Kiddie Show Hosts

This last post for TV Memories week is going to be a tribute to those entertainers who were a part of the children’s programming I watched when I was a kid. They also had a strong influence on my life. And this is just a warning, it's very very long. 

Throughout the 50’s & 60’s, even into the early 70’s TV stations in large cities would have local personalities host their weekday afternoon children’s programming. This basically meant providing a few minutes of comedy or other type of entertainment in between cartoons to keep the kids’ attention.

I was fortunate to grow up in an area almost exactly between New York and Philadelphia. This meant that I could watch the cartoons shows out of two major markets. Weekday afternoons after school until 6 or 7PM were always a great time to be in front of the TV.

Although I never met any of the men I’m about to list they all had an influence on me and had a hand in helping make me who I am today.

Chuck McCann: From the time I was old enough to watch TV until I was in first or second grade; Chuck McCann was an afternoon kid’s show host in New York. He was always on either on WPIX channel 11 or WNEW channel 5. The versions of his program I remember the most were the ones that featured Laurel and Hardy. On one McCann was Oliver Hardy and another had a pair of Laurel and Hardy puppets. As you would guess I liked the puppets the most.

Chuck McCann’ series of programs was my first exposure to sketch, impersonation and character based comedy. The shows were silly and juvenile but their demographic was children ages 4-10. As I watched him each afternoon even before I started school I was drawn to what he did. He made me want to be funny and on TV too.

Bob McAlister: He is mostly remembered by those who grew up in the New York, New Jersey, Connecticut tri-state area for being the host of the Sunday morning show Wonderama on WNEW Channel 5. He hosted a program that was, for the most part, a children’s game show. I admired and remember Bob McAlister for about the same reasons as I do Chuck McCann.

McAlister started out as a ventriloquist in the 1950’s; Appearing on NBC’s Today Show and winning first place on “Ted Mack’s Armature Hour”. In addition, he was a rather accomplished magician. He eventually used those talents to transition into children’s television.

On Wonderama he handled a studio full of kids in all kinds of situations. Guiding and wrangling a bunch of overly excited children while playing games, dancing to the latest music, participating in songs, and more was all part of his job as host. He handled it like a pro and was always, at least on screen, kind and patient with each and every child.

He was a consummate professional and a nice guy.

He was a multitalented entertainer and always seemed very genuine. The songs, “Does Anybody Here Have An Aardvark” and “Kids Are People Too” both from Wonderama were his most memorable musical offerings.

In addition to being host of Wonderama, McAlister had an afternoon show of his own. It was on WNEW on weekdays. The first show aired on my 8th birthday, September 9, 1968. I felt it was a special type of birthday present especially for me. On that show, once again, I learned the versatility of being able to perform a variety of characters.

The characters I remember the most were:

Salamander Dilly: An artist who used a brush and an early version of a common TV special effect. He would start with a blank blue canvas and using broad strokes he’d gradually reveal a picture projected onto the canvas using a technique called “Chroma Key”. For TV of the day it was very visually effective.

Seymore the Snake: A puppet who would make comments and present one liners based on things that happened on the show right before or after the commercial breaks.

Professor Fingleheimer: An inventor with an exaggerated German accent who would sing his catchy theme song at the beginning of his segments. To this day I can sing that song.  After his fanfare, he would present his latest invention, which never worked the way it was supposed to.

I used Prof. Fingleheimer as the inspiration for a character of my own during my early 20’s when I was a children’s church. I put on my high school graduation gown, mortar board, and a Grouch Marx nose and glasses. My helper, usually my sister Peggy, would encourage the kids to sing the Professor’s theme song (to the tune of “On Top of Old Smokey). Von Stuben would enter tell a couple of silly jokes then teach the kids a new song or two. Then he would exit to the kids singing his theme once again.

I really liked playing Professor Von Stuben very much. I think one day soon I will recreate him as a ventriloquist puppet character. But I digress. Let’s get back to Bob McAlister.

Although I wouldn’t have minded the chance to be a kid in the audience; every time I watched Wonderama I wanted to be Bob McAlister. I wanted to play the parts and do the tricks he did on his afternoon show as well. He was one of my TV idols.

Soupy Sales: I include the “ Soup Man” on this list not because of his influence on me during his days on television when I was a kid but how he inspired me as an adult on another form of broadcast media. 

Soupy made a name for himself doing children's television in Detroit and then New York City during the mid to late 60's. His show ran in the afternoon on WNEW TV Channel 5 from 1964 until September 1966.

Of course Soupy was best known for taking pies in the face. That was his trademark. But his show also featured several memorable characters. Black Tooth and White Fang were Soupy's very large dogs. But viewers only ever got to see the paws of these two oversized canines. Pooky the lion was a puppet that pantomimed funny songs and traded jokes with Soupy.

Soupy also had a set of funny bits that he used on his show. The most famous was answering his door and talking with the unseen person on the other side.

I really don't remember watching his show very much. I guess that was because I was so young. I do remember that my dad loved the Soupy Sales show and its humor. I remember the show mostly because dad talked about it so much.

Soupy went on to have other incarnations of his show in other cities. By the time the 70’s came around he started a second career making appearances on many game shows a a guest celebrity.

In the mid 80’s he made a return to the local New York City market but this time on the radio. He became the midday host on one of the city’s top AM stations, WNBC. His 10AM to 2PM time slot between long time morning man Don Imus and afternoon shock jock Howard Stern was one of most coveted in the radio business.

Predictably Soupy’s wasn’t your typical AM radio music show.  It was essentially a recreation of his TV show but on the radio. There were characters, guests, games, and comedy routines.

Soupy would read funny want ads or made up horoscopes from the newspaper. He also read funny program listings from TV guide and gave listeners “Words of Wisdom”.

He had visits from characters including the WNBC’s stereo typical radio program director and Daryl B. Mortacome, the leader of the fictional in-studio WNBC band. All or most of the characters were voiced by Soupy’s radio sidekick, Ray D’Ariano.  I almost admired D’Ariano as much as I did Soupy.

At the time I was a delivery driver for an auto parts warehouse. I was on the road making deliveries every day while Soupy Sales was on the radio. His comedy not only entertained me but inspired me to start writing my own jokes.

The two years the Soupy Sales show was on the air at WNBC (March 85 to March 87) he became one of my idols. The fact that his personality and his comedy were developed on his kids shows retroactively makes Soupy Sales one of my favorite childhood TV hosts.

Paul Winchell: When I was 8 years old if you would have asked me to name my favorite ventriloquist I would without a doubt have said “Paul Winchell”.

 Although I had seen plenty of ventriloquists on several of the popular TV variety shows of the 60’s (The Ed Sullivan show and Hollywood Palace for example) I wanted to be Paul Winchell.

From the time I started Kindergarten until I was in 2^nd grade my favorite weekday afternoon TV show was Winchell Mahoney Time.  The show ran from 1965 to 1968. In the afternoons after school it picked up for me where the Chuck McCann show left off.

After it when off the air it was replaced by the Bob McAlister show.

Winchell Mahoney Time starred Paula Winchell and his ventriloquist puppet pals, Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff. The show’s set was a clubhouse and there was a live studio audience of very excited kids, who very often appeared on camera with the stars.

Like McCann and McAllister, Paul Winchell had his own cast of characters. This included Bonehead Smiff (Knucklehead’s father) and an upside down chin guy (I can’t really explain it here in a concise way. Keep checking back I may revive the trick for my ventriloquist act. If I do I’ll post a picture on this blog).

Winchell was the best ventriloquist I have ever seen. His manipulation of, and interaction with his characters, and lip control was amazing. Not only did he thoroughly entertain me for 3 years; he made me want to be a ventriloquist.

In an effort to fulfill that dream, I sent away for a product from an ad in the back of a comic book, promising to help you “throw your voice.” The ad promised a free “How to become a ventriloquist” booklet. Here’s a picture of that ad.

What I got for my $1 was a flimsy bird call aid that fit in your mouth and “disintegrated” immediately. I never was able to “throw my voice” and don’t even remember getting the booklet. There were only a few genuine sources for learning ventriloquism back in those days. But I had no idea they existed. My failure and disappointment with the “Ventrilo” left me discouraged about ever being like Paul Winchell.

But the dream of being a ventriloquist would come true 40 years later. Some things take time. But I will always be grateful to Paul Winchell for causing the spark that lit passion for ventriloquism within me that burns to this day.

Jim Henson: This final man was not a TV host. But of all I’ve named so far he had, by far, the most success on TV and has left the greatest legacy. He has not only had an influence on my life but on thousands, if not millions, of others as well. Jim Henson was the creator and long time top performer of the world famous Muppets.

I was introduced to Jim Henson’s Muppets by my dad. He was always a big fan. Initially when I was first old enough to understand them the Muppets had very limited national exposure. Whenever they did appear on TV it was a special occasion.

They would make guest appearances on TV variety shows. Whenever they were on my dad would make sure both he and I were sitting together in our living room ready to laugh.  

But the real beginning of the influence of Jim Henson and the Muppets for me came in 1969. That was the year when afternoon television changed for me. All the show’s I’ve mentioned up until now had ended.

I had now moved on to watching Wee Willie Webber’s Colorful Cartoon Club. Bill Webber was the latest kids show host on a new UHF station; WPHL channel 17, out of Philadelphia. He was a good host and I liked him but he was never the reason I watched his show. I watched just for the cartoons: Ruff & Ready, Astroboy, Prince Planet, and Marine Boy.

But as an 8 year old I was more interested in playing with my friends outside after school than watching TV. This left my preschool aged sister, Shari, with access to the TV. Her choice of shows at 4PM each day was the block of educational programs on PBS. Particularly a new one called “Sesame Street”.

This show was amazing. It was like Laugh-In (See You Tube for clips if you don’t know what show I’m referring to) for counting and learning the alphabet. But the great thing about this show was the puppets.

Jim Henson’s Muppets were the puppets for the show.  I was introduced to Ernie, Burt, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and Oscar The Grouch; all characters created especially for the Sesame Street. Henson’s puppet alter ego, Kermit the Frog, was also brought on board to help educate preschool age intercity kids. I didn’t fit that demographic but nevertheless I was crazy about Sesame Street.   

The seeds of my love for puppets were planted when I received my Mr. Wiggle puppet when I was in the hospital. It was nurtured by my fascination with Winchell Mahoney Time; then dampened a bit by my lack of success with my mail order ventriloquist device.

But when I got an Ernie puppet for Christmas in 1970 my lifelong love for puppets was permanently spliced into my DNA.

Of course Jim Henson went on to have a legendary career. He made movies, The Muppet show and many other projects. His sudden death in March 1990 was a very shocking and sad event for me.

Jim Henson’s influence is evident in my life even today. First of all I am subscribed through I-Tunes to a weekly podcast called “The Muppetcast.” Each week I get the chance to share my love and admiration for Jim Henson and the Muppets with others like me for about an hour.

In my puppet collection I have: 3 Kermit the Frogs, an Ernie, and a pair of What Nots. Those are puppets with interchangeable eyes, noses, hair and other accessories enabling me to create a character for any situation. All are products of the creativity of Mr. Jim Henson; who for me is the most influential TV personality of all time.

As was true with the other posts in this series, you can find information and video about my favorite TV show hosts on Googel and You Tube. See what you can find. It may help you understand this post a little more.  

Thus ends “TV Memories” week on this blog. I realize and apologize for the length of these posts. I didn’t start out to write such long and detailed articles; but that’s how it happened.  I needed to present the components of each day’s list with details in regard to their inclusion.

Before I end this series of special posts I want to make sure that I acknowledge the importance of something that I’ve occasionally included throughout this series.

Interwoven within the fabric of all stories about the shows, products, commercials, and personalities I’ve written about during this TV Memories week is influence of my dad. With maybe one or two exceptions part of every item on my lists is the fact that it was somehow or some way part of my relationship with my father.

Whether it was a show we liked to watch together, a host we thought was funny, or a cereal he brought home for me from the grocery store; it’s among my most precious TV memories is because I shared it with my dad.

He’s been gone for 13 years this month. I still miss him terribly and I can’t wait until I see him again in heaven one day. But taking the time to write about memories like I did this week makes him seem not so far away.

Thank you for being a part of my TV Memories week for taking the time to read what I’ve written and remember. Although I’ve done a lot of reminiscing it’s not so that I can get stuck in the past. It’s to express an understanding of where I’ve been and how I’ve gotten to be who I am today. This will help make me ready to face the future with an understanding of just who I am.

Now I believe I hear the national anthem playing in the living room and soon the test pattern will appear on the screen. That can only mean one thing; TV Memories Week is over.