# Buster Brown Shoes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 7, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395 "2017-06-07T22:32:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/1 "2017-06-07T22:32:17Z")
Just an additional comment to [this](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2839/whatever-happened-to-buster-brown-shoes) column: Buster Brown shoes were the primary sponsor of Andy’s Gang, a kids’ show hosted by Andy Devine from 1955-1960, and one that featured the most sexually ambiguous catch-phrase of any kids’ show ever: Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/2 "2017-06-08T00:11:51Z")
[Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6a3fck0NBI) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/3 "2017-06-08T01:10:21Z")
I (author of the Staff Report) had that part of my childhood blanked, but for some reason was thinking about Andy Devine the other day. A flashback creeping through? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/4 "2017-06-08T01:27:09Z")
An enjoyable article, BTW, **dropzone**. I don’t remember this but, have seen it on my “Jonny Quest” DVD set:[a commercial for PF Flyers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sqqn54uQn0). ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/5 "2017-06-08T03:28:00Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Just an additional comment to [this](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2839/whatever-happened-to-buster-brown-shoes) column: Buster Brown shoes were the primary sponsor of Andy’s Gang, a kids’ show hosted by Andy Devine from 1955-1960, and one that featured the most sexually ambiguous catch-phrase of any kids’ show ever: > > Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy! Before it was _Andy’s Gang,_ it was _Smilin’ Ed’s Gang,_ with Smilin’ Ed McConnell (who died in 1954). There was a tie-in comic book that shoe stores gave out. In those days, sponsors and shows were intimately tied together. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/6 "2017-06-08T03:40:05Z")
Prior to Andy Devine, I watch Smilin’ Ed do the show. Same thing, but maybe better. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/7 "2017-06-08T04:05:51Z")
I’m a kid compared w/ y’all, but didn/t Andy ride against a background running at half speed? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/8 "2017-06-08T11:09:43Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I’m a kid compared w/ y’all, but didn/t Andy ride against a background running at half speed? Are you thinking about the opening to _Wild Bill Hickock_? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/9 "2017-06-08T11:15:08Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Mary Janes are still popular with hipsters, Harajuku Lolitas, and other women looking for fun style in their shoes. Perhaps needless to say, not only women. Some [del]years[/del] decades ago **DesertWife** and I attended a Wednesday matinee performance of _The Nutcracker_ put on by [San Francisco](https://www.sfballet.org/season/nutcracker/nutcracker) Ballet. The place was overrun by hordes of 8- to 12-year old girls; the handful of boys were obviously (resentfully) dragged along for Sister’s sake. “Man,” I exclaimed during the intermission, “I’ve never seen so many hair bows, back bows, and Mary Janes in my life!” I can only imagine what it would have been like had it been a Family performance. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/10 "2017-06-14T02:59:36Z")
It’s a simple, practical flat. One for the ages, unlike two-ton, armor-plated wing tips. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/11 "2017-06-15T21:23:36Z")
> [@](#): > > originally posted by **dropzone** > I can’t verify your memories of seeing their commercials on Howdy Doody and Captain Video, but I do find that for a while Red Goose sponsored Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. with a quick Google image search, I found these: a magazine ad with Howdy Doody endorsing Poll Parrot shoes [![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-niuOh8vN7RQ/UxyzehvzbpI/AAAAAAAAVDg/7lmXxztSh4Q/s1600/scan0035.jpg) ](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-niuOh8vN7RQ/UxyzehvzbpI/AAAAAAAAVDg/7lmXxztSh4Q/s1600/scan0035.jpg) Poll Parrot’s Howdy Doody Comic Book [![](https://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/n_iv/600/874317.jpg) ](https://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/n_iv/600/874317.jpg) Howdy Doody’s Poll Parrot Coloring Book [![](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/syoAAOSwZQRYeki0/s-l225.jpg) ](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/syoAAOSwZQRYeki0/s-l225.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Trancephalic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trancephalic/32/380_2.png) [@Trancephalic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancephalic)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/12 "2017-06-15T21:30:36Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy! Huh, didn't occur to me there'd be a precedence for those lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/13 "2017-06-15T21:30:38Z")
Interestingly, when I was a kid (1980s), Buster Brown shoes were considered the definitive symbol of un-coolness. Saying that another kid wore Buster Browns was a high insult. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/14 "2017-06-15T21:39:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Interestingly, when I was a kid (1980s), Buster Brown shoes were considered the definitive symbol of un-coolness. Saying that another kid wore Buster Browns was a high insult. This was the same in the 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/15 "2017-06-16T02:16:47Z")
Here’s the Buster Brown theme song: [BUSTER BROWN SHOES - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm4xH9unqzU) (to which I remembered all the words, nigh 60 years on…) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2017, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buster-brown-shoes/788395/16 "2017-06-16T02:57:54Z")
So much more is available online since I wrote that report. Did you know I was forced to use BOOKS?