Remembering Peppermint Place
by BernieVictoria and I went to the wedding of a family friend yesterday, and found ourselves sitting at a table with a local celebrity: Jerry Haynes, perhaps better known to kids of all ages as Mr. Peppermint.
Some tidbits you may not know about Mr. Peppermint:
One of his sons is Gibby Haynes, lead singer of the Butthole Surfers. Jerry told us that for years he told his mom they were called the “Buffalo Surfers,” because he couldn’t bring himself to say “Butthole” to Gibby’s grandma.
Jerry isn’t quite as lively as he was in the Mr. Peppermint days, but that doesn’t mean that he and his wife are early to bed. They say they stay up often until 3 a.m. watching movies. He’s a walking compendium of Movie trivia.
Jerry’s first run as Mr. Peppermint was from 1961 to 1970. The show was brought back in 1975, and ran until 1996. Sadly, the show will never be available on DVD for future generations to grow up with. Jerry says most of the tapes have been lost.
One Comment, Comments or Pings
Will
I loved Mr. Peppermint. Does anyone remember how he used the handle of his cane as a phone? Or how he wrapped paper around a comb and played it as an instrument? I always wanted to meet him and thank him for his contribution to kid’s programming.
I also seem to remember this guy that went by the name “Machismo” on a Slam Bang Theatre. The show sometimes filmed at the Will Rogers tower. Maybe some other 45 year old will remember more details.
Thanks for the look back.
Mar 17th, 2008
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