“Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?” – Ernestine the Operator
Mary Jean Tomlin was born in Detroit, the daughter of Lillie Mae (Ford) and Guy Tomlin. Lily is not to be blamed for the outbreak of World War II that day.
In the 1940 Census for Detroit, 7-month-old Lily is living with her parents at 1181 or 1183 W. Ferry Avenue. Guy is employed as a machine operator. The neighbors are workmen as well, such as assemblers, auto workers, die makers, and foremen. The neighborhood is primarily made up of mid-westerners, with a few Irish, English, Canadians, and Hungarians mixed in.
The family later moved to Paducah, Kentucky, where Lillie Mae and Guy were born. Lily has a younger brother, Richard.
Later life
Lily attended Cass Technical High School and Wayne State University. She started her standup career in Detroit.
For full information, including her careers in television, film, Broadway, recording, and driving the magic school bus as Ms. Frizzle, see her Wikipedia page.
In 1969, she replaced Judy Carne on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, a sketch comedy show, and was an instant hit with her wide range of characters, such as:
- Ernestine the Operator, a 1940s-looking prim, pinch-faced woman who handled telephone customers with disdain. Her catchphrases were, “one ringy dingy, two ringy dingys” and “Have I reached the party to whom I am speaking?” Tomlin turned down $500,000 from AT&T to play Ernestine in a commercial.
- Edith Ann, a 5-year-old girl with a stuffed-up nose sitting in a rocking chair with her ragdoll, talking about her life. Her older sister Mary Jean bossed her around.
- Mrs. Ediith Beasley, a housewife and mother who gives consumer advice.
- Mrs. Earbore, is the tasteful lady who gives advice on gracious living and elegance.
- Susie the Sorority girl, whose Carpenter’s album has been stolen.
- Lucille the Rubber Freak, a lady who eats rubber.
- Tess/Trudy, a homeless bag lady who gives passersby the benefit of her knowledge. On extraterrestrials “They don’t care if you believe in ’em or not—they’re different from God.”
- Bobbi-Jeanine, a lounge singer, also gives advice, “It’s not called Show Art, it’s Show Business.”
On December 31, 2013, Tomlin and Jane Wagner married in a private ceremony in Los Angeles after 42 years together.
A personal note about Lily Tomlin
In the early 1970’s when I was in college, Lily Tomlin played a show at my school. I attended with my 10-year-old sister who believed she had the greatest Ernestine the Operator impression of all time. When we got to the show, we gave a note to an usher for Lily, asking if she would have time after the show to meet with my sister and hear the impression. We didn’t hear back.
Several weeks later Lily Tomlin called our house and asked to speak to my sister so she could hear the impression. She explained that she received the note too late that night to be able to see us. My sister and the whole family were thrilled. A few weeks later, a package arrived containing all of Lily’s comedy albums.
The only information that was on that note was my sister’s name. Lily tracked down our phone number and address on her own. And that’s the truth…pbbbbt!!
Other happenings on September 1, 1939:
- Nazi Germany and Slovakia invaded Poland, beginning the European phase of World War II.
- General George C. Marshall became Joint Chiefs of Staff, e.g. Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
- An exchange of fire occurred between a group of several dozen German saboteurs and a Polish border patrol at the Polish-German border post in Jeziorki, near Piła (Schneidemühl), resulting in the death of Corporal Piotr Konieczka on the Polish side.
- The Polish border patrol on bikes was fired on by German soldiers near Krzepice.
- Switzerland mobilized its forces and the Swiss Parliament elected Henri Guisan to head the Swiss Army.
- Switzerland proclaimed neutrality at the outbreak of WWII.
- The Wound Badge for Wehrmacht, SS, Kriegsmarine, and Luftwaffe soldiers was instituted.
- Born: Heinrich Messner, Austrian downhill skier (winner first ever World Cup slalom; Olympic bronze 1968, 72), born in Obernberg am Brenner, Austria.
Tomorrow – The Fifth Beatle… well one of them.
Sources
- Wikipedia.org
- Ancestry.com
- Onthisday.com
- Picryl.com
- Youtube.com
Famous People and Their First Census 