What is the name of the actor - bit player - that appeared in black
and white films as a Matre De or sometimes a store clerk whose
signature line went something like this:
  SHOPPER: Can you help me? [timidly]
  CLERK: Yeeeeeeess? [loudly and musically in a single rising and
falling sustained note]
  SHOPPER: Do you have ladies shoes in size double-E?
  CLERK: Yeeesss! [again musically but declaratively and with a
quicker crescendo and decay]

Can we find him?

Yeeeeeeeeeesssssssss!

You're thinking of Frank Nelson. 

Great actor. Great voice. His trademark (and often imitated) voice and
presentation kept him working on TV and in  movies from 1936 until his
death in 1986.

My favorites appearances were in cartoons, where he tangled with Fred
Fintstone on a few occasions and crossed barbs with both Bugs Bunny
and George Jetson a couple of times, too. He was also a regular on the
Jack Benny show and I Love Lucy.

A short bio is listed on "What-a-Character" (
http://www.what-a-character.com/cgi-bin/display.cgi?id=982802859 )

A detailed filmography is on the Internet Movie Database (
http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Nelson,+Frank+(II) )

Thanks for reminding us of this great performer! Now, let's all go
watch some cartoons.

Very quick and accurate response. Thank you so very much!

But he sounds an interesting character so where can I see such an
actor on the screen or on what video or film?? Is he American or
English??

   Come on aussie cum on,  cum on.  At least I think you are aussie;
who else would pay only $4.00 for a well researched answer but an
aussie or a scotchman


 JohnfromMelbourne

Frank Nelson is an American actor who got his start in radio in the
1930s, and, in fact, was one of the founders of AFTRA, the radio
performer's union.  (In the early days of radio, it wasn't unusual for
radio talent to get paid as little as $5 for a full day's work.)

If you watch an episode from the final season of "I Love Lucy" - the
ones where the Ricardos live in Connecticut - you can see Frank Nelson
as the next-door neighbor, Ralph Ramsey.  Once you see/hear him,
you'll immediately recognize him, I bet.