# Short film contest on NYC children's program Wonderama **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [July 25, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262 "2021-07-25T16:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2021, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/1 "2021-07-25T16:59:43Z")
Back in (say) 1972 or so, I remember that Wonderama - a 3-hour long Sunday broadcast children’s variety show from NYC, hosted by Bob McAllister > **[Wonderama | The Bob McAllister years](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderama#The_Bob_McAllister_years)** > > Following the frequent turnover of hosts throughout the 1950s, Wonderama experienced its greatest viewership by way of one-time Baltimore kids' show host Bob McAllister, who replaced Sonny Fox as host in 1967 and remained in that role until 1977. Each show's taping included (but was not necessarily limited to) education, music, audience participation, games, interviews, and cartoon shorts. > The program aired for three hours, including several breaks to allow for cartoon insertions. On most of Met... had a short film contest, and broadcast the winners. Am I imagining this? I remember one of the films was about a mad scientist who wanted to “make everyone the same”. Kind of creeped out pre-teen me. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/2 "2021-07-26T03:11:57Z")
I don’t recall that but just wanted to say that as a little kid, I freaking loved _Wonderama_. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/3 "2021-07-26T11:42:58Z")
I got an autographed photo of Bob when he made a personal appearance at a Rickles’ hardware store. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/4 "2021-07-26T14:36:09Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I don’t recall that but just wanted to say that as a little kid, I freaking loved _Wonderama_. Me too! I can still sing the “Exercise!” song. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/5 "2021-07-26T19:15:21Z")
I was thrilled to see Bob in person at a movie theatre. The film was Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, and Bob came out to tlak to the audience and brought a guy in an astronaut suit with him. We (kids) went nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/6 "2021-07-26T19:38:37Z")
Wakka-do, wakka-do, wakka-do! ---
**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:** [July 27, 2021, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/7 "2021-07-27T12:10:19Z")
I own that movie on DVD; it fascinated me as a kid and took me decades to obtain so I could watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/short-film-contest-on-nyc-childrens-program-wonderama/947262/8 "2021-08-05T19:57:02Z")
I enjoyed Wonderama, especially the “Kids Are People Too” song.