Children's television Hosts 1950's and 1960's

[bpatrick]

In a way, the history of "T-Bar-V Ranch" parallels
that of the "Old Rebel Show" on WFMY Greensboro.
George Perry started out in 1951 showing old Westerns
in the 6-7 PM slot (this is when the network news wasn't
on until 7:30); by the time I was born in 1955 he was
doing a more conventional kids' show with sidekick
Pecos Pete (Jim Tucker) that aired at 5 PM until the
mid-'60s; then, like "T-Bar-V Ranch," it moved to 9 AM,
right after "Captain Kangaroo." George Perry's show
outlasted Randy Atcher's however, but it was cut back
to Saturday mornings 7-8 in the 1976-77 season (its last).
A joke had it that no one over the age of three was up to
watch it.

North Carolina had a fair share of kids'-show hosts;
besides George Perry, some of the most notable were
"Uncle" Paul Montgomery on WRAL Raleigh, Fred Kirby
on WBTV and Brooks Lindsay on WSOC (both Charlotte),
and "Mr. Bill" Norwood on WLOS Asheville, whose morning
show was not only a showpiece for Warner Brothers' cartoons
but the best place to get news and--especially--weather information,
very handy when it snowed.

The best story about a Tarheel kids'-show host is that of Ken
Corbett, "Paul Pioneer" on WTVD's "Fun Hour" and also 11 PM
weatherman. One night between shows he got plastered and
was totally incoherent on the weather. Next day, he was gone
and a new character, "Trader Jake" (don't know his real name)
was doing "The Fun Hour."

And special mentions must go to Peabody-award winner Joe
Pinner, "Mr. Knozit" on WIS Columbia, SC; and Happy Raine
on WCSC and WCBD Charleston, SC.

I should also mention that Big Brother Bob Emery was one of
the first network television kids' show hosts; he was on DuMont
in the late '40s, about the time Buffalo Bob Smith and Howdy Doody
started on NBC. Another of the best, but unfortunately largely forgotten
network hosts of that era was Paul Tripp, "Mr. I.Magination" on CBS.

 

[Ultimajock]

In the 50's WMUR channel 9 in Manchester would feature Santa Claus (probably Uncle Gus in disguise) during the month of December. Living in Southeastern Mass. at the time, Channel 9's signsl was a weak Grade B, at best. As a kid, I thought I had the DX of the Century! Direct from the North Pole!

...interestingly, in 1954 (and perhaps in subsequent years), educational station WHA-TV/21 in Madison, Wisconsin, had a daily "visit with Santa" quarter hour as did the other two stations then in the market, CBS affiliate WKOW-TV/27 and NBC/ABC/DuMont affiliate WMTV/33...

 

[mleach]

In the 50's WMUR channel 9 in Manchester would feature Santa Claus (probably Uncle Gus in disguise) during the month of December. Living in Southeastern Mass. at the time, Channel 9's signsl was a weak Grade B, at best. As a kid, I thought I had the DX of the Century! Direct from the North Pole!

...interestingly, in 1954 (and perhaps in subsequent years), educational station WHA-TV/21 in Madison, Wisconsin, had a daily "visit with Santa" quarter hour as did the other two stations then in the market, CBS affiliate WKOW-TV/27 and NBC/ABC/DuMont affiliate WMTV/33...

Harrisonburg, VA's PBS outlet WVPT-TV had a 30 minute Santa show as well. Not sure when it began ( I assume the mid 70's if not earlier ) but it lasted all the way until 1986. The show was nothing more than some guy dressed up as Santa reading letters from the kids.

The last broadcast station I can think of that did a show like this was WEPM-AM 1340 out of Martinsburg, West Virginia where they would pre-empt an hour of ESPN's Dan Patrick in favor of..Santa. WEPM's Santa show ran from 1996 until 2004. Unlike WVPT, in WEPM's case not did they read the letters but also the addresses of the kids who sent in their letters. Example "...HO HO HO...Little 6 year old Mary Sue Greene who lives on XXXX South King Street, Martinsburg wants a doll house and a DVD player...."

Ah yeah....parents even in little ole Martinsburg didn't like WEPM-AM mentioning the addresses of their little ones on the radio and complained with one parent even filing a lawsuit so rather than just stop reading the addresses, the Program Director decided just to stop the Santa show alltogether and give the hour back to Dan Patrick.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

Back in 1950's Pete Boyle, father of actor Peter Boyle (Frank) in Everybody Loves Raymond, hosted a kids show on Philly's Channel 3 then WRCV-TV (today KYW); and Wilmington Delaware's Channel 12 WVUE-TV (today WHYY).

Also, Lex Dexter and his puppet Brytie the Bunyip and friends were on WRCV in Philly in the 1950's.

Gene London (an artist who actually drew pictures on the show); Pixanne, a pixie; both were on channel 10 WCAU-TV - Philly.

Also Lorenzo the Clown on Baltimore's Channel 13 WJZ-TV.

Of course, the two biggest TV hosts for Children's shows of the 1950's were Captain Kangaroo on CBS-TV, and Buffalo Bob Smith with Howdy Doody on NBC-TV.

 

[Tim L]

I remember from the mid 1960's on every Thanksgiving to Christmas holiday watching "Mr. Jingeling"..From 1956-to the early 1980's the character would appear each Holiday season..Mostly on WEWS-5 in Cleveland, though in the last few years he made the rounds on Channel 3, 8 and 43..Mr. Jingeling would be shown in a 10-15 minute time slot telling stories during Captain Penny's show..He was the "Keeper of the Keys" to Santa's North Pole Workshop..

The character was first played by Max Ellis of the Cleveland Playhouse, who had earlier played "Santa Claus" on WXEL-TV 9..After Mr. Ellis' Passing in 1964. Karl Mackey played Mr. Jingeling in that season. WEWS staff member Earl Keyes played Mr. Jingeling from 1965 through the TV days and continued to make appearances as Mr. Jingeling until 2000, when he passed away the day after Christmas that year..Another "Mr. Jingeling" has made appearances the last few Christmases..though not on TV..

Mr. Jingeling was sponsored by Halles Department Stores where he would appear in lieu of Santa at the downtown Cleveland Halles..He later was sponsored by Higbees..

More Info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Jingeling

 

[bpatrick]

I guess just about every market had a Santa show
between Thanksgiving and Christmas; Greensboro/
Winston-Salem/High Point had two, one on WFMY,
the other on WGHP.

Gene London reminds me of Dave Michaels, WAGA's
"Mr. Pix" before he went straight (!) and anchored
WXIA's "11 Alive Newsroom." He, too, drew pictures
on the air. I have seen either here or on the Atlanta
board that he was not particularly pleasant towards
the kids who appeared on his show.

Didn't Peter Boyle go on to appear on Ernie Kovacs'
local shows before either of them got famous?

 

[landtuna]

I must of missed this thread when it originally posted. Fun reading it for the first time.

I remember Marshall K-GUN in Tucson. Was actually on the show once or twice. My biggest memory was how much pancake makeup the "marshall" had on his face in person. And the lights.....they were HOT!

In 1960 my family moved from Tucson to the S.F. area and every afternoon on KTVU (which was then an independent) had "Mr. Bob" who hosted an hour-long Stooge-fest. He told jokes and was always getting a pie in the face from his off-camera nemesis. I've never been able to find out who the actual actor was.