Debuting on NBC on 8 November 1952, Robert Cummings starred as well-meaning but bumbling estate agent Robert S. “Bobbo” Beanblossom – the lowest-ranking, lowest-performing salesman for the Thackery Realty Company in Los Angeles.
Bobbo was always getting into trouble with his apoplectic boss, Willis Thackery (John Litel) – who he referred to as “old blubber jowls” – and had to be constantly rescued by his secretary, Julie Marshall (who secretly loved him).
Almost every episode ended with Julie declaring Beanblossom “My Hero”. Then they would kiss and steam would escape from his ears.
Thackery kept Bobbo on the payroll because three years earlier Mr Thackery had taken ill and Beanblossom was the only person around with the same blood type and his donation saved Thackery’s life.
Beanblossom’s office was a small supply closet awkwardly converted into an office (he was always knocking over the water cooler) with motivational messages on the walls, such as “Never Take No for an Answer”, “Retreat Is Defeat” and “Is Your Foot In The Door?”. The show did badly and the final episode aired on 1 August 1953. Afterwards, Bob Cummings struggled to find work for a while:
“After that show was dropped, I was as dead as you can possibly get in show business,” Cummings recalled in 1958. “I sat in my agent’s office one day and heard a top producer tell him on the phone that nobody would buy me”.
Fortunately, he fared far better in his next comedy series, The Bob Cummings Show(aka Love That Bob)
Robert S. “Bobbo” Beanblossom
Robert Cummings Julie Marshall
Julie Bishop Mr Willis Thackery
John Litel
