If you have been following WFGH for sometime or have been following my personal exploits for sometime you may be wondering, “What is this fascination with egg and onion sandwiches, where did that begin?” And if you weren’t wondering I am going to tell you anyway.
Before I became fascinated with WFGH, I devoted many hours to watching movies, especially old black and white classics. Love of Frank Capra movies, led me to Jimmy Stewart movies which led of course to 1950’s Harvey. Jimmy Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd, an affable drunk who has a friend, Harvey, a white rabbit 6’3 1/2″ tall. This friendship causes conflict with his sister Vita and niece Myrtle Mae who conspire to have him sent to an insane asylum. Then a movie happens, they get confused in the hospital Vita is accidentally committed and Elwood is allowed to go free. After they realize their mistake, an orderly named Wilson, played by Jesse White, is sent to find Elwood, he stops by the Dowd household where he meets Myrtle Mae who soon becomes smitten with him and the following exchange happens:
Wilson: I’ll tell you something, Myrt.
Myrtle Mae: Yeah?
Wilson: You not only got a nice build, but you got something else too.
Myrtle Mae: Really? What?
Wilson: You got the screwiest uncle that ever stuck his puss inside our nuthouse.
Myrtle Mae: Would you like a cup of coffee?
Wilson: I can’t, kid. Dr. Chumley is checking all the police stations. I better catch up with him.
Myrtle Mae: You look awfully hungry. How about a sandwich?
Wilson: Yeah, but I don’t want that crazy dame on my neck.
Myrtle Mae: Don’t worry about Mother. She won’t come down. She’s too frightened. Would you like a ham on rye?
Wilson: How about an egg and onion?
Myrtle Mae: I’d love to make you one. The eggs and onions are waiting in the kitchen. Suppose we go in the kitchen. You can relax and be yourself.
Do you like your work?
Wilson: Oh, I do now, Myrtle! I do now!
This scene struck a chord me for two reasons. One, I am fairly certain sandwiches are my love language. Two, at the time, I had no idea what an egg and onion sandwich was, and upon careful study I found out, and was delighted. Later, I was trying to prove to my Philosophy of Religion class that St. Thomas Aquinas was fat by using lies and hyperbole (which is the best way to win an argument) I needed to think of a fattening food for St. Tom to regularly eat in sets of nine, and the first thing to come to my head was, my new friend, the egg and onion sandwich. Thus, history was made.
So today we are celebrating:
Jesse White
Actor, Egg and Onion Sandwich Evangelist, Loneliest Man in Town.
Jesse White, like many great white fat actors, was never a leading man but had many great supporting or character roles to his credit. His break through role was as Wilson in Harvey. He went on to be a successful television actor, in fact the first to be a regular on two television series simultaneously (The Danny Thomas Show and Private Secretary) the only other being Richard (not Dean) Anderson (Bionic woman and the Six million Dollar Man) . White was in two episodes of the Twilight Zone, in one he was a Clarence-style guardian angel “helping” a young Carol Burnett. He acted as Don Knott’s foil in The Reluctant Astronaut, this led him to become the Maytag repairman (1968-1989). He lent his voice to Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years (which I use as template for my studies in history.) His last role was in an episode of Seinfeld, the one where Jerry buys his dad a Cadillac.
To Celebrate WFGHM today, make another egg and onion sandwich and watch the movie Harvey, or fix your washing machine.
Egg ‘n’ Onions 4 LYFE!!!