Whew! Hot Fudge – I can’t believe it really exists. I assumed I dreamt it during a fever or something. I do remember seeing it but the only thing I remember is that it seemed like a sort of psychedelic knock-off of the Muppets and a segment called “Holy Moley” with the song that went (appropriately enough) “Hot Fudge, holy moley – Hot fudge holy moley!” (Clever, eh?)
Now, anyone remember Big Blue Marble? I remember once they did an episode where they visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and I was so blown away because I’d actually been there and there it was! On Big Blue Marble!
PS – Two old guys from the Muppet show: Statler and Waldorf (spelling?)
For Chicagoans, another kid-t.v. show from the 1970s were the various incarnations of Bill Jackson’s programs. The most succesful of these programs was on WFLD-TV, channel 32 in Chicago. (Tough to get in the early 70s, when UHF was in its infancy and not common on all T.V.s).
Bill was a puppeteer/artist who incorporated live cartooning on a huge pad of paper (set up behind him). One gimmick he had was to have kids send in thier names and what they wanted to be when they grew up, and he would draw the names out of a drum and use the kids initials and fashion a caricature cartoon of the child in the profession he chose, and send the kid the original art with some prizes. I tried for years to get him to pick my name.
An early incarnation had him as a clown. Later, he had a daily afternoon program about a fictional town (I wish I could remember the name of it). “Doodletown Pipers” was the theme song. Maybe that was the name of the show, too. Bill (or B.J. as he was known) wore a bowler hat and was the Mayor of the town. It was populated by his puppets. Most famous was “Dirty Dragon,” a puppet that actually spewed smoke through tubes in its nostrils when he would cry out “Fie!” There was also a myriad of strange little humanoid puppets: “Wally Goodscout,” a strange little guy named “Weird,” a Granny puppet who was used to advertise Maurice Lanell Cookies, one ofthe show’s sponsers, the “old Professor,” a charicature of Albert Einstein, and my favorite, the “Blob,” a mound of modeling clay which served as the town’s statute, and which BJ would mold into a different character everyday. The Blob communicated by mumbling incomprehensibly.
Later, the show was retitled “The BJ and Dirty Dragon show” and was cut back to a half an hour. Years later, all these characters showed up on Chicago’s ABC affiliate on a Sunday morning with BJ as the manager of a seedy hotel (shades of Fawlty Towers!) known as “Gigglesnort Hotel.” I don’t think the show lasted too long.
And regarding Zoom: Its funny. My kids are into it now, and we have conversations in Ubbi Dubbi. It drives my wife absolutely nuts.
How old is Zoom? I was flipping around and came across it the other day and I don’t remember it at all. If I can remember watching something as obscure as “Gigglesnort Hotel”, then why don’t I remember Zoom?
Zoom’s gotta be 25, 30 years old now. I remember watching it as a toddler, and writing a letter saying I wanted to join the show when I was 6. I think they were into their second or third crew by that point too.
I seem to remember they did an Ubbi Dubbi version of Cheech & Chong’s Sister Mary Elephant sketch once, too…
Yes, I think the original Bill Jackson show was “Clown Alley.” But 1962? I guess I’m older than I thought. Those kids shows from my childhood blend in with watching baseball telecasts of the Cubs and White Sox, but its hard to keep the years straight. I remember BJ’s “doddletown” incarnation best (if that was the name of the show - - somebody help m!) because it was on WFLD-32, which also carried the White Sox, so the shows often “blended” in my mind for day games.
I remembered the name of Bill JAckson’s “granny” puppet! “Mother Plumtree!” I think she and the Old Perfessor had a thing going.
But the sobering thing to me is that I could have been watching “Clown Alley” in 1962. Lord, I’m getting old!
By the way, Mr. K-it-A, what it this IMDb list? I am unfamiliar with it.
SoxFan59
"Memories of Chuck Tanner and Dick Allen, advertising for Chevy, and “Switching On!”
the best source for info on casts of movies and TV and Actors filmography.
I have no Idea about the print shop title, but I do remember the alien. I think the show may have been Canadian because I seem to remember something that confused me regarding “Col-OU-r” rather than “col-O-r”
Thanks for IMBd link. It gave me some leads, and I found some great info on Bill Jackson’s T.V. career.
The show I had in mind was called “Cartoon Town,” and ran from 1969 to 1974 on WFLD-TV in Chicago. It was 90 minutes, daily.
In 1975, the show moved to WGN-TV for one year, went to a half hour format, and sort of fizzled as “The BJ and Dirty Dragon show.”
I also found a link to a short recording of the theme song with an audio clip from the start of the show. Its at http://www2.wi.net/~rkurer/kidra.htm, and has lots of audio clips from Chicago area (and other) kid shows from the past.
SoxFan59
“Its fiction, but all the facts are true!”
That sounds a lot like another show called Read All About It! which was a brilliant concept that kept expanding on itself until, presumably, it caved in on itself. I don’t recall the heroes ever solving their big mystery.
And my vote for best kids show was the inimitable Readalong on TVO (TV Ontario).
Put yourself in a book
Enjoy the story in side
Read along with us at Readalong
And ride, ride, ride!
Cuz reading is a lot of fun
And easy too
So join us here at Readalong
You and You and You and You and You!
It didn’t exactly cave in. I think it was planned to only run a certain number of episodes (12?) The one girl’s dad had been abducted, and she and the other boy and girl were trying to figure out where he was and bring him back. At the same time, they were trying to save the town park from being bulldozed. The alien was also the developer who wanted to raze the park. They fixed both problems, everyone’s vocabulary was enriched, and that was it.
Remember, I’m pulling for you; we’re all in this together.
—Red Green
Does anybody remember a children’s show starring Charles Nelson Riley where he would wear funny hats? A friend mentioned this a few years ago & I vaguely remember the show. The title almost pops into my head, but then it’s gone.
Some cool websites have been mentioned, but not this one so far…
Yesterdayland www.yesterdayland.com
it’s dedicated to saturday morning kid’s TV from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s & 80’s.
It kind of slick and has search features, which are cool, info, message boards, interviews. I spent several hours perusing the ‘Inspector gadget’ listings. watch out - it can suck away your life if you let it (kinda like this board…)
As for Charles Nelson Riley, I’m pretty sure you’re thinking of “Lidsville” a hallucinogenic creation from Sid & Marty Krofft. read all about it at the above.
rmariamp