The puppet for Gimley's boss, whose voice and mustache are Frank Nelson influenced
Frank Nelson (1911-1986) was a mustachioed character actor who gained notice from playing unctuous, sarcastic types on The Jack Benny Program on radio and television, appearing in a range of occupations (waiter, clerk, floorwalker, doctor, etc.) but always gleefully heckling Benny (who sometimes wondered why he kept running into him). His trademark was an elongated "YeeeeEEEEssss?" when called (as well as a gushy "OooOOOOoh") and he filled the function of Jack Benny's nemesis from the forties through 1970.
Nelson played similar roles on I Love Lucy (including as quizmaster Freddie Fillmore) and The Flintstones, and by the 70s, he was yessing on Sanford and Son, Saturday Night Live, Alice, McDonalds commercials, and in the special Garfield in Paradise, as well as doing other cartoon voices on The Jetsons, The Snorks, and others. Frank Nelson was later caricatured as a recurring minor character on The Simpsons, with his signature "YeeeeeEEEssss?" spoken by Dan Castellaneta.
References[]
- Gimley's Boss from the Muppet Meeting Film "How to Sell" speaks in a vocal imitation of Frank Nelson (by Joey Mazzarino), including varying lengths of "YeeeEEEEsss?"
- In a Sesame Street News Flash, Kermit addresses Don Music with an exaggerated, "Oh, Don? Oh, Don?". Mr. Music replies with a Nelson-esque "YeeeEEEEsss?"
- Another Sesame Street News Flash references a standard Nelson/Benny encounter, when Kermit goes over to speak with Mr. Moses, he calls to him twice ("Pardon me, sir. Oh, sir?") Mr. Moses whirls around and replies "Yeeesss?" the way Nelson would reveal himself on TV.
- In the Sesame Street Live show Big Bird's Sesame Street Story, when Big Bird enters the office of Tedious J. Molehill and calls his name, Molehill rises from his desk and responds with a Nelson style "YeeeEEEEsss?"
- When Olivia calls over the haughty Birdland waiter in Sesame Street Episode 2447, he responds with an elongated "YeeeeEEEeesss?" and, as in a typical Nelson/Benny routine, proceeds to frustrate her order.
- In a cartoon insert, the salesman at a hat shop speaks in a voice (by Paul Shively) imitating Frank Nelson (sans yessing, but with the same unctuous tones and elongating other words, like "Weeeeeelll.") (First: Episode 0781)
- While not direct references, Waiter Grover and other occupational sketches follow a similar pattern, with the service person (or monster in this case) frustrating the customer, who often boggles at the fact that he always runs into him.