Grindl

Most of you remember one of the FEW episodes of this forgotten NBC series. The one many of you have mentioned are of the anal-retentive wife who cataloged every item in her kitchen. If I remember right, this was the FIRST episode, Season 1, Episode 1, telecast on Sunday, 15-September-1963, and titled "The Gruesome Basement". Now, those of you who were born after 1975 and went to a public school, please try to stay with me here ....

... the murderous husband on that episode was none other than the bald-headed TELLY SAVALAS. He was so fed up with his wife's anal-retentive ways (and this was DECADES before pencil-necked computer geeks would try to make this a VIRTUE) that her killed her with a pickax in their basement ...

... now, try to STAY WITH ME HERE ...

... at that time, my father --- who is STILL ALIVE TODAY AT THE AGE OF NINETY-TWO (92) --- said, during that episode, when Telly Savalas' shadow was shown wielding a pick over the head of his unsuspecting wife, "He could say to his friends, 'Did I ever tell you how I PICKED my wife?'" {EMPHASIS ADDED}.

You have to remember, this was late 1963, and John F. Kennedy was still two months away from assassination, and humor was different then.

So, if you don't like this comment, you can drop dead. Okay? Okay!

I was very young when this aired and recall I did not get to see it as often as I wished as it was on a school night. I do recall the wit and humor that only Imogene Coca could deliver. I was sorely disappointed when this short-lived sitcom was canceled. My memories of the episodes are vague but the memories of Ms. Coca are clear. I have long hoped it would come back in re-runs, later to VHS or DVD. So far, I've seen no indications of that. It is really a pity for she was an exceptionally funny actress and an important part of early television history. I'd love to see shows like Grindl and I'm sure that it would find an audience in younger viewers of today as well. I have always found TV producers far too fickle when deciding whether or not to give a show the axe. I don't think it occurs to them that sometimes it could be audiences love the show but don't care for the products the sponsors peddle. Maybe that is what killed this show. Who knows. But I do believe it is one show worth preserving and would love to find it on Netflix or the DVD shelves at the store.

I remember seeing this short-lived show a couple times when I was about 7 years old. Grindl was a household maid. The only episode that comes to mind after 40 years is where she was sent on assignment and was given a room with a 10" TV set. Coco soon turned in her maid outfit for a bear-skin on the "It's About Time" TV series. Don't expect to see this one on Nick-at Nite anytime soon.

As a child of 10, I thoroughly enjoyed Imogene Coca's performances in this classic Sunday night comedy series. It wasn't until I was much older that I learned of Ms. Coca's long affiliation with Sid Caesar and his shows. I thought the premise of this show, in which the title character held a series of temporary jobs, gave Ms. Coca a chance to shine in different situations each week and with a different supporting cast to play off of. I've always felt this was a classic show which should have run much longer than just one season. If I remember correctly, the show aired on Sunday nights on NBC, at 8:30 p.m., between the Wonderful World of Disney and Bonanza. I would think any show could have been a hit in that time slot, but I guess the audience never caught on or else never found the show. Perhaps someday we'll get to see some of the episodes on DVD.

Goodness! I remember that episode with the stickers for all the objects as well. Hadn't the husband killed his wife and somehow Grindl, in trying to get away from him, falls into a washing machine whose agitator is twisting back and forth? The only other I remember is where she bumps into a guy who is carrying a bag of poisonous mushrooms. He picks up her package of non-poisonous ones by mistake. Later she goes to work for a guy, not knowing that he's planning on killing her. She makes a meal of the poisonous mushrooms, he eats them, and then while he's about to feed her through a saw, he collapses. I can't remember how she was saved.

The theme music was funny, too. I remember she crossed the street and didn't mind the cars. She even hits one of them with her umbrella when it comes to a screeching halt.