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Tom Shales reflects on 'Kukla, Fran and Ollie'
The Washington Post ^
| March 29, 2010
| Tom Shales
Posted on 03/30/2010 9:12:40 PM PDT by TBP
How painful to see "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" consigned to somebody's slapped-together Internet list of "Forgotten TV Shows." Forgotten? Not by untold thousands for whom the adventures of Kukla, Fran and Ollie were once as integral to a day as eating breakfast, going to school or teasing your sister.
For some boomers, "K, F and O" may have been the first television show they ever really loved -- not some prefabricated folly to be lumped in with "Holmes and Yo-Yo" or "Baggy Pants and the Nit-Wits" or others in the ranks of the forgotten.
To help keep it remembered, fans of the show and colleagues of its creator, the gifted Burr Tillstrom, have reissued five episodes from a latter-day revival and packaged them in a five-disc 60th anniversary commemorative-edition DVD set.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Arts/Photography; History; Music/Entertainment; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: fran; kidstv; kukla; ollie
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To: TBP
Up here in the PNW, we had the ‘Kid’s TV Club’ with Stan Boreson, a ‘Scandi-hoovian’ entertainer who played the accordion. He had his cast of characters as well, like his Bassett Hound “No-Mo-Shun” and Pepita the Flea and several others. Anyone in their 40’s or older can remember the theme...
Zero-dockus, mucho crockus
Ala-pa-loosa bub,
That’s the secret password that we use down at the Club
Zero-dockus, mucho crockus
Ala-pa-loosa pan,
Now you are a member of the KING-5 TV Club with Stan!
(Sorry for my indulgence...)
21
posted on
03/30/2010 10:30:26 PM PDT
by
hoagy62
(.)
To: hoagy62
Any New York kids remember Sandy Becker?
22
posted on
03/30/2010 10:33:06 PM PDT
by
TBP
(Obama lies, Granny dies.)
To: TBP
23
posted on
03/30/2010 10:36:31 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Beowulf9
Hush Puppy, Charlie Horse, Lamb Chop, and Wing Ding.
My thoughts too. Thanks.
24
posted on
03/30/2010 10:36:53 PM PDT
by
Hillbillary
(I know how to deal with Communists, I still wear their scars on my back from Hollywood-Ronald Reagan)
To: JoeProBono
25
posted on
03/30/2010 10:41:32 PM PDT
by
TBP
(Obama lies, Granny dies.)
To: Kirkwood
I also hated howdy doody, but I loved his evil twin brother, Double Doody
26
posted on
03/30/2010 10:41:37 PM PDT
by
stylin19a
(Never buy a putter until you first get a chance to throw it)
To: stylin19a
27
posted on
03/30/2010 10:43:31 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
IIRC, Buffalo Bob was a radio DJ or announcer from Buffalo, N.Y. before he got the TV gig.
28
posted on
03/30/2010 10:57:56 PM PDT
by
Hillbillary
(I know how to deal with Communists, I still wear their scars on my back from Hollywood-Ronald Reagan)
To: Hillbillary
Born in Buffalo, New York, he attended Masten Park High School. Buffalo Bob got his start in radio as a singer and musician, appearing on many top shows of the time before becoming nationally known for the Howdy Doody Show. The final episode aired in 1960. He made a commercial appearance on July 3, 1998. That was his last appearance before he died on July 30 at age 80.
29
posted on
03/30/2010 10:59:56 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Hillbillary
Born Robert Emil Schmidt November 27, 1917(1917-11-27) Buffalo, New York
Died July 30, 1998 (aged 80) Hendersonville, North Carolina
30
posted on
03/30/2010 11:07:59 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: Kickass Conservative
That was Cecil, the Sea Sick Sea Serpent.
And I didn’t win anything from Engineer Bill, boo hooo. Ah, well, now get your glass of milk ready for green light/ red light. Yep, we had just immigrated to the states from Canada, I must have been around six.
31
posted on
03/30/2010 11:13:12 PM PDT
by
TruthConquers
(Delendae sunt publicae scholae)
To: TruthConquers
They had the original puppet show and then they came out with an animated series if I'm not mistaken.
32
posted on
03/30/2010 11:18:47 PM PDT
by
Kickass Conservative
(Obamunism, the fatal cure for Bush Derangement Syndrome.)
To: TBP
First off, I didn't realize how many old geezers were hanging here. Second, Shari Lewis happens to be the first woman I was ever in love with (except my mom)...
But most importantly (and actually relating to the original article), Burr Tillstrom was truly an artist; K, F & O was all improv and he was a master. A number of years ago I saw tribute to him and they showed some, I don't know what you would call it, experimental puppetry without the puppets - just his hands - it was like watching a dance. Amazing. I'm a geezer too.
33
posted on
03/30/2010 11:20:27 PM PDT
by
stormer
To: Ditto
I just remembered, I had a Jerry Mahoney dummy! Can't remember what happened to it though.
Some of my brain cells are firing up trying to remember all this stuff.
34
posted on
03/30/2010 11:24:33 PM PDT
by
Kickass Conservative
(Obamunism, the fatal cure for Bush Derangement Syndrome.)
To: Kickass Conservative
For those of you in Southern California, we had Engineer Bill on Channel 9 and Sheriff John on Channel 11 Hi from another proud member of the "Lunch Brigade" !
Nam Vet
35
posted on
03/30/2010 11:29:52 PM PDT
by
Nam Vet
(Innuendo IS NOT an Italian suppository.)
To: Nam Vet
It's too bad the kids nowadays don't have the type of people on Television that we used to look up to.
The innocence is long gone.
36
posted on
03/30/2010 11:33:46 PM PDT
by
Kickass Conservative
(Obamunism, the fatal cure for Bush Derangement Syndrome.)
To: TBP
Cecil Bill's language was more like doi-doidoi-data-doi-da-doi-doi etc. My sister, my cousin, and I were experts at it. We were speaking it one day on the playground and a kid wanted to know if we were talking Italian. We can still crack up over that one.
Buffalo Bob did the college circuit for a while with a weed routine. I guess the incongruity made it especially funny. It's all scrubbed from the Net so don't bother looking.
To: stormer
What a cutie she was!
38
posted on
03/30/2010 11:54:06 PM PDT
by
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
(Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer Than this world dreams of.-- Idylls of the King)
To: TBP
I had an Oliver J. Dragon and a Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent. Loved them both, and the shows. Ollie and Cecil fought sometimes, so I'd have to step into Fran's role. These shows were great stuff, I wish my kids could have had the same sort of thing. I did the best I could with direct-to-tape newer stuff I bought, but it's just not the same.
39
posted on
03/31/2010 12:10:55 AM PDT
by
saundby
To: TBP
Tampa Bay area had Captain Mac, who dressed as a safari hunter. The cartoons were Tom Terrific and Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog.
Also, NY had Ray Heatherton - Joey’s dad - on Channel 11. He was the Merry Mailman and back then, there was no duble entendre.
My favorite was Beany and Cecil. Reception on Channel 13 was horrible.
40
posted on
03/31/2010 2:01:03 AM PDT
by
NTHockey
(Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners)
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