Anne Beatts, creator of early Saturday Night Live Skits "Uncle Buck," Todd and Lisa Lupner, and "Fred Garvin, Male Prostitute," has passed away at the age of 74.

Beatts' Fred Garvin character, played by Dan Aykroyd served the needs of the ladies of
the Quad Cities, courtesy of the fictitious Great Lakes Feed and Grain Company.
Margot Kidder expertly plays straight man to Aykroyd's awkward yet lovable "man of the evening" sent to her hotel room, just like they would do for male executives in town on business.  Margot is surprised, but accepts the offer of companionship.
What follows can only be described as peak classic SNL comedy, improv and social commentary that put Saturday Night Live at the top of comedy shows.  Why Anne Beatts wrote the character sketch taking place in The Quad Cities may be lost to time, especially with her passing.
But Aykroyd would again include the Quad Cities in an SNL Character, when he later partnered with John Belushi as the Blues Brothers from Rock Island.
Just when the Fred Garvin sketch seemed to run its course, Beatts expertly adds Garvin's pimp to the scene (Played hilariously, if not predictably, by Garret Morris) to check up on one of his 'stable.'
Morris makes reference to Bettendorf ladies wanting some of the "Garvin Lizard" as the scene closes.  At the time I watched this as a kid, I had no idea what the Quad Cities was, what a prostitute was, or why this was funny.  But re-watching these comedic actors perform a sketch written with such expert humor and timing makes me long for those early days of SNL.
Beatts went on to write Square Pegs, the show credited with giving Sarah Jessica Parker her start. She worked again with some of her SNL cast, including Bill Murray and Father Guido Sarducci, who made appearances on the show before its cancellation.
But to me--Anne Beatts shined most brightly when she shined the spotlight on the "The entire the Quad Cities' Area Moline, Rock Island, Davenport and Bettendorf."
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Museums Within Driving Distance of the Quad Cities

"There isn't a museum I won't go to. The stupider, the better."
Michaels' statement this morning sent us into a good hour of discussion about museums within driving distance of the Quad Cities. Our listening family has clued us in on little hole-in-the-wall museums we never even knew existed, and they're just a hop, skip and a jump away from us. 
Here's our highlights.

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