You Bet Your Life #57-01 Lena & Mercedes, the confusing Portuguese sisters ('Food', Sep 26, 1957)

This show's a real classic. Here we meet Lena & Mercedes, who would were so entertaining that Groucho invited them to return the next week after they botched the quiz. Lena & Mercedes have a habit of talking very fast and finishing each other sentences, making it almost impossible for Groucho to understand what they're trying to say much of the time. His reactions are very funny, as are the sisters themselves. What's surprising is that they're not identical twins, but they could almost pass for it, both in their looks and in their strange seemingly psychic connection with each other. In fact they're not even fraternal twins, having been born 2 years apart!
COUPLE #1: Gizelle D'Arc / Danny Tyrell, vacuum cleaner salesman and aspiring Irish tenor
COUPLE #2: Sisters: Lena Perriera / Mercedes White
-----------------------------------
Click here to subscribe to the YBYL channel, where you'll find well over a hundred complete episodes you can't find anywhere else, as well as some rare Burns and Allen material that doesn't really belong there:
/ @grouchomarx-youbetyou...
New Facebook group for You Bet Your Life! If you've already been sucked into the Facebook vortex, you might as well check it out, right? www.facebook.c...
----------------------------------
Episode identification and basic description based on "Tell 'em Groucho Sent You", © 1997 by Mark Petty. Used by permission.

[@jackmackenzie2482]

Groucho all his life was ahead of the curve!! He had the funniest, quickest wit ever! I love watching these priceless episodes!

[@oreostrelos]

“Imagine some fella marrying this girl and then finding out 6 months later that she’s also a good cook.” Such a funny line. Groucho was brilliant at this.

[@Awibrahor]

If you ever lose faith in humanity, watch this show and you’ll be thoroughly uplifted.

[@retiredmusiceducator3612]

really? Two ladies who can't agree on anything...?

[@pfflyer3381]

I have 86 shows on vhs, I've carried around since the late 70s . helped me though many day's !

[@moorbilt]

@@pfflyer3381see if any of those tapes are not already upload by this channel because we are missing episodes of this show.

[@pfflyer3381]

@@moorbilt Grouch's channel as more shows then I have.. mine are with the nbc logo covered and the Christian Broadcast Network logo on it and they've cut alot. Be glad to send them to a po box . One tape has half of a bill Cosby show with wally cox. I only have a phone as a computer.

[@chrishorwege1433]

Lena and Mercedes were hilarious. Groucho showed genuine kindness by inviting the sisters back the following week for a chance to win some money

[@keithnaylor1981]

Felt so sorry for the two women who lost. What Groucho did next moved me to tears. What an incredible guy!

[@beatmet2355]

Props to Groucho for keeping it together with the sisters. They were something else! 😤😡😂

[@lancebaker1374]

Danny Tyrell should sing his vacuum cleaner sales pitch. Who could resist buying from him?

[@marcelodaimi1887]

Imagine if her husband finds out 6 months later she is also a good cook .

[@jhbluestar]

This has got to be my favorite episode! I couldnt stop laughing. I sure miss Groucho!

[@poopypants814]

I have tears of laughter from this episode

[@bobs182]

Did you like the one with Pedro Gonzalez?

[@iraqafghanistanmarine6905]

I wish I was alive then and had passed away before knowing the world of today.

[@gonesideways6621]

Their world was one hundred fold tougher than ours, these were people who lived thru Great Flu pandemic, then Depression which lasted for ten years and then to follow WW II that is why these people are called the Greatest Generation.

[@TheoHockeyton]

Lena and Mercedes stole the show. They were an absolute delight !

[@tomgraves6463]

Oh how I wish NBC had recorded the tremendously terrific talkative twins in suitable stereo surround sound. 😃

[@jimmiedee2315]

It's so great that you're posting these. I heard they existed, but I wondered whether I'd ever get to see them. Thanks much! Groucho is laugh-out-loud funny. I betrayed my age by not using lol.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

This show needs to be back in reruns!

[@jimmiedee2315]

I already own a copy of The Lost Episodes, and watching these got me in the mood to order the other "best of" set from Shout Factory, just yesterday.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

This always delights me when I read it. You're not the first one to go looking for the Shout! Factory sets after seeing some of the shows here. They're both great sets, the only good DVDs out there for the series.

[@jimmiedee2315]

I've owned the Shout! Factory "Lost Episodes" 18-episode set, since its release. The episode featuring future character actor Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez has got to be most everyone's all time favorite. Absolutely roll-on-the-floor hilarious. Pedro's facial expressions are priceless!

[@elletrev8687]

I could watch this 2 ladies everyday...I think there so funny..actually I think I do watch this episode everyday lol...I think there so cute..the way they talk to each other sure makes me wish I had had a sister.

[@poetcomic1]

Danny Tyrell is too happy. The only time I was ever THAT happy I was on something.

[@seansmith3058]

He's in paddyface.

[@rogerwhiteneck8832]

Love this show Groucho marx is great.

[@franciscoserrano7313]

Love Groucho Marx and his wittiness. I've enjoyed many segments, but this is by far my favorite These beautiful women were funny, entertaining and so enjoyable. What a comedy act. Would love to know if they came on other episodes. I'm still laughing.

[@dianewinnicki8115]

Wonderful FUNNY show. Thanks for posting

[@mickeyray3793]

Omg...the two double-talking sisters are hilarious.😅😮😅

[@noeljokait]

Is it me but Danny Tyrell sounds a lot like Mrs. Doubtfire !! LOL

[@witchamacallit]

Without a hint of a Belfast accent probably from much further south

[@brunneng38]

Giselle was absolutely stunning.

[@googleyeyes5122]

Mercedes: I don't know what you're talking about. 😂

[@FrugalFarmerChannel]

These ladies are absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!

[@ElaMongrella]

Mercedes' face when Groucho asked if she was fatter. I don't think she got his "Lena" joke.

[@mattmexor2882]

That was Lena. Lena was fatter. And Lena was upset. She got the joke she just didn't like the suggestion that she was fatter 😄

[@jazzmanchgo]

There was an old novelty song, sung by a man affecting a German accent -- "Have you seen my Lena? Ooh, ja, ja! She is fat, fat Lena! Ooh, ja, ja! . . ." A friend of mine who was a record collector had the original 78. I'm guessing it came from an old Vaudeville routine, and I bet that's what Groucho was referring to -- it wasn't just a pun on "leaner."

[@billyshepard5514]

That joke today would get groucho fired

[@cubanbach]

THOSE sisters were HYSTERICAL!!!!!♥♥♥

[@ajsmith5295]

And the people that run down Americans look at this show such beautiful people brilliant programme

[@Michele0403]

Too funny !!! Those 2 women look like twins.... but they are just sisters, a couple years apart in age....

[@ajsmith5295]

Man that girl from Paris beautiful

[@sonicsabbath]

I can't believe those 2 girls aren't twins - it would make it more understandable

[@steverudder3321]

I grew up in the Artesia/Cerritos Ca area 1970's! 😁👍🇺🇸

[@papagen00]

in 2024 that area is all Asian and Hispanic now.

[@palecap]

In Hawaii those from Portuguese background are said to be nonstop talkers.

[@ajsmith5295]

These are pure American people meaning people from different countries that's what America is built of beautiful people

[@jimmiedee2315]

Danny Tyrell had a nice voice, but I am more interested in what Giselle D'Arc would have sounded like. She was a gifted soprano with a five-octave range, often performing at Notre-Dame in Paris, plus she had a run at The Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. She had a brief acting career from 1956 to 1958, appearing in mostly bit roles, including a couple of episodes on The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show. She quit acting to start a family, but continued singing. She was a songwriter for the cult classic horror film Voodoo Woman. The sisters were hilarious! I thought the elder of the two looked the youngest, but I may be confused.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

Was she Ronnie's French girlfriend in a few season 6 episodes of Burns & Allen?

[@jimmiedee2315]

I'm aware of two episodes with Giselle D'Arc from Season 6, both of which I've seen. She first appeared in a background role in episode 33 "Back From Paris" as a Woman With Two Lovers, neither of which was Ronnie. Five episodes later (38) in "The Triple Surprise Party", she appeared as Jeanette. I don't recall her role in the story, but the gorgeous Lisa Gaye got a higher billing, so my guess would be that Lisa was his love interest.....but then again, you know Ronnie.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

Ah, I can guess who "woman with two lovers" was. She was in the opening scene of the episode, in a scene set in in a sidewalk cafe in Paris. As I recall, she had no lines! I'd have to refresh my memory on the other episode.

[@jimmiedee2315]

I wanted to mention that she had no lines, but I wasn't sure. I think you're probably right. The audio closing credit, as I recall, was "the three lovers were played by.....". I was pretty much responsible for putting that series in order from Season 3 on, over at IMDb. That's why I can remember stuff like this.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

Really? How interesting-- I've never tried to edit info in imdb. From what I've been told, it's a major pain. But that's great that you got the info on the B&A series in order. It's been one of my all time favorites since I was a kid. Now let's see you straighten out YBYL on the imdb! :)

[@FF11Freshstep]

absolutely great jimmy thanks!

[@jhbluestar]

anyone know if the show where these two sisters came back is available to watch? They were so funny I just have to see what they did next. Groucho was wondedrful, I wish we had him back. Watching these shows you cant help but laugh. Hollywood lost when they cancelled his show. I bet he keeps the Angels laughing!

[@retiredmusiceducator3612]

and how do you suppose he is keeping any angels happy? I am curious...

[@marc7491]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYHYZmN-mK1pbZo

[@montanakid]

That was one lucky cowboy.

[@11UncleBooker22]

Poor Danny gave that 500.00 bucks to his wife to visit a sick "Uncle" in Canada and he never saw her or his son again…..true story.

[@jchapman8248]

Oh my, what a terrible thing to do to a spouse! What a dreadful woman she was. But then again, there are two sides to the story. Danny's obvious mannerisms were rather effeminate. Perhaps he was a closet homosexual and she wanted no part of that lifestyle and high tailed it to Canada never to return to "protect her son". Or maybe that sick "uncle" was her new beau and she preferred him to poor Danny. Then again, maybe all the above, God only knows. It was the 50s after all.

[@sandragailgoudelock1531]

You're kidding! How depressing!

[@lakemaniac]

How on earth do you know that?

[@kathyvarela2215]

Wow That's so sad 😩🥺There are 2 sides to each story. Maybe she couldn't get back into the USA.Ofcourse he would have moved there if she let him hopefully 😡🤞

[@magnificent6668]

How depressing, even if he was a bit of a twinkle toes...

[@jean2479]

The twins talking at the same time! Annoying. Groucho makes it funny though! LOL!!

[@masercot]

I would hate to be the guy who came on Groucho's show with the pretty girl...

[@mariocordeiro8728]

Grocho to the guy so you got a husband out front ahaa he is a riot 😆

[@Eddie_Schantz]

Those two sister's must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle. I never saw anything like it.

[@Steve27775]

Love these.

[@mariocordeiro8728]

Really i thought you were a Swedish Baritone 😆

[@LiveNLove29]

Those two sisters are awfully cute and funny! I wonder if they're still living?!

[@FaridShahidinejad]

I'm sure they're dead

[@marions.120]

Portuguese women are hilarious, who live in a town full of them!

[@gilgamess]

Having a wonderful time with these episodes. I cannot verify it, but there is a record called "Let's Walk, Let's Talk", a rock and roll record by Danny Tyrell and the Clee-Shays from 1958 that sounds quite a bit like this fellow, down to the timbre of his voice and the accent.

[@moorbilt]

The episode is a trip down a hare’s hole

[@mariocordeiro8728]

Grocho: so you were only 12 when you met this fella girls: not we were 12 ahaaa 😆

[@kevinjudy5739]

Lovely girls.. . Imagine, 5 kids and husband out of work..

[@trxxxtr]

Man I would've loved to have lived back then. The women were classy and you didn't see them going around shaking their asses and actually had class. Everyone did then. Look at today and its impossible not to shake your head when thinking about how shitty things are now. Living back then or the 80s would be perfect. 80s was pretty awesome! Haha

[@parsonscarlson7984]

Ain't it the truth! Today's headline to describe modern dress and mannerisms is, "The Human Freak Show" published by The Abnormal Times. I was born in the late 50s, too young to remember them, and lived thru the 80s, but there has always been and will always be a mixture of both good and bad. Today, however, things have hit an all time low as the devil has turned things upside down, but as it says in Isaiah 5:20, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Parsons Carlson

[@swagobill]

i bet Danny sold lots of Kirby's

[@raymonddenvir9979]

incredibly funny

[@mariocordeiro8728]

And your friend over here doesn't deserve anything 😆

[@moorek1967]

Is this the same Giselle d'Arc who was in the movie Voodoo Woman?

[@SrVP100]

I looked Giselle d'Arc up on IMDb. She was the one in Voodoo Woman, also as a singer and songwriter. Under the "Tivia" section it says that she was a contestant on "You Bet Your Life".

[@FaridShahidinejad]

Yes

[@oldhippie81]

Yes and shes still alive in 2021

[@declamatory]

Schopenhauer didn't know what he was talking about.

[@nealsausen4651]

That’s quite an “ACT” Those two sisters I’ve got going! Do you suppose they were professionals?!

[@mattmexor2882]

It doesn't seem exceedingly rare for some sisters to do that finishing each others' sentences thing growing up, for social reasons, not having anything to do with a money-making act. The other ones I've seen on TV have been twins. I have a vague recollection of a pair that claimed to have a psychic connection and used it as a sort of scam, but maybe I'm misremembering. Wonder how much such a thing is influenced by seeing it on TV, then trying it for themselves. Of course only the most kooky actually make it something they continue to do.

[@nealsausen4651]

@@mattmexor2882 ;Yes : that’s very interesting Thank you for your Comment, makes a lot of sense they were funny though

[@Draugluin999]

French girl has a good personality cute girl

[@seansmith3058]

It's like a Robert Altman movie.

[@havanese1]

The sister were terribly annoying!!!

[@moorek1967]

I am not sure, but one of them said they had been married 13 years, and that she is 27....so the girl married at 14?

[@elletrev8687]

yup sure sounds like it...she said she met her hubby at 14 wow, then she said like 3 months later they got married...dang.

[@zarabada6125]

No, the one who is 29 has been married almost 13 years, so she would have been either 16 or 17.

[@MrRotaryrockets]

Mercedes is a about 1 1/2 seconds faster than Lena..Funny

[@cd637299]

Could you imagine if Lena & Mercedes were married to Bob & Ray? :D

[@stevencohn922]

Practically every show he always asks the contestants if they are married, if not he tries to play matchmaker with the male/female contestants and he seems to lust after any young beauties!!

[@ajsmith5295]

Fair play to you

[@trxxxtr]

Well did they come back and do you have the episode?

[@lancebaker1374]

Each sister will try to beat the other at answering the other's question. It's as if each one thinks the other incapable of answering her own question. I'm sure they both enjoy getting beaten at answering their own questions, but if my brother did that to me 10 times in 5 minutes, I would walk off the stage and let him take over completely.

[@johnhancock8556]

oh shit, i knew the last one.

[@donaldpype7018]

9 it it is !!!!!!!!

[@mariocordeiro8728]

Let's go around once more (woman kissing all the men)

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

That first girl sounds like an American who is trying to put on a foreign accent. Clearly her root language is American-English not French regardless of where she was born.

[@ambiakhamaly9950]

Poor Groucho marx those sisters were too much 4 me 2 bare they Were annoying

[@godcandy108]

Ambia Khamaly and they came back next week

[@deltabilly1]

Actually, no one is buried in Grant's tomb; it's a tomb, not a grave!

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

Okay so just removed the word buried

[@ManInTheBigHat]

Danny would have liked a husband in the audience.

[@vleldaddio210]

Bootylicious !!!

[@schiacciatrollo]

he stated what? 'you are the fatter one' ,-D gosh

[@mariocordeiro8728]

You're married well that's a same

[@charleswinokoor6023]

You misspelled Lena’s last name. The correct spelling is Perreira.

[@Maria-cx3ys]

Nope. Pereira and it means pear tree.

[@jdion79]

i thought you were a swedish baritone

[@christinadavis2132]

The internal tramp generally annoy because ankle concordingly harass minus a illegal range. stupendous, longing blinker

[@freddyfurrah3789]

They are ANNOYING