Soupy Sales
Born Milton Supman, 8th January 1926, Franklinton, North Carolina.
Soupy was a childhood nickname.
Trained as a journalist. Worked on scripts for radio shows but gained experience as a comedian working in night clubs.
In 1950 he moved to Cincinnati and into television. He presented one of the first TV teenage music shows "Soupy's Soda Shop".
His TV career took off in 1953 when he moved to Detroit and quickly became the top TV presenter. In 1960 he moved to Los Angeles and once again established the top rating Friday night "Soupy Sales Show" - famed for throwing custard pies at his guests which included the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.
By 1965 he had moved to New York and established another TV show now networked across America and he recorded the chart topping "The Mouse" novelty song.
He was one of the first "celebrity" fans of The Mothers attending their early concerts in Los Angeles.
Sales joined the panel of "What's My Line?" in 1968 but had to disqualify himself from taking part when Zappa appeared as a guest on 23rd September 1971 as they knew each other.
He appeared in the film "Behind The Seams" along with Moon and Dweezil Zappa
His son, Tony Sales, a bass player with Todd Rundgren at the time (later with David Bowie's "Tin Drum" group), was a boyfriend of Miss Pamela of the GTO's.
