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Notes
on Snafu, the Foul-Mouthed Parrot
Snafu the parrot, Medford's most notorious bird until construction of the Black Bird, was (by all descriptions) actually a cockatoo.
CUSSING PARROT FROM SOUTH SEAS IS JAIL BOARDER Lt. Hugh Collins' Pet Is County Boarder--Language Too Rugged "Snafu," a
South Seas parrot belonging to former Lieut. Hugh Collins, is so full
of terrible cuss words the pet is now quartered in the county jail, by
special arrangement with Tony Solger, the county jailer. The bird has
the run of the jail corridors, and eats whatever is put before him.
Collins, who served three years in the Pacific theater, brought "Snafu" home with him a couple of months ago, and for awhile he was at the home of his father, Councilman James C. Collins. Its profanity was too much for the Collins family, and the neighborhood, so it was sent to a Portland pet shop. It was a problem parrot there also, and shipped back here by express by its master, and placed in the county jail. Councilman Collins reports the parrot is full of tricks, and affectionate. In the midst of performing a trick, a stream of profanity is apt to be emitted. When mad, he will bite a finger with a razor-sharp beak, if opportunity offers. In ordinary talk, the parrot uses army terms and slang. Lieut. Collins, an attorney now practicing here, picked the parrot up on Biak Island in the Dutch East Indies, and adopted it as a pet. It went with him to various army camps, where it acquired its proficiency in cussing, and was a great favorite. The bird is close to three years old, and snow white with a yellow topknot. Jailer Solger reports the bird is well behaved, except for swearing, and has made friends with the inmates. Medford Mail Tribune, November 11, 1945, page 3 Naughty
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP)--Prisoners in the Jackson County jail have joined
the town's best citizens in complaints which lodged an overseas
veteran's pet parrot in the sheriff's cell block.
Walla Walla [Washington]
Union-Bulletin, November
12,
1945, page 3The antics of the beautiful pure white bird were amusing until one inmate innocently queried "Polly want a cracker?" The explosive screech of profanity shocked the prisoners as much as it had the citizenry. Profane
Parrot in County Jail
Lieut. Hugh Collins, who served three years in the South Pacific,
brought "Snafu," a South Seas pet parrot, home with him a couple of
months ago. The bird is so full of cuss words that finally, by special
arrangement with Tony Solger, the county jailer, quarters have been
secured in the county jail. The pet has the run of the jail corridors
and eats whatever is put before him.
Medford News, November 16,
1945, page 3For a while the parrot was quartered at the home of his father, Councilman James C. Collins. Its profanity was too much for the Collins family and the neighborhood, so it was sent to a Portland pet shop, where it also became a problem bird, so the pet was shipped back here by express by its master, and placed in the county jail. Councilman Collins reports that the parrot is full of tricks, and quite affectionate. While performing a trick, it is liable to release a stream of profanity. When mad, he will bite a finger with a razor-like beak, if opportunity offers. In ordinary talk, the parrot uses army talk and slang. Lieut. Collins, an attorney now practicing here, picked the parrot up on Biak Island in the Dutch East Indies and adopted it as a pet. It went with him to various army camps, where it acquired its cuss-words vocabulary and became quite a favorite. The bird is close to three years old, and snow white with a yellow topknot. Jailer Solger reports the pet is well behaved, except for its apparent expert ability in the use of swear words. It is reported that jailer Solger learned many new profanity words. 'SNAFU' TAMING DOWN WHILE IN COUNTY BASTILLE
"Snafu," the cursing parrot belonging to attorney Hugh Collins, former
army lieutenant, quartered in the county jail, is taming down his
language, his owner and jailer Sorge report. As son as warm weather
comes again, "Snafu" will be placed on probation in the Collins back
yard.
Attorney Collins said today the parrot was in good health, contented and enjoying jail life. He visits with the four or five inmates and at times "plays like a puppy." Many offers have been received by mail to purchase the pet, but it is not for sale. As high as $150 has been offered. A Portland woman wrote last week saying she would like to have custody of the bird, but not to buy it, and promised to give it good care. "I worked in the shipyards during the war, and anything the parrot might say would not embarrass me," she wrote. Offers to buy "Snafu" or give him a home came from many states, including one from North Carolina. Medford Mail Tribune, November 26, 1945, page 3 "Snafu" Confined to Special Cage in County Bastille
"Snafu," the cursing parrot attorney Hugh Collins brought back from
Biak Island in the South Pacific, is still in the county jail, but in
his own special cage. At large in the bastille, he became too much of a
nuisance. The parrot does not like the confinement change and expresses
his displeasure with hair-raising screeches and some full-fledged
profanity.
Dr. A. E. Merkel, county physician, called at the jail recently to minister to an inmate and on the way out stopped and gently ruffled Snafu's feathers. He was greeted with a volley of Australian and American cursing which reddened the faces of both the physician and jailer Tony Sorg. Collins, a former army lieutenant, still receives offers by mail from many sections to buy the parrot or provide it a home. He refuses to part with his companion of many days in the South Pacific. Medford Mail Tribune, December 13, 1945, page 1 CUSSING PARROT NOW HYMN SINGER
"Snafu," the cussing parrot of Biak Island, [which] former army
Lieutenant Hugh Collins brought back from the South Pacific, has been
moved from the county jail to the fire department, and six months in
the county bastille has toned down his language, his master reports.
"Snafu" picked up a wide and varied vocabulary of profanity while with
the army.
While in the lockup, the parrot attended the regular weekly meetings for prisoners, as an interested spectator. He never disturbed them with hair-raising squawks. Now he occasionally gives forth with snatches of hymns and does not swear as much as formerly. It is thought the fire laddies will cause further improvement, and by summer it will be possible for "Snafu" to adorn the Collins back yard without shocking the neighborhood. Medford Mail Tribune, February 10, 1946, page 12 Parrot
Paroled After Mending Ways
Medford, Ore. (AP)--Snafu, a Biak Island parrot who learned most of his
vocabulary in the U.S. Army, was paroled today in the custody of his
owner, former Lt. Hugh Collins.
Brooklyn Eagle, February
11, 1946, page 1Snafu was jailed last fall when Medford residents became shocked at the words he brought back from the Pacific with him. During his imprisonment, Snafu attended religious services regularly, and now he is more inclined to sing a portion of a hymn than he is to cuss. Poor
'Polly' Ends Up Behind Bars for Cussing
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP)--A Biak Island parrot, whose cussing in G.I.
campaign style landed the bird in jail, has reformed and is on parole
to the city fire department.
[Lincoln] Nebraska State Journal, February
12, 1946, page 7Neighbors of Army Lt. Hugh Collins, who owned "Snafu" the parrot, protested against Snafu's swearing, and the Pacific veteran gave him up to the city jail. His jailers reported Snafu was a regular attendant at Sabbath services and now is singing bits of hymns.. A Little
Chuckle To Start the Day
Medford,
Ore.--Snafu, the cussing parrot from Biak Island, got religion and was
paroled from the Jackson County jail to the fire station.Snafu's owner reported the bird was "jailed" last fall when his language became too rough for Medford residents. During his imprisonment Snafu attended religious services in the jail regularly and now is more inclined to sing snatches of hymns than to swear. Kingsport [Tennessee] News, February 14, 1946, page 1 Cussing
Parrot Jailed; Even the Inmates Blush!
MEDFORD, Ore. (INS)--A parrot whose salty language makes inmates blush
is being kept in the Jackson County jail by special arrangements with
its owner.
The parrot, named "Snafu," belongs to attorney Hugh Collins, a former first lieutenant in the Army. Collins found the snow-white bird on Biak Island three and a half years ago, and "Snafu" has sent most of its time in Army camps. Former Lt. Collins first brought his parrot home, where his father, Councilman James C. Collins, had to plug his ears. The neighbors could hear, too, he pointed out. Snafu was sent to a Portland pet shop then, and proved a problem parrot there, too. The younger Collins then sent it to the Medford bastille. The parrot, in polite talk, uses Army terms, and slang. But the really explosive profanity issues forth when he is angry. There is no point in washing out his mouth with soap, either. Soap is his favorite delicacy. Herald-American, Syracuse, New
York, February 17, 1946, page 3
Sawdust
Trail
In Medford, Ore., Army Lieut. Hugh Collins' parrot Snafu, sent to jail
for habitual bad language, turned over a new leaf, croaked snatches of
old-time Gospel hymns.
Time Magazine, March 4, 1946 Feathered
Jailbird
Some
pretty salty talk has bounced off the thick walls of Oregon's Jackson
County jail, but a new low in hoosegow lingo was established there the
other day by a "prisoner" named Snafu.The gabby culprit is a parrot that spent three and a half years in army camps. The bird belongs to a lawyer, a former army officer, who soon discovered that Snafu was too uninhibited in his conversation to have around the house. He was moved to a pet shop for a course in polite English--but the lessons didn't take. He was always shocking the customers. So his owner sent him to the county jail, where he makes the air fairly sizzle with his unquotable GI stuff. San Antonio [Texas] Light, March 17, 1946, page 75 CURSING PARROT TOO BOISTEROUS; QUARTERS MOVED
"Snafu,"
the cursing parrot which former army lieutenant Hugh B. Collins brought
back from the South Pacific, has been moved from the fire department,
where he has been quartered since December, to the cool and quiet of
the Surge Dairy Supply store on West Sixth.
The change was due, Collins reports, to Snafu's efforts to imitate ringing of the telephone bell and the fire siren, making so much noise the firemen could not hear. Besides, the presence of Snafu attracted many small boys who got in the way of firemen and climbed on the equipment. The parrot, given to Collins by an Australian soldier, was quartered in a Portland pet shop when it first arrived in this country and later was kept in the back yard of the Collins home. Snafu's language, after several months with the army, was too rugged for both places. The bird was then quartered in the county jail for approximately six months before being moved to the fire hall. Collins, a local attorney, is fond of the bird and has refused several offers to sell it or to provide a home for it. Medford Mail Tribune, August 30, 1946, page 9 Famous
Swearing Parrot Makes Too Much Noise
For Medford Firemen
MEDFORD (AP)--The famous swearing parrot once jailed here by neighbors
when first brought home from the islands has been disowned again.
Walla Walla [Washington]
Union-Bulletin, September 1,
1946, page 13The bird, named "Snafu" by his military service pals, now has lost his happy home amid the red fire engines and the city firemen's quarters because he tried to imitate bells and sirens. Snafu made such a clatter when the telephone rang that the firemen couldn't understand reports of fires. Droves of small boys came to visit and clambered over the shiny equipment, the groaning firemen added to their indictment of the colorful island bird. A feed store has taken over the care of the bird, but the new owners reported Snafu molting and moping on his perch, not nearly as talkative as in the past. CUSSING PARROT HAS CLOSE CALL
"Snafu," the cussing parrot former army Lieut. Hugh B. Collins brought
back from Biak Island, nearly bled to death one day last week when he
applied self-surgery for the removal of the infected stub of a
broken-off tail feather. The bird was rushed to a nearby veterinarian
from his perch in the Surge Dairy Supply store where a shot of
thronorozion was injected and stopped the copious flow of blood for a
bird. After a night in a pet hospital "Snafu" was himself again.
Several weeks ago "Snafu," while performing acrobatics for visitors, fell off the wire and landed on his tail feathers, and one was broken off beneath the skin. It became infected, and "Snafu," seeking relief, started yanking out tail feathers. He finally located the seat of the pain and yanked it out, bursting a small blood vessel in the doing. When found on the floor the pet was near exhaustion. While curing himself of the infection he denuded himself of all but two bright yellow tail feathers, but now has new ones coming out. Medford Mail Tribune, December 8, 1946, page 14 Pet
of Firemen Given New Home for Imitations
MEDFORD, Ore., Aug. 31 (U.P.)--"Snafu"--a fire station pet parrot who
couldn't make up his mind to ring like a telephone or wail like a
siren--has had to find a new home.
Nevada State Journal, Reno,
September 1,
1946, page 15Medford firemen put up with Snafu--who had been presented to them by a GI on his return from the South Pacific overseas duty--as long as they could. "It got so you couldn't hear yourself think with him either wailing or trying to imitate the telephone ringing," one fireman said. Snafu's new home is in a feed store, but he's not very happy there. He spends his time "moultin' and poutin'," according to his former GI master, who reports that the bird isn't swearing as vividly as he did during his 15 months with the Army. A Portland pet shop had to get rid of Snafu several months ago because his language was too rough. "Snafu," the tropical woodpecker Hugh Collins brought back from Biak Island, is acting up again. He chewed the telephone wire asunder twice last week at his home in the Surge Dairy store. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, February 9, 1947, page 8 Mrs. J. Cochran Robin stated at a courthouse lawn session of the Robin Nest Economic Unit [that] she favored the hiring for use of the unit of "Snafu" the cussing parrot. "We very much deplore the naughty language of this tropical woodpecker," she said, "but since he does, his sin might as well be put to some use. The unit members can't cuss their wormwinners as much as they needed it. All we can do is peck them, and they are too cute to get close enough for that. I want my old man to get the first verbal dressing-down, and I don't care what Mister Snafu calls him." Atty. Woodrow W. Blue-Jay said such action was non contempre. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, February 16, 1947, page 8 Traffic cop Dick Baize turning scarlet when the town's well-known feathered "wolf," Snafu the parrot, gives a long, low whistle at a passing female and leaving Officer Baize, as the only man in sight, in an obvious and awkward position. "Side Glances," Medford Mail Tribune, March 14, 1947, page 1 Vivian Collins deciding that the parrot Snafu comes in for more than his fair share of publicity as far as the Collins family is concerned. "Side Glances," Medford Mail Tribune, March 18, 1947, page 1 Peoria Bill Gates and Snafu, the cussing tropical woodpecker housed on Sixth at the Surge Dairy house, met Fri. and exchanged epithets. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, March 23, 1947, page 8 "Snafu," the profane parrot atty. H. Collins brought back from the South Pacific, was outside four days last week, whistling at the girls. All pretended they didn't hear, and none whistled back. This tropical woodpecker can make more racket than the Model T starting up. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, March 30, 1947, page 8 "Snafu," the cussing parrot from Biak, had several callers at his 6th St. perch, who cussed because he wouldn't cuss. This tropical woodpecker no longer indulges in profanity. He was able to cure himself without becoming an evangelist. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, May 6, 1947, page 6 Snafu, the reformed ex-cussing tropical woodpecker from Biak Island, had many visitors last week. He scolded a lady who asked him to cuss. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, May 25, 1947, page 6 Snafu, the reformed tropical woodpecker from Biak Island who no longer cusses, backslid a couple of times last week. No ladies were present. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, June 1, 1947, page 8 Snafu, the cussing woodpecker from Biak, has moved to J'ville, where he will visit with two cockatoos, also former residents of Biak in the South Pacific. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, June 17, 1947, page 6 Snafu, the tropical woodpecker, was moved to J'ville Tues. Even the change failed to cause this cockatoo to resume his old army habit of cussing. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, June 22, 1947, page 8 Snafu, the cussing parrot, is still in J'ville, and mad about it, but with no profane outbreaks. He wishes his owner and lawyer, Hugh Collins, would get out a writ of habeas corpus to remove him from his internment. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, July 20, 1947, page 6 Snafu, the cussing parrot from Biak, now interned in a J'ville bird refuge, has laid an egg, his master, atty. Hugh Collins, reports. He was not supposed to be that kind of a parrot. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, September 23, 1947, page 8 Snafu, the cussing parrot from Biak, interned the past six months in J'ville, has grown a new batch of tail feathers. The original appendage was rubbed off by the cockatoo massaging it against the wire netting of his cage. He has many visitors, who cuss him for not cussing. Arthur Perry, "Ye Smudge Pot," Medford Mail Tribune, November 5, 1947, page 8 "Snafu" and Green Parrot's Disagreement Rocks J'ville
Considerable pandemonium prevails these days in Jacksonville due to the
dislike of "Snafu," a Biak Island cockatoo brought back from the South
Pacific by former army Lieutenant Hugh B. Collins, for the grand opera
efforts of "Polly," a green parrot whose former mistress was a grand
opera singer.
Both are quartered at the bird refuge of Mrs. S. F. Janosky, located on California Street, the main street of the pioneer city . Mrs. [Bernice] Janosky houses and feeds a large variety of birds, including a half-dozen parrots [on the screened-in back porch of the DeRoboam House, 290 East California Street]. Whenever "Polly" lets fly with a rendition of snatches of grand opera, "Snafu" retaliates with a "G.I. wolf whistle," and both have strong voices. Collins reports "Polly's" operatic outbursts are [a] well nigh perfect imitation of a trained soprano in high gear. The first time he heard it, he was amazed, he said. "Snafu's" wolf whistle is also good. Many times lady pedestrians in Medford and Jacksonville have either stopped or looked back when it sounded. "Snafu" when he first arrived in this country from army life was reportedly addicted to cussing. The cockatoo proved too much for a Portland pet shop, the back yard of Collins' folks, the county jail, the city fire department and a Sixth Street feed store. Last August he was moved to Mrs. Janosky's aviary. Medford Mail Tribune, November 23, 1947, page 1 Remember a few years ago, when Hugh Collins' parrot Snafu was kept at the Surge Dairy Company over on Sixth Street? Hugh had brought him home from the war and still owns him, but Snafu grew to be just too much for the employees at the store, so he was dispatched to Jacksonville, where he is cared for by Mrs. Bernice Janosky. Snafu is strictly a ladies' man, or should we say, parrot. He has never been interested in gentlemen. His wolf whistle sounded so human he fooled everybody including the ladies. Fascinated by their colorful shoes (and maybe the nail polish on their toes), he would waddle after them down the street and once got as far away as the Hotel Holland corner before his absence was discovered. That settled it, so he was sent away to live in a smaller community, where his flirtatious ways would have less scope and liberty. However, Snafu became famous before he became infamous, so to speak. Visitors from the East Coast and other distant points would call at the store to inquire about and, if possible, have a visit with him. He talked some, but in all truth, it could be said that his silence was more respectable than his speech, although this is no reflection on Hugh. Now Snafu has left Medford but he has not been forgotten. "Sallying Forth," by Sallie Butler, Medford News, September 29, 1950, page 4 Bird with Past Has Part in Play
"Snafu" is a word soldiers use to describe a condition which can be
loosely translated as "situation normal, all fouled up." It is also the
name of a parrot.
Snafu, the parrot, has an important part in "Light Up the Sky," a play to be given tonight and tomorrow by the Footlighters civic drama group. He is currently in the custody of Mrs. Earl Knight, a Footlighter member, whose biggest worry now is whether or not parrots can catch mumps or bronchitis. Her daughter has both. Snafu, apparently a bird with personality and a scarlet past, has a habit of whistling shrilly at women--all but Mrs. Knight, who is the motherly type. To her he says, "Scratch my head." Once subject to the habit of violent language, he has now been trained so that he whispers his blasphemies. When Mrs. Knight asks him, "What did you say?" he replied, "Didn't say a thing!" Medford Mail Tribune, February 27, 1951, page 4 We begin our column this time with a salute to "show business" in general and to The Footlighters in particular and especially to all who had anything at all to do with the presentation three nights of last week of "Light Up the Sky." In the cast were Pat Harris, Keith Hopkins, Robert Shepherd, (Mrs.) Frankie Burton, Loleta Shepherd, Dick Dickenson, Frank Buchter, (Mrs) Lenore Zapell, Robert Corliss, James Sullivan, Bernard Roberts and Snafu, Hugh Collins' parrot, which was brought home from World War II. So our local thespians gave a performance that was so finished it approached the professional, actually, with not one single dress rehearsal, for most of them had been ill with the alleged current bug which is said to be flitting around. Two of the principals had been confined to their beds the very afternoons of the evening performances and so on and so on. Even Snafu, the parrot, had a sneezing or coughing spell, entirely unrehearsed, in the middle of one act, but of course that might have been an expression of his exquisite sense of mischief. Anyway, he did it at just the right time in the show, and when Frankie Burton, as Frances Black, said, "Oh, shut up," she sounded completely sincere and unrehearsed. (We'll bet she was.) "Sallying Forth," by Sallie Butler, Medford News, March 3, 1951, page 2 Snafu, the white cockatoo which at one time was known to half of Medford, now is a pet in the household of Mrs. Frank Janosky in Jacksonville. Snafu was brought to Medford by Hugh Collins when he returned home from serving overseas during World War II, and came from the island of Biak, one of the Schouten group. Snafu not only talks but when he was kept at Surge Dairy Supply on West Sixth Street often startled staid matrons with rousing wolf whistles. Olive Starcher, "Pets Are Popular," Medford Mail Tribune, April 17, 1955, page 15 Last revised December 2, 2019
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