WBZ-TV early schedule

["'A. Joseph Ross'" <lawyer@world.std.com>]

Well, as promised, I looked up to see when the Howdy Doody Show went to
five days a week, in the hope that it would help pinpoint when WBZ-TV went
to five days a week.  Unfortunately, it doesn't help.

Buffalo Bob's autobiography, =Howdy and Me=, states that the show was
first aired only on Saturdays.  Later, they added THursdays, then
Tuesdays, each show running for an hour.  Parents complained because small
children who didn't understand calendars wanted to know why they couldn't
watch Howdy on other days.  Roger Muir, the producer, proposed
Monday-to-Friday half hours, "targeting the time when we assumed most kids
were coming indoors while Mommy cooked dinner."

In any event, this change took place in March 1948, which was several
months before WBZ-TV first went on the air.  So it doesn't help us at all.

BTW, since they mentioned Buffalo Bob on LTAR today, I thought I'd mention
that he is now living in Flat Rock, North Carolina.  Howdy Doody resides
in a clear plastic case in his house.  He still turns up on TV and in
personal appearances every now and then.  He will turn 80 in November.

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  A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                                          617.367.0468
  15 Court Square                                       lawyer@world.std.com
  Boston, MA 02108-2503                        http://world.std.com/~lawyer/
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