how I got DVDs of Gordon Scott Tarzan movies. But thank God these are available on youtube.

[@kidmack1121]

No, I'd bet there's another reason. Because they have been doing this since the early to mid 1990's with just about everything they've shown.

[@greenmonsterprod]

There are bootleg copies floating around...but you didn't hear that from me.

[@michaelmakes1225]

For all its humor, there are moments of honest and disarming sentiment too...the last scene,late night picking at Thanksgiving leftovers, then going off to bed..the narration at the fade, about Time being a grey shadow that pursues us all , but it can't take those memories, they are forever.. something is in my eye, excuse me😢

[@epl3600]

Thanks very much for sharing this - I have been looking for it for years since my old VHS tape deteriorated. All these Jean Shepherd American Playhouse shows should be available - like this a nice legible version.

[@Finispshellnut]

He was a great humorist. I hope to see all his filmed work re-released too.

[@alraspberry4327]

I was a beta internet back in the 1980's and a trove of Jean Shepherd's tapes appeared and I downloaded them and held them discretely, he was still alive. When I thought it was safe I uploaded to the Internet archive and discovered someone had done the same before me but with fewer tags. Excelsior, you fatheads!

[@johnlester3385]

Seltzer bottles

[@99RiverSt]

I can so relate. From 12-15, the quest for the Polish Queen was on. On Sunday's I'd take the El and then a trolley to the Polish neighborhood and loiter round the 'other worldly' cathedrals waiting for the parade of good catholic girls to head back home and make cabbage rolls and perogies for the family nd then gravitate outside to list to their transistor radios. Beatrice, in her post church dress. Man, that was living!

[@DoktorKlaus666]

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm a huge Shep fan and I've been looking for it for over 20 years!

[@Finispshellnut]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@scorpiocat69]

I'm this kid, see...and there's a part of town called; "The Hollow", see...and there was a little storefront that had a sign: "KIELBASA"....a Russian Orthodox Church stood in the background, with a huge dome-like steeple, which we referred to as: "The Onion Church"....you get the rest dont'cha? Anyway, Thanks for posting. FLICK LIVES!

[@alraspberry4327]

Got to love Shep. There is a nice collection of his radio shows in Internet Archive, You're welcome. Ha ha ha

[@Finispshellnut]

I heartily recommend this books to Shep fans old and new.. Shep's army stories are some of his favorite among his radio fans. Finally the stories that Shep wanted to publish but never got around to see the light of day..

[@Gold_gyrl]

Thank you so much

[@walterglowacki2185]

I remember the first time this played on T.V. Shep was spot on the way the Polish people lived in there home I had a Polish uncle who lived just that way in Camden N.J.in the late fifties !

[@stevenkalble3081]

Ralph: “Your stuffed cabbage smells delicious....” Josephine: “You should taste my perigees....”

[@arthurjackson6395]

Pierogi

[@RobMacKendrick]

Anybody else feel sorry for Josephine? Dude couldn't just have a conversation with her, get things straight? (Don't get me wrong, I was young once too, and Ralph's disappearing act wasn't too far from my speed either. But I wish I'd been a better person.)

[@michaelmakes1225]

A finsl irony..Pete Kowanko, who plays Ralph,is the ONLY cast member with a possibly Polish name..😊

[@kierondec]

Ah, Polish girls....

[@SecretTimeWarp]

0:00-0:10 - Note the odd and seemingly out-of-place snippet from the score of "The Man With The Golden Gun"!

[@halloweenhaunt3121]

And a snippet from “Ragtime”.

[@vinkoivomilicdiaz6932]

©1985 WGBH Educational FoundationThis is a production of WGBH, which is solely responsible for its content.

[@genesclean1]

Happy Birthday Shep ! and there's a new book Shep’s Army: Bummers, Blisters, & Boondoggles,” was edited by Eugene Bergmann.

[@EqualOpportunityDestoroya]

They sure like to use the Jaws theme in these Jean Shepherd specials.

[@russphilly]

Jean SheP!!! yeS!!

[@lazlow8788]

Poor Ralphie, he always finds himself is some kind of predicament. I almost got into a situation like this a few years ago and I haven't dated anyone since. My old man says I'm better off not getting involved with women.

[@IamReallySanta]

Ho ho ho. Your old man is right

[@MrAquinas1]

Had to run out and get some pierogies after watching this.

[@vinkoivomilicdiaz6932]

Anita Sangiolo also narrated WGBH's NOVA episode "The Miracle Of Life" (released 1982, first aired in 1983)

[@POLMAZURKA]

its oberek dance music from Opoczno:

[@johnprovince5304]

Its said that after WWII German prisoners in Poland were dragged home kicking and screaming.

[@joebobjones2238]

I seem to remember that in the book, the Cosnowskis left town in embarrassment after Ralphie abandoned Josie. It's been years, though. Am I mistaken? I was kinda looking forward to that in the film, I have somehow missed this one all these years.

[@tomzeeh6618]

Just read the story today. Josie didn't move away. Ralph said he didn't see much of her afterwards because he was wearing sunglasses at school and sneaking home after school in the dark through the cellar window.

[@joebobjones2238]

@@tomzeeh6618 Thank you! It's been too long. I need to put down the screen and pick up the books.

[@Wildcock23]

Does anyone know what that piece of music that starts @13:40 is?

[@horsecorpse]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2muY5t8iJ6sZ9k

[@horsecorpse]

It's like 40 seconds into the cue

[@Wildcock23]

@@horsecorpse It sure is! Thank you!

[@horsecorpse]

@@Wildcock23 my pleasure!

[@michaelmakes1225]

Music not known, but the shot of Ralph's bare feet in the night, a few seconds before, brings to mind a scene in The Wolf Man,as Larry Talbot transforms and begin to stalk...if that was intentional,👍😆😆

[@wuzzlebottom]

Does anyone have Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss? One of my favorites.

[@kathleenrobertson67]

Yes! It's a Disney property now..

[@alexroberts2328]

@wuzzlebottom a few people have uploaded it on KZbin

[@wuzzlebottom]

@@alexroberts2328 Thanks!

[@genesclean1]

I wrote a review for amazon about Gene Bergmann's book- I love Shep's army stories...I still tell people to "Pick up dem gravels rom between dem pebbels"

[@kevinjokipii4260]

Minor point: If Ralph played sousaphone in the school band, how did he get out of playing with the band for the basketball game and get to sit in the stands ?

[@tomzeeh6618]

In my day (high school in the 60s, only a small pep band would play at basketball games. Ralph played football at Hohman, so he must not have been in the marching band but in the school orchestra instead. It's fun to discuss these characters and their histories!

[@leesheppard6043]

My high school band never played for basketball games.

[@leachimleedo7853]

They lived in the basement! Her father had a beard! omg

[@phyfell001]

"Washington could be atom bombed, and it wouldn't make the papers during the high school state tournament finals!" Classic.

[@pika23]

Fuzz head looks like my Dottie Jean

[@fmsyntheses]

I dislike that so much media explores the primal instincts underlying the approaches of men and women to the courtship ritual, while failing to provide guidance for how to moderate and express those instincts properly. This is still excellent, though.

[@sardu55]

Mine was with a Dutch girl from Munster.

[@jorgejetsound9957]

Jean shepherd should Have Had His/her Acting Genes Together, Espeacialy With SEQUILS ! Now We Have aNother Diversity !

[@Finispshellnut]

Right!

[@michaelmakes1225]

The old man drank pickle juice from the jar...

[@MooseCall]

It's very good for you.

[@Richard_K1630]

I thought "Jean" was a woman's name.

[@Peter-pv8xx]

Richard K Nope, just like Merrill, Marion Carroll and many others, some people used to confuse him with Jean Shepard the country singer, but his last name was spelled Shepherd.

[@Finispshellnut]

Not if you're French or have French relatives

[@leesheppard6043]

Lots of 80s hair styles on the females. Too bad these films didnt have any money to work with.

[@phoebecatgirl9968]

"rime"= TIME, sorry!