Old News: A ‘Cheers’ to Iconic Places & People

There’s a reason why the 1970s and ’80s TV show Cheers was so popular.

The title song said it all in one sentence “You wanna go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” It resonated with millions. Everyone wanted that place to go to where they knew they belonged. A nose-to-the-screen-free environment. Face-to-face social interaction with a family of another kind that, good or bad, always showed up. Regulars. A place like Cheers — with parents.

With the recent death of the youngest (believe it or not) son of iconic Mary Murphy (Nepp), proprietor and barkeep extraordinaire at the still-standing former speakeasy, Murphy’s in Rumson, thoughts turned the clock way back to the days of pretty innocent, rambuncious funning at Murphy’s.

Mary behind the basement bar, literally in a house, young legal adults (remember, the drinking age was 18 then) would gather, play games, drink, socialize and be watched over like a scary, big-hearted mama hawk by Mary.

She was known to keep everyone in line. Still, she let the fun ensue, the young be young, yet happily overserve as a helicopter parental barkeep with no qualms about kicking someone out or giving them a good scolding. What was funny was that as much as she struck a little fear into the souls of many a Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) grad, they always wanted more of Murphy’s because of that. Just like home — with more family, cocktails and basement games.

Oh, she knew their names. The glad they came part? Well, that depended on the night and the harmless hooligans’ antics. Harmless, yes. All play at Murphy’s was, at worst, just a little loud and cramped at times. But, Mary always had a way with harsh words.

A night out back then was also a lot less expensive than the latest iPhone apps, never mind the phones themselves. We’re talking a pitcher of beer for usually $1 or less. A six pack in the 1970s went for anywhere from $2.50 to $2.80. So, if Mary kicked the youngins out, she’d send them packing with a six.

Yes, Mary’s youngest “child” just died at 87. Now, that’s perspective. For those of us who experienced Mary at Murphy’s, it made us feel more ancient than the dinosaurs we apparently are.

Did you know, though, that Mary was, at one time, the Rumson “borough collector?” An article in the April 25, 1940 edition of The Daily Standard featured an election story citing that Miss Mary Murphy was an incumbent being endorsed for re-election “following a caucus of Republican party workers” to the post.

Well, she got the vote of many when she ran that little leftover speakeasy basement bar. It still stands today. And, yes, some leftover RFH fossils still gather there. Cheers! Steamers on Saturday, anyone?

And priming the kids for their wholesome Murphy’s days, one could say, was a Fair Haven kiddie Pan of sorts. Frank Leslie. Recently, we were reminded that Frank would have just turned 94. Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 55.

Leslie, with his wife, Barbara, who is still with us, concocted a kid-friendly, candy, snack, pizza and hot dog bar of sorts in their Whistle Stop behind the Acme in the 1970s. Oh, it was a Cheers for children. A kids’ social club. And, yes, everybody knew your name.

For lunch and/or after school kids would flock to the Whistle Stop and belly up to the … candy case. Frank would serve up some Elio’s best frozen pizza, a favorite of the Stop gang. Hot dogs were a hit, too. And there was pinball and juke box tunes. Some even took guitar lessons from Barbara and joined a bunch of juniors in the Fair Haven Folk Singers. The group took it to the streets in many a Fair Haven parade, too.

A song frequently strummed and sung by the Folk Singers was “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” and, boy, did the Leslies have the whole Fair Haven kids’ world in their hands.

Frank Jr. recently shared a pic of one of the Whistle Stop gangs, captured by the Register staff on social media (see below); and, the reminiscent thank-you notes haven’t stopped. It’s ironic that The Whistle Stop started out as an antiques shop. It ended up filled with the spirit of the young. Hey, maybe the antiques had ears.

The complete transformation into a little luncheonette/candy shop of sorts officially came in 1978. Until then, though, the antiques place was attracting the kids, as it was situated between the two Fair Haven elementary schools. Back then, kids biked or walked home for lunch and ended up roaming into and out of The Whistle Stop perusing and looking for a trinket to buy with their allowance. “I got tired of selling old bottles,” Barbara said in a 1978 Register story about the conversion.

She knew the kids were looking for something, or some place and was happy to satiate the burn-the-small-change-hole-in-the-pocket need by first adding a candy case. And then the candy … bar flourished from then on. It was never really about money for the Leslies. Barbara, all these decades later, once told us that if she saw a kid digging into the pockets for some loose candy change, she’d just slip a couple of pieces into the hand with a smile.

And there were many happy returns … in the glory of those kids’ grins. Those kids are pretty much seniors now (SHHHHH!), likely a lot older than the Leslies were back then, and they’re still smiling about the many Cheers moments in that little haven behind the supermarket.

“They wanted a place to go, have something to eat, listen to music and play a game,” Barbara Leslie said in the Register story. “They were looking for a place to socialize. Kids do need a place to go.”

And they went. And they’re still going back for a shot of Mary and slice of Frank and Barbara.

Belly up! Cheers to those who parented the social clubs of the Rumson- and Fair Haven-raised rascals! Jawbreaker, anyone?

Whistle Stop kids of the late 70s
Photo/courtesy of Frank Leslie Jr., from the Register staff

By Elaine Van Develde/exclusively for R-FH Retro

** These original looks back in time are copyrighted. They are not for cutting and pasting to any social media post or other publication or “lifting” of any portion under anyone else’s name. They are only for publication on this website. Any infringement is plagiarism. **