GE Filter Flo Mini Wash-in

[gewa1054wguy]

Good day,

Rich, Scott and I will be meeting at my laundry room for a GE mini-wash in on Saturday, July 21st. We usually keep it simple, get together in the late afternoon, wash some clothes, order pizza, play the jukebox. If anyone is near Long Beach and would like to attend, please let me know.

We are all looking forward to getting our clothes dirty like Fred Mertz, then getting them lint free clean in the V-12, V-14, Versatronic or 1967 Lady Kenmore.

Mike

 

[Manoravenue]

Fred Mertz getting dirty?

It would be nice to stop by to say HELLO, but I'll be up here in Fresno, dying of the heat in this miserable pit of a Valley and miserable excuse for a place to call "home." I'm just not recalling Fred Mertz being stereotypically known for getting his clothes dirty; what I think of immediately is his zingers about Ethel and some snappy comebacks to Ricky's mispronoucning of English words. In fact, most of ties he wore in the earlier episodes and a lot of the sport shirts in the later episodes would probably bring big bucks on Ebay or at a vintage shop today.

 

[filterflo]

Id love to stop by Ethel, but then its a little too far to walk for those of us that are not wound too tight, isnt it? Filter, going with the Flo........Sorry! Mike, I just couldnt resist! Ha

 

[gewa1054wguy]

Fred Gets Dirty

Hi,

In the infamous Epernay Washer episode on "I Love Lucy" (Never do business with friends episode), Lucy comes into the Mertz's kitchen with Little Ricky in a the baby carriage. Ethel is doing the wash and getting lunch ready. Lucy asks Ethel how HER washer is doing and Ethel replies, you mean MY washer. Lucy says, Oh yes, and then Ethel says it gets clothes clean so fast I sent Fred out to get dirty. That is where I took my reference from.

Of course, after some more dialogue, the washing machine begins to wobble/make noise, then spray water and throw clothes all over the kitchen.

Oh, and to save space, there is a previous thread all about the Epernay which pegs it as a Hamilton washer based on some careful research by Robert and Rich Maher.

If anyone would like to attend the GE Mini Wash-in, please post or email me ([email protected]). Lets make some suds cakes!

Mike

 

[laundryshark]

Bring On Some Great Audio/Video!

Would like to collect some awesome clips *for those of us who are too far away for being there.*--Laundry Shark

 

[golittlesport]

I can't wait to see YOUR new washer, Ethyl May. (Well, "it's new to you," as Fred would say.) You can give your old one to the Smithsonian Institute.

Jimmy - come on, it's not that far. You could always share a ride with Mrs. Grundy. ("Didn't I tell you to pack a lunch??")

 

[golittlesport]

Oh...Lucy's washer that she sold to Ethyl was a Horton, not a Hamilton. The Horton was a rebadged Launderall.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Horton

Yes it was a Horton, here is that thread that Mike is referring to, gosh thread #308, the Discuss-o-Mat was just a little baby back then LOL.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/TD/ARCHIVE/VINTAGE/2004/308x18.htm

 

[gewa1054wguy]

OOoops

Hi,

I knew I should have looked it up. I am so bad with names ever since I have been prep 4 my Pitt Prem.

Mike

 

[jons1077]

OOOH!!! I sure wish I could go to your get-together! I love the GE Filter Flos! I'm gonna get me one one of these days.

 

[gansky1]

It's good to see you posting again, Mike. You'll have to take some pictures of the GE in it's new home flo-ing away with the admiring guests around it - we'd all love some more shots of the beautiful washer. It's great that our little group here is saving all these classics!

 

[Manoravenue]

Fred Mertz

I'm jealous; I thought I had ALL the dialogue of ALL the episodes memorized, and that bit about Ethel sending Fred out to get dirty slipped by me until it was mentioned here. I recall it now. And I never knew exactly what brand of machine it was, that "lemon," as the Mertzes called it after it became a fountain and doused the kitchen. Apparently the Ricardos went through washing machines like crazy because even in their Connecticut home, it seems that one year they had a Philco Duomatic and the next they had a Frigidaire pair. Sheeze, there were only THREE of them, how were they wearing out these sturdy workhorse machines so fast? I know, it was the manufacturers jockeying to have their products visible on a popular show, indirect advertising.

 

[mickeyd]

Ah life, always a surprize: Attention GARY, GEOFF, ROBERT

Thought I had seen ever Lucy episode, was often sad about NY kitchens' lack of washing machines. Never new the washer episode existed. But even more astonishing in Robert's link is the machine on the left. The agitate arm, the indented upper tub both suggest a Lady Kenmore Visamatic. Is a full view of this machine visible in the DVD? Then endless shocks and joys at AW.org!!!!

 

[golittlesport]

I don't recall Lucy ever having a Frigidaire washer. My Three Sons and Leave it to Beaver had Frigidaire washers.

In the original Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour, "The Star Next Door" featuring Tallulah Bankhead, both the Ricardos and "Miss Bankhead" have Hotpoint washers and dryers...the Ricardos'set clearly seen in the laundry room off the kitchen and "Miss Bankheads" in her garage. Imagine a star like that having to cart laundry out to the unattached garage...in Conneticut yet. I guess that little inconsistency was a tip off they were actually filming in California. People back east don't have laundries out back in a separate garage, do they?

 

[appnut]

And let's not forget the Ford station wagon she had, Richard Deacon was the butler, and what appeared to be stainless Hotpoint appliances in the kitchen.

 

[revvinkevin]

You know... it's funny how this thread started out as an open invitation for a mini GE/Kenmore wash-in in Long Beach, CA... but then somehow morphed into a discussion about TV shows from the 50's and 60's.

So who else will be attending Mike's mini wash-in to help him celebrate arrival of the newest additions to his "family"?????

 

[gewa1054wguy]

Suds Cakes at 4

Hey,

The group is meeting around 4 today. If anyone would like to attend, post a message and I will get back to you.

There are 3 different mini baskets to use at this mini wash-in.

Pix of the event to post soon after....

 

[gewa1054wguy]

Washin Pix

Hi,

Here is the Washin Group for 7/21/07. Mike, Sanford, Rich, Kevin and Scott. We all had a great time. Rich, thanks for mac and cheeze, Scott for the great dessert, and Sanford for the water and donating your socks as a Nuisance load so we could use the super mini-basket!

We did 7 loads total, 4 full and 3 mini basket loads. It was a great evening!

Here are pics to share.

 

[gewa1054wguy]

Kenmore

While it was a GE night, the Kenmore did a great load of whites. We all just love the medium speed agitation at the 6 minutes to go mark, and of course the timed bleach dispensing at the 4 minutes to go mark.