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Retro: Boston - Monday, September 12, 1966

M

MCarney

Source – Boston Globe

Nine new shows debuting this night - "The Monkees", "Iron Horse", "Run, Buddy, Run", "Rat Patrol", "Roger Miller Show", "Felony Squad", "Road West", "Family Affair", "The Jean Arthur Show"

2 - WGBH Boston (Educational)
05:15p The Friendly Giant
05:30p What’s New?
06:00p Opinion in the Capital
06:30p News – Louis Lyons
06:45p Backgrounds
07:00p Swedish Scene
07:30p U.S.A.: Poets
08:00p The French Chef – Julia Child make French Crepes Suzette
08:30p The Radical Americans – A visit to a fundamentalist church dedicated to the late John Birch
09:00p Hong Kong, and African Revolution
09:30p African Revolutionary
10:00p News at 10
10:30p Science Report

4 – WBZ Boston (NBC)
06:15a Sign-On Seminar
06:45a Daily Almanac
07:00a Today Show (color)
09:00a Contact – Bob Kennedy
10:00a Eye-Guess (color)
10:25a NBC News – Sander Vanocur (color)
10:30a Concentration
11:00a Chain Letter (color)
11:30a Showdown (color)
12:00p News, Weather
12:30p Mike Douglas Show
02:00p Days of Our Lives (color)
02:30p The Doctors (color)
03:00p Another World (color)
03:30p You Don’t Say (color)
04:00p The Match Game (color)
04:25p NBC News – Floyd Kalber (color)
04:30p Leave It to Beaver
05:00p Merv Griffin Show
06:30p News, Weather
07:00p Huntley-Brinkley Report (color)
07:30p The Monkees (DEBUT) “Royal Flush” (color)
08:00p I Dream of Jeannie (Season Premier) – Tony uncorks a bottle and releases the Blue Diimm (color)
08:30p Roger Miller Show (DEBUT) – guests: Bill Cosby and 20 Young Doodletown Pipers (color)
09:00p The Road West (DEBUT) (color)
10:00p Run For Your Life (Season Premiere)(color)
11:00p News
11:30p Tonight Show (color) – moved back to WBZ the previous Monday
01:00a Movie “Hangman’s Noose”

5 – WHDH Boston (CBS)
06:00a Summer Semester
06:30p N.E. Farmer (color)
06:45a We Believe (color)
07:00a A.M. Show (color)
08:00a Captain Kangaroo
09:00a Romper Room (color)
09:30a Classroom 5 (color)
10:00a I Love Lucy
10:30a The McCoys
11:00a Andy of Mayberry
11:30a Dick Van Dyke Show
12:00p Love of Life
12:25p CBS News (color)
12:30p Search for Tomorrow
12:45p The Guiding Light
01:00p PDQ (color)
01:30p As the World Turns
02:00p Password (according to Wiki this is the 1st day in color)
02:30p Political Talk (primaries for Massachusetts state offices were the next day; candidate not named)
02:40p House Party (color; joined in progress)
03:00p To Tell the Truth
03:25p CBS News – Douglas Edwards (color)
03:30p The Edge of Night
04:00p The Secret Storm
04:30p Joe Kelly’s Almanac (according to the weekly listings in the 9/11/66 Sunday supplement “Bozo the Clown” airs here for an hour in color; I believe that to be correct because Larry Harmon was taping the show for national syndication at this time)
05:30p Lawman
06:00p News, Weather (color)
06:30p CBS Evening News – Walter Cronkite (color)
07:00p Ch. 5 Reports “The Primary Issue” (color)
07:30p Political Talk
08:00p Run, Buddy, Run (DEBUT) – Overstreet makes a butterfingered crime syndicates most wanted list after overhearing plans for rubouts (color)
08:30p The Lucy Show (Season Premier) – guest: George Burns (color)
09:00p Andy Griffith Show (color)
09:30p Family Affair (DEBUT) (color)
10:00p Jean Arthur Show (DEBUT) (color)
10:30p I’ve Got a Secret (color)
11:00p News (color) – 60 min
12:00a Sugarfoot
01:00a News Report

6 – WTEV New Bedford (ABC)
06:45a News – Truman Taylor
07:00a B’wana Don
07:30a Funtime
08:45a News – Truman Taylor
09:00a Woman – Athena Parker
09:30a Square Off
10:00a Community – Bob Bassett
10:30a Dark Shadows (delayed from 4p)
11:00a Supermarket Sweep
11:30a The Dating Game
12:00p Donna Reed Show
12:30p Father Knows Best
01:00p Ben Casey
02:00p The Newlywed Game
02:30p A Time for Us
02:55p ABC News – Marlene Sanders
03:00p General Hospital
03:30p The Nurses
04:00p Funtime
04:30p Cisco Kid (color)
05:00p Where the Action Is (delayed from 4:30p)
05:30p News, Weather
05:45p ABC News – Peter Jennings
06:00p The Rifleman
06:30p Twilight Zone
07:00p Lawman
07:30p The Iron Horse (DEBUT) (color)
08:30p Rat Patrol (DEBUT) (color)
09:00p Felony Squad (DEBUT) (color)
09:30p Peyton Place (color)
10:00p The Big Valley (color)
11:00p News
11:15p Movie “Rutheless”

7 – WNAC Boston (ABC)
06:30a Understanding Our World
07:00a Cartoon Carnival
09:00a Gypsy Rose Lee
09:30a Girl Talk
10:00a The Newlywed Game (delayed from 2p)
10:30a General Hospital (delayed from 3p)
11:00a Supermarket Sweep
11:30a The Dating Game
12:00p Donna Reed Show
12:30p Father Knows Best
01:00p Ben Casey
02:00p Movie “Cheaper By the Dozen”
04:30p Superheroes (Marvel Superheroes; WNAC had the voice actor for Captain America appear in costume to introduce the episodes)
05:00p Dennis the Menace
05:30p Superman
06:00p News, Weather
06:15p ABC News – Peter Jennings
06:30p Mister Ed
07:00p Have Gun-Will Travel
07:30p The Iron Horse (DEBUT) New series about a brawny man who turns his brains and brawn to building a railroad (color)
08:30p Rat Patrol (DEBUT) (color)
09:00p Felony Squad (DEBUT) (color)
09:30p Peyton Place (color)
10:00p Movie “Tomorrow at 10”
11:00p News
11:15p Movie (continued)
12:00a Movie “The Sun Also Rises”

9 – WMUR Manchester (ABC)
09:30a It’s Coffee Time
10:05a Movie “Yodelin’ Kid from Pine Ridge”
11:00a Supermarket Sweep
11:30a The Dating Game
12:00p Donna Reed Show
12:30p Father Knows Best
01:00p Ben Casey
02:00p The Newlywed Game
02:30p A Time for Us
02:55p ABC News – Marlene Sanders
03:00p General Hospital
03:30p The Nurses
04:00p Dark Shadows
04:30p Where the Action Is
05:00p Uncle Gus
06:00p Highway Patrol
06:30p News, Weather
06:45p ABC News – Peter Jennings
07:00p Political
07:30p The Iron Horse (DEBUT) (color)
08:30p Rat Patrol (DEBUT) (color)
09:00p Felony Squad (DEBUT) (color)
09:30p Peyton Place (color)
10:00p The Big Valley (color)
11:00p News
11:15p Movie “Run Silent, Run Deep”

10 – WJAR Providence (NBC)
06:30a TV Classroom
07:00a Today Show (color)
09:00a Talk of the Town
09:30a World Around Us
10:00a Eye-Guess (color)
10:25a NBC News – Sander Vanocur (color)
10:30a Concentration
11:00a Chain Letter (color)
11:30a Showdown (color)
12:00p Jeopardy (color)
12:30p Swingin’ Country (color)
01:00p Gypsy Rose Lee
01:30p Let’s Make a Deal (color)
01:55p NBC News – Nancy Dickerson (color)
02:00p Days of Our Lives (color)
02:30p The Doctors (color)
03:00p Another World (color)
03:30p You Don’t Say (color)
04:00p The Match Game (color)
04:25p NBC News – Floyd Kalber (color)
04:30p Leave It to Beaver
05:00p Movie “Dr. Renault’s Secret”
06:15p News, Weather
06:30p Huntley-Brinkley Report (color)
07:00p Movie “Prince of Players”
08:30p Roger Miller Show (DEBUT) (color)
09:00p The Road West (DEBUT) (color)
10:00p Run For Your Life (color)
11:00p News
11:15p Tonight Show (color)

12 – WPRO Providence (CBS)
06:30a Summer Semester
07:00a Popeye, Three Stooges
07:45a The King and Odie
08:00a Captain Kangaroo
09:00a Romper Room
09:30a Dialing for Dollars
10:30a Mike Douglas Show
11:30a Dick Van Dyke Show
12:00p Love of Life
12:25p CBS News (color)
12:30p Search for Tomorrow
12:45p The Guiding Light
01:00p Girl Talk
01:30p As the World Turns
02:00p Password
02:30p House Party (color)
03:00p To Tell the Truth
03:25p CBS News – Douglas Edwards (color)
03:30p The Edge of Night
04:00p Salty’s Surprise House
04:30p Huckleberry Hound
05:00p Merv Griffin Show
06:20p Political
06:30p Newsbeat (local and CBS news)
07:20p Political Talk
08:00p Run, Buddy, Run (DEBUT) (color)
08:30p The Lucy Show (Season Premier) (color)
09:00p Andy Griffith Show (color)
09:30p Family Affair (DEBUT) (color)
10:00p Jean Arthur Show (DEBUT) (color)
10:30p I’ve Got a Secret (color)
11:00p News
11:30p Political
11:35p Movie “Long Gray Line”

38 – WIHS Boston (Ind) – secondary ABC/NBC/CBS (call letters would change to WSBK in October)
12:00p Jeopardy (color) NBC
12:30p Swingin’ Country (color) NBC
01:00p Favorite Story
01:30p Let’s Make a Deal (color) NBC
01:55p NBC News – Nancy Dickerson (color) NBC
02:00p Ray Milland Show
02:30p A Time for Us ABC
02:55p ABC News – Marlene Sanders ABC
03:00p Ann Sothern Show
03:30p The Nurses ABC
04:00p I Lead Three Lives
04:30p Where the Action Is ABC
05:00p Super Car
05:30p Cartoon Party
05:45p News Report
06:00p Lloyd Thaxton Show
07:00p Movie “Life Begins”
08:30p You Are There
09:00p Dr. Christian
09:30p Sports Special: NFL Game of the Week (color)
10:00p Late News
10:15p Movie “The Letter”
 
Except for Manchester's WMUR-9 (which I don't think got color studio cameras until 1973 and was shooting black-and-white news film as late as 1977!), the stations listed here had gone to local live/tape color, except for the old WHDH-5, which already had converted, by the end of 1967.
 
I'm just going by what the Globe had listed. I have no doubt that most stations were doing studio shows in color by that point.
 
Although the call letters of Channel 38 were still WIHS, didn't the FCC approve the purchase by Storer Communications and that Storer was already owner of the station by this time??

I believe that WSBK still carried in-school programming from the Boston Catholic TV Center on weekday mornings until around 1969. That might have been a condition of the sale (I believe the Catholic TV Center activated an ITVS system to connect the schools circa 1969 and thus no longer needed over-the-air TV for their morning in-school programming).
 
Storer made the deal in early April and it was approved by the FCC at the end of June. The sale was finalized on August 24, and the call letters were changed on October 16, 1966. (All per the Boston Globe archives.) I have no idea why it took almost 2 months to change the call letters.
 
Different situation perhaps. but Westinghouse had taken possession of WTAM Radio and WNBK-TV in Cleveland sometime in January 1956 but did not make the call letter changes to KYW-AM-FM-TV until Noon Monday, February 13, 1956..I have airchecks of Id's that say "Westinghouse in Cleveland WTAM-AM and FM" as well as WNBK channel 3 Westinghouse..
 
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Interesting that Boston wasn't carrying Dark Shadows, and you had to watch it on Channel 9, Manchester. My earliest memories of the show were Channel 7. Anyone know when they started airing DS?

I also remember the Uncle Gus show on WMUR Channel 9. Gus Saunders, the weatherman was the host. He showed cartoons, had an in studio kids audience. Sometimes you'd see the weather map off to the side of the set! :) He would invite kids to come up and sing. 9 out of 10 times, they would sing "Jingle Bells". (Even in the middle of the summer!) Great memories.
 
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Channel 7 (WNAC-TV) began airing "Dark Shadows" on January 13, 1969 @ 4:00 PM. The show was beginning to become VERY popular by that time. Many people would set up special antennas just to watch DS from WTEV/6, WMTW/8 and WMUR/9. WSBK/38 used to air DS but on a delayed basis on black and white film. It looked grainy and awful.

As for Superheroes.... the local inserts were live and in color "04:30p Superheroes (Marvel Superheroes; WNAC had the voice actor for Captain America appear in costume to introduce the episodes)", it was one of few local color shows on Channel 7 at the time. Eventually, by early 1967, most local shows on Channel 7 were in color. For a while in '67, Superheroes ("Captain America") was on 90 minutes on Saturdays.
 
According to TV Guides of the late 60s it seems that Dark Shadows bounced around a lot. At times WSBK aired it in pattern and then on the previously mentioned kinescopes. (You would have thought that Storer would have equipped them with videotape by that time for playback. One Life to Live was also aired that way.) At other times both WNAC and WTEV would air it in the mornings.
 
MCarney said:
According to TV Guides of the late 60s it seems that Dark Shadows bounced around a lot. At times WSBK aired it in pattern and then on the previously mentioned kinescopes. (You would have thought that Storer would have equipped them with videotape by that time for playback. One Life to Live was also aired that way.) At other times both WNAC and WTEV would air it in the mornings.
Click to expand...

Now that you mention it, I DO remember seeing DS on 38 and wondering why it "looked like that". :)
 
MCarney said:
Storer made the deal in early April and it was approved by the FCC at the end of June. The sale was finalized on August 24, and the call letters were changed on October 16, 1966. (All per the Boston Globe archives.) I have no idea why it took almost 2 months to change the call letters.
Click to expand...

There's a good explanation for this: back then (and well into the 1970s, if not the early 1980s), call changes had to be approved not only by the FCC but also by all of the broadcast stations within a certain radius to make sure none of them saw a potential for confusion. That process took some time, since a notice of the requested new calls had to be mailed out to all of the neighboring stations and a waiting period had to elapse for objections to be filed.
 
I know that local color programming in Boston began with the old WHDH when it began broadcasting in November of 1957. Does anyone know when WNAC-TV channel 7, WBZ-TV channel 4 and WGBH-TV channel 2 were able to do the same?
 
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