Clutch Cargo (ehhhh....yuck !)

["PETER GEORGE, N1GGP" <PGEORGE@WELLESLEY.EDU>]

     Channel 56 had these really awaful cartoons for many years from the
time they returned to the air in 1966 until the early 70's.  In addition,
they had a few Japanese produced cartoons like "Speed Racer" (he's a demon
on wheels !), "Kimba, the White Lion", "Gigantor", "Astro Boy" (in the
original black and white prints) as well as "Eight Man".
     As a kid of 8, I watched WKBG-TV (now WLVI) from morning to night.
They carried "The Little Rascals" at 11:00 am and at 5:00 pm.  They also
had a local cartoon show called "The Captain Boston Show", hosted by
(and get this) Chris Clausen, a very much sought after voice over talent !
At eight at night (in 1968) they had a movie that was played for 5
consecutive nights, hosted by none other than Bill Marlow....with him in
a "Ed Murrow" sitting there with cigarette in hand.  He looked very dapper
and distinguished. (And yes, he was.)
     Channel 56 would have had the lions share of the audience before 1969,
if it were not for their horrible signal from Woburn.  They were still
using the same antenna used by WTAO-TV, from the fifties.  When they
moved to their "MILLION WATT, NEW TALL TOWER" in November, 1968, it was
THE talk... will every kid in the school yard.  Seeing Channel 56 with a
clean picture in Randolph, Massachusetts was no easy chore.  You could
say that getting Channel 56, before the switchover was somewhat of a 
"status symbol" :) !  Channel 38 was overwhelmed with people moving to
56 once the Needham site was on-the-air.  But, eventually...38 and 56
would be "neck and neck" in getting the "kid's" audience.  Thank God
for the advent of UHF in Boston !

- -Pete-

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Peter Q. George, N1GGP                  *  "Scanning the bands since 1967 !" 
33 Stetson St., Apt. 2                  *                  +
Whitman, Massachusetts  02382           *                  |
USA                                     *      73         +|+    de N1GGP
PGEORGE@wellesley.edu                   *                 /|\
XERB@bigfoot.com                        *                 +|+ 
pqgeorge@hotmail.com                    *                 /|\ 
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