Uncle Berle and Mary Jane, Feb 1961

Uncle Berle Cool Coat

Uncle Berle with one of his wives, Mary Jane. He reminded me a little of Bogart. The eyes, the hat, coat and naturally the cigarette. This was at the Dallas airport. He and I both liked this picture. He was a black and white guy. Mom, Marilyn Rose and I were talking about him one day in 2006 as we were driving by the Watseka City jail. Mom told us a story about Berle. One day Berle woke up in the jail and didn't know why he was there. He had been drinking but didn't know what he had done to be there; kept wondering but kept quiet. He had talked about those Texas jails and how they would beat you up for making noise or "for being a wise guy." I can still hear him talking in his unique way "for being a wise guy!"and I knew what that meant. He learned to keep quiet. He went in Friday night and hadn't had any food and it was Monday! Mom thought it was a janitor that finally found him. They let him go and he quietly left. The jail sets empty and has been sold. I learned a lot from my favorite uncle and I miss him. Aunt Dorothy added this info-seems the jailers took him out for something to eat and then took him home.