I'M IN LOVE, OH MY!
I am smitten, I am in love. And she is a character! A real character.
Her name is Effie and she is a character in the radio series of "The Adventures of Sam Spade".
This has happened to me before. Like the time I was smitten with the comedienne, Nicole Arbour. http://philiprobinson.blogspot.com/search?q=Nicole
Effie is played by Lurene Tuttle,
Lurene Tuttle (In the early 1940's I think for I have pictures of my mother with a similar hairdo.)
Miss Tuttle was a very accomplished character actress whose career spanned from the days of Vaudeville to Broadway through the golden age to radio and finally TV. I had never heard of her until I began listening to all the radio episode of Sam Spade. When I research a little about her I was amazed at just how accomplished she was. She worked often and on a variety of shows. We probably all have seen or heard her in things on the radio, years ago, or on TV in more recent years, never knowing her name. Such is a fate of a journeyman character actor in an industry that focuses on "Stars". Her fellow actors knew her and appreciated her. She even tutored and mentored some of them, like Helen Hunt.
Sam Spade was the usual private detective character, who is tough, insightful, clever, gruff at times and of course a lady's man. Today, he would be rcognized as a charming chauvinist. The show would soon become tiresome if it were not for his delightful secretary, Effie Perrine who always ads charm, and humour to balance the detective character, played by Howard Duff.
Effie speaks with a child like voice which often reveals a vulnerability and gullibility. She is an efficient and ever attentive secretary to Sam Spade ready at a moments notice to record the events of his latest case; but not always without her two cents worth of comment.
After a while you realize she is smart and insightful although she often slips into language humour (with I love) with malapropisms, double entendres and puns. Always to the delight of Sam Spade. I have yet to decide if this is intentional or deliberate for she always get a positive reaction from Spade when he catches her up on these language "errors"
As a sensitive vulnerable character Effie is a perfect foil for the worldly, tough detective Spade. She brings out the tender side of his character causing him to be protective, affectionate and supportive of her at times. It is obvious the two of them have tender feeling for each other which never degenerates into a romance. Spades inevitable romances are rapped up in his cases
Being a bit of a sucker for a woman in distress and vulnerable ,I soon came to really enjoy Effie and often listened to the programs for the parts of the show at the beginning and end with her present. Often I was suprised and delighted at some new slant to her involvement as the secretary to Sam Spade. I now have listened to all the Adventures of Sam Spade. From time to time I will no doubt return to just renew my love for the character Effie.
I invite you to go and listen to some of the "Adventures of Sam Spade" and come to know Effie yourself. These episodes for some while bring back memories of old time radio. You may have even followed Sam Spade and his adventure
Lurene Tuttle, Character Actress, 1906-1986
posted by Tossing Pebbles in the Stream @ 1:50 p.m.
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6 Comments:
It's a way to pass winter days in the country, eh?
When I read your title I thought for sure that you were on your way to a European vacation ... what has happened with your real life adventure?
I too thought you had gone off with the love of your life. LOL thanks for the emails and links. Enjoyed catching up on your posts.
Hi there! I'll have to come back to read more of your blog. But first, I was fascinated by your profile. You certainly are on the edge of the Wilderness. I drove through Ontario in 2004. Probably not quite close enough to where you are, but what a beautiful ride! I'm happy to have stumbled onto your site.
You have very good taste.... she's got true beauty.... just like your Heidi ;o)
Lol ! your title made me curious, and then I discovered it was "only" an actress (my mother too had the same hairdoo !)
I don't go to the movies either or very seldom. It has to be a film which is better to watch on a big screen, like the Titanic or Gone with the Wind. For all others I rent them on our TV.
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