THE HAT SQUAD: GALE STORM

When I was growing up in Connecticut, 'My Little Margie' was part of my afternoon viewing habit. (By this time it was already in rerun syndication.) Even then as a little kid, I thought Margie was too old to be the way she was; nowadays an actual teenager would be cast in the role. Maybe a character like 'Blossom' was a latter-day version of Margie Albright.

But I've been looking at some online photos of Gale Storm these last few days, and I can see the real reason I kept coming back to the series. She was cute - even with that horrible hair style! And just this morning I discovered the website tv4u.com where I caught an old episode of the show and was able to admire her again, from a more adult viewpoint. (At least as best of one that I can conjure up!)

Ms. Storm passed away this past week, part of one those blasted "They Go In Threes" curses. (Her companions for the journey were Billy Mays and Fred Travalena.) She was 87 years old.

After 'My Little Margie', she had another successful run with 'The Gale Storm Show', in which she played a cruise ship's social director, Susanna Pomeroy. But as Toobworld primarily exists within my own cranium, I prefer the title of the show as 'Oh, Susanna!', as that's what it was known as when I watched that in reruns as well.
I never could figure out why I saw so little of her on the TV screen after that - two episodes of 'Burke's Law', a 'Love Boat' and a very funny performance in an episode of 'Murder, She Wrote'. I just assumed she withdrew for a while to raise her family, but now (after reading her obituary in the L.A. Times) I wonder if it might have been due to her battle with alcoholism. Once I read about how she successfully fought back, I came away with a new admiration that was deeper than just because of her talents.
As Red Skelton would say, "Good night, and may God bless."

Here are the characters she contributed to the citizenry of Toobworld:

"Murder, She Wrote" .... Maisie Mayberry

- Something Borrowed, Someone Blue (1989)

"The Love Boat" .... Rose

- Never Say Goodbye/New Woman, A/Trial Romance (1979) "Burke's Law"
- Who Killed Wimbledon Hastings? (1965) .... Dr. Nonnie Harper

- Who Killed His Royal Highness? (1964) .... Honey Feather Leeps

"The Gale Storm Show" .... Susanna Pomeroy (1956-1960)
... aka "Oh! Susanna"

"Shower of Stars"

- Cloak and Dagger (1957)

"The Ford Television Theatre" .... Hope Foster
- Johnny, Where Are You? (1955)

"Celebrity Playhouse"

- Mink Does Something for You (1955)

"Robert Montgomery Presents"

- Tomorrow Is Forever (1955)

"My Little Margie" .... Margie Albright (1952-1955)

"The Unexpected" .... Eileen
- The Puppeteers (1952)

"The Bigelow Theatre"

- The Hot Welcome (1951)
- Mechanic on Duty (1950)

"Hollywood Theatre Time" (1950)

BCnU.....