You Bet Your Life #57-25 Sammy Cahn / The Private Life of George Fiddeman (Mar 13, 1958)

COUPLE #1: Louise Pierson (columnist) & Sammy Cahn (famed songwriter)
COUPLE #2: Sandee Silen & Delores Olson
The segment with Sammy Cahn is a treat, but for me the real highlight of this show is when Delores Olson mistakenly refers to George Fenneman as "Mr. Fiddeman". Groucho uses this ripe opportunity to humiliate Fenneman yet again, this time accusing him of making up an alias.
Many thanks to viewer James C. for sending me his copy of this episode!
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Episode identification and basic description based on "Tell 'em Groucho Sent You", © 1997 by Mark Petty. Used by permission.

[@keithnaylor1981]

Imagine being able to write Let It Snow and Three Coins in the Fountain and still have a head full of more songs! What a guy!

[@rrrogster]

This show was very special. Seeing Sammy Cahn (Cohen) with Groucho was really great. Some of the classic Christmas ballads were written by guys like this. Almost everyone knows "Let it Snow". I watched the part where Sammy and Julius sang together several times. Priceless.

[@bennyjazzful]

WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From a mad keen 75yo Aussie fan. Sammy Cahn wrote some of these tunes,plus lots more. " Three Coins In The Fountain--All The Way--High Hopes--Call Me Irresponsible--I've Heard That Song Before I'll Walk Alone--It's Magic--Be My Love--( Love Is ) The Tender Trap--The Second Time Around---My Kind Of Town Come Dance With Me--Day By Day--Let It Snow,Let It Snow,Let It Snow--Time After Time--Love & Marriage " What a musical genius...

[@jimlaguardia8185]

John Benn Sammy wrote lyrics, not music. So, he was a lyrical genius, not a musician. This separation between music and lyrics started to disappear in 60s, primarily because of Beatles, who crossed the divide.

[@darknessanddistance4469]

so did Sammy Cahn. The Divide was not that great of a wall. Especially with songwriting team, and Sammy teamed with many, The Lyricist helped with the music and the composer house with the lyrics and somehow they both hope together and come up with something fantastic. Can you credit a song with each phrase divided or each word giving credit to separate writers?

[@madelschmadel]

Oh wow. Good to know. Bei Mir Bist Du Schön, too.

[@rachelk7555]

Never heard of any of them.

[@mariangelasp1168]

@@rachelk7555 you must be from a different era,. I am but Ido recognize some o the songs are mot extremely old, like " love and marriage" I think that is the song for the Married with children sitcom from the late 80s.

[@thomassant2154]

Sammy sure did write a lot of hits back in the day...many still known today.

[@henrybrowne7248]

"Married with Children" theme, very popular sitcom in the 1980s.

[@christopherkloe6442]

Thx, ths i a very fun episode. Fenneman is deinitely one of the best straight men ever.

[@Tervahattu]

I found these 2 months ago and now I listen these episodes over and over again. Groucho really was the best . Amazing thing is that Grouchos granson Andy Marx is the one who saved these shows for future generations.

[@SteveB776]

I love to watch the shows, too.... Groucho was one of the all time funniest guys!! I get a huge kick out of his "takes" when he gives the audience a look.... Cracks everyone up. I appreciate the show now so much more than back then, when as kids we laughed, but now we notice the facial expressions, etc.

[@gilbertotongco1054]

I discovered Groucho Marx quiz show a week ago. And I watch it maybe 12 hours a day. To keep me company and happy

[@mariangelasp1168]

I am adding myself to the list of new viewers. I found these videos a few months ago. I watch them whenever I have a chance during the day, but I watch it mostly at night to help me go to sleep. All episodes are good, I lean some thing new from the quizzes every time. watching Groucho sure does keep me going, and lift me up my spirit when I feel down.

[@evalu3260]

Thank you Andy Marx.

[@Blackfive1945]

@@gilbertotongco1054 Watching from Scotland .Groucho is a master of the quick quips

[@violetnewby]

Groucho loved giving everyone a tough time! It's fun to see him razzing George!

[@geoffhennessy275]

I was suprised when the woman said she was born on Adams St. Quincy MA. Very nice street. Lived there all my life.

[@kaw5824]

Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Huesen did win the academy award for best song of the year 1958 with the song "All the way."

[@SteveB776]

A great version of which was recorded by Francis Albert Sinatra, of Hoboken, New Jersey.....

[@SueProv]

Thank you for sharing this. I was going to look it up.

[@marangelasp7462]

I am surprised to see that this video does not have more views. I love these videos; I learn a lot from the quizzes too. You got to applaud George; he had to put up with a lot of Grouchos jokes, he looked like a good descent guy. I will keep watching it really makes my day happier.

[@eddylauterback1312]

Look up george on the tom snyder late show.

[@patfromamboy]

You misspelled decent. Sorry

[@charlespinion2439]

I 22:55 22:55 22:57 in😮😮😮it 😮

[@stephenvincent4989]

Two very special talents - In Sammy Kahn a classic lyric writer and in Groucho a truly great Comedian

[@gretchenthies4909]

My folks would sings songs to me, love it, thanks Sammy Cahn.

[@poetcomic1]

Sammy Cahn wrote 'It's Been A Long, Long Time' in only ELEVEN MINUTES At the end of WWII the boys came home and danced to this with their girls. It was THE song of the greatest generation coming home.

[@BeingRomans829ed]

Some people from 50's and 60's TV seem like such nice folks, like Shirley Booth, for example. George Fenneman fits that category. Seems like such a nice gentleman. Just a good ol' boy.

[@CamhiRichard]

My mom used to say that George Fennemen looked like a wax doll. It wasn't a put down, it's just that he had a smooth and somewhat shiny complexion. Most other men of his age in those days had coarser skin and wrinkles. (Think of Jack Webb.)

[@B.H.56]

He was very handsome and had a wonderful smile.

[@SteveB776]

George was a terrific straight man for Groucho, and was classy in a folksy way, not like many of the egomaniacs on TV today. So many of them have an inflated sense of self importance.....

[@terencedove5047]

George was a thorough professional on TV; but thank Heaven the audience (and we viewers via KZbin) got to see the human side of him when he vocally 'sparred' with Groucho or interacted occasionally with the guests. A lot of today's TV personalities should have attended the Fenneman School of Professional and Personal Courtesy...

[@mariangelasp1168]

@@terencedove5047I agree with you 100%, you make so much sense.

[@oneblocksouthofnormal1927]

I've binge-watched @ a dozen of these now. My all-time favorite Groucho gag (which I didn't see in any of these episodes): one contestant says they have 10 kids. Asked why so many, they answer "Well, I just like kids!" After a beat, Groucho responds, "I like CIGARS...but I take them out of my mouth every now and then!"

[@annodomini7887]

George looked pissed when he walked off...

[@terencedove5047]

I hope his wife didn't rib him about it. Poor 'Fiddeman' was embarrassed enough as is... But then again, look at how long he and Groucho worked together. That counts for something...

[@tomgraves6463]

Twenty years later Sammy Cohn was the ear bug for Married With Children. I'm sure the whole Bundy family says, "sup Sammy?".

[@lorihansen8674]

I love these old songs! This is when music was real music.

[@coronapapi]

Aw, Fenneman is still the best announcer I've seen. He's so darn sweet.

[@sandrauhlein4317]

MR SMITHERS yes, and cute too.

[@Draugluin999]

agreed sad too know he's been gone for 22 years

[@terencedove5047]

Yes...gone...but never forgotten, thanks to Wikipedia and KZbin...

[@mariangelasp1168]

@@terencedove5047 very true!!!

[@johnreidy2804]

Those women look so beautiful and innocent. Today's women look like fat, tattooed, pierced street walkers

[@acousticshadow4032]

"Orchestra, have you got any glue out there? He wants to be joined." LLMMMAAAAAOOOOOOO!!!

[@SheriSoltes]

Will you join me in a cup of coffee? Do you think there’s room for both of us?

[@michaelmapes4119]

17:00 'Ole "Fidderman" just keeps digging that hole deeper!

[@matthewschwartz9151]

What a sweet duet with Groucho on All the Way. And Groucho even managed to throw in some harmony on that last note.

[@henrybrowne7248]

"The verse is yet to come" 🤣"George, will you bring that typewriter so Mister Cahn can play his song"--I saw it coming! Theme song for Married With Children, some 25 years later . .

[@janepatterson6779]

WOW, WOW, WOW..WE GET TO SEE SAMMY CAHN!!! "Let it Snow," Three Coins in the Fountain...Love and Marriage, When Somebody Loves You. I AM SO TOUCHED TO SEE HIM AND HEAR HIM SING HIS SONGS that meant so much to my family when I was young. Im 76 now and the songs STILL mean a lot to me.

[@MrJamespeyton]

It was so great watching Groucho live as it was happening. I was about 7 years old when Groucho first appeared on YBYL. Love watching it again because I understand the humor that was beyond me at that time .

[@gordonward537]

This particular show was the best I've ever witnessed!!!!! Thanku from pH

[@michaeldougfir9807]

Well I am almost as old as John Benn. I too remember these songs fondly. And I find the background stories very interesting. And poor George. Groucho sure enjoyed embarrassing him!

[@BeingRomans829ed]

18:04 National Biscuit Company; " NaBisCo", maker of the original peanut butter cheese crackers known as NABs.

[@terencedove5047]

As well as Chips Ahoy!, Oreo, Lorna Doone, Premium Crackers, Easy Cheese, Nutter Butter, and so on...

[@PastorPatrickWinfrey]

We always called them Nabs....never knew the origin of the term til now...just thought it was a local (NC) thing...

[@chrisfranco6603]

He wins the award, then she messes up his last name! Hysterical. Then Groucho calls him out on stage accusing him of messing around. Too funny.

[@johncastle8254]

When he said are you sisters or brothers it was a joke , these days it could be true .

[@theoakhills]

Like the some weird couple in Eastern Oregon pregnant and a man.

[@sandrauhlein4317]

It could be now also ya all

[@georgealderson4424]

Perhaps more credit should have been given to Sammy Cahn's musical colleague Jimmy Van Heusen (Edward Chester Babcock) when they were discussing "Mr Cahn' songs". A song without music is a poem! He was very witty, quick and entertaining in this programme.

[@Oratordio]

This is my all time favorite show

[@marymarysmarket3508]

Amen!

[@scotnick59]

Louise was the subject of the movie "Roughly Speaking", based upon her bio of the same name

[@Astonyshing]

even after all these years, this is very funny

[@27kjh]

The original Shirley and Lavern...the girls.

[@dougtodd305]

Good episode, love the self driving DeSoto

[@marcco7947]

i have a strong urge to listen to all the way now lol

[@theresaholguin699]

Louise is right about needing a dependent. The IRS keeps so much of my money. I still wish my children were small so I could claim them 😂😂😂

[@mariangelasp1168]

I know!!!! that is funny you say thay, I think the same all the time

[@brandonk8948]

"Married with Children" theme song writer?! Dude! Wow

[@sydneycarton9973]

George seems like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. And Delores was a hottie

[@tonygutierrez5578]

THE GREAT YEARS OF AMERICA. GROUCHO MARX AND THE GREAT AMERICAN AUDIENCE.

[@sandrauhlein4317]

Tony Gutierrez GOD BLESS AMERICA

[@johnmcdonald5055]

"The Private Life of George Fiddeman"

[@darrelltalbott4830]

Thanks buddy

[@theoakhills]

NBC here in Portland in on 100 NE Columbia Blvd. It was 'Nabisco' then now is Mondelez International.

[@SheriSoltes]

Does anyone else pick numbers on the wheel? It’s fun!

[@ricegum8625]

Sammy and Groucho really are good friends they were neighbours, his son Arthur married Sammys daughter and they had 2 children. When they divorced Groucho still stayed friendly with the Cahns even though things b/n his son and ex were tense for a time.

[@barbecuecity138]

Those gals had a great sense of humor...NOT! And, dumb as a pair of fire irons! Thank you for sharing this, I enjoyed it!

[@zacredman9137]

LOL!🤣😂

[@martinjones5965]

25m3s such a fast turn .... car almost didn't make it round the bend.

[@KurlandsWaterbeds]

Great … nothing like that time period for positivity and romance ! Stu Kurland

[@dolcevito1]

Antonio Meucci invented the telephone, Graham Bell ripped him off.

[@phillowery2360]

Melinda was a good singer. Did she ever use her talent in her adult years?

[@mariangelasp1168]

@@phillowery2360 I don't think so. It looks like she did try, but went on to do something else. I read it somewhere long time agp.

[@caroler01]

This is so great. I love all those songs. And the wit and humor. But who types the subtitles?

[@juanr9446]

I got the same question

[@firdausHITMAN]

WOW a new one

[@B.H.56]

This is the second ad I've seen that shows "Push button drive" but no reverse. Anyone?

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

Well I did a search in KZbin for the 1957 DeSoto push-button transmission and they show a number of different videos, the first button has the R the second button has the N the third button has the D and underneath that you have the 1 or the 1 and the 2; so to answer your question the first button is for reverse.

[@B.H.56]

I see it now, it's an R - I thought it was a P for Park.

[@sandrauhlein4317]

One of the reason it was a bomb

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@sandrauhlein4317 Actually the push button trans was fairly reliable, I have a '56 De Soto and never had any trouble with it whatsoever. Not a 'bomb' at all.

[@lukeheaton5336]

@@MrMenefrego1 how about the rear view mirror on the dash? I heard they opted for that as it was safer than being affixed to the windshield but abandoned it because it wasn’t effective on the dash.

[@rogerwolfe342]

I miss the good old days.

[@martinjones5965]

0m2s love the special effects.

[@rickrick5041]

She worked for NBC. National Biscuit Company. lol

[@jwvariety7360]

The duck must have given Louise a scare.

[@jessewolf7649]

Cahn & Van Heusen matched only by Jagger & Richards in the coming decades IMHO!

[@WadeJenkins-zm8tq]

Are you available to do period work. I have these ideas, Marsi Martin, Jenna ortega, on your show.

[@jimvinespresents...8463]

In his 1974 autobiography, Sammy wrote about Groucho: "This may shake up some people, but I am not a Groucho Marx fan. I mean any man who tickles your palm with his finger while you're shaking hands, accompanying the tickle with his one take--"the leer"--well, I recognize Mr. Marx's talents, but they hardly include qualifying for being one of the nice people I've known."

[@chrisfranco6603]

Groucho was a comedian, Sammy. Sheesh. Lighten up.

[@FigaroHey]

I'm surprised how little general knowledge people had in those days. Those were not hard words they asked those girls...

[@natives602CC]

Those two girls must have lost thier buzz earlier outside.

[@johncarpenter624]

Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen was written by Shalom Secundum, not Sammy Cahn. Why would he start his catalogue by claiming a song that he did not write?

[@FigaroHey]

He says that he ripped it off from a German. Didn't you listen for more than a few sentences?

[@Tmanaz480]

Sammy has a decent voice.

[@martinjones5965]

18m05s NBC National Biscuit Company - broadcasting coast to coast your favourite munchies.

[@martinjones5965]

9m28s the popular song composer Sammy Cahn the only guest to ever adjust his own mic. Roady got the sack.

[@javiermiranda6135]

Why do I want to buy a desoto after watching groucho!!?

[@voicevitality7197]

Cool, back in the days when the contestants weren't flaming.

[@richardvilseck]

Why was Music so much better back then?

[@QRPalmSprings]

richardvilseck I’d venture to say, society was the highest standard of living than anywhere else in the world. Plus, it’s a booming postwar economy, plus this is California in the fifties. Many midwestern folks escaped the dust bowl settling here and bringing their traditional values and family focused manners. Rural values.

[@terencedove5047]

Richard, what did you say? OMG! QUALITY! Fantastic musical arrangements, unforgettable lyrics. I'm a professional pianist myself, okay? And do I not agree with you 175%? YES!

[@zacredman9137]

It definitely was!❤

[@CD-db1zo]

Wow. Sammy and Groucho...irreplaceable.

[@E.Carrillo]

He gave his friend a mulligan! They should have lost.

[@efk0490]

George "Fiddeman"?

[@synthonaplinth5980]

That was what the blonde called him.

[@cookie5335]

I notice that all the contestsnts are connected

[@martinjones5965]

22m34s AWOL when personalities wee handed out.

[@stevencohn922]

Can’t imagine two pretty girls working in a cookie factory! Certainly they could have had a more meaningful job!

[@Mutlap]

Groucho a very unique person, I wish he had be born later in my time!! 600. deduction per dependent, wow

[@m42037]

Jay Leno is remaking Groucho's show You Bet Your Life I hope he pays respect to the great Groucho for it's his baby!

[@docalexander2853]

A great songwriter.

[@chirelle.alanalooney8609]

I have noticed that on every woman contestant, the Make -Up Artist makes the same identical eyebrows, on every woman, and makes them very dark or black, heavily drawn on thick. Geeezzz

[@youbetcha6880]

Those two young women would be considered rather attractive today.

[@searchingforlostatoms7191]

Schlocky songs, Sammy

[@almeggs3247]

This explains how WW III STARTED!

[@cookie5335]

15:21 they are brothers and they look 30

[@davidthompson4649]

1k likes

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Too bad groucho never got that he really wasnt a good singer.

[@henningandersen9027]

painted on all WHAT-ships?