Soupy Sales passed on October 22nd at 83 years old. He was a true comedic legend and a totally unique personality whose style influenced many after him including Pee-wee Herman and Andy Kaufman. He will truly be missed.
About 8 years ago my phone rang and low and behold, "Hi Joe, this is Soupy Sales! I need a new photograph and my agent said I should see you!" Another unexpected and exciting moment, and one of the reasons I love my job so much. I grew up with Soupy Sales as a household name. I had followed him from "Lunch with Soupy Sales" to "Whats' My Line" to "The New Soupy Sales Show". And there he was calling for a headshot! Wow! Soupy Sales! My mind was swimming with memories as I booked his shoot...asking the kids to go into their parents' wallets and send him the little pieces of green paper..."Doing the Mouse", his single, was the fasting selling single in history in it's time...and much pie throwing, even at Frank Sinatra!!!!!
When he came to the shoot, he couldn't have been nicer or more professional. He came with his wife Trudy, who was an ex-June Taylor Dancer from the Old Jackie Gleason Show. She was still a stunner.
The session was easy and fun and Soupy was open and crazy and totally frank with his industry war stories and opinions. I loved the shoot with Soupy. I told him about seeing his sons who played in "Tin Machine" with David Bowie and he told me how proud he was of them. At the end of his session, he invited me to lunch at his apartment on the Eastside and I would have done anything to go, but alas, I had another session to shoot.
After our work was done, a signed 8X10 arrived in the mail. It was our photograph and he had signed it "I love you, Joe,
Soupy Sales"
My shoot with Soupy Sales - a big memory for me. Rest in Peace Soupy.
