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This is a good opportunity to tell a family story involving Louis Armstrong. My uncle was the founder of Topper Toys and Deluxe Toys, in the 60s and 70s. He wa
by geophile 3y ago
This is a good opportunity to tell a family story involving Louis Armstrong.
My uncle was the founder of Topper Toys and Deluxe Toys, in the 60s and 70s. He was a very interesting, very difficult genius. A holocaust survivor, toy inventor, world class poker player, decent sculptor, ping pong player and chess player. He made and lost several fortunes, and died very wealthy. He is credited with turning poker into a mass audience spectator sport, and he was a philanthropist.
One of Topper's dolls in the 60s was Suzy Cute. And he got Louis Armstrong to do a commerical. You have to see this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkConPs9tKQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkConPs9tKQ. The best minute you will spend today, guaranteed.
My uncle had a photo hanging on his wall, from the day of the shooting of that commercial. My uncle is visible from behind, his arms splayed, clearly agitated. He is arguing with Louis Armstrong, facing the camera, also agitated. My uncle is telling Louis Armstrong how to sing the Suzy Cute song, and Louis Armstrong is not having it.
- Pannoniae 3y agoWait, isn't it Suzy Q? Or is that a different one?
- zuminator 3y agoDisregard the inaccurate YouTube video title; the logo in the commercial shows the name of the doll is "Suzy Cute."
- Pannoniae 3y agono, not the doll, I saw the "Suzy Cute song" part. The Suzie Q is a dance move from the 1930s (or maybe even older) and quite a few songs have referenced it or included it in the title, the most well-known one is probably Lil Hardin Armstrong's one. this is why I asked whether it was referring to that or something else
- zuminator 3y agoAh apologies, I missed the thrust of your question but surely the doll's name is just a play on words meant to evoke the nickname "Suzie Q," which was fairly popular once upon a time, back when people commonly named their little girls Susan. As to which came first, the nickname or the dance step, I doubt there's any ironclad attestation for that (although I did find an old book from 1901 where someone had named their cow Susie Q), but anyway since trendy dance steps are most often named after something else, and not just given monikers ex nihilo, my guess is the nickname came first.
- CamperBob2 3y agoThe CCR song is all most people remember, I think.
- pstuart 3y agoThat photo would be awesome to share if it could be found -- the backstory is a hoot.
- geophile 3y agoI don’t currently have access to it, but I hope to get a copy from his widow.