This is Your Life: Minnie Pearl

Original NBC Network print with all original commercials as broadcast on May 1, 1957. With guests: Eddy Arnold, Pee Wee King.

[@mariannebonner2280]

I’m an Oncology Clinical Research RN. We conduct clinical research trials with the Sarah Cannon Cancer Research Institute located in Nashville, TN. Minnie Pearl (Sarah Cannon), who died from breast cancer, willed money for cancer research after her death. SCI is internationally recognized for its contributions in the field of cancer research.

[@Sabbathissaturday]

My grandmother was a Bonner. Ophelia (Minnie) died in 1996 from complications of a stroke.

[@Sabbathissaturday]

She was diagnosed with cancer in 1985 and underwent a double mastectomy. She recovered and continued to perform and do volunteer work with the American Cancer Society. In 1987, she received the American Cancer Society’s Courage Award; in 1992, she was among 13 recipients of a National Medal of Art.

[@jamesfox2579]

I'm currently being treated for cancer at the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute in Kansas, and God bless Sarah Cannon.💕

[@LesterMoore]

I recall as a young Marine, we enjoyed a small pass before continuing training and leaving for Vietnam. 3 of my partners decided to go to Hollywood to see the sights, all 3 coming from America's Midwest and deep South country towns. Upon their return I asked if they found any starlets. One replied, "no, Davis wanted to see Minnie Pearl." Apparently she was doing a show there and a young Marine wanted to see her live onstage. No starlets, no wild times at the Whiskey a go go, no stroll along the beach with a long haired surfer girl. Minnie Pearl was their reward. Now I'm envious of them. Ophelia was a beautiful woman with a gorgeous smile and clean vibrant humor. Hope they all got home safe. Long live the lovely memory of Ophelia as she kept 3 young Marines entertained at a poignant time in their lives.

[@matthewreichlin4993]

Oh, that's a great story. Thank you for sharing it.

[@onion6foot]

A few months after this show, I was born. Then, about 6 years later, my first grade deskmate and friend, Lee Bond, brought Minnie to Show and Tell. My family was treated to a night at the Opry. Still have Minnie's autograph on my late father's business card. We moved a lot...and were only in Nashville a year and a half, but this was a special memory.

[@barrycunningham3242]

What a lovely and talented woman!!

[@heywilbur]

One of my favorite stories from my 22 yrs in Nashville. As part of Del Reeves band we were hired to come out at the end of Ms.Minnie's set and play "You are My Sunshine" with her. I play piano and she would look over at me and said "Kick it off, young'un!". I was 22-23 years old (1977-78). At dinner backstage, she told me her sister married a Shouse, and that was her sister Dixie, married to James Washington "Wash" Shouse, that she mentions here around 21:00+. My last name is Shouse and through geneology I have confirmed we are related. She was SO bright and maybe the coolest lady I've ever met. Love and miss you Miss Sarah...

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Minnie Pearl was one the nicest and sweetest personalities in show business. She was the real deal!

[@mkptrsn]

When I was little she was on Hee Haw, and I would just wait for her scenes, usually with Grandpa (Jones?). She was really unique.

[@EBLLC]

Wasn’t this a nice show featuring Minnie Pearl! 😎 She was truly a wonderful, nice lady! We miss you, Minnie! See you in Heaven! 😇

[@JohnDoe-xl1qs]

She was cutting edge, funny and never insulted ANYONE

[@doogalloonni]

Probably my all time favorite personalty. There was just something about her... so sweet and charming. RIP Minnie.

[@blueskye6372]

My Black Family loved watching Minnie Pearl. Our Mother name was Minnie Myrtle. 👌💜📺🎬

[@JohnDoe-xl1qs]

My Orange Family liked her too

[@commercialzone4141]

Love the commercials! What a wonderful show.

[@jslasher1]

Whilst not a fan of country [referred to as 'country and western' back then] music, I always had a soft spot for Minnie Pearl whenever she appeared on TV. Happy to view this 1957 broadcast.

[@vcoaster]

My grandmother from North Carolina was a Minnie Pearl fan. I was too young to appreciate her - but she seems like she was a wonderfully nice lady.

[@davidfritz1331]

I've always admired how well Ralph Edwards consistently did his job. He had such time constraints and needed to keep things moving along, and yet I never saw him get cross or tense with anyone. He just moved things along with a smile. Always kept his cool, even though there was a lot of pressure for him to bring the show in under 30 minute, including throwing in all the required plugs for the show's sponsors..

[@January.]

*minutes

[@Farrah300]

She was and still is as far as I'm concerned, a National Treasure

[@SJ-ni6iy]

She lived a lot more life after this! It was always so sweet the way she said “I’m just so proud to be here” she was a wonderful character who seemed to have a great time.

[@garycarpenter2980]

This woman was one of a kind a real sweet classy lady a real funny lady she was great on Hee Haw and the other shows plus she was on Match Game,Carol Burnett and The Love Boat

[@Sabbathissaturday]

I miss this accent. This is how my grandmother and her siblings spoke. No one cursed back then, either. Edit: Minnie was 8 years older than my maternal grandmother. My paternal grandmother is still alive in her 90’s in 2020! 😯

[@LesterMoore]

May she have great health and happiness for many years more.

[@bonniebrown6960]

My grandmother looked and dressed similar to them too. She even had glasses like them. Like you said, she had the same accent and there was no cussing back in those days. My grandmother was really soft spoken though and she was a good Christian lady. I love her and miss her very much. Bless her heart, she never got to own her own house. Her and my grandfather were poor, but my grandmother raised seven children and she worked, kept her house clean, and was a wonderful cook too. My ole granddaddy like to drank too much and that wasn't fair to her to have to put up with all of that nonsense. The older I get the more I think about what she had to put up with. I feel sorry for any woman that has to deal with that. I'll always love Minnie Pearl. I remember going to the Ryman Auditorium twice and this was back before they started remodeling and repairing everything. I remember stand on the original stage and getting to go back to the dressing rooms. Even some of the stained glass window panes were still broken at that time. It smelt an old dusty book and like old wires burning. That's the only way I know how to explain it, but that was the most exciting thing.... was to stand where so many famous people like Minnie Pearl stood. It was almost haunting. I could just imagine all of those singers and entertainers being on that stage. It was magical.

[@steverector6850]

I had the honor of seeing her at the Opry one

[@breakfastsurreal5650]

Omg her mama was so sweet!!!!!

[@Farrah300]

When Minnie's Mama showed up, I got emotional. They truly must have had a very close mother/daughter relationship.

[@winnerscreed6767]

My first role model as a kid. Still amazed by her. She was top notch.

[@dalepatterson4405]

Love it

[@maxjohnson8025]

geez Minnie hit him hard

[@Farrah300]

Minnie was so funny in this episode. Love her so much!!!

[@JohnDoe-xl1qs]

thankyou...

[@williamdunphy352]

Claude Thompson was the head makeup man at NBC before Harry Blake.

[@nothing2seehere34]

This is the funniest episode I have seen yet. She/her guests ran right over him and it was much better.

[@johndaugherty7779]

What a beautiful woman! I believe that a hospital is named after her in Nashville (she may have even funded it--not sure).

[@Farrah300]

It was a cancer center specifically I believe.

[@NashvilleNative3113]

The Sarah Cannon Cancer Center is still here in Nashville, TN.

[@Farrah300]

i wish they had mentioned Rod Brasfield as he was Minnie Pearl's comedy partner on the Grand Ole Opry.

[@Farrah300]

She wanted to be a serious actress, but soon found out comedy was her true calling.

[@karlakor]

The man introduced as Peewee, at 22:50, is George Gobel! It took me a few seconds to recognize him, but his voice is unmistakable. I had no idea he had ever played the country circuit.

[@CatherineBurk]

Sorry to disagree but the man at 22:50 was Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski born in Abrams, Wisconsin, better known by his stage name Peewee King the song writer of the State song of Tennessee the Tennessee Waltz.

[@jamesfox2579]

@@CatherineBurk Correct!!

[@MrJoeybabe25]

Oh, man...it cut off before the end! Do you have the whole show?

[@manofmanyinterests]

That IS the entire episode. The episode ran long and was cut off by NBC at the end of it's allotted time.

[@January.]

@@manofmanyinterests *its allotted time

[@FrankIsAlwaysRight]

Let me guess…Minnie went to Harvard and later Oxford…

[@lpiscesl246]

Yeah she is actually related to me so get rekt

[@maureenmccullagh5873]

was this shown on TV because it says not for broadcast

[@jeffjoseph5755]

Yes, it was broadcast. The "Not For Broadcast" is put there by us so that people can't use the KZbin version for professional purposes.

[@maureenmccullagh5873]

@@jeffjoseph5755 ok thank you for replying

[@MrJoeybabe25]

They needed the industrial make-up for good old Minnie!

[@ellariel7457]

In her real life, she was a family friend, and hearing her mother speak sounds just like having my beloved Granny back in the room. Many reasons to watch this, but - dayenu! - that one alone would have been enough for me. ❤️🥲 (Not close enough to make the show, obviously! LOL Mom and Granny both played bridge with Ophelia, or Mrs. Cannon, as I knew her, and she was between their ages. All three were alums of Ward-Belmont School in Nashville - now Belmont College).