This is a long shot, but here goes:
My wife appeared on her local version of Romper Room in Schenectady, NY (circa mid 60’s) and says that they would often replay a particular episode where her little sister toodles on camera and climbs into Miss Whatever-her-name-was’ lap, eliciting a spontanious AAAAWWWWW! from cast and crew. Anyway, I’m trying to track down a tape of that show as a surprise for my wife and her sister, but haven’t a clue where to start. If anyone even has the local station’s call letters, I may have a starting point. Here in Chicago it was carried on WGN TV, but the show was a local production. Thanks, and remember…Magic Mirror sees you!
My mom was born in Schenectady, though she didn’t live there for very long.
I just copied your OP into email and shot it off to her. I’m not sure she’ll have any info, but you never know. Someone else will probably be along sooner with better info, but hey, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to try and help…
I wasn’t here back then, but the local stations were WRGB, WTEN, and WAST (now WNYT). I don’t know which ran Romper Room, however. WRGB had the Freddy Freihofer Show, which is the big kid’s show of the period, so you may try the others. They all have web pages: wrgb.com, wten.com, and wnyt.com
Thanks for the fast response, Scout (and Scout’s Mom) and RC!
I’ll see if I can track it down.
You’re not going to like this…
From: http://www.tvparty.com/lostromper.html
Quote from site: “Don’t write and ask if anyone has a copy of the Romper Room show you were on as a kid - all the shows were erased to tape the next day’s episode!”
There are some interesting facts on there though and a place where the fans can go to rave about the show.
I grew up in Schenectady, and would add good old WGY as the oldest station in the Capitol District area. Passed it every day on my way to H.S.
Well, maybe it’s NOT a bad thing that my mom’s email just bounced back undeliverable (darnit mom!) - erased, bah!
WGY
Balltown Road
Schenectady NY 12309
would probably have gotten it there, if remember rightly. Been a while since I lived there. Krisolov, you went to Niskayuna High?
My sort-of-ex-girlfriend appeared on the Freddy Friehoffer show on her 7th birthday and has a B/W photo to prove it. With VERY LITTLE provocation she will launch into the theme song:
Freddy Friehoffer, we think you’re swell.
Freddy, we love love the stories you tell.
We love your cookies, your pies and your cakes.
We love everything Freddy Friehoffer bakes!
I actually love it when she sings this – she has a great voice and takes such joy in the memory – so I prompt her to do it all the time.
About 6 months ago I emailed the Schenectaty station (WGRB according to RealityChuck) asking if they had a recording of the song or the show. They never wrote back. [Frowny here.]
It has been awhile. WGY moved to Albany about ten years ago (the studio is now on Washington Ave. Extension). Also, WGY is a radio station; the television station is WRGB (GE Broadcasting used to own both, but they spun off the radio station).
IIRC, WTEN is more likely to have had the Romper Room Show at the time.
By the time I came around in the '80s, Romper Room was being shown on WMHT, the local PBS affiliate. I don’t know if they might have any idea of where to get old ones, though. I don’t think they still show it, anyway. But it might be worth a shot?