The Great Jean Shepherd

For those who might never have had the chance to hear a man who could tell a story about anything and make it both funny and with insight into the human condition.

I listened to hundreds of them during the 1970s and still remember a lot of them. A Christmas Story usually seen on PBS every year is his. To hear him tell his stories on radio was better though.

http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/4cc30 ... enway-park

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQLg3rcV ... re=related

Outstanding franco b Yep, sittin around the old radio made us use our imagination--imagine that!! not computer generated crap

I used to listen nightly, remember it well.

The Magic Of Radio Was Unbelievable ! Jean's most Commercial success was Ralphie and the Christmas Story Movie. It started out slow,and grew into the Cult Classic Status that it now is. If my failing memory serves me right,both Jean and his son were taken out by a drunk driver. It's hell being Human. He left behind a rich Legacy of tales that can now be harvested on the Net. Thanx,Franco...!

Love that video John! Look at all that AWESOME American iron rolling down the highways of the past. MAN I'd love to own any one of those vehicles now ...

A story I remember he told was of driving in the winter on a mid western road that was arrow straight.There were high snow banks on either side of the road and the road surface was a sheet of ice. There was no traffic at all, he was all alone, so he was going fast.

Eventually he spotted a car in the distance coming toward him. When it got closer he realized it was out of control on the icy roadway and was spinning 360 degrees. He gently hit his brakes and instantly found himself also doing a 360 going down the road. When a crash seemed absolutely certain, nothing happened. The cars spin was perfectly timed to miss each other and they each went on their way.