Charles Nelson Reilly, R.I.P.

That great whooshing sound you just heard was all of Lidsville, along with the rest of us, doffing our caps and respectfully saying good-bye. Reilly's game show persona tended to overshadow the fact that he was an underrated actor who rarely got a chance to prove it. Tonight I think I'll revisit the great X-Files and Millenium episodes that Darin Morgan wrote for him-- "Jose Chung's 'From Outer Space'" and "Jose Chung's 'Doomsday Defense'"-- and remember just how good he was.

Ah, Dennis, you beat me to it. I was also going to mention Morgan's excellent X Files and Millennium episodes. Two of the best episodes of both series.

I'll take this obituary as an unqualified rave.

Will you be going to see Life of Reilly at SIFF, Jim, or have you already seen it?

I adored Charles Nelson Reilly. I often think of a brilliant exchange he had with Gene Rayburn on "Match Game."

The clue went something like: "THe Jolly Green Giant invited his friends over for a party and they bobbed in the sea for ."

When it came to Charles, he answered "Watermelon" which got guffaws from the audience and Rayburn. Reilly responded, "What's wrong with watermelon? Can you think of a bigger fruit?"

Rayburn practically collapsed on the spot. Reilly quietly added "Present company excluded."

Speaking of big fruit, I remember his commercials where he dressed up in a huge banana suit and sold pens: "I am the Bic Banana! Hnnn, hnnn!" So his answer could have been "bananas", maybe.