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PAMD · Senior Member

Kids show in the 60's

jakemac · Senior Member

Ok, I'll get the ball rolling.

In the mid 60's, I remember a local kids show in New Jersey. I have never been able to remember the name. All I remember is that the opening credits started with the camera panning through a small house (like a doll house) and ending with a Giant's hand opening a door. It was a storytime show, and may have been called The Gentle Giant, or something like that.

Does anyone in the NJ/East PA/NY area remember anything about this show ?

PAMD · Senior Member

This would have been more Boston-oriented, however, from the '50s through the '70s there was a western-themed show called "Boomtown", which was broadcast for several years in both NYC and Philly. I believe it was hosted by a gent named "Rex Trailor". The VHF TV signals from NYC would blast thru in the early mornings, and from what I understand, Levittown, PA, Stroudsburg, PA, and Allentown, PA could all receive NY stations, with a bit 'o snow, but they were watchable.

I remember our first color TV was a Zenith, similar to this one, owned by Doug Harland, of Chicago. Broadly considered to be the foremost expert on Zenith Radio Corporation products in the United States.

PAMD · Senior Member

PHILADELPHIA KID'S SHOWS: Sally Starr's Popeye Theater

"Our Gal Sal" was a Philly institution, with two shows daily; one at 7:00AM, and another at 5:00 PM. It was mostly live TV in those days. She introduced many of us to the Three Stooges, Clutch Cargo, and unfortunately, Popeye.

From what I was told, many corner taprooms, bars, and beer gardens tuned their TV's to Channel 6 precisely at 5:00 PM each weekday, because the patrons either wanted to see her, or settle bets on whether it would be a "Curly" or "Shemp" episode of the Three Stooges shown that evening.

For lack of a better term, Sally was rumored to have been a burlesque dancer in her younger years; a fact which PO'ed quite a few moms in the Delaware Valley.

The very first hate mail that I ever sent was to WFIL-TV, Channel 6; in 1971 after they canned her in favor of "Captain Noah and his Magical Ark". In fact, they received several mail trucks filled with hate mail, mostly from men aged 3 through 70. I was 16 then. **None of the women whom I have ever dated passed the "Sally Starr" test, in-fact, the one that I eventually married could double for "Lilith Sternin Crane", of "Cheers" fame. (I did, however, date one who passed the Carol Wayne "Matinee Lady from Art Fern's - Tea Time Movie" skit on Johnny Carson)

Our children have no idea what good television is, or was for that matter....

**Not to be politically correct, however, 90% of men, myself included, cannot pass the Mark Harmon, Tom Cruise, or Tom Selleck tests; however, in all honesty, I would not want to pass the Tom Cruise test. I have, however, passed the Eric Cartman test.

Izzy Ryder · Senior Member

jakemac wrote:
Ok, I'll get the ball rolling.
In the mid 60's, I remember a local kids show in New Jersey. I have never been able to remember the name. All I remember is that the opening credits started with the camera panning through a small house (like a doll house) and ending with a Giant's hand opening a door. It was a storytime show, and may have been called The Gentle Giant, or something like that.
Does anyone in the NJ/East PA/NY area remember anything about this show ?

I remember watching it as a kid in the 60's down here in Fla. It was broadcast on my local PBS channel. It was called "The Friendly Giant". I'm surprised to see that this show ran well into the 80's and it originated from Canada.

Here's a clip from the 70's I think ...........

-- Edited by Izzy Ryder on Monday 10th of December 2012 01:11:47 PM

Maribegood · Senior Member

Well, our local PBS station in the early 70s had ZOOM, the Electric Company, Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood, and of course Sesame Street. Can't remember if these were local or national, but there was also Captain Kangaroo and The Enchanted Garden.

jakemac · Senior Member

Mr. Rodger's was produced in Philly. Electric Company and Sesame Street came out of New York. And, ZOOM was a Boston production. All were filmed to tape as segment scenes with stops, re-do's, and then edited and distributed to member PBS stations.

I don't remember where Captain Kangaroo or The Enchanted Garden were produced, but unlike the other productions, these were filmed 'Live to Tape' and then edited to create the show.

jakemac · Senior Member

That's it !!!!!!!

It's been driving me nuts for 25 years. I've tried to explain the show to people , and no one remembers it. Maybe it didn't air around here.

Thanks !

My grandfather had built his own color tv, built into the wall in the den (he was an electrical engineer for Bell Labs), in the mid 60's, and I remember sitting 2 inches from the tv (getting yelled at) and watching this program in black and white.

PAMD · Senior Member

Jake,

Remember the "Radiation King" episode of the Simpsons???

Ahh, the good old days of the 6JS6C High Voltage Output tube (Zenith color sets)..... Popped the popcorn without a microwave, in your very own living room!

jakemac · Senior Member

I never got into the Simpson's.

But I remember the buzzing sound TV's used to make as they warmed up. No "Please Wait" screen on the monitor, while the damn computer in the tv decided to honor your request to let you view a program. Just the 'hurry up, hurry up' dance as you waited for the tube to clear itself of the snow and find the audio/vidio signal. Sometimes I miss the challenge of rabbit ears, coat hangers, and tinfoil used to fine tune the perfect reception ......... until your mother walked into the room and upset the delicate balance of airwaves and reflective surfaces.

1Moparsick0 · Senior Member

PAMD wrote:
This would have been more Boston-oriented, however, from the '50s through the '70s there was a western-themed show called "Boomtown", which was broadcast for several years in both NYC and Philly. I believe it was hosted by a gent named "Rex Trailor". The VHF TV signals from NYC would blast thru in the early mornings, and from what I understand, Levittown, PA, Stroudsburg, PA, and Allentown, PA could all receive NY stations, with a bit 'o snow, but they were watchable.

I remember our first color TV was a Zenith, similar to this one, owned by Doug Harland, of Chicago. Broadly considered to be the foremost expert on Zenith Radio Corporation products in the United States.

My Parent have one almost like that sitting in there attic... I hit the set when I was about 4-5 with a plastic toy boat on the screen an since then it's always warms up with everything looking greenish tones..

admin · Member

"An American Family of the 1960's" film to video transfer of a family from the Chicago area's adventures during 1960 (one of the best Christmas scenes ever!)

Izzy Ryder · Senior Member

I have some old childhood Christmas 8mm movies from 1963 that look just like that. My parents were never rich enough to own a "vacation home" home though. :(

PAMD · Senior Member

Instapoll: How many of us would beg, borrow, steal, and/or wax our wive's'ex-wives/girlfriend's car for that Texaco tanker truck???

Just think, the average age of those kids is close to 60 now; the little boy may have actually seen Vietnam (probably graduated in '70 or '71).

1Moparsick0 · Senior Member

PAMD wrote:
Instapoll: How many of us would beg, borrow, steal, and/or wax our wive's'ex-wives/girlfriend's car for that Texaco tanker truck???
Just think, the average age of those kids is close to 60 now; the little boy may have actually seen Vietnam (probably graduated in '70 or '71).

I'd love to have the first Hess truck that I remeber playing with at my grandparents home. Or when Grandpa broke out the retro Japenese tin toys, like the Charlie Mcarthey toy the one that drinks or puffs smoke rings I think he had both, or the Cast Iron Banks... Ohh the classic toys that my grandparents spoiled me with... The christmas memories, enough to make us punch drunk on Hot wheels, and coleco an Atari handheld games, Simon, and Speak'n Spell, Big Mean Green Machines, tyco sets, an always another years of the Baseball collecters value book of cards, or the gusiness books of records. Ah the memories.. Certainly not as warm an pleasant as those days, when the family felt together an loving an warm... Now i's all dysfunctional, an Christmas is just another day on the calendar... Uggg.... What happened....

rumple · Veteran Member

PAMD wrote:
PHILADELPHIA KID'S SHOWS: Sally Starr's Popeye Theater
"Our Gal Sal" was a Philly institution, with two shows daily; one at 7:00AM, and another at 5:00 PM. It was mostly live TV in those days. She introduced many of us to the Three Stooges, Clutch Cargo, and unfortunately, Popeye.

I'm delighted to be able to tell everyone about TVparty. You can find all your favorite TV shows there (check the big list at the bottom of the homepage), and lots of local kids shows (here's one for you, Doc). I've spent many happy hours there, and I hope you all do the same. Be sure to share your discoveries, and memories.

One of my most cherished memories was when Sheriff John said "Happy Birthday" to me on-air when I was five years old. He mispronounced my name, but I didn't care. My Mom had submitted my name as a surprise (and then went back to being a psychotic c***) and I thought he was like Santa, and just knew everything about everybody.

I was a Curly fan from way back, though I liked Shemp too.

PAMD · Senior Member

Here is an interview with Sally Starr from around 2005, which was done for a WHYY-PBS fundraising special entitled "Philly's Favorite Kids Show Hosts". Now our kids minds are fed a steady diet of poorly produced cartoons, and kid's shows produced on a national level, with little in the way of entertainment value. A child's mind requires entertainment every bit as much as the instruction provided by Sesame Street, and other offerings:

Maribegood · Senior Member

Well, if it makes you guys feel better, another generation sees and plays with a train set from the 60s and the Hess truck (both under my cousin's tree every year and to which yougsters in the family make pilgrimages to). I do remember the Speak and Spell, made by Texas Instruments, because it came to live with us one Christmas. biggrin We had a sand timer in order to share it without bloodshed.

PAMD · Senior Member

WPVI-DT6, the former WPVI-TV6, and before that, WFIL-TV "Channel 6" had a very popular show, which ran from the mid 1950's until early 1965 called "Happy the Clown", who was, in real life, a fellow named Howard Jones.

This is the only known color photo of this once popular personality, and was "borrowed" from a video which was posted recently on the WPVI website. Running approximately 25 minutes, this video shows a rather nostalgic look at a newly constructed television facility, which opened within two months of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. WELL WORTH WATCHING, a great look into our past!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=7301016&pid=null

PAMD · Senior Member

Philadelphia's "Sally Starr" passed away today, Sunday, 27 January 2013. She turned 90 just two days ago. Those of us from the Philly and South Jersey regions who are aged 50 and older will remember her with more than mere fondness. The world got a little crappier today:(

News story produced by WPVI DT6, the station for which she broadcast:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8970011

Writeup by the "Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia": http://www.broadcastpioneers.org/