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You Bet Your Life #60-13 Mr. Dempsey, the Amazing Talking Chihuahua ('Paper', Dec 15, 1960)

Groucho Marx - You Bet Your Life

168,379 views

NOTE: The audio goes out of synch with the video for about a minute around 20 minutes in. It's back in synch by the final segment (I couldn't correct it any better than this - sorry.)

COUPLE #1: Joyce McCardigan, contestant in the staggeringly awkwardly named "Mrs. Housing Development" beauty contest / Phil Brooker, who "fixes" spedometers

COUPLE #2: Charles Vespia, who dated practically every female member of his wife's family / Shirley Rause and her wonder dog, Mr. Dempsey. Shades of Raffles the talking myna bird from this earlier episode: You Bet Your Life #57-12 Raffles, The Relu...

Charles's wife Leona-- who looks like a very young Sylvia Sidney-- comes onstage at one point and convinces Groucho to let her husband sing "Arrivederci Roma".
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Episode identification and basic description based on "Tell 'em Groucho Sent You", © 1997 by Mark Petty. Used by permission.

20 Comments

@LaurnaLeto 6 years ago

Charles Vespia settled into a successful singing career for 20 yrs in Las Vegas, preceded in death 12 yrs before by Leona (1938-2000) at 85, survived by 5 daughters, a son and 3 grandsons.

@oz2strokeman116 6 years ago

Groucho was so sincere when commenting about the love in Leona's eyes. I think everyone watching wished they had someone to look at them like that.

@joetodd888 4 years ago

Groucho is great rest in peace.

@marions.120 3 years ago

Leona look at him with such love when he was singing.

@iamseekingtheway 3 years ago

The love in that woman's heart brought tears to my eyes. It is so rare these days to see such things. The guy could really sing, too.

@axiomist4488 5 years ago

I would have loved to see the sister and the mother . The wife is unreal ! And she adores him ,

@hogfarmersforjustice4804 7 years ago

Charles and Leona had eight kids and a long marriage.

@mizzury54 7 years ago

The hairdos, clothes, the femininity !!! Bring back the 60's !

@keithnaylor1981 3 years ago

“my gang never lost a fight… until some boys moved into the neighbourhood”
Brilliant!

@terencedove5047 6 years ago

Mario, Placido, Luciano...and, for this moment, Charles Vespia. He had Groucho's quiet respect - and his attention. Of course it helped tremendously that Charles's lovely wife, Leona, went to bat for him...

@usapatriot3274 3 years ago

Leona displayed total submission to her husband and a profound respect for her man. Groucho had no choice but to respect Leona. What a lady!

@brunneng38 5 years ago

Five month old daughter and looks like that. 😍

@blueskyz8097 7 years ago (edited)

They looked good to me So I started FROM THE TOP....And AS ALWAYS THE BOTTOM ONE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL.LOOK AT THE LOVE IN HER EYES...

@miclazy-5m 7 years ago

what a great singer.

@cubfann1908 11 years ago

Awesome episode. That guy can sing! I wanna meet the sister and Mother. Lol

@MrMenefrego1 7 years ago

This is the obituary of, CHARLES VESPIA JR. the little guy with the hot wife... Charles Andrew Vespia Jr., of Las Vegas, passed away Aug. 17, 2012, peacefully in his home. He was 85. Charlie will be remembered for his amazing talent, generosity of spirit and sharp sense of humor. An entertainer and singer on the Las Vegas Strip for over 20 years, he spearheaded the Burlesque variety shows with his memorable "peanut vendor" act. Charlie was also an accomplished singer. His Italian opera rivaled some of the best in the world. Charlie was preceded in death by his wife, Leona, and they are now reunited together. He is survived by his daughters, Celestina, Claudina, Christina Antonia and Cynthia; his son, Christopher; and grandsons, Marcello, Max and Nicholas. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 1901 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas.