Alex Balk, Smoker
Carol Diehl, Art Critic
Matthew Gallaway , Novelist
Megan Lubaszka, Architect
Angela Serratore, Historian
Tim Siedell, Ad Man
Natasha Simons, Writer
Christina Perry & Derrick Gee, Designers
Dave Wilkie, Ad Man
“But, of course, the main thrust of satire is delivered by Mr. Morse and Mr. Vallee—Mr. Morse as the lad who climbs the ladder and Mr. Vallee as the lunkhead on top. Seeing Mr. Morse in close-ups, as those wily expressions cross on his face and those wicked designs of Pal Joey gleam in his Horatio Alger-character eyes, is better (and I’m not chauvanistic) than seeing him on the stage. And Mr. Vallee—well, I can say nothing nicer than that he continues to improve with age.”
In the number “A Secretary is Not a Toy” you can see an uncanny resemblence to the Sterling Cooper floor plan as the men in gray suits stroll up and down the rows of steno machines reminding one another that
A secretary is not to be
Used for play therapy.
Be good to the girl you employ, boy.
Remember no matter what
Neurotic trouble you’ve got
A secretary is not a toy.
She’s a highly specialized key component
Of operational unity,
A fine and sensitive mechanism
To serve the office community.
With a mother at home she supports;
And you’ll find nothing like her at FAO Schwarz.
These play was produced in 1961. The Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Book; Pulitzer Prize for Drama; Drama Critics Circle Award were all snagged by it before the movie version came out in 1967. Aspirational lyricism!
This GUY has been lurking around Bert’s office since season 1.
It’s a samurai suit from Medieval Japan.
It could have also been worn by the Emperor, dyaimyo, and shogun. In other words, the military aristocracy of the feudal Japan.
A favorite question of martial arts enthusiasts: who would win if European Knight battled a Samurai? Hmm. Who INDEED?
”How much do you need — to live?,” Chuck asked.
So I said, “Well, at least ninety dollars a week (Which was ridiculous. It was just a figure that jumped into my head, it was way too low).”
Chuck said, “All right, I’ll put you on a ninety dollar a week ‘draw’.”
A ‘draw’ was a payment against income I was supposed to generate for the studio. Except I didn’t generate any income! So I’m going deeper and deeper in the hole. And Chuck never, ever said, “Where’s the money… when are you gonna pay me” … nothing like that. At all. There’s gotta be a heaven for Chuck.”
Murray Tinkleman, illustrator, on Chuck Cooper, “The Boss” of Cooper studios.
Check out Cooper Studio’s mid-century portfolio and history here. What an amazing (and fading?) craft.
