Re: History Timelines etc

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

On Tue, 15 Jul 1997, KEVIN VAHEY wrote:


>   I believe Ding Dong School was produced at WMAQ Chicago and carried live
> by NBC.

After NBC cancelled it in 1957 or so, it turned up a couple of years later
in syndication.  I have a video of one of the syndicated episodes.
 
> One other footnote......back in 1959, WHDH-TV produced a show for NBC
> which aired just before Howdy Doody on Saturdays...The Ruff and Ready Show
> featuring Captain Bob. (seems Channel 4 had their own local show with some
> guy on a horse)...which begs a question. Who carried Howdy Doody at the
> end in Boston, WBZ or WHDH?

Well, I do remember Ruff and Ready being hosted by Captain Bob, but I
never heard that the show was produced by Channel 5.  I think Ruff and
Ready (which featured two cartoon dogs, I think) originally was on Channel
4 after Howdy Doody.

As for Howdy Doody, it was carried by WBZ-TV, from beginning to end.  An
attempt to revive Howdy Doody in syndication in 1976-77 was on Channel 38.

I lived in Albany when Howdy Doody moved from five days a week to Saturday
mornings, in 1956, and WRGB didn't carry it when it moved.  This annoyed
me, and I didn't get to see Howdy Doody again until we moved back to the
Boston area the following year.  I think this may have had something to do
with the fact that Wonder Bread and Hostess Cupcakes weren't distributed
at that time in the Capital District.  As I recall, WRGB used to blank the
commercials on Howdy Doody every Wednesday, when Wonder Bread and Hostess
Cupcakes were the sponsor, and substitute local commercials for Planter's
Peanuts (Complete with Mr. Peanut). 

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  A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                                          617.367.0468
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