TV-USA Notables Challenge - The Help

+14 votes
372 views
Sometimes, the most loyal TV family members are not really family members at all, they're the hired help. They bring us wisdom when we're lost, comfort when we're down, and laughter when we need it the most. Join us this month as we celebrate television's most beloved housekeepers, butlers, nannies, handymen and other hired hands.

This month's challenge brings us such memorable characters as Lucy's Mrs. Trumble, Bonanza's Hop Sing, Mr. Belvedere, Mrs. Garrett, Mr. French, Benson, Alice, Schneider, Bookman and Lurch.  

Many of this month's notables are still in need of connection to the Big Tree. But this is not just a connectors challenge. About half of our notables are already connected, but their profiles are very much in need of improvement. Others need additional family members attached, such as parents, siblings, spouses and children, in order to improve their CC7's. We need Bio Builders, Categorizers, Connectors, Data Doctors, Formatters, Photo Finders, Proofreaders, Sourcerers, and any other WikiTreers looking to have a good time upgrading these notable profiles.

Follow the link below to see our complete list of TV Neighbors and to learn more about what needs to be done. Then jump in wherever you think you'll have the most fun. Just be sure to drop us a note here to let us know what you are working on and periodically update us on your progress so we can all share in your successes.
WikiTree profile: Space:TV_Help
in The Tree House by David Randall G2G6 Pilot (355k points)

10 Answers

+12 votes
I think I connected Elizabeth Patterson: her mother was already in WikiTree.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (41.9k points)

Congratulations on this month's first connection. When I find a parent or other closely related individual I always wonder if their profile creator had any idea they were just one step away from a celebrity in the family.

PS For those who don't know, Elizabeth Patterson played Mrs, Trumble, the Ricardos' neighbor and babysitter on I Love Lucy

+12 votes
Mary Grace Canfield should also show up as connected through her paternal line when the next update occurs.
by Roger Stong G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
+10 votes
Billie Bird is connected.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (41.9k points)
Awesome!
+10 votes
Kathleen Freeman is connected.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (41.9k points)
Awesome again!
+8 votes
Tom Lester is connected.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (41.9k points)
Tom Lester played Eb Dawson on Green Acres. What a great cast of comedic actors that show had!
+9 votes

Another fun challenge.  I connected Ned Wertimer and Conchata Ferrell.

by Donna Baumann G2G6 Mach 5 (59.9k points)
edited by Donna Baumann
Great job Donna!
+10 votes
With about a week to go, we have so far connected eight notables and have significantly increased the CC7s of numerous others. However, we still have six beloved TV stars who have yet to have a single family member attached to their profile. All but one of these stars was born before 1950, so let's hit the census records and see if we can't at least get their parents attached. Eight more remain unconnected from the Big Tree, so let's see what we can do about this before the month runs out.
by David Randall G2G6 Pilot (355k points)
+8 votes
Lynn Cohen is connected.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (41.9k points)
Great job Elizabeth!
+8 votes
Dave Madden is connected.
by Elizabeth Schafer G2G6 Mach 4 (41.9k points)
+6 votes

OCTOBER WRAP-UP

This month we connected ten more classic television stars to the Big Tree and increased the CC7s of six more. That's fantastic! Congratulations and thank you to everyone who contributed!  


November's challenge is being delayed a few days due to this weekend's WikiTree Symposium and WikiTree Day. I'll be posting it on Monday (Nov 6), so stay tuned. Next month's theme will be Television Coworkers. Any guesses as to who I might have included on this list? Feel free to answer as a comment below.

If you need a little more to keep you busy until Monday, remember that October's roster still has thirteen more stars in need of a connection:

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson

Louise Beavers

Victor Sen Yung

Sid Melton

Freddie Prinze

Johnny Brown

Pat Harrington

Robert Guillaume

Charlotte Rae

Nell Carter

Franklyn Seales

Meshach Taylor

Shelly Morrison

by David Randall G2G6 Pilot (355k points)
edited by David Randall

I spent this evening working on the family of Victor Sen Yung, who played the character of Hop Sing on Bonanza. Boy, was his life eventful! 

He was born in San Francisco to immigrant Chinese parents. His mother died in the flu epidemic of 1916 and he and his sister were sent to the SF Nursery for Homeless Children. None-the-less, he managed to rise to be one of the few Asian film and television stars of his generation. His first role was that as "Number 2 Son" in the Charlie Chan film series. He also had significant film roles alongside Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. His motion picture career took a hiatus while he served during WWII, but he returned as strong as ever with roles on Bonanza, Bachelor Father, and Kung Fu

In 1972, he was flying aboard a commercial airliner when in was hijacked. He was shot in the back when the plane was raided by FBI agents. In later years he ran a small pottery shop. On 9 Nov 1980, his body was found at his shop. He had been dead several days, officially the result of a natural gas leak. However, to this day, many still suspect foul play.

I will continue to look for a connection.

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