Howdy Doody
Howdy Doody | |
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![]() Buffalo Bob Smithand Howdy Doody in 1972 | |
Genre | Children's television series |
Created by | E. Roger Muir |
Presented by |
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Starring | |
Country of origin | United States |
Production | |
Producers | E. Roger Muirand Nick Nicholson |
Running time |
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Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | December 27, 1947 September 24, 1960 | –
Howdy Doodyis an Americanchildren's television program(withcircusandWestern frontierthemes) that was created and produced by Victor F. Campbell[1]andE. Roger Muir.[2]It was broadcast on theNBCtelevision network in the United States from December 27, 1947, until September 24, 1960. It was a pioneer of children's programming and set the pattern for many similar shows. One of the first television series produced at NBC inRockefeller Center,in Studio 3A,[3]it pioneered color production in 1956 and NBC (then owned byRCATelevision) used the show to promotecolor televisionsets in the late 1950s.
Story
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Ugly_Howdy_Doody_1948.jpg/220px-Ugly_Howdy_Doody_1948.jpg)
Buffalo Bob Smithcreated Howdy Doody during his days as a radio announcer onWNBC.At that time, Howdy Doody was only a voice Smith performed on the radio. When Smith made an appearance on NBC's television programPuppet Playhouseon December 27, 1947, the reception for the character was great enough to begin a demand for a visual character for television. Frank Paris, a puppeteer whose puppets appeared on the program, was asked to create a Howdy Doody puppet.[4]
Bob Smith, the show's host, was dubbed "Buffalo Bob" early in the show's run (a reference both to the historical American frontier characterBuffalo Billand Smith's hometown ofBuffalo, New York). At first the set was supposed to be a circus tent, but soon was changed to a western town. Smith worecowboygarb, as did the puppet. The name of the puppet "star" was derived from the expression "howdy doody" / "howdy do," a commonplace corruption of the phrase "How do you do?" used in theWestern United Statesand in Britain as well (e.g. "Here's a howdy-do"fromThe Mikado). (The straightforward use of that expression was also in the theme song's lyrics.) Smith, who had gotten his start as a singing radio personality in Buffalo, frequently used music in the program. Cast membersLew AndersonandRobert "Nick" Nicholsonboth were experiencedjazzmusicians.
As both the character and television program grew in popularity, demand for Howdy Doody-related merchandise began to surface. By 1948, toymakers and department stores had been approached with requests for Howdy Doody dolls and similar items.Macy'sdepartment store contacted Frank Paris, the creator of the puppet, to ask about rights for a Howdy Doody doll. However, while Paris had created the puppet, Bob Smith owned the rights to the character. An argument ensued between the two men, Paris claiming he felt he was being cheated out of any financial benefits. After one such disagreement, Paris took the puppet and angrily left the NBC studios about four hours before the show was to air live. It was not the first time this happened, leaving the live program with no "star".[4][5][6]
With Paris's past disappearances, impromptu excuses regarding the whereabouts of Howdy Doody had been hastily concocted. This time, an elaborate explanation was offered—that Howdy was busy with the elections on the campaign trail. NBC hurriedly constructed a map of the United States, which allowed viewers, with the help of Smith, to learn where Howdy was on the road. The explanation continued that while on the campaign trail, Howdy decided to improve his appearance with someplastic surgery.This made it possible for the network to hire Disney animatorMel Shawand his business partner Bob Allen to design (refer to U.S. Patent D156687 for a "new, original, and ornamental design" for the puppet) andVelma Wayne Dawsonto build and operate a more handsome and appealing visual character than Paris's original, which had been called "the ugliest puppet imaginable" by Bob Smith.[6][7]Since Paris did not provide the voice of the character, Howdy's voice would stay the same after his appearance changed. The puppet that is remembered as the "original" Howdy Doody replaced Paris's original.[4][5][6]
Howdy Doody
[edit]Howdy Doody himself was a freckle-faced boymarionettewith 48 freckles, one for each state of the union at the time of his creation (up until January 3, 1959, whenAlaskabecame the 49th state), and originally was voiced by Smith.[8]TheHowdy Doodyshow's various marionettes were created and built bypuppeteersDawson, Scott Brinker (the show's prop man), and Rufus Rose throughout the show's run.[9]The redheaded Howdy marionette on the original show was operated with 11 strings: two heads, one mouth, one eye, two shoulders, one back, two hands and two knees. Three strings were added when the show returned—two elbows and one nose. The original marionette now resides at theDetroit Institute of Arts.There were duplicate Howdy Doody puppets, designed to be used expressly for off-the-air purposes (lighting rehearsals, personal appearances, etc.), although survivingkinescoperecordings clearly show that these duplicate puppets were indeed used on the air occasionally. "Double Doody", the Howdy stand-in puppet, now is in the entertainment collection at theSmithsonian National Museum of American History.[10]
Photo Doodyis the near-stringless marionette that was used in personal appearances, photos, parades, and the famed NBC test pattern. He was sold by Leland's Sports Auction House in 1997 for more than $113,000 to a private art collector,TJ Fisher.[11]
Characters
[edit]Puppet characters
[edit]Besides Howdy Doody, the other characters in this show are:
- Heidi Doody– Introduced as a stranger who saved Buffalo Bob's life in Africa, she was adopted as Howdy's sister.
- Phineas T. Bluster– The resident skinflint,mayorof Doodyville and nemesis of Howdy; one of the Bluster triplets.
- Petey Bluster– Phineas's nephew.
- Don José Bluster– The South American Bluster brother.
- Thaddeus Bluster– Another Bluster brother.
- Hector Hamhock Bluster– The British Bluster brother.
- Princess Summerfall Winterspring– Introduced as a puppet, then played by actressJudy Tyler,who afterwards appeared oppositeElvis Presleyin the 1957 filmJailhouse Rock.After she was killed in a car accident on July 3, 1957, at the age of 24, the character was portrayed by a marionette.
- Dilly Dally– Howdy's naive boyhood friend.
- InspectorJohn J. Fadoozle– "America's No. 1private eye"whose character was revealed as the mysterious" Mr. X "who used the pseudonym to run against Howdy for the office of President of All the Boys and Girls of America; children could vote by using ballots that were attached to the wrappers of loaves ofWonder Bread,a major sponsor of the show.
- Chief Thunderthud and Chief Featherman– Two of severalNative Americancharacters used to emphasize the show's western theme.
- J. Cornelius Cobb– Theshopkeeper(played by Nick Nicholson), who had a strongdislike for clowns.
- Sandra the Witch
- Capt. Windy Scuttlebut
- Flub-a-Dub– A hybrid of eight animals. He had aduck's bill, acat's whiskers, aspaniel's ears, agiraffe's neck, adachshund's body, aseal's flippers, apig's tail, and anelephant's memory.
Animal puppets
[edit]The show also featured animal puppets such as:
- Hyde and Zeke– Twinbears.
- Mambo– AnAfrican elephant.
- Tizzy– Adinosaur.
- Paddle– Agnu.
- TommyTurtle– A slow-talking turtle who is not very bright.
Human characters
[edit]There also were several human characters, most notably:
- Clarabell– The mute clown who communicated inmime,byhonking hornson his belt, and by squirtingseltzer.Originally played byBob Keeshan,who went on to create the children's TV character Captain Kangaroo, he was later played byRobert "Nick" Nicholsonand finally by Lew Anderson. Clarabell did not talk because he would have to be paid scale, and it was a low-budget show.
- J. Cornelius Cobb(played by "Nick" Nicholson concurrently with the role ofClarabelland then exclusively when Lew Anderson took over theClarabellrole) –
- Sir Archibald(played by Dayton Allen) – An explorer.
- Chief Thunderthud(portrayed by Bill Le Cornec) – Head of the Ooragnak (kangaroospelled backward) tribe of American Indians.Edward Keanoriginated Thunderthud's greeting "Kowabonga!"—a nonsense word that eventually became part of the California surfer culture lexicon.
- Princess Summerfall Winterspring(portrayed byJudy Tyler) – As a teenager, Tyler began her career with this supporting role, which she played from 1950 to 1956. The opportunity led to Tyler breaking out to starring roles on Broadway and eventually Hollywood, where she notably co-starred withElvis PresleyinJailhouse Rockbefore dying in a 1957 auto accident.
- Gus Gasbags(played byEd Alberian) – A man who made animal balloons.[12]
The characters inhabited the fictional town of Doodyville. Several characters (including Ugly Sam, the world's worst wrestler, and Pierre the Chef) were played by comedianDayton Allen,who later went on to become a cast regular on NBC's prime timeThe Steve Allen Show.
TheHowdyshow's non-televised rehearsals were renowned for including considerabledouble-entendredialogue between the cast members (particularly the witty Dayton Allen) and the puppet characters. Corny Cobb was played by Bobby "Nick" Nicholson in 1952, by puppeteer Rufus Rose in 1953 and 1954 while Nicholson assumed the role of Clarabell, and again by Nicholson from early 1955 until the end of the show.[13]
Clarabell was first played by Bob Keeshan (who also played The Featherman). Keeshan continued in that role until December 1952, when he, Dayton Allen, puppeteer Rhoda Mann, and Bill LeCornec left the show over a salary dispute. The role of Clarabell was then taken by Nicholson, who played it for about 22 months. In January 1955, the role was turned over to Anderson, who kept it until the series ended and for all subsequent revivals and specials, while Nicholson took on the role of J. Cornelius "Corny" Cobb.[13]At the end of the final episode, telecast on September 24, 1960, Clarabell broke his series-long silence to say the final words of the final broadcast: "Goodbye, kids."[14]Each of the cast members also played other roles as required.
Dolls
[edit]Howdy Doody dolls were also sold commercially, as well as marionettes of Howdy Doody and Flub-a-dub. There were also two other marionettes, Don José and Hector Hamhock Bluster, brothers of Phineas T.
Replicas of Howdy
[edit]In addition to the original vintage puppets, puppet maker Alan Semok (at the request of Bob Smith in the early 1990s) created several precise replicas of Howdy, including—thanks to improved materials and new molding techniques—a more exact marionette replica than had ever been produced, as well as a new Photo Doody which Smith used in personal appearances until his death from cancer on July 30, 1998, at the age of 80. One of Semok's marionette duplicates appears on a 2005 cover ofTV Guidemagazine as part of a series recreating classic covers from the magazine's history. The cover featured Howdy with TV hostConan O'Briendressed as Buffalo Bob Smith. Another of the Semok duplicates resides in the International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts, the private museum owned by illusionistDavid Copperfield.[15]
Custody battle
[edit]![]() | This sectionrelies largely or entirely upon asingle source.(June 2015) |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Howdy_Doody_1955_ad_-_from%2C_The_Radio_Annual_and_Television_Yearbook%2C_1955_%28IA_radioannua00radi%29_%28page_762_crop%29.jpg/262px-Howdy_Doody_1955_ad_-_from%2C_The_Radio_Annual_and_Television_Yearbook%2C_1955_%28IA_radioannua00radi%29_%28page_762_crop%29.jpg)
After the death of Bob Smith, a fierce legal and custody battle for the original Howdy Doody puppet erupted among his heirs, the Rufus Rose estate, and a museum to which the marionette had been bequeathed. Howdy once again was in the news, with his face and story making headline broadcast, wire, talk show and print news around the world. For a while during the tug-of-war fight, the puppet was held in a bank safe deposit box while the saga played out in the federal courts.
During one day of deposition, puppet maker Semok (who had performed various maintenance and repainting of the original Howdy marionette beginning in 1989) was called upon to unseal a trap door on the back of the puppet's head;Velma Dawson,the puppet's original builder, who was 88 at the time of the deposition, was present and given the opportunity to examine the inside of the head in an effort to verify that the puppet in question was the original she created. Despite 50 years of numerous repairs, repaints, and replaced body parts, Dawson eventually declared the head of the puppet to be the one she originally made in 1948. TheDetroit Institute of Artsultimately prevailed and has custody of the original Howdy.
Broadcast history
[edit]Originally an hour on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (at 5 p.m. Eastern), the show moved to Monday through Friday, 5:30 to 6 p.m.ESTin August 1948. During part of its run, it was preceded by the 15-minute programThe Gabby Hayes Show,hosted by the veteran cowboy sidekick actorGeorge "Gabby" Hayes.In June 1956, it began to be shown on Saturdays only, in a morning time slot (10-10:30 Eastern time), continuing until its final broadcast on September 24, 1960, with the final years pre-recorded on color videotape.
Peanut gallery
[edit]A distinctive feature was thePeanut Gallery,onstage bleachers seating about 40 children. Each show began with Buffalo Bob asking, "Say kids, what time is it?" and the kids yelling in unison, "It's Howdy Doody Time!" Then the kids sang the show's theme song (set to the tune of "Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay"):
- It's Howdy Doody time,
- It's Howdy Doody time,
- Bob Smith and Howdy, too,
- Say "Howdy do" to you.
- Let's give a rousing cheer
- ’Cause Howdy Doody's here.
- It's time to start the show
- So kids, let's go!
It was thus one of the first television shows with audience participation as a major component.
In many of the 1949–1954 episodes released onDVDby Mill Creek Entertainment in 2008, the children also can be heard singing jingles for commercial breaks, with Buffalo Bob or Howdy leading them and the lyrics appearing on screen.Colgatetoothpaste, Halo Shampoo,3 Musketeerscandy bars,Tootsie RollsandPoll Parrot Shoesare among the products advertised this way, as well as series-long sponsorWonder Bread.
The popularity of Howdy Doody and its Peanut Gallery led executives atUnited Features Syndicateto use the namePeanutsfor syndication ofCharles M. Schulz'sLi'l Folkscomic strip, reportedly to the lifelong chagrin of Schulz.[17]
Smith's absence
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Ted_Brown_as_Bison_Bill_Howdy_Doody_Show.jpg/220px-Ted_Brown_as_Bison_Bill_Howdy_Doody_Show.jpg)
In September 1954, Bob Smith suffered a heart attack and was ordered to recuperate at home. NBC managed to keep the show going with guest hosts, including Gabby Hayes and New York disc jockeyTed Brownas Bison Bill, explaining to kids that Smith was vacationing at Pioneer Village.[18]While kids generally were satisfied with the explanation, show sponsors insisted they wanted Smith himself to hawk their products. In response, NBC set up a special studio at Smith's home so he could appear live "from Pioneer Village" to do commercials. During Smith's absence from the show, Howdy was voiced byAllen Swift.Swift continued to voice the character for the remainder of the show's run, even after Smith's return in September 1955.[19]
Final episode
[edit]Thefinal episode,"Clarabell's Big Surprise", was broadcast on September 24, 1960. The hour-long episode was mostly a fond look back at all the highlights of the show's past. Meanwhile, in the midst of it all, Clarabell has what he calls a "big surprise." The rest of the cast attempts to find out the surprise throughout the entire show, with only Mayor Phineas T. Bluster succeeding and promising to keep it a secret. ( "But," he says upon leaving, "it's not gonna be easy to keep something likethisa secret for long!! ")
Finally, in the closing moments, the surprise was disclosed throughpantomimeto Buffalo Bob and Howdy Doody; as it turned out, Clarabell the mute clown actually could talk. Amazed, Bob frantically told Clarabell to prove it, as this was his last chance. An ominousdrum rollbegan as Clarabell faced the camera as it came in for an extremecloseup.His lips quivered as the drumroll continued. When it stopped, Clarabell simply said softly, "Goodbye, kids." A tear could be seen in his right eye as the picture faded to black, and some children in the Peanut Gallery could faintly be heard sobbing immediately before the credits music played.
The show quietly ended with a roll of credits over an empty, darkened set as "Auld Lang Syne"was played on aCelesta,followed by an announcement thatThe Shari Lewis Showwould be seen in its place at that time next week followed by a spot for the TV seriesNational Velvet.
The restored color videotape of the final broadcast is available commercially.
Merchandising and licensing
[edit]Three Musketeers candy bars offered a promotion early in 1950 in which sending in 10 cents and one wrapper from a Three Musketeers bar obtained a Howdy Doody puppet. The show had two one-minute announcements about the promotion on consecutive weeks. The first announcement resulted in 80,000 requests; the second increased the total number of requests to 240,000.[20]In the early 1960s, William Rosenberg founded a fast food chain, Howdy Beefburgers (later Howdy Beef n' Burger), in Massachusetts, locating many of its restaurants beside Dunkin' Donuts shops so they could share common parking lots to compete with larger chains such as McDonald's for retail space and customer draw. Howdy Beefburgers was inspired by The Howdy Doody Show that had run on television from 1947 to 1960, and even adopted Howdy Doody as its mascot. Serving such products as hamburgers, French fries, fish sandwiches and New England clam chowder, the chain had restaurants in as many as 27 locations throughout New England before dissolving toward the end of the 1970s.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/bd/Howdydoody22452.jpg/220px-Howdydoody22452.jpg)
A 1955 merchandise catalog had 24 pages showcasing the range of products licensed by the show. The extensive merchandising included the aforementioned puppet, toys and clothing, plus tie-ins with cereals and other food products.Dellpublished a comic book from 1950 to 1956 along withLittle Golden Booksand Tell-a-Tale books, many written by Doody head writerEdward Kean.[21]In addition Dell scribeJohn Stanleycontributed scripts for the comic book.[22]Kean also did some scripting (along withStan Lee) of aSunday-only Doody comic stripthroughUnited Feature Syndicatewhich ran from October 15, 1950, to June 21, 1953.Milt Neil[23]andChad Grothkopf[24]were the initial art team through December 3, 1950, after which Grothkopf handled the art solo.[25]
Cartoon
[edit]UPAwas hired to do an animated cartoon (Howdy Doody and his Magic Hat), which was the first directorial effort ofGene Deitchand long thought lost until a print turned up at theLibrary of Congressin 2010.[26][27]On April 15 of that year, the film was posted online.[28]
Home media
[edit]On February 20, 2001, NBC Home Video licensed Image Entertainment to release four individual discs, each containing four episodes. These shows came from the latter part of the series run, from 1957 to 1960. One show from April 1, 1953, was also included.[29]
On November 4, 2008, Mill Creek Entertainment (under license fromNBCUniversal) releasedHowdy Doody Show: 40 Episodes 1949–1954on DVD in Region 1. The five-disc set features 40 of the best episodes from the series as selected by fans as well as the final color episode (also on the Image discs) and bonus features.[30]
Early episodes of Howdy Doody are available in the public domain and are online for audiences to view.
Howdy Doody's return
[edit]The 1970s brought a wave ofnostalgiainterest in an idealized representation of the 1950s, and with it films such asAmerican Graffitiand the TV showHappy Days.An episode ofHappy Dayswas entitled "The Howdy Doody Show" (number 33 of the series; original airdate February 18, 1975) during the series' second season, having a Howdy Doody storyline featuring Smith as Buffalo Bob with actorBob Brunneras Clarabell.
The New Howdy Doody Show
[edit]Shortly thereafter, Nicholson-Muir Productions (owned by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir) acquired from NBC the rights to produce theNew Howdy Doody Show,an attempt by Buffalo Bob and most of the old cast to recreate their past fame. For this incarnation, which aired infirst-run syndication,the Howdy Doody marionette had actual hair in a contemporary 1970s style and was operated by puppeteer Pady Blackwood.
New cast members included:
- Nicholson Muir(portrayed by Bill LeCornec) – The flamboyant fictional producer of the show. He is named for the production company.
- Corny Cobb(portrayed by Nick Nicholson) – He is now working as a "prop man" rather than a shopkeeper.
- Jackie Davis(Himself) – The band leader.
- Happy Harmony(portrayed by Marilyn Patch, then Dr. Marilyn Plavocos Arnone) – Ateacherin Doodyville who fills the same role as the Princess Summerfall Winterspring character.
- Lew Anderson returned as Clarabell.
Crew members:
- Art Director– Milt Neal
- Costumer– Valerie E. Naiman
It was staged before a larger Peanut Gallery of children and their parents originating from and taped in Florida.[31]The revived series was not as successful as its predecessor, lasting only 130 episodes; the show debuted at the start of August 1976 and wascanceledsix months later at the end of January 1977.[32]
Reruns of the show later aired on Sundays onCozi TV.Recently,[when?]Amazon Primebegan offering 20 episodes online.
It's Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year Celebration
[edit]A decade later, the show celebrated its 40th anniversary with a two-hour syndicated TV special,It's Howdy Doody Time: A 40-Year Celebration,featuring Smith, Anderson, Nicholson and LeCornec, who reprised his former role of Chief Thunderthud.[33][34]
Late in life, Bob Smith befriended New York-based fan Jack Roth, who already was quite familiar with Smith's gallery of puppet characters. Since Smith's death in 1998, Roth usually has provided the voice for Howdy in TV appearances and live venues. Actor-puppeteer Alan Semok, who was approached by Smith to re-create the Howdy marionette, also has voiced Howdy.
International versions
[edit]Like the laterSesame Street,Canadian, Cuban, and Mexicanspin-offshows were licensed using local casts and duplicate puppets.
La Hora de Jaudi Dudi
[edit]In March 1953, the Kagran Corporation, the organization which produced the originalHowdy Doodyfor NBC, started production onLa Hora de Jaudi Dudi,a daily Spanish-language version of the program filmed in Mexico City. The program aired overCanal 2in Mexico and, beginning on April 27,CMQ-TVin Havana, Cuba. According toBillboard,the series featured a freckleless Howdy puppet and a new puppet named Don Burro.[35]While the aim was to produce a series to distribute to the entirety of Latin America, the company halted production after six months due to unforeseen production difficulties (at the time, Mexican television programming was scarce and often improvised, unlike the American-influenced Cuban market, apart from the fact that Mexican broadcasters weren't interested in foreign production) and market considerations (until 1960, most South American countries did not have television services orsupermarkets;by 1953, the only ones in the region were located inHavanaandLima, Peru). 96 half-hour episodes were filmed.[36]
Cuban television later launched its own local version, namedClub Chirikin,which lasted through 1959 or early 1960 over CMQ.[37]It was a Monday-Saturday show produced by Stone Associates, a company formed by former Kagran president Martin Stone.[38]
TheCanadianHowdy Doody Show
[edit]The CanadianHowdy Doody Showwas produced by theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation,and first aired on November 15, 1954. The CBC built its own Doodyville in a Toronto studio, and the show was set in Canada’s north. It was more low-budget than its American counterpart, with less raucous plots and fewer villainous villains, as well as a more educational orientation.
Most of the puppet characters, including Phineas T. Bluster, the cranky mayor and chief killjoy of Doodyville, Dilly Dally, a foolish carpenter who was usually the butt of Bluster's plots, Flub-a-dub, a beast with a duck's head, cat's whiskers, and the parts of several other animals, Heidi Doody, Howdy's sister, and Howdy himself, of course, were retained from the U.S. production.
But it had some major differences from its American cousin. Other puppets included Percival, a parrot, and Mr. X, who zipped through time and space in his "whatsis box," traits that British-based expatriateSydney Newmanis believed to have loved so much as to inspire him to create such a character of his own in the UK, creating what has since become theGuinness World Recordholder for the longest-running science-fiction television series:Doctor Who.The show had Howdy and Clarabell, but most of the human performers differed in the CBC version. There was no Buffalo Bob, for instance. The show's host was Timber Tom, a forest ranger, played by Peter Mews.
Mews later appeared in the filmsThe Unforeseen,FolioandFirst Performance.He also appeared on television in the 1954 production ofDelilah,and the 1974 mini-seriesThe National Dream.One of his most notable works was as Matthew Cuthbert in the Charlottetown Festival’s production ofAnne of Green Gables,which he played for over twenty years. Peter Mews died on November 24, 1984, at the age of 63.
Clarabell was played byAlfie Scopp.Like the American Clarabell, he communicated in mime, by honking horns on his belt, and by squirtingseltzer.
Scopp was born in London England in 1919, and came to Canada with his family when they immigrated to Montreal. Scopp has had a long and glorious career in both television and film. One of his most notable roles was the bookseller Avram in the 1971 filmFiddler on the Roof.He is also known for being the voice of “Charlie-in-the-Box” on the 1964 television Christmas special,Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Toby Tarnowplayed Princess Pan of the Forest, generally referred to as Pan. Tarnow was born inGravelbourg Saskatchewanin 1937. She started studying acting at theLorne Green Academy of Radio Artsat the age of eight, and by the age of ten she was already performing professionally on CBC radio. In 1954, she became the first actress to play Anne in the live televised production of the musical adaptation ofAnne of Green Gables.
Following her role as Princess Pan onHowdy Doody,she had a recurring role on the CBC children’s programMr. Dressup(the spinoff fromFred Rogers’Misterrogers,after he took his neighborhood to Pittsburgh). Tarnow’s wide career encompassed radio, television, film, theater, and writing.
After moving to the United States, she founded the Riverbend School of Theater Arts for the Boys and Girls Club in New Hampshire. In 2010, she was awarded the Children and Youth Theater Award by the New Hampshire Theater Awards.
Barbara Hamiltonwas Willow the Witch, an absent-minded white witch with a good heart. Known for her work on Canadian stage and television, she was once labelled the funniest woman in Canada.
Born in Kingston Ontario, Hamilton attended the University of Toronto before embarking on a career in theatre arts. Her first big break came with a role inArsenic and Old Laceat Toronto's historic Royal Alexandra Theatre. From there, she went on to perform in theatres across the country, in works that ranged from classical tragedies to modern comedies.
She originated the role of Marilla Cuthbert in both the Canadian and London West End productions ofAnne of Green Gables,and was later a regular on the CBC’sRoad to Avonlea,and appeared in many other roles in film and television.[citation needed]
Larry D. Mannplayed good-natured pirate Cap'n Scuttlebutt. In Canada, the Cap’n was a live character, unlike the American Cap’n, which was a puppet. Mann was also the voice of Flub-a-Dub on the show.
Mann was a character actor whose face and acting were often recognizable. Born in Toronto on December 18, 1922, Mann was a disc jockey on radio station 1050 CHUM before he began his acting career. In his four decades of performing, Mann’s many credits includedGet Smart,Gunsmoke,The Man from Uncle,Hill Street Blues,andThe Dukes of Hazzard,to mention just a few of his TV appearances. Two of his most prominent movie roles wereIn the Heat of the Night(1967) andThe Sting(1973). Larry Mann died in Los Angeles California on January 6, 2014, at the age of 91.
Another famous person that appeared on the CanadianHowdywas the famous singer and later Broadway starRobert Goulet.He played the character Trapper Pierre.
The Canadian show had one other Princess, named Haida, who had the powers of a Medicine Man. The character was played by actress Caryl McBain. Other characters on the show included Jean Cavall as Papa La Touke and Drew Thompson as Mendel Mason.
Some sources credit James Doohan (Scotty on the originalStar Trek) as being the first host of the show, playing Ranger Bill for a short time at the beginning of the series. As the story goes, after the chief forest ranger called him away to fight a forest fire in November 1954, Timber Tom, played by Peter Mews, took his place. However, in his autobiography Doohan never credits himself in the role. And the show’s first public episode was November 15, so his time on the show was probably very short-lived.
Another actress started out playing Princess Pan in 1954. That wasMaxine Miller,who later went on to play Nurse Farmer in the first three seasons ofMisterrogers,the previously mentioned Canadian precursor toMister Rogers’ Neighborhoodin the U.S. She has since appeared in over 120 movies and television shows.
A youngWilliam Shatner(later to go on to fame asStar Trek’sCaptain Kirk). would in 1954 be featured on the show as the character Ranger Bob.[39]
One of the shows characters was named Mr. X. Not to be confused with the AmericanHowdy Doodycharacter with the same name, the Canadian Mr. X would teach history to the children watching. To do so, he would travel through space and time in what he called his “Whatsis Box”.
The actors who voiced the different puppet characters on the CanadianHowdy Doody Showincluded Claude Rae (Howdy Doody, Phineas T. Bluster and Mr. X), Jacqueline White (Howdy Doody), Norma MacMillan (Heidi Doody), Donna Miller (Prunella Bluster and Heidi Doody), and Jack Mather (Dilly Dally, Percival Parrot, and other characters). And Larry Mann, who already had experience working with puppets with CBC’s Uncle Chichimus, was the voice of Flub-a-dub. The puppeteers who worked the strings were Hal and Renée Marquette.
In addition to the adventures of the citizens of Doodyville and the Peanut Gallery, the show also featured film presentation on nature or travel. The scripts were adapted by Cliff Braggins, who also wrote music for the show. Quentin Maclean provided organ music. The program was produced by Paddy Sampson. After nearly five years on the air, the CBC decided to cancel the show to develop children's programming of its own. The Canadian Howdy Doody’s last broadcast was on June 26, 1959.[40][41][42]
Cultural references
[edit]Woodyfrom the film franchiseToy Storyis based on Howdy Doody.
In the musicalLittle Shop of Horrors,during the song "Somewhere That's Green", the character Audrey sings, "The kids play Howdy Doody as the sun sets in the west".
Pee-wee's Playhousedrew fromHowdy Doodyduring its successful run on CBS from 1986 to 1991.
In the 2008 filmHellboy II: The Golden Army,the characterHellboyis seen watching an episode of Howdy Doody in a flashback scene of him as a child. The show is referenced again when Hellboy encounters the titular Golden Army at the film's climax.
In "Wally's Gang", a 1989 episode ofHard Time on Planet Earth,Control shows Jesse theHowdy Doodyintro as an example of Earth's "most highly revered" electronic teachers.
In the 1988 filmScrooged,Bill Murraywitnesses himself as a child watching the show on Christmas Eve in the mid-1950s.
The 1990 filmBack to the Future Part IIIfeatures the Howdy Doody opening.
In the 2008 filmIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,Indiana Jonesstumbles into anuclear testfacility where the show is playing in one of the houses. He takes cover in a refrigerator as the explosion slowly drowns out the sound of the Howdy Doody theme song.
The 1975ChicagosongOld Days(fromChicago VIII) mentions the show in the lyrics.
References
[edit]- ^"Victor F Campbell",The New York Times,Dec 1 1973. Retrieved August 21, 2021
- ^Hevesi, Dennis."E. Roger Muir, 89, Dies; Backed Howdy Doody",The New York Times,October 28, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
- ^Tibbetts, John C. (2015).Those Who Made It: Speaking with the Legends of Hollywood.Springer.ISBN978-1137541918.RetrievedJanuary 21,2018.
- ^abcDicks, Phyllis T., ed. (2004).American puppetry: collections, history, and performance.McFarland. p. 326.ISBN0-7864-1896-6.RetrievedMarch 30,2012.
- ^abRose, Billy (June 7, 1948)."Actor's Brain Sometimes Works Plenty Fast".The Evening Independent.RetrievedMarch 30,2012.
- ^abcLetters to the Editors.Life. May 28, 1971. p. 19.RetrievedOctober 6,2012.
- ^"Howdy Doody".Wordpress. January 20, 2011.RetrievedMarch 31,2012.
- ^Rautiolla-Williams, Suzanne."The Howdy Doody Show".Archived fromthe originalon March 10, 2007.RetrievedJuly 15,2007.
- ^"Howdy Doody puppet creator dies".The Desert Sun.September 26, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2007.RetrievedOctober 2,2007.
- ^"Howdy Doody Puppet".National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Archived fromthe originalon March 27, 2009.RetrievedJuly 22,2008.
- ^"TJ Fisher".tjfisher.com.Archived fromthe originalon February 24, 2015.RetrievedApril 14,2015.
- ^Shain, Percey (1973). "Clown Broke Family Tradition".Boston Globe.
- ^abDavis, Stephen (1987).Say Kids! What Time Is It?.Little, Brown and Company.ISBN0316176621.
- ^Martin, Douglas (May 17, 2006)."Lew Anderson, 84, Clarabell the Clown and a Bandleader".New York Times.RetrievedApril 17,2024.
- ^"David Copperfield Did WAY More Than a Cameo for 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone'".yahoo.com.March 15, 2013.
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- ^Morris, Tim (January 5, 2008)."Schulz and Peanuts".Archived fromthe originalon January 17, 2012.RetrievedNovember 17,2008.
- ^Howdydoodytime.comArchivedNovember 2, 2006, at theWayback Machine
- ^The New York Times,Buffalo Bob Smith, a singing piano player and chatty radio disk jockey who created Howdy Doody and then teamed up with the puppet on one of early television's most enduring children's shows, died of cancer yesterday at a hospital near his home in Flat Rock, N.C. Mr. Smith was 80.
- ^"Giveaways and Premiums for Kids".Ross Reports.February 11, 1950. p. 10.RetrievedJuly 19,2023.
- ^"Edward Kean, R.I.P."Archived fromthe originalon August 28, 2010.
- ^Frank M. Young (July 14, 2010)."STANLEY STORIES: Stanley Does" Doody "--Infuses Stale Puppet, Sidekicks With Energy (Selections from Howdy Doody 4 and 7, 1950/1)".stanleystories.blogspot.com.RetrievedApril 14,2015.
- ^"Milt Neil".lambiek.net.
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- ^"Lost UPA Cartoon: Howdy Doody and his Magic Hat".Cartoonbrew.com. Archived fromthe originalon December 2, 2009.RetrievedJuly 14,2010.
- ^tavm (April 16, 2010)."Howdy Doody and His Magic Hat (1954)".IMDb.RetrievedApril 14,2015.
- ^"TV #22: Howdy Doody and His Magic Hat (1953) | Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation".Cartoon Brew.April 15, 2010.RetrievedApril 21,2016.
- ^"The Howdy Doody Show – Andy Handy & Other Episodes".February 20, 2001 – via Amazon.
- ^"Howdy Doody Show: 40 Episodes 1949–1954".DVDEmpire.RetrievedApril 14,2015.
- ^Drury, Jack (2008).Fort Lauderdale: Playground of the Stars.Arcadia Publishing. p. 105.ISBN978-0-7385-5351-1.
- ^Newcomb, Horace (February 3, 2014).Encyclopedia of Television.Routledge. p. 1143.ISBN978-1-135-19479-6.
- ^Weiner, David J.; Gale, Thomson (1991).Video Hound's Golden Movie Retriever, 1991.Visible Ink. p. 304.ISBN978-0-8103-9404-9.
- ^Browne, Ray Broadus; Browne, Pat (2001).The Guide to United States Popular Culture.Popular Press. p. 415.ISBN978-0-87972-821-2.
- ^"Kagran Co. Plunges Into Vidpix Arena",Billboard,p. 8, April 23, 1953,retrievedJanuary 29,2010
- ^"'Jaudi Dudi' Quits: Kagran Gives Up In Spanish Market ",Billboard,p. 10, December 19, 1953,retrievedJanuary 29,2010
- ^Shanley, J.P. (November 20, 1955),"Cuban TV: Big Business in Rhumba Tempo",New York Times,p. X11
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- ^Shatner, William; Fisher, David (2008).Up Till Now: The Autobiography(1st ed.). New York:St. Martin's Press.p.41.ISBN978-0-312-37265-1.LCCN2008006234.OCLC192045752.
- ^Current, Ron (August 14, 2020).""SAY, KIDS, WHAT TIME IS IT?" THE HISTORY OF HOWDY DOODY, PART 3C: THE PEANUT GALLERY & BEYOND ".Still Current.RetrievedJanuary 22,2021.
- ^"PARADOX PARKWAY".RetrievedJanuary 22,2021.
- ^Allan, Blaine."CBC Television Series, 1952–1982"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on October 1, 2020.
Bibliography
[edit]- Davis, Stephen (1987).Say Kids! What Time Is It? Notes from the Peanut Gallery.Boston: Little, Brown and Company.ISBN0-316-17662-1.
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Howdy DoodyatIMDb
- Howdy Doody and his Magic Hat(Little Golden Booksadaptation)
- Howdy Doody and the Magic Lamp(a Tell-a-Tale book)
- Howdy DoodyatThe Interviews: An Oral History of Television
- Howdy Doody—Canadian Communication Foundation
- Howdy Doody Replicas— Czech Marionettes
- Guide to the Ralph MacPhail, Jr. Howdy Doody Collection, 1903–2018SPEC.TRI.HDC at the Thompson Library Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute
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