I didn’t even know there was a Canadian version of Howdy Doody in the 1950s. I stumbled across the Wikipedia entry, and was amazed.James Doohan – Scotty from Stary Trek TOS – as Forest Ranger Timber Tom (a character unique to the Canadian version). Filling in for Timber Tom on occasion was Ranger Bob, played by ------ William Shatner .
2.) It’s best to quote from the Wiki article:
Early in the run, there was a short-lived puppet character called Mr. X (no relation to a puppet of the same name who appeared on the American show) who traveled through time and space in his “Whatsis Box” teaching children about history. However, Mr. X was removed from the show due to parental complaints that he was too scary. It has been suggested that the Mr. X sequence may have inspired the creation of the long-running British science fiction series Doctor Who. In its earliest days, the series was likewise designed to teach children about history and, throughout the series, it has featured an alien known only as the Doctor who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which is permanently in the shape of a police box. The series’ creator, Sydney Newman, oversaw the production of the Canadian version of Howdy Doody while working as head of programming for the CBC.[18]
Howdy Doody is an American children's television program (with circus and Western frontier themes) that was created and produced by Victor F Campbell and E. Roger Muir. It was broadcast on the NBC television network in the United States from December 27, 1947, until September 24, 1960. It was a pioneer of children's programming and set the pattern for many similar shows. One of the first television series produced at NBC in Rockefeller Center, in Studio 3A, it pioneered color production Buffal...
From their page on Sydney Newman:
During his time in Britain in the 1950s and 60s, he worked first with the Associated British Corporation (ABC) before moving across to the BBC in 1962, holding the role of Head of Drama with both organisations. During this phase of his career he was responsible for initiating two hugely popular fantasy series, The Avengers and Doctor Who, as well as overseeing the production of groundbreaking social realist drama series such as Armchair Theatre and The Wednesday Play.
Sydney Cecil Newman OC (April 1, 1917 – October 30, 1997) was a Canadian film and television producer, who played a pioneering role in British television drama from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. After his return to Canada in 1970, Newman was appointed Acting Director of the Broadcast Programs Branch for the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) and then head of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). He also occupied senior positions at the Canadian Film Development Corporation ...
I’ve seen specials on the history of Dr. Who and read books about it, but none of them mentioned that the TARDIS might have been inspired by a plot device from the Canadian version of Howdy Doody.
[spock]Fascinating…[/spock]
Read up on the history and influence of the National Film Board sometime.
We’re everywhere .
