GE Roll-Easy Week

[aeoliandave]

Well, those R-1s are popping up like prairie dogs these days. Three more in various states of condition and completeness have sold on eBay in the past 9 days since my return from Ohio and here's a fourth coming up on Saturday afternoon.

This seller in Cincinnati liked his so much he resurrected it by updating parts and looks like a fine job to me. No comment needed on the prices being paid these days for Roll-Easys - it's a sure indicator of the interest generated by GE's stellar big bold bravura design. Originality issues aside, it's also a vacuum that looks good with a corrugated white modern vinyl hose since it never came with a woven one - just about any hose looks good with a roll easy attached. After running the $17 one from North Canton I'd highly recommend a white Hoover Constellation type vinyl hose for its flexibility and weight...and 'just rightness'. This is not a vacuum that takes kindly to being dragged around after you, particularly the first version with the offset intake port, so the longer & snakier the hose, the better.

A vacuum design that appeals to a certain group within a group (LOL) now I know another telling reason why is has a strong resonance for me...Alice Mitchell had one one on the 1950/60's tv show 'Dennis the Menace'. (Alan, work your YouTube magic and find us those probably early season episodes...)

I luved this show, comic strip and comic books. Mom many times said she should have named me Dennis. And of course I have that Dennis the Menace doll guarding all the upstairs vacuums from the window ledge. He must be very busy now he has 3 to look after. Less time for baiting that nasty Margaret & curmudgeon Mr Wilson.

We have a Flower Shop here in Stratford that is still run by 88 year old Margaret Wade...spooky.

The Wikipedia backgrounder on Dennis the Menace 1958-1963.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_the_Menace_(1959_TV_series)
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290237057390&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=019

 

[arh1953]

Great Scott! Dennis.................

I haven't found any YouTube clips of Alice Mitchell's Roll-Easy yet, but I can post a half-@$$ed pic of Captain Tony Nelson's "two tone" Roll-Easy, with Alice Ghostley trying to use it. I still have my Christmas 1960 Dennis with overalls, striped shirt, and replacement shoes and socks. He's inaccessable at the moment unfortunately. Great picture!

 

[aeoliandave]

Shoulda called this thread Dennis and the Roll-Easys. LOL

Yippee, Alan. Yup, that's the same Dennis doll. I have the comic book with the ad on the back cover. I'll get it scanned and posted.

Yes please, let's see Tony & Alice.

I found the complete Dennis Series DVD collection - might just have to order it.

Dave

http://www.tvaddicts.tv/movie/comedy/dennis_the_menace.html

 

[williamr1248]

GE roll easy week

Dave,
You have a great sense of humor! Did you ever see the GE roll-easy that appeared on the Donna Reed Show? They showed a good close up of her turning it on and off. It appeared more than once on Dennis the Menise Show.
When you get to thinking about it, I remember the Air-Way appearing on Mr. Ed,Life with Riely,Lassie and who could forget Dagwood cleaning the sofa with the Air-Way. It also appeared on Dragnet.
My aunt got an early GE roll-easy when they moved to a big two story house. All I remember was that it replaced her Hoover 28 and it had copper coloreed tubes! I thought it was so beautiful. Of course I was NEVER allowed to even see it once she opened the box!

 

[arh1953]

First Roll-Easy shot

I tell a lie! It was Sandra Gould, as a cleaning lady. After she pulled the hankie out of the "broken" vacuum, Jeannie escaped out under the door, Sandra exclaimed that it must be a secret weapon. Notice that this colorized first season (episode#6) show only colored the ends, and not even completely!

 

[arh1953]

Captain Nelson with the Roll-Easy

Here's Tony after he caught Jeannie in the vacuum:

 

[arh1953]

And Colonel Bellows couldn't keep his hands to himself

I wouldn't let that man in my house. Word has it he was an avowed vacuum cleaner poacher!

 

[camelotshadow]

Cool

IDJ
was the first show I ever watched when my parents finally splurged on a B&W tv set

Goodness that show is so much better in color

Pink smoke & all...

wow, guess a astronaut needed a space age cleaner

LOL

 

[danemodsandy]

The Catch:

"I would love all four seasons of "Dennis The Menace", down to $68.00 and some change, wonder what the catch is?"

We've dealt with this on the Mary Tyler Moore list I run. This company is offering off-air recordings, not material that has been retrieved from the studio vault masters and restored. The tipoff is the mention of "original commercials". That list price of $454.99 is pretty bogus. Several TV series have been offered this way, including this one, MTM, and others. They appear to be recorded off Canadian TV, where the laws are a little different than U.S. law. We suspect that Canadian law leaves some little loophole for these people to offer off-air recordings for sale, which is definitely not legal under U.S. copyright law.

 

[arh1953]

I thought they meant original commercials

Thanks Sandy, for saving me from ordering those. I'd rather have the official releases, if ever. Whoever put out the first season of "Hazel" in black and white, including one made in color, (Hazel gets a color tv) did a great job.

 

[arh1953]

William mentions Donna Reed and the Roll-Easy. I wonder if all those tv appearances sold any of those vacuums?

 

[xraytech]

I bought the Mama's family Box Set from that company and it was the whole series recorded off of TBS and onto DVD. I still thought it was worth it for the price