Peggy King named Doo Dah grand marshal

Last Updated on Friday, March 08, 2013 02:01 pm Written by Staff Reports Thursday, February 14, 2013 01:00 am

79-year-old baton twirler Betty Lambert will be a special guest

79-year-old baton twirler Betty Lambert will be a special guest in this year's Ocean City Doo Dah Parade.

OCEAN CITY — “Perky” Peggy King of Philadelphia, who starred on the George Gobel show in the early days of television, will be this year’s Doo Dah Parade grand marshal on April 13.

King, one of television’s first singer celebrities, will be joined by syndicated cartoonist John McPherson, and 79-year-old baton twirler Betty Lambert, as well as 500 basset hounds, as she leads the 28th annual parade.

King has toured with the country’s leading big bands including Charlie Spivak, Ralph Flannigan and Ray Anthony and appeared with Mel Tormé.

During her career, she made guest appearances on many of the most popular shows of the era including “American Bandstand,” “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and the Jack Benny, Bob Hope and Ed Sullivan shows.

McPherson is the cartoonist behind “Close to Home,” which appears in 300 newspapers throughout the world. Numerous books of his work have been published. Majorette Betty Lambert from Harmony, Pa., who leads the Resurrection Band, will twirl her baton and do splits during the parade.

The basset hounds will also participate in the hilarious Basset Hound Olympics set for 1 p.m. Friday, April 12 at the Ocean City Tabernacle grounds, Sixth Street and Asbury Avenue.

Following the Olympics, humorist Dr. Joel Goodman will present a program on the benefits of humor 3-4 p.m. at the Ocean City Library, 1735 Simpson Ave.

Also on April 12 at 7 p.m., a Doo Dah Comedy Show has been scheduled for the Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace. The show will feature songs by King, a cartoon talk by McPherson and the annual appearance of the impersonators of legendary comedians, who also ride in the parade. These include Groucho Marx, Charo, Jack Benny, Abbott and Costello and Lucy performers. Admission for individuals or families will be by donation of canned or dried food for the Ocean City Food Cupboard or a donation of $10 for the cupboard.

The evening will also include a Tribute to Soupy Sales, rescheduled from last year because of technical difficulties. Trudy Sales, Soupy’s widow and a former June Taylor dancer, will participate in the event.

The parade begins at noon on Saturday at Sixth and Asbury, goes down to 12th Street, then proceeds to the boardwalk, concluding at Music Pier.

An awards ceremony will be held at the conclusion of the parade featuring King, McPherson and Lambert. This is followed by the colorful PieAsco, when folks sit in grandstands and smoosh each other in the face with shaving cream pies, the kind Soupy Sales used on his television show.

To participate in this parade as a comical marcher or group, or with your dressed up doggie, call Ocean City’s public relations office at 609-525-9300 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . After hours, call 609-364-4010.