In the Comic Strip,

Union Suits were the underwear worn by the entire cast of characters, well the menfolk for sure. 

You've already met a couple already, the boy who lost his britches in the Sadie Hawkins Day Race and Pappy Yokum (see my previous two postings). There's Li'l Abner, of course:

There were others who traipsed around day and night in their long, one-piece underwear too. 

For example, Black Rufe:  

and Hannibal Hoops who wasn't shy about running around in his union suit either:

Three fellahs who lived in Dogpatch, USA 

sometimes chose to wear Boxer Shorts over

long-handled, button-down underwear!

Who? Well, the Yokums! Especially when they were asked 

to do an ad for Fruit of the Loom Underwear!

Union Suits, a theme in the movie, Li'l Abner 

Afterall, they were Hillbillies living a simple life in Dogpatch, USA. Of course, they wore union suits. The boy running around in his, featured in my two earlier postings, wasn't the only one shown in such attire. In fact, the film begins with an older man, apparently being thrown out of the house by his wife for sleeping late, still wearing only his patched-up long underwear.

Ahh, a quiet early morning...

When suddenly, out he tumbleds in his sleeping attire, 

what else, a union suit:

And, so what does he do? 

Well, what would any self-respecing man do
who had just been thrown out of his own house 

in just his long underwear?! He begins singing!!

Pappy Yokum, Li'l Abner's daddy also always wore union suits.

And, in this movie, that was no exception: 

In the earlier 1940 movie version of Li'l Abner, 

there was Pappy again, wearing a white union suit:

Be sure to see this 1959 Paramount Pictures Classic on Paramount+, DailyMotion and other Streaming Services. 

You'll be thrilled you did.

 Li'l Abner 

Union Suit Fans: After my last posting, Movie Trivia: Suspendered, I received an email from one of my blog readers, Nolan Applebaum. He remembered seeing the movie, Li'l Abner, with his family as a boy growing up in Kansas City, Missouri. I asked him to consider telling his story to the readers of my blog. He kindly acquiesced. Read on...

Hillbilly Heaven

       by Guest Contributor, Nolan Applebaum

By far, the best memory I have as a little boy growing up in Kansas City was on those occasions when my father would load the family up in his 1955 Chevrolet Nomad station wagon and head to the Drive-in Movie Theater just before dusk. My mom would join him up-front with my two brothers, one sister and me in the back seat, typically in our pajamas as it would be late when we got home...some of us fast asleep. I was ten years old that year the film, Li'l Abner, was shown at the drive-in. It was a hit with all of us, but especially my father, Ken. I had not thought of this movie and his reaction for many years. But, Chris, your posting, “Suspendered,” reminded me of his boisterous laugh when that boy's suspenders were grabbed by a young lady intent on capturing a husband. When those suspenders snapped off, his pants fell down around his ankles. It didn't hurt our funny bones that we could then see he was wearing bright red, long underwear. That only added to the merriment erupting from our car.

The boy and his terrified buddies tried frantically to get away from the girls during the Sadie Hawkins Day Race as apparently they were not ready to get married. After all, that was the point of the race. Numerous girls chased numerous bachelors in and around Dogpatch, USA in in hopes of catching husbands. That frantic race grew out of the great mind and imagination of Al Capp, the creator, illustarator, and writer of the comic strip, Li'l Abner.

At any rate, the boy who lost his pants, yanked them up and ran quickly away. But that wasn't the end of that hapless kid. Miraculously, he was seen shortly thereafter with his yellow suspenders once again purposely attached and holding up his pants. By then, he along with other propsective grooms were carefully hiding in a corn field from the prospective brides. 

Just as the nervous boy thought they were safe, he motioned for the others to come out of hiding. He stood up with the girl just behind waiting to pounce and grab him from behind. 

With a quick yank, she missed him but tore this clothes right off, leaving him leaping around in only his union suit. Off he ran in long red underwear with her standing dejected once again, holding only his clothes.

The chase continued. Soon the girl appeared out of the woods, steaming mad. And, what did she grip in her hands? Well, the boy's red union suit underwear. Foiled again! 

Off she went with his long underwear, searching presumably for the naked escape artist. 

When the boy next appeared sans clothes and union suit, he wore nothing but a flour sack, saving what little dignity he had left. After a wonderfully choreographed final dance routine, the girl finally caught the boy as did a large number of other maidens who caught their soon to be husbands. 

They all were eventually married, blessed and, I suppose, lived happily ever after! 

 

The question remains...Did Daisy Mae catch and marry Li'l Abner?

You know, Chris, like the kid who lost his clothes, I began wearing red union suits at the age of 15. Like you, I have been wearing them ever since then. I suppose it was this movie that peaked my interest into the type of long underwear I prefer, as do many of your blog readers. All the best to you and, as you say, keep 'em buttoned!

Union Suit Fans:

Check out this classic on Paramount +, Dailymotion, UTube 

and other streaming platforms to find out. 

A special thanks to Nolan, Paramount Pictures, and, of course, Al Capp!!