"THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW" @ 50 - A MATTER OF FAITH

I've written about Buddy's brother Blackie Sorrell before (that he was once a stand-up comic with the stage name "Jackie Silver" back in the 1950's, as seen in an episode of 'Happy Days'), but seeing his episode of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' entitled "Hustling The Hustler", I may have stumbled upon something new. Blackie may have converted to Catholicism after being raised Jewish.

But I'm not Jewish, so I may be wrong about this.....

We know Buddy's family background was in the Jewish faith. There's an episode about his long-delayed bar mitzvah, for example ("Buddy Sorrell, Man And Boy"). And when Alan Brady referred to Rob as "Mr. Christian", Buddy backed up Rob's mutiny be calling himself "Mr. Jewish".

But near the end of "Hustling The Hustler", Buddy mentions that he hasn't shaken hands with his younger brother Blackie since he was confirmed.

This is where some knowledge of Jewish traditions would come in handy. I suppose the argument could be made that Buddy meant Blackie was confirmed in the Jewish faith with a bar mitzvah - but why would Blackie get one and not Buddy? And I think confirmation is usually used when talking about the Catholic rite of passage.

Becoming a Catholic might have removed one stumbling block many years later when he met his future wife. (Not that she couldn't be Jewish as well down there in South America. I know that well from many of the clients at work who are from Brazil as well as Argentina.)

So am I wrong in thinking Blackie converted to the Catholic faith? Let me know....

BCnU!