Origin: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well

Subject: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From:
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:48 AM

My mom used to sing a song about a little girl who died in a tragic fall into an old well. Finally found mp3 file of song, but was wondering on background of this song? Anyone know more details about the little girl and who wrote this song? This happened in 1949. Also was wondering why this song doesn't turn up on searches of databases for folk songs.

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 04:41 AM

Well, we've had lyrics and a little information about the song and the story - click here.
-Joe Offer (e-mail sent)-

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 11:59 AM

there was even a movie made based on the event....It was a big story then..I was in about 4th grade and remember it well..

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: Mrrzy
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 12:08 PM

And I thought y'all had found a missing Gashlycrumb tiny...

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: John Hindsill
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 10:02 AM

The attempted rescue of Kathy Fiscus in San Marino, CA (Los Angeles area) was the biggest local story of my childhood. That tragic event put fledgling, local television on the map. Channel 5 (and perhaps ch.11) covered the events continuously, preempting all programming. The young reporter, Stan Chambers, spent his entire 50+ year career at channel 5, but always has been remembered best for those days and nights.

"The Well" is a 1951 movie inspired by that tragedy, but uses it as a polemic against racial intolerance, something not a part of the true story.

Another flick "Ace in the Hole" ("The Big Carnival") came out about the same time, although not based on Kathy Fiscus but an earlier tragedy. That film focused on the hucksterism attendant with the rescue attempt.

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: GUEST,Kathy Smith
Date: 28 Feb 09 - 05:50 PM

I was born in Nov. 1949, the song was by that time on all the radio stations. We lived in Texas at my birth, and my sister wanted to name me Cathy after the little girl. My mother named me Kathleen, and called me Kathy. The year that the little girl, Jessica, fell into the well my daughter gave birth to a girl and named her Jessica. All the grandkids knows the stories behind the names, they were rasied on it as were my kids.

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 28 Feb 09 - 07:29 PM

The song was by Jimmy Osborne .

Song Here

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: Louie Roy
Date: 01 Mar 09 - 02:53 PM

I've got this song by Jimmie Osborne in my collection and can MP3 it to any one who want it Louie

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Mar 09 - 04:53 PM

"And I thought y'all had found a missing Gashlycrumb tiny"

How about an English translation for that???

Subject: RE: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 12:02 AM

The Gashleycrumb Tinies

Subject: RE: Origin: Death of Little Kathy Fiscus (Osborne)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Feb 10 - 08:56 AM

I am only 14 years old and my grandmother who passed away January 29 of this year use to sing this all the time i have not heard the original song but i loved it when she would sing. my Aunt would tell me that my grandmother stayed up for 3 days and nights to listen to this story on the radio and felt so bad for the family that she couldnt even sleep.

Subject: RE: Origin: Death of Little Kathy Fiscus (Osborne)
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 01 Feb 10 - 04:00 PM

Talk about deja vu. I was nine years old and still remember the old black and white live television pictures from a Los Angeles station covering this attempted rescue. Seeing the coverage, I think many children pictured vividly, as I certainly did, what it must have been like for the little girl trapped and unable to move in that narrow well. I still have a bit of claustrophobia in tight places. I would not be surprised if Cathy Fiscus' plight was behind it. In those days, it was not uncommon to find uncapped water wells in open suburban or rural areas. This incident caused a public outcry to fix that problem.

I never heard a song associated with this case, but have seen many references to one.

Subject: RE: Origin: Death of Little Kathy Fiscus (Osborne)
From: GUEST,M.Dougall
Date: 14 Jan 11 - 03:57 PM

I remember my parents playing the song from one of their records. I recently inherited their album collection, and one record called "40 Country Hits of the 40's" the song Death of Little Kathy Fiscus by Jimmy Osborne is on it. It is a really sad song. Would be nice to see a picture of the little girl the song is about.

Subject: RE: Origin: Death of Little Kathy Fiscus (Osborne)
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 14 Jan 11 - 04:48 PM

Try this link for pix of Kathy & Jimmie Osborne & other details.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW6IeRoI114

G

Subject: RE: Origin: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Apr 24 - 10:46 PM

Subject: RE: Origin: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 09 Apr 24 - 06:06 AM

There are various bits of information and links about THE DEATH OF LITTLE KATHY FISCUS on the current Mudcat thread ANY APRIL SONGS?

Subject: RE: Origin: Little CATHY FISCUS - died in well
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 09 Apr 24 - 10:33 AM

Link to Mudcat Thread Any April Songs?    /mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=169449&messages=145#:~:text=Friendly%20%2D%20Home-,Any%20April%20Songs%3F,-Related%20thre