# What's your earliest TV memory? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 26, 2010, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505 "2010-02-26T11:31:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/41 "2010-02-26T17:42:12Z")
Mine is RFK’s shooting. I was 3. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/42 "2010-02-26T17:44:55Z")
Maybe watching a bowling match on TV in the late 1950s. For a little kid a ball rolling down a lane and knocking down a bunch of pins and trying to figure out how you keep score was interesting. There was a program with Walter Cronkite called “20th Century” with a V-2 rocket launching, a view of the earth receding from the ascending earth, ending with a picture of the Rock of Gibraltar (sponsor). ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/43 "2010-02-26T17:56:10Z")
Captain Kangaroo in 1956 or 1957. Mr. Moose and those ping pong balls. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/44 "2010-02-26T18:02:06Z")
I also have a _very_ early memory of some scene from the Monkees; it has that same disjointed and surreal character of memories I have from before I was three or so. Which doesn’t make sense, as the Monkees went off the air before I was born. Must have been reruns. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/45 "2010-02-26T18:23:36Z")
Dr. Who (in black and white) The Daleks …and that freakily scary theme song: Ooooooooo-weeeeeeee-oooooooo Ooooooooo-weeeeeeee-oooooooo ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/46 "2010-02-26T18:25:17Z")
Some Disco-dancing competition show with different-colored lighted squares on the dance floor. It was probably _Dance Fever_; I remember the squares being evenly-lit (compared to, say, _Saturday Night Fever_). ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/47 "2010-02-26T18:39:13Z")
I remember the Challenger blow up, and I would’ve been 5. I have a very vague memory of watching Big Bird run the NYC marathon, which according to google, aired in [1983](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_1836). That would’ve made me like 3 (and only that by two months), which seems pretty young. Do they replay Sesame Street episodes, maybe I saw a later repeat? ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/48 "2010-02-26T18:53:57Z")
_Romper Room_ and _Ultra Man_ in the early 1970s. I also remember watching repeats of this show that I think was called _The Everglades_. I clearly remember being fascinated with the airboat in the show with this huge fan. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/49 "2010-02-26T19:00:13Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Do they replay Sesame Street episodes, maybe I saw a later repeat? Could be. _Sesame Street_ not only reruns entire episodes, but they will reuse segments from old episodes in new episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/50 "2010-02-26T19:09:10Z")
> [@robby](#): > > _Romper Room_ and _Ultra Man_ in the early 1970s. > > I also remember watching repeats of this show that I think was called _The Everglades_. I clearly remember being fascinated with the airboat in the show with this huge fan. When I saw this, I thought you were mistaken and it was ‘Flipper’ instead. But… I was wrong. Google is your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/51 "2010-02-26T19:14:27Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I remember the Challenger blow up, and I would’ve been 5. > > I have a very vague memory of watching Big Bird run the NYC marathon, which according to google, aired in [1983](http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_1836). That would’ve made me like 3 (and only that by two months), which seems pretty young. Do they replay Sesame Street episodes, maybe I saw a later repeat? Not that it’s really there, don’t know, haven’t checked, but there’s a chance it might be on YouTube. I have been amazed at how many things from the 50’s and earlier are out there. I have built up my Favorites there from such things. Sadly, some of them get taken down almost as soon as they go up, but even then there’s the thrill of seeing them again for a moment. Here’s a sample of stuff straight out of my memory: [Adventures of Jim Bowie - Birth of the Knife 1 of 3](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYV2Oh2eUqE&feature=PlayList&p=15C77DCBDBE6763A&index=0&playnext=1) [Ernie Kovacs Nairobi Trio (original music)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Uw03hS_EMY) [Elvis Presley Steve Allen Show Jul 1956: I Want & Hound Dog](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xypX3lsF2nE) ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/52 "2010-02-26T19:36:32Z")
I was 2 when Sesame Street made its debut in 1969; I don’t remember life before Sesame Street, so I guess it’s my earliest TV memory. In fact, it may have been the only thing I watched as a toddler. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/53 "2010-02-26T19:47:50Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > [Winky Dink!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winky_dink) I was never “seen” on Romper Room either. One of my first also. Another one I remember was [Gerald McBoing-Boing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_McBoing-Boing) (a series of shorts, but they must have been broadcast). Most mornings I got up before my parents, went downstairs, turned on the TV, and watched “Modern Farmer” (who they though was watching it to farm in New York City is beyond me) and then [Farmer Gray](http://www.tvparty.com/lostny3.html) cartoons. (That link also advertises a Winky Dink and You DVD in case you really want to regress.) ---
**Author:** ![Lethal\_Babydoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3be4f8/32.png) [@Lethal\_Babydoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lethal_Babydoll)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/54 "2010-02-26T22:55:53Z")
My family left the U.S. to go to Japan when I was 5. I didn’t see English language TV for the next 6 years. But in my mind I could remember the half-black, half white – half-white, half-black episode of **Star Trek** (in it’s original run). when we returned, it became my favorite show (until TNG came along) ---
**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/55 "2010-02-26T23:28:06Z")
We first got a tv circa 1955 (I was 5 years old) and I recall my parents were excited and the first show we saw was [I Remember Mama](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJhSwCr-QkM) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/56 "2010-02-26T23:34:51Z")
Late 1948. Watching the tv guy hook up our set in Arlington VA. He asked me what I was gonna watch. I hadn’t a clue, at four years old. He talked about Howdy Doody. It meant nothing. Within months, we had crowds at our house, watching the inauguration of Truman. First set on the block. It was all downhill since then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/57 "2010-02-26T23:50:12Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > My earliest distinct memories of TV are watching [It’s About Time](http://www.tvparty.com/recits.html) and [Popeye and Knish](http://forum.bcdb.com/forum/Popeye_and_Knish_puppeteer_Hank_Stohl_dead_at_81_P101232/). Looking up the former indicates this had to be in 1966 when I was 4. OMG, I remember “Rodney and Knish”! It was on Paul Shannon’s Adventure Time on WTAE channel 4 in Pittsburgh. I was growing up in Johnstown, PA and we picked up channel 4 very clearly with our rooftop antenna. I was about 3 or 4 and not only remember Knish and the King Features Popeye cartoons (and other cartoons such as Beetle Bailey and Dick Tracy), but also the old Three Stooges shorts aired daily. Even at that age, I preferred Curly over Shemp and loathed Joe Besser. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/58 "2010-02-27T00:09:38Z")
Definitely [Romper Room](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0aFlgq48AU), ca 1964 or so. Miss Sally and her magic looking glass. Do-bee and Dont-Bee. Also _Ray Rayner_ (a Chicago thing), and _Garfield Goose_ (ditto). And of course the cartoons on those shows – [Clutch Cargo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGzxLSPRCG0), [Space Angel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnkVbp9Ic4I), [Funny Company](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KahtXeLgyW8) or the live stuff - [Diver Dan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3gamRX1PTg), etc. And at Christmas [Suzy Snowflake](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaUBpsn4QjQ), and [Hardrock, Coco, and Joe](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT5Ohgl7eTM) ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/59 "2010-02-27T01:46:49Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > My earliest distinct television memories are of KVOS-TV (Seattle)'s children’s programming. > > I can remember watching J.P. Patches when we lived in a little hole called Ruskin. Would have been under three, then. > > I also remember the c. 1974 title card for FUN-O-RAMA, which was the afternoon cartoon slot. It was a drawing of a kite with a smiling face on it. I remember specifically when I first understood that it was a _kite_, after seeing my older siblings playing with one. It was already a familiar image, but I didn’t understand what it represented. (I would have been three.) I also remember J.P. Patches, but from about 1964. Having a birthday party at the Space Needle was still a big thing then; I seem to recall him advertising such a thing. As to Fun-O-Rama, it was on about 7:30 in the morning as well as at about 4:00 in the afternoon, or before and after school, as it worked out. Another thing I recall was a local guy on CHAN-TV, named Peter Roulston, who had a TV show called Pete’s Place. I also recall seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, because Ed Sullivan was a tradition in our house every weekend. I was into Topo Gigio then, but I remember the Beatles show because my dad just sat there looking kind of disgusted, while my mother kept repeating, “Look at their hair! Look at their hair!” And then, in December '65, during the Huntley Brinkley Report, seeing commercials announcing, “Batman is Coming!” However, none of these are my earliest TV memory. My earliest clear memory is of watching Sky King and then later, while some sports shows were on, of seeing Liberty Mutual Insurance (“The Company That Stands By You!”) commercials showing fairly graphic car accidents. They made a really big impression on me. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505/60 "2010-02-27T01:58:40Z")
BTW, for all of you who mentioned Romper Room: Romper, stomper, bomper, boo Tell me, tell me, tell me true, Magic Mirror, tell me today, Did all my friends have fun at play? “I see Michele, and Sigmagirl, and silenus, and over there is robby and squeegee…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-earliest-tv-memory/530505.md?page=4)