Bronx, Oct 23 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Slapstick comedian Soupy Sales died yesterday at the old age of 83, of several health related problems. His manager and friend Dave Usher told the media that Soupy Sales passed away at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, N.Y., where he was admitted last week.

Soupy Sales original name was Milton Supman. He began his career with a 1953 kids’ TV show in Detroit named as Soupy Sales Comics, and went on to star in both syndicated and network TV shows until his last series in 1979-80. He was an instant hit.

New York Daily News said about his TV debut, “No true fan can forget the New Year’s Day 1965 live broadcast on WNEW. Sales, miffed at having to work the holiday, signed off by encouraging his young viewers to tiptoe into their still-sleeping parents’ bedrooms and remove those “funny green pieces of paper with pictures of U.S. Presidents” from their pants and pocketbooks.

“Put them in an envelope and mail them to me,” Sales instructed. “And I’ll send you a postcard from Puerto Rico!” He was then hit with a pie. “

His wife Trudy Carson Sales, to whom he was married for the last 29 years, survives him. He has also got two sons from a previous marriage and four grandchildren.