PROGRAMS - HAPPY WANDERERS

with Stan and Yosh Shmenge
"Remember, when the name is Schmenge you know you got something."

Happy Wanderers

Stan and Yosh Shmenge are the leaders of the polka band The Happy Wanderers. Originally from Leutonia, they came to America and conquered the polka charts, but are still looking for some crossover success. "And remember, when the name is Shmenge, you know you got something."

1 The Happy Wanderers: Linsk Minyk [4/3 - 5 (6)]

Stan and Yosh open the show. The audience is from the Buffalo chapter of the Leutonian American Society.

Stan and Yosh talk to some of the people. Linsk, a former member of the Happy Wanderers, comes out to do a song (a Leutonian "Stairway to Heaven"). A stage light crashes to the ground.

The Shmenges do a last number, thank Mrs Vilve Yachke for the cabbage rolls and coffee.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; Linsk Minyk - Moranis; audience, band - extras; announcer - Moranis

2 Commercial: Shmenge Travel [4/3 - 5 (7)]

Stan and Yosh have a deal on the annual Leutonia Rites of Spring Festival. They will rip their own clothes to get you a good deal.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy

3 Commercial: The Happy Wanderers: Looking Back on Shmenge Records [4/3 - 5 (8)]

A 2 record set, featuring "Dance, Old Man Dance", "Justa Shmenge Waltz", "There's Rhythm In My Lederhosen", "Mama Cook Me Cabbage Rolls", "The Wanderer's Polka".

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; trench coat - extra; crewguy - extra; guy taking leak - extra

4 The Happy Wanderers: Salute to John Williams [5/4 - 3 (5)]

Stan and Yosh are doing a tribute to John Williams. They open with Superman. Stan tells us about John's early days in Leutonia. They perform the theme from Jaws and Star Wars.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; band - extras; crowd - extras

5 PSA: Voter Registration with the Shmenges [5/4 - 3 (6)]

Stan and Yosh perform a cautionary demonstration of what will happen if you don't register to vote.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; Polling booth attendant - Short

6 The Happy Wanderers: Christmas Day With the Shmenges [5/4 - 6 (8)]

Stan and Yosh show us a traditional Leutonian Christmas. Morning starts with Yosh arriving at Stan's for breakfast, bearing the traditional egg, which symbolizes the Christmas breakfast. They eat the Falutniks. They admire the tree, and put the hat on the tree. The women and children leave so that the men can exchange socks. Then they walk to Yosh's house for the presents. Don't get caught under the Christmas budgie! Christmas dinner features a turkey-sized cabbage roll and coffee.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; kids, wives, uncles - extras

7 The Happy Wanderers: The Miss Leutonia Pageant [5/5 - 5 (10)]

Stan and Yosh discuss women. They introduce the finalists. They look back on the week.

Clips: Miss Leutonia Pageant Week

The contestants arrive, do some sight-seeing. The domestic talent contest. They visit the Candles of the World Show.

Contestants - extras

The traditional Leutonian gown competition. They announce the runner-up and the winners. It's a four-way tie. The victory walk.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; contestants, audience - extras; announcer - staff announcer

8 The Happy Wanderers: New Wave Shmenge [6 - 1 (7)]

Yosh and Stan salute new wave music. They start with 'Billy Jean'. They plug their new album. They have a video of their new single.

Video: Power to the Punk People Polka

A conceptual video.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; New Wave Chick - extra; New Wave Kids - extras; punk people - extras

Stan and Yosh talk to some people in the audience.

They perform a A Flock of Seaguls tune. They flog the new wave album again. Credit crawl over the new video.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; Audience - extras; Happy Wanderers band - extras

9 The Last Polka [Special]

The show begins with an overview of their early life in Leutonia and interviews with various relatives and friends who speculate on why they are retiring (they don't have a clue).

The Last Polka Concert

December 14, 1984. The Happy Wanderers theme song and 'Cabbage Rolls and Coffee'. They're really cookin'.

The Shmenges themselves don't really have a good reason for retiring. They talk about their early years in Leutonian vaudeville playing jars. The war and an accident turn the Shmenges to polka. Just off the boat, they get their first big break with Colonel Cohen on his radio show. After the Colonel's mysterious death, the Shmenges start managing themselves.

Clips: Strikes, Spares and Shmenges (1952)

The Shmenges host their early TV show from a bowling alley. 'The Lucky Frame' was a big selling point.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; bowlers - extras

Linsk Minyk describes how he got together with the Shmenge brothers.

The Last Polka Concert Part 2

Linsk Minyk comes out to do a medley of famous tunes including 'On the Road Again', 'Touch Me'.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; Linsk Minyk - Moranis; The Happy Wanderers - extras

News coverage from 1980 when the Shmenges were grand marshals at Oktoberfest. A phone-in show, the parade.

The Last Polka Concert Part 3

Another song, featuring a monster tuba solo.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; The Happy Wanderers - extras

Clip: Polka Variety Hour (1964)

A song from The Lemon Twins.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; The Lemon Twins - Catherine O'Hara, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Robin Duke

Interview with The Lemon Twins about their start with the Shmenges, and a clip from the Polka Variety Hour from 1964. The scandal over the Shmenge's possible involvement with the twins.

The Last Polka Concert Part 4

The Lemon Twins come out and do a medley of their hits.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; The Lemon Twins - Catherine O'Hara, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Robin Duke; The Happy Wanderers - extras

Their attempt to expand their audience by attracting kids. Footage of the setup and rehearsals ('Beat It') for the disastrous 'The Shmenges Salute Michael Jackson' concert in Plattsburg in 1984, a possible factor in their break-up.

The Last Polka Concert Part 5

Their last song, 'The Last Polka'.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; The Happy Wanderers - extras

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; Papa Shmenge - Candy; Ma Shmenge - Levy; Linsk Minyk - Moranis; narrator - Thomas; Val Babbyit - John McAndrew; The Lemon Twins - Catherine O'Hara, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Robin Duke; Milt Chissik - extra; Mrs Vicki Mahoney-Cohen - extra; Moe Koffler - extra; Michael Colbert - extra; band - extras; fans - extras

10 The Happy Wanderers: Cabbage Rolls and Coffee Polka

Stan and Yosh contributed to the Comic Relief project, appearing on the The Best of Comic Relief album performing the audience participation number 'Cabbage Rolls and Coffee Polka'.

Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; band - extras