Soupy Sales: An appreciation of the mid-20th century children’s TV show that made the grown-ups laugh

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“We need more Soupys in this self-important, don’t-you-dare-throw-that-pie world — and now there is one less Soupy Sales. The comedian died Thursday at age 83.”

The corniness of the “Soupy Sales’ show “was knowing — it was jazz, basically, like a bop musician ad-libbing on ‘Sweet Sue.’ ”

For the rest of Times television critic Robert Lloyd’s appreciation, click here.

Photo: In a 1965 broadcast, Soupy Sales, left, shows TV variety show host Ed Sullivan how to do ‘The Mouse,’ a loony dance that Sales invented.