TellZall's object for September is The Howdy Doody program.
Click on the image below to hear the intro to Howdy Doody.
"Say, kids, what time is it?" For millions of 1950s children, the
answer to
this question was an immediate and enthusiastic "It's Howdy Doody time!" To be a bit more precise,
the time was 5:30 P.M., Eastern Standard Time, and the children answering were glued in front of
television sets tuned to the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). The person asking the question was
host Buffalo Bob Smith, and Howdy Doody was a diminutive, freckle-faced marionette. Both were dressed
in Western garb.
The story begins in 1947 when New York NBC radio station WEAF launched a program called The
Triple
B. Ranch, the Bs standing for Big Brother Bob Smith.Triple B Ranch was a quiz show for
elementary-school children who answered questions that were designed to get a "funny" answer. The
show's producer asked Smith if he could do some other "voices" for the show, and he responded with a
country bumpkin ranch hand named Elmer. The show worked well, and Elmer became Howdy Doody.
In 1947 Smith convinced NBC to transfer the radio show to the new medium of television. On
Saturday, December 27, 1947, Puppet Playhouse premiered. The show went on the air at 5:00 P.M. and
was NBC's first show of the day. Twenty-four-hour-a-day broadcasting was in the future, and networks
broadcast for only a few hours each evening. The show featured a mixture of real people and puppets,
marionettes actually. Along with Smith, who soon became Buffalo Bob Smith, real actors included the
mute clown Clarabelle Hornblow and a variety of guest performers. A number of marionettes joined
Howdy, and the show became a hit.
The show's huge popularity surprised even those responsible for its inception and
production. The
show evolved from one hour on Saturdays to a daily, half-hour show. During the 1948 presidential
campaign, Howdy ran for President of the United States. Immediately, nearly 60,000 viewers requested
campaign buttons, and the number grew to 250,000. In 1949 the show was renamed The Howdy Doody Show.
Viewers tuned in nightly and demanded more Howdy. Macy's Department Store in New York City sold more
than 10,000 Howdy dolls - each doll featuring forty-eight freckles for the forty-eight states.
The schedule was demanding. Rehearsals began at noon. At 1:00 in the afternoon camera
rehearsal
began and lasted until about 5:00. The commercials, which were done live during the show, were
rehearsed from about 3:00. At 5:00 the actors rushed to make up in order to make the 5:30 air time.
Joining them in the studio was an audience of real kids, called the Peanut Gallery. They were an
active part of the show, taking part in various skits.
In addition to Howdy, Buffalo Bob, and Clarabelle (who was played at one time by future
Captain
Kangaroo Bob Keeshan) were a mixture of people and puppets. In all cases, the live characters and the
puppets interacted without distinction. The show was a runaway success.
By 1956 the hectic pace was taking its toll on the actors and behind-the-scenes personnel.
Buffalo Bob had suffered a heart attack, and the pressure of producing five live shows a week was
becoming too much. In addition, other shows, including the new Mickey Mouse Club, were competing for
young audiences. Howdy Doody became a Saturday-morning show and lasted in that format for another
four years.
On September 24, 1960, the final episode of the Howdy Doody Show aired. The show had gone
through
2,343 programs and had been the first television show of any type to complete 1,000 broadcasts. It
had introduced a generation of children to television, provided a wholesome message, and captivated
audiences young and old. It had introduced a variety of spin-off products, from lunch boxes to comic
books. In every respect, the Howdy Doody Show had been an huge success.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was the last. On that final show, Clarabelle, who had been silent
for more than a dozen years, looked at the camera and said, "Good-bye, kids."
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the radio show to the new medium of television. On
Saturday, December 27, 1947, Puppet Playhouse premiered. The show went on the air at 5:00 P.M. and
was NBC's first show of the day. Twenty-four-hour-a-day broadcasting was in the future, and networks
broadcast for only a few hours each evening. The show featured a mixture of real people and puppets,
marionettes actually. Along with Smith, who soon became Buffalo Bob Smith, real actors included the
mute clown Clarabelle Hornblow and a variety of guest performers. A number of marionettes joined
Howdy, and the show became a hit.
The show's huge popularity surprised even those responsible for its inception and
production. The
show evolved from one hour on Saturdays to a daily, half-hour show. During the 1948 presidential
campaign, Howdy ran for President of the United States. Immediately, nearly 60,000 viewers requested
campaign buttons, and the number grew to 250,000. In 1949 the show was renamed The Howdy Doody Show.
Viewers tuned in nightly and demanded more Howdy. Macy's Department Store in New York City sold more
than 10,000 Howdy dolls - each doll featuring forty-eight freckles for the forty-eight states.