Culpeppers in Pop Culture
For a little casual diversion, see how many of these references to Culpeppers you
recall from the field of entertainment and literature. (Provided courtesy of Chip Culpepper.)
To see the real Culpeppers in TV and Movies, see:
Culpeppers in the Arts,
Entertainment and Journalism.
Contents
Dialog References
Television
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Culpepper Moments from I Love Lucy,
1951-1957 Classic Situation Comedy TV Series.
From the First Season 1951-52,
Starring Lucille Ball as "Lucy Ricardo" and Desi Arnaz as "Ricky
Ricardo". With Vivian Vance as "Ethel Mertz"
and William Frawley as "Fred Mertz".
Produced by: Jess Oppenheimer. Written by:
Jess Oppenheimer, Madelyn Pugh, and Bob Carroll, Jr.
Directed by: Marc Daniels.
 |
Episode 23, "The Moustache" (filmed February 8, 1952
and originally aired March 17, 1952), Ricky grows a moustache for a
part in "Moon Over Baghdad." Lucy hates it. To make her point and show
Ricky just how unattractive facial hair is, Lucy borrows a fake white
beard from Fred Mertz¹s Vaudeville trunk.
Lucy uses an old tube of Bulldog Cement from the truck to get the
beard on and it won¹t come off!
Lucy adds a gentleman¹s costume to the disguise in order to shop
unnoticed for a solvent to get the cement off. Her bolo-tie-wearing
alter ego becomes known as "Colonel Culpepper."
Mr. Murdoch, a talent scout, (John Brown) shows up at the Ricardo¹s
apartment, and the full insanity of the episode is unleashed: The
Mertzes do their schtick (co-stars William Frawley and Vivian Vance
appear as "performers" for the first time in the series), Lucy does a
dance as a harem girl. Mr. Murdoch wants to see Lucy's face under her
veil Šand is shocked by her beard. Ultimately, Lucy is offered a
screen test as Ricky's father! |
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Episode 35, "Ricky
Asks For A Raise" (the final episode of the show's first season was
filmed May 2, 1952 and originally broadcast June 9, 1952). Lucy cooks
up a scheme to get Ricky's job back at the Tropicana Club after her
plan for him to get a raise from boss (Gail Gordon) backfires and
Ricky is forced to quit.
Lucy and neighbor/side kick Ethel Mertz (Vivian Vance) reserve all 75
tables at the Tropicana by phone under assumed names. In Lucy's final
call, confirming that all the tables are booked, she states (with
over-acted Southern accent):
"Now, are you all sure that you all don't have one little ol'
table left for little ol' Scarlett Culpepper?"
Everything works out in the end, but not before Lucy, Ethel and
husband Fred Mertz (William Frawley) have some fun with quick-change
costumes portraying a number of the phoney patrons with reservations
who storm out the Club when they find Ricky Ricardo no longer appears
there. |
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The Beverly
Hillbillies. Situation Comedy TV Series, 1962-1972 |
In a two-parter, (Episode 181 "The South Rises Again" and Episode 182
"Jethro in the Reserves") the plot revolves around the setting of a movie being
filmed about the fictional Civil War “Battle of the Culpepper Plantation.”
Granny of the Clampett family becomes convinced that a movie about the battle is real and
that the actor portraying General Ulyses S. Grant is really the "pickled" Union
general himself. She rallies the family to the confederate cause and captures U.S. Grant
to foil the battle.
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M*A*S*H. In the dialog from one episode of
the highy-acclaimed television series M*A*S*H,
titled "The Trial of Henry Blake" which first aired November 3, 1973. |
(The scene is set: Col. Henry Blake is facing charges filed by Maj. Burns & Maj.
Houlihan. In a "flashback" to the circumstances surrounding one of the charges,
the viewer is taken to the familiar setting of the 4077th camp compound for the
"Kentucky Derby" Nurses on Gurneys race, outside the "Swamp" tent
occupied by Capt. "Hawkeye" Piece and Capt "Trapper" John McIntire.)
Exterior. Daytime. Hawkeye and Trapper are pushing gurneys carrying nurses. The nurses
are wearing colorful armbands. Trapper and Hawkeye are wearing brightly colored shirts and
straw hats and Trapper is smoking a cigar.
Hawkeye (Alan Alda with appropriate faux Southern drawl):
"Well, I see you all have the second pole position again this year Culpepper."
Trapper (Wayne Rogers with similarly-affected dialect):
"Sir, this position has been handed down from Culpepper to Culpepper."
Hawkeye (surveying the nurse aboard Trapper's gurney):
"That's a fine lookin' filly you have there, sir."
Trapper (proudly):
"She also has been handed down from Culpepper to Culpepper."
(The "Track Announcer," Corporal Radar O'Reilly, calling the race over the
camp's public address system informs us the names of the race's main entrants are
"Hawk's Pride" and "Gal O'War Galloway." During the stretch call,
Trapper (a.k.a. Culpepper) and his "Gal O'War Galloway" win the race by the
nurse leaning forward with her chest at the last second, breaking the finish line tape by,
um, uh, well, a "nose.")
|
Boston Common, NBC Situation Comedy
TV Series, 1997 |
In reference to an unseen character from one episode, the brother and sister main
characters recall their high school English teacher from West Virginia as "Mrs.
Culpepper."
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The Wild Thornberrys,
Nickelodeon Network: Klasky/Csupo Entertainment)
Children¹s animated series about a little girl named Eliza
Thornberry (who can secretly talk to animals) and the rest of her
wacky family traveling the world making documentary wildlife films.
Episode: #18 "The Dragon and The Professor"
Writers:
Jill Gorey and Barbara Herndon.
Director: Steve Ressel.
Geographical
Location: Rinca Island, Indonesia.
Synopsis: When Eliza's tutor Colin Culpepper comes to
visit the Thornberrys¹ camp, he makes her life miserable by giving
her assignments when she'd rather be looking for the elusive komodo
dragon. When big sister Debbie gets a crush on the professor and
distracts him, Eliza takes off in search of the large lizard. But
finding him might not be such a good idea when he wants to have her
pet chimp Darwin and Eliza for dinner!
|
|
Even Stevens. Disney |
Episode Number 61: “Stevens Manor”
First Aired: October 28, 2002
Writers:
Matt Dearborn & Tom
Burkhard
Director: David Grace
Synopsis: This original Disney
Channel sitcom follows the hilarious lives of the odd assortment of
characters inside the Stevens family. Usually Louis (played by Emmy
winner Shia LaBeouf), the impish youngest child, has something to do
with the situations going haywire. “Stevens Manor” is a classic
example of his ideas.
Louis has a scheme to raise money for a snowboarding trip for himself,
his friends Twitty (A.J. Trauth), Tawny (Margo Harshman) and Tom (Fred
Meyers).
While the rest of the Stevens family is out of the house for the
weekend, teenager Louis transforms his home into "Stevens Manor," a
bed and breakfast inn! When his parents (Tom Virtue and Donna Pescow)
leave on their weekend trip, he and his friends don monogrammed
shirts, instantly redecorate the house, and greet their guests.
Meanwhile, Louis’ older sister Ren (Christy Carlson Romano) is at a
sleepover at Ruby's (Lauren Frost), who is down after breaking up with
her boyfriend. The two plan a "boy-free" evening, but when her ex
calls on the phone, Ruby spends the night talking to him. Ren goes
home in disgust and climbs in her bed only to find there's someone
already in it – a “guest” named Mrs. Culpepper (Emily Yancy)!
Ren hits the roof when she finds out what Louis has done, but when she
meets the cute twin boys who are staying at the house, Ren gladly
joins the staff at Stevens Manor rather than report Louis to her
folks.
Then some real trouble strikes. Mom calls home to check on Louis. She
and Dad have decided to cut short their trip and will return in two
hours. Louis is sure he will be found out, but Ren comes up with a
plan. It's midnight and everyone is in bed, so the kids sneak into
every room and reset all the clocks and watches to 7AM! They proceed
to wake up everyone and force-feed their groggy guests, then
practically push them out the front door, telling them check-out time
at Stevens Manor is 7AM. Louis and company feverishly put everything
back in place – barely getting the job done before their parents
arrive.
Mom and Dad don't suspect anything until they see a woman (the
guest, Mrs. Culpepper) on TV the next morning give a glowing
"thumbs up" review to Stevens Manor alongside a
photo of its hip, young
staff!
Books:
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Settings:
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The setting of Culpeper's Dish from the novel Return of the Native
is posted in the Places Section. |
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Literary Characters named Culpepper:
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In James Jones novel, From Here to Eternity (New York: Scribner's, 1951), a Lt.
Culpepper advises an enlisted man:
 |
"If you admit you were drunk and were just feeling your oats was all, then we
turn the tables right back on them, because the getting drunk itself is tacitly considered
more of a virtue than a sin, to a real soldier. . . . The court . . . couldn't honestly
give you three months, let alone the limit, just for being a hell-for-leather
wild-and-woolly soldier. Of course, legally you would be guilty: but we don't care about
that." |
|
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From the Culpepper Adventures, a series of books written by Gary Paulsen for
Dell Publishing's Yearing Series. These books, written for young readers, feature as their
common hero, young Duncan "Dunc" Culpepper.
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The titles include, "Culpepper's Cannon," "The Case of the Dirty
Bird," "Dunc's Doll," and "Dunc Gets Tweaked." |
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Titles available from Dell Publishing, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, New York. |
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In the novel Ladystinger by my old friend, Little Rock-based
writer Craig Smith, (Crown Publishers, Inc. New York 1992). He names a character in a
flashback scene with his heroine/con-artist Maggie Rohrer and her teenaged, shop-lifting
partner "Janice Culpepper." |
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Film/Television:
Movies with Culpepper in Name:
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The Culpepper
Cattle Company. This 1972 movie, was rated by western writer, Robert O.
Burgess, as one of the top 5 western movies of all time. (Click on link above for
information on cable TV schedules and on purchasing a video.)
Summary of movie from E-Line:
When an idealistic boy talks his way into becoming a cook's helper on a rugged
cattle drive, he finds "cowboyin'" rapidly losing its appeal.
Notable lines from the movie:
Young cowboy..."That sure is a pretty horse, mister."
Old cowboy..."I guess."
Young cowboy..."What's his name?"
Old cowboy..."You don't give a name
to something
you might have to eat." |
Fictional Characters named Culpepper/Culpeper:
(Sorted in Chronological order)
Last updated 19 Sep 2005 by Chip Culpepper.
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Charles Kent
portrays "Colonel Culpepper"
and Gladys
Leslie plays "Dulcie Culpepper"
the title
role from the silent film "Miss Dulcie From Dixie" in 1919. The movie
was based on the novel of the same name and same year written by Lulah
Ragsdale (who also contributed to the screenplay). |
|
Also in 1919,
Franklyn Hanna plays “Colonel
Culpepper”
in “The Carter Case.” |
|
Joseph J. Dowling
plays the part of "Colonel
Martin Culpepper"
in "A Certain Rich Man" (1921) in which Grace Pike played
"Mrs. Colonel Culpepper"
and Claire Adams portrayed "Molly
Culpepper." |
|
Helen Gilmore plays
the role of "Carlene Culpepper"
in "One
Terrible Day" filmed in 1922. |
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Willis Marks played
"Colonel Culpepper"
in "Man Under
Cover" in 1922. |
|
Ernie Morrison Sr.
played the part of “Professor
T. Jefferson Culpepper”
in the film “Lodge Night” of 1923. |
|
Eric Cowley
portrays “Sir Thomas Culpepper”
in “Hampton Court Palace” of 1926 |
|
 Anita
Garvin played
Mrs. Culpepper
(at right), who needs rescuing from the hired help, Laurel and Hardy, in
the 1928 movie, "From Soup to Nuts", which also features Tiny Sandford
as “Mr. Culpepper.” |
|
Robert Donat
portrays "Thomas Culpepper"
in the 1933 film "The
Private Life of Henry VIII." |
|
Richard Dix plays
"Bob Culpepper"
in the film "Yellow Dust" (1936). |
|
Dick Elliott
portrays “Mayor Culpepper”
in the 1936 film “Silly Billies.” |
|
John Howard played
the part of "Brandon Culpepper"
in "Touchdown Army" (1938). |
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Grady Sutton
portrays "Culpepper"
in "Vivacious Lady" filmed in 1938. |
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Olin Howlin is
“Attorney Culpepper”
in the 1939 film “Zenobia.” |
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Jesse Graves plays
“Charles Culpepper,
Carlsen’s Butler”
in the 1940 feature, “They Drive by Night" |
|
Jack Baxley
portrayed "Judge Culpepper"
in the film "Mr. Celebrity" (1942). |
|
Also in 1942,
Margaret Dumont plays “Mrs.
Culpepper”
in the film “About Face.” |
|
Eric Portman
portrays “Thomas Colpeper, JP,”
a 14th century medieval knight,
opposite Margaret Scudamore’s “Mrs.
Colpeper”
in the 1944 UK film “A
Canterbury Tale”.
Perhaps Sir Thomas
Colepeper of Bayhall, Hardreshull and Exton (1356-1428) was the
inspiration for naming this character. |
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Jean Willes plays
“Claire Culpepper”
in “Bowery to Bagdad” in 1954. |
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Frances Chaney
portrays “Jeanne Culpepper”
in the 1956 TV Series “The Edge of Night.” |
|
Ray Teal is
“Jed Culpepper”
in the popular television series “Wagon Train” (Episode 39: The Jess
MacAbbee Story) that originally aired November 25, 1959. |
|
Eric Barker played
a character named "Culpepper
Brown"
in three films. "Blue Murder at St. Trinian's" (1958); "The Pure Hell of
St. Trinian's" (1961); and "The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery"
(1966) |
|
John Cestare
portrayed “Buck Culpepper”
and Walter
Klavun plays “Amos Culpepper”
in the 1961
film “Fall Girl." |
|
Also in 1961,
Beatrice Kay plays “Susan
Culpepper”
in the TV Series
“Calvin and the Colonel.” |
|
Spencer Tracy
played the part of "Captain T.
G. Culpeper"
and Selma Diamond played his wife
"Ginger Culpeper"
with Louise Glenn as “Billie
Sue Culpeper”
in the 1963 film "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World." (Spencer Tracy also
appeared as “Captain T.G.
Culpeper”
again in “Something
a Little Less Serious” a 1981 television special.) |
|
Slim Pickens
portrayed "Bosun’s Mate Chief
Culpepper of the USS Cassiday"
in the 1965 film "In Harm's Way" which starred John Wayne. |
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Minnie Pearl plays
“Ma Culpepper”
opposite Bob
Corley’s “Pa Culpepper”
with Del Reeves portraying “Del
Culpepper”
in the 1968 feature “Forty Acre Feud." |
|
An unknown actor
plays a troubled street teen character in one episode, by the name of
"Mark Culpepper"
in the 1970's (TV) Police Drama Series "Baretta" starring Robert Blake. |
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Ralph Bates
portrays “Thomas Culpepper”
in the 1971 TV mini-series version of “The Six Wives of Henry VIII.” |
|
Billy Green Bush
plays "Frank Culpepper"
in the
acclaimed 1972 western "The
Culpepper Cattle Company." |
|
Doug McClure plays
"Lt. Del Culpepper"
in the 1973 (TV)
"Death Race." |
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Louise Latham plays
"Martha Culpepper"
in the Burt Reynolds film "White Lightning" of 1973. |
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Robin Sachs is
“Thomas Culpepper”
in “Henry VIII and His Six Wives” also in 1973. |
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Richard Hale
portrays "Reverend Culpepper"
in 1975's
"Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins." |
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Noel Ferrier plays
"Culpepper"
in the 1976 film "Deathcheaters." |
|
Thorley Walters
revives the role of "Hugo
Culpepper Brown"
in the 1980 film, "The Wildcats of St. Trinian's." |
|
Vincent Marzello
portrays "Culpepper"
in the 1983 film, "Never Say Never Again." |
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Julianne Phillips
plays "Becky Culpepper"
in the 1989 Chevy Chase film "Fletch Lives." |
|
Crystal Verge plays
"Portia Culpepper"
and Chelsey G. Marshall portrays
"Louise Culpepper"
in the (TV) movie
"While Justice Sleeps (1994). |
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Christine Cattell
plays "Nancy Culpepper"
in the film "Mr. Wrong" (1996). |
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Michael Harris
plays "Larry Culpepper"
in the 1997
film "Santa Fe." |
|
Meg Davies plays
"Marianne Culpepper"
and Michael Pennington portrays "Hartley
Culpepper"
in "Dalziel and Pascoe: Ruling Passion" (1997 TV). |
|
Emily Yancy plays
“Mrs. Culpepper”
in the Disney Channel series “Even Stevens” (2002 TV). |
|
Joseph Morgan
brings the character of “Thomas
Culpepper”
back to life in “Henry VIII” (2003 TV). |
|
Amy Smart portrays
“Liz Culpepper”
in the 2004 film “Blind Horizon.” |
|
Adam Grimes plays
“Culpepper”
in “Code Breakers”
(2005 TV). |
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Megahn Perry plays
the role of “Culpepper”
in the 2005 film “Gravedancers.” |
|
Naomi Watts
portrays “Lila Culpepper”
in the 2005 feature “Stay.” |
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Henry Lloyd-Hughes
portrays “Culpepper”
in “The Rotters’ Club” (2005 TV). |
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Burt Reynolds is
set to play “Elmore Culpepper”
in the 2006 film “Randy and the Mob.” |
Last Revised:
02 Jan 2015 |
