Thursday, December 31, 2009

WJW-TV 8 60th anniversary: Part One:The WXEL Years..


Cleveland News Decmber 16, 1949


From The Cleveland News:Story, with some editorial comment


Cleveland Press Article on DuMont's Connection to WXEL







Article on Comedian and DuMont Mainstay Morey Amsterdam's appearance at WXEL's opening..Interesting that the article mentions the possibility of WXEL being on either Channel 9 or 11..

Two Portions of a Cleveland Press Special Section-December 14, 1949-Highlighting the opening of WXEL-Channel 9..As always, Click on each article to read clearer...

Hello:
Today I want to highlight WJW-TV 8's 60th anniversary..Admittedly a bit late but the holidays sort of got on us quickly..

The articles above from the Press and The Cleveland News highlight just how big a deal a new TV station opening in town was at the time..Like most cities, WXEL being third on the air in Cleveland meant hooking up with lesser networks, (DuMont, ABC)..Even taking CBS programs WEWS-5 didnt want..and being very creative with local programming..Here are 3 representative schedules for WXEL in the early years..

Wed/Thurs. December 14-15, 1949 before official sign-on-Cleveland Press

December 14
6PM Small Fry-DuMont
6:30 Magic Cottage-DuMont
7PM Captain Video
7:30 At Your Service-Betty Craig

December 15
2PM Shoppers Matinee

Tuesday, December 26, 1950-Canton Repository

12:35 News-Music
12:45 Telenews-DuMont
1PM Village Fair-John FitzGerald
2PM Alice Weston
2:30 Darts For Dollars
3PM Impromptu
3:30 Cover Girl
4PM Homemaker's Exchange
4:30 Vanity Fair
5PM Lucky Pup-CBS
5:15 Chuck Wagon
6PM Small Fry-DuMont
6:30 Evening News
6:45 Who's News?
7PM Captain Video-Probably the longest running DuMont show on WXEL-Till March 2 1955 when WEWS took over for its last few weeks
7:30 Story Theater-DuMont
8PM Football Game of Week
8:30 Johns Hopkins Science Review-DuMont
9PM Cavalcade of Bands-DuMont
10PM Star Time-DuMont
11PM News
11:20 Wrestling-DuMont


Tuesday, April 22, 1952-TV Today Magazine

11AM News-Ted Anthony
11:15 Film Shorts
Noon The Egg And I-CBS
12:15 Love Of Life-CBS
12:30 Search For Tomorrow-CBS
12:45 Film Shorts
1PM Alice Weston
1:30 Midday Movie-Allen (Alan) Freed and Grant Wilson
3:30 Cheerful House
4PM Pause For Pleasure-Randy Carlyle
4:30 Film Shorts
4:45 Comedy Carnival
5PM Gaylord Hauser-Nutrition
5:15 Dinner Winner-Rena/Bob Ledyard
5:30 Desert Deputy
6:30 Sports Desk-Gail Egan/John Fitzgerald
6:45 Evening News-Bob Rowley
7PM Captain Video-DuMont
7:30 Beulah-ABC
8PM Life Is Worth Living-DuMont
8:30 Keep Posted-DuMont
9PM Battle Of The Ages-DuMont
9:30 Quick On The Draw-DuMont
10PM Danger-CBS
10:30 Boston Blackie-Syndicated
11PM Warren Guthrie News
11:10 Today's Top Story-Sanford I. Whitman
11:15 Sports Final
11:20 Nite Owl Theatre

Later Programs included King Jack's ToyBox with Boyd Heath and Walt "Kousin Kay" Saturday Mornings..Other personnel in the early years included Jim Doney, Howard Hoffman, Warren Moran and Pat Ryan Dopp..

Next:The Storer and Fox Years..With the 30th anniversary show reposted..

This will be my last post of 2009..Have a Happy and Safe New Year, everyone..Thanks for reading..

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas 1967-Monday, December 25


1967 WYTV-33 Christmas Greeting



Ad for local WKBN Movie..Both 8 and 27 aired local movies Christmas Night at 10PM..and apparently took the night off as far as the 11PM News..


Christmas week Highlights on "Television 8"


John Hambrick News ad..WEWS pulled out all the stops ad wise for Hambrick..Really advertising their news shows for the first time..


WKYC ad for local "Babes In Toyland" Production


WAKR ad announcing their move to Channel 23..

Today, let's look at the Christmas season 1967..

Some Broadcast News:

John Hambrick debuts at WEWS-TV 5 December 25, 1967
This month (December 23) WAKR moves down the dial from channel 49 to channel 23-Channel 23 at one time was licensed to Massillon, Ohio
The NBA begins it's fourth season Christmas Eve at 5PM on ABC with the San Francisco (Golden State) Warriors at the Seattle Supersonics..The Sonics were a first-year franchise..After 39 years in Seattle the team became the Oklahoma City Thunder, now in its second season as the Thunder..
Cleveland Browns at the Dallas Cowboys for the NFL Eastern Conmference Title at 2:30PM on CBS..

3 WKYC-NBC Cleveland
5 WEWS-ABC Cleveland
8-WJW-CBS Cleveland
17 WJAN-IND. Canton
21 WFMJ-NBC Youngstown
23 WAKR-ABC Akron
25 WVIZ-NET Cleveland
27 WKBN-CBS Youngstown
33 WYTV-ABC Youngstown

Monday, December 25, 1967

6:20
3 Farm Front

6:30
3 Education Exchange

6:55
3 The Beginning-BW

7AM
3-21 Today
8 Rex Humbard-BW

7:15
8 News-Murray Stewart

7:25
5 News-BW

7:30
5 Donna Reed-BW
8 Cartoons-BW
27 CBS News-Joseph Benti

7:55
27 News-BW

8AM
5 Casper-BW
8-27 Captain Kangaroo
33 Cartoons-BW

8:30
5 Romper Room-Miss Barbara Plummer

9AM
3 Mike Douglas
5 Light The Dark Street-SPECIAL
8 Franz The Toymaker
21 Teleview
27 Romper Room
33 Ed Allen

9:30
5 Dating Game
21 Cartoons
27 FYI-Cliff Ferre
33 Film Feature-BW

9:45
27 Cartoons

10AM
3-21 Christmas Service-National Cathedral
5 Paige Palmer-"Santa Claus talks about losing Weight"
8 Love Of Life
23 Ed Allen
27 Search For Tomorrow

10:15
27 Guiding Light

10:25
3-21 NBC News
8 News-Howard Hoffman

10:30
5-33 Donna Reed-BW
8 Beverly Hillbillies-BW
23 Women's Page-BW
27 As The World Turns

11AM
3-21 Personality-Larry Blyden
Guests:Sam Levenson, Shelia MacRae, Betsy Palmer. On Film:George Hamilton

5-23-33 Temptation-Game
8-27 Andy Griffith-BW

11:25
5-23-33 Children's Doctor-Lendon Smith

11:30
3-21 Hollywood Squares-Peter Marshall
Abby Dalton, Jack Carter, Eartha Kitt, Wally Cox, Morey Amsterdam, Sebastian Cabot, Charley Weaver, Barbara Rush and Mike Connors

5-23-33 How's Your Mother-In-Law?-Wink Martindale
Marty Ingels, Joe E. Ross and Corbett Monica

8-27 Dick Van Dyke-BW

Noon
3-21 Jeopardy!-Art Fleming
5 News-Tom Field, Dorothy Fuldheim
8 News-Murray Stewart, Harry Jones, Hoolihan (Bob Wells)
23-33 Everybody's Talking-Pat Carroll, Milt Kamen, Leonard Nimoy (Final Week-BW)
27 Love Of Life

12:30
3-21 Eye Guess-Bill Cullen
5 Singing Angels-SPECIAL
8 Search For Tomorrow
23 Kathryn Kuhlman -Probably a special broadcast for Christmas
27 News-Bill Bowser

12:35
27 Movie-All Mine To Give-1957-BW

12:45
8 Guiding Light

12:55
3-21 NBC News

1PM
3 Three On The Town-Clay Cole and Mark Russell with guest Ventriliquist Angela Martin
5-23-33 Fugitive-BW
8 Franz Christmas Special
21 Match Game

1:25
21 News

1:30
3 Let's Make a Deal
8 As The World Turns
21 Virginia Graham

2PM
3-21 Days Of Our Lives
5-23-33 US Open Highlights-SPECIAL
8-27 Love Is a Many Splendored Thing

2:15
5-23 North South Shrine Football Game-Keith Jackson/Bud Wilkinson

2:30
3-21 Doctors
8-27 House Party

3PM
3-21 Another World
8 Movie-Mr. Magoo's Storybook-1964-Compilation of episodes of "Famous Adventures Of Mr. Magoo"...Originally aired in the 1964-65 season Saturday nights on NBC-TV
27 To Tell The Truth

3:25
27 News

3:30
3-21 You Don't Say!-Tom Kennedy-With Chad Everett and Patricia Crowley
27 Edge Of Night

4PM
3 Match Game-Gene Rayburn-With Phyllis Diller and Mitch Miller
17 Rainbow Theatre-BW-Likely a 50's or 60's Dramatic Anthology rerun
21 Movie-1001 Arabian Nights-Jim Backus (Mr. Magoo)

4:15
25 London Line-Report-BW

4:25
3 NBC News-Floyd Kalber

4:30
3 PDQ-Dennis James-Barbara Feldon, Dick Gautier and Michael Landon
17 Cartoons-BW
25 Busy Knitter-BW
27 Merv Griffin

5PM
3 Movie-The Big Beat 1958-BW
5-23-33 NBA Basketball-Los Angeles Lakers at San Diego Rockets-With Chris Schenkel and Jack Twyman
8 Young People's Concert-SPECIAL
17 Shotgun Slade-BW
25 Film Feature-BW

5:30
17 Restless Gun-BW
25 Kindergarten-Joyce Marron-BW

6PM
8 News-Doug Adair, Martin Ross, Dick Goddard, Frank Gleiber
17 News-BW
21-27 News
25 What's New?-BW


6:15
17 Sidelight-BW

6:30
3-21 Huntley-Brinkley
8=27 CBS News-Walter Cronkite
17 Sports Playback-BW
25 Folk Guitar-Laura Weber-BW

7PM
3 News-Virgil Dominic, Wally Kinnan, Jim Graner
5 News-John Hambrick, Don Webster, Gib Shanley
8 Truth Or Consequences-Bob Barker
17 Sherry Lee-BW
21 Patty Duke-BW
23 News-BW
25 Efficient Reading-BW
27 Rifleman-BW
33 ABC News-Peter Jennings

7:15
23 Women's Page

7:30
3-21 Monkees
5-23 Cowboy In Africa
8-27 Gunsmoke
17 Local News-BW
25 Spectrum-BW
33 Movie-Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick-1952-BW

7:45
17 Holiday-Travel-BW

8PM
3-21 Man From UNCLE
17 Movie-Miracle On 34th Street 1947-BW
25 NET Journal-BW

8:30
5-23 Rat Patrol
8-27 Lucille Ball (Lucy Show)

9PM
3-21 Danny Thomas Hour
5-23 Felony Squad
8-27 Andy Griffith
25 Power of the Dollar-DEBUT-BW

9:30
5-23-33 Peyton Place
8-27 Family Affair
17 Messiah-BW
25 NET Playhouse-BW (Channel 25 sign-off-10:45)

10PM
3-21 I Spy
5-23-33 Big Valley
8 Movie-A Man Called Peter-1955 (11PM News pre-empted)
27 Movie-The Tarnished Angels-1957-BW (11PM News Pre-empted)

11PM
3 News-Dominic
5 News-Hambrick
21 News
23-33 News-BW

11:15
3 Weather-Kinnan
5 Weather-Ron Penfound
23 Country-Western Music-BW

11:20
3 Sports-Jim Graner
5 Sports-Gib Shanley
33 Outdoor Report-Jerry Blinzley-BW

11:30
3-21 Tonight-Guest Host Victor Borge
5-23-33 Joey Bishop

12:30
27 Peter Gunn

12:40
8 Movie-Mr. Scoutmaster-1953-BW

1AM
3 Sea Hunt-BW
5 Outdoor World

1:30
3 Tonight School

In closing, on behalf of my wife Linda and me...Here's hoping for a safe and Merry Christmas to all blog readers, and thanks for your support..

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Christmas 1954 Part Two..



Opening and ending of the Holiday "Liberace" Show ..This was shown on TV 5 Christmas Eve 1954..




A little fun-Stan Freberg's "Christmas Dragnet" from 1953...Contrary to Jack Webb's stern reputation while producing and acting in "Dragnet", he always seemed to enjoy whenever he was being spoofed..Witness the Classic "Copper Clapper Caper" sketch on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in 1968, in which Webb tried hard to keep a straight face..

















"Dragnet" Big Little Jesus...Presented first in 1953..repeated in 1954..

To complete our look at Christmas 1954, we will look at what aired in the Cleveland area Christmas Day...

TV Guide Cleveland Edition
Saturday, December 25, 1954

3 WNBK-NBC

9AM Movie-Early Bird Theater-A Christmas Carol and Dancing Tree
10AM Happy Felton
10:30 Paul Winchell/Jerry Mahoney
11AM Christmas Service-National Cathedral-Protestant
Noon Weekend Workshop
1PM Movie-Beyond Tomorrow
2:45 Blue/Gray Football-Bob Neal (Cleveland Sportscaster)- from Montgomery, Alabama
5:30 To Be Announced
6PM Cisco Kid
6:30 Annie Oakley
7PM Files Of Jeffery Jones
7:30 Ethel and Albert-Last Show of Series
8PM Mickey Rooney Show
8:30 Place The Face
9PM Imogene Coca
9:30 Donald OConnor
10PM George Goebel
10:30 Your Hit Parade
11PM News-Tom Field
11:05 To Be Announced (Movie?)
12:15 News

5 WEWS-CBS

8:55 News
9AM A Star Shall Rise-Family Theater starring Raymond Burr
9:30 Winky Dink-Jack Barry
10AM A Christmas Album
10:30 Film-Our Credit System
11AM Captain Midnight
11:30 Abbott and Costello
Noon Big Top
1PM Lone Ranger
1:30 Uncle Johnny Coons-CBS
2PM Movie-A Christmas Carol-1951
3:30 Contest Carnival
4PM Rocky Jones-Space Ranger
4:30 Holy Night-COLOR
5PM Christmas Hour-SPECIAL
6PM Polka Hour-Kenny Bass
6:30 Inside Catholic Schools
7PM Gene Autry
7:30 Beat The Clock-Bud Collyer
8PM Jackie Gleason
9PM Two For The Money-Herb Shriner
9:30 My Favorite Husband-Based on The Lucille Ball Radio Series
10PM That's My Boy
10:30 Willy
11PM Movie-"Theater"-Christmas Eve
12:30 News

8 WXEL DuMont/ABC

9:15 Christmas Carols
9:30 A Star Shall Rise-Same Program as 5 at 9AM
10AM Smilin' Ed-ABC
10:30 Space Patrol-ABC
11AM Merry Go Round-Walt "Kousin" Kay
11:30 Christmas Is A Song
Noon To Be Announced
1:30 Movie-Double Feature

1. Ferocious Pal
2. Challenge Of The Frontier

3PM Movie-Saturday Matinee-Racing Luck
4PM Movie-Outlaws of Stampede Pass
5PM Main Event-Wrestling
6PM Many Moons-SPECIAL-Kukla, Fran, Ollie
7PM Lights, Camera, Questions
7:30 Compass-ABC
8PM Dotty Mack-ABC
9PM Amateur Boxing-From Albany, NY-Jack Gregson-ABC
9:45 News
10PM The Stranger-DuMont
10:30 Down You Go-DuMont
11PM Chronoscope-News
11:15 Movie-Saturday Night Show-Two Thousand Women

21 WFMJ NBC

10AM Happy Felton
10:30 Paul Winchell/Jerry Mahoney
11AM Christmas Service-National Cathedral-Protestant
Noon To Be Announced
12:30 Movie-Movie Party-Renfrew Of The Mounted
1:30 Movie Party-Bush Pilot
2PM Film Fill
2:45 Blue/Gray Football-Bob Neal (Cleveland Sportscaster)- from Montgomery, Alabama
5PM Wishing Well
6PM Youngstown Calling
6:30 News
6:45 To Be Announced
7PM Amos And Andy
7:30 Ethel and Albert-Last Show of Series
8PM Mickey Rooney Show
8:30 Place The Face
9PM Imogene Coca
9:30 Donald OConnor
10PM George Goebel
10:30 Your Hit Parade
11PM News
11:10 To Be Announced
12:30 Bible Readings

27 WKBN CBS/DuMont/ABC

10:30 Winky Dink
11AM Western Theater
Noon Big Top
1PM Western Theater
3PM To Be Announced
4:30 Holy Night-COLOR
5PM Christmas Hour-SPECIAL
6PM A Star Shall Rise
6:30 News
6:45 Sports
6:55 Weather
7PM Masquerade Party-ABC
7:30 Beat The Clock-Bud Collyer
8PM Jackie Gleason
9PM Two For The Money-Herb Shriner
9:30 Playhouse-Bergen
10PM That's My Boy
10:30 Willy
11PM Wrestling-Chicago-ABC
11:05 Sports Showcase
11:20 Wrestling Continues
Midnight News

49 WAKR ABC

2PM A Star Shall Rise
2:30 This Is The Life
3PM Bar 49 Movie-Double Feature

1. Apache Chief
2. Train To Tombstone

5PM Joyful Hour
6PM Many Moons-SPECIAL-Kukla, Fran, Ollie
7PM Christmas Album
7:30 Compass-ABC
8PM Dotty Mack-ABC
9PM Amateur Boxing-From Albany, NY-Jack Gregson-ABC
9:45 Fight Talk-ABC
10PM Stork Club-ABC
10:30 Joyful Hour
11PM News

Soon:More On Christmas, plus WJW-TV's 60th Anniversary

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Christmas 1954 Part One


CBS-TV "Shower Of Stars" with a Musical "Christmas Carol"..This has been on Public Domain Classic TV Collections in recent years..


Part of The Wednesday Night Lineup on WKBN-27


Christmas Greetings from WXEL-TV 8

Today, lets look at Northeast Ohio Christmas week Television in 1954..

WNBK-TV 3 was doing therir Test Pattern In Color, while color TV was still in its infancy..

WEWS was in its final months as a CBS affiliate..The switch from CBS to ABC (And WXEL from ABC to CBS) took place February 2, 1955

Santa Claus, as played by Max Ellis, appears on WXEL-8 afternoons at 5 or 5:30 PM..

"Dragnet" repeats its Christmas episode, first shown in 1953, about the stolen Jesus statue..Broadcast in color, B&W kinescopes have been available in the public domain for years..This was remade for "Dragnet 1967" with Barry Williams, about to become "Greg" on the Brady Bunch, as an altar boy.. the late Harry Bartell, veteran radio and TV actor, played the Priest in both the 1953 and 1967 versions..

The Amos and Andy "Christmas Story" is aired Christmas Day at 7PM on WFMJ-21

An Intriguing ABC Game Show, "What's Going On?" ended its run Sunday, December 26, 1954.
(9:30 Channel 49, 10:30 Channel 8). Actor Lee Bowman was host..Sponsored by Revlon, The idea was a takeoff on What's My Line, etc. From Goodson-Todman..Hy Gardner, Cliff Norton, Audrey Meadows and Kitty Carlisle, among others, were on the Panel..This show tried to make use of then relatively new remote technology, which only worked well in the New York City area..The expense and glitches, plus the fact that Bowman was out of his element as a host, caused the show to last only 5 weeks..Unusal for that era..The first 4 shows have been shown on Game Show Network in past years (The last show is considered lost)..Including a rather touching Christmas episode December 19, 1954..
This was considered one of Goodson-Todman's few spectacular failures..


TV Guide Listings
Friday December 24, 1954

WNBK-3 NBC
7AM Today
9AM Early Bird Theater-Lamb In The Manger
10AM Ding Dong School
10:30 A Time To Live
10:45 Three Steps To Heaven
11AM Home-Arlene Francis
Noon Betty White Show
12:30 Feather Your Nest
1PM One O Clock Playhouse-Lawson Deming-Beyond Tomorrow (This Film is also Public Domain
2:10 Amy Vanderbilt
2:15 Maggi Byrne-Fashion
2:45 Maggi's Kitchen
3PM The Greatest Gift
3:15 Golden Windows
3:30 One Man's Family
3:45 Miss Marlowe
4PM Hawkins Falls
4:15 First Love
4:30 World Of Mr. Sweeney
4:45 Modern Romances
5PM Pinky Lee
5:30 Howdy Doody
6PM Suppertime Comics
6:30 Sports
6:40 Weather Vein
6:45 Today's News
7PM Badge 714
7:30 Eddie Fisher
7:45 Camel News Caravan-J.C. Swayze
8PM Red Buttons
8:30 Life Of Riley
9PM Big Story
9:30 Dear Phoebe-Peter Lawford
10PM Sports Highlights of 1954
11PM News
11:05 Weather-Joe Finan
11:10 Sports
11:15 Theater
11:30 Vienna Boys Choir
Midnight Christmas Service-St. Patrick's New York City

WEWS-5 CBS
7AM Morning Show-Jack Paar
8:25 On Wings Of Song
8:30 Morning Show
8:55 On Wings Of Song
9AM Christmas Customs
9:30 Film (Paige Palmer pre-empted)
10AM Garry Moore
11AM Dionne Lucas-Cooking
11:30 Strike It Rich-Hull
Noon Valiant Lady
12:15 Love Of Life
12:30 Search For Tomorrow
12:45 Guiding Light
1PM Woman's Window
1:30 Welcome Travelers
2PM Robert Q. Lewis
2:30 Linkletter's House Party
3PM Big Payoff
3:30 Bob Crosby
4PM Mixing Bowl-Rachel Van Cleve
4:30 On Your Account
5PM Uncle Jake-Gene Carroll
5:25 News
5:30 Twenty Fingers-Piano/Organ Music
5:45 Professor Pet
5:50 Dinner Platter-Bob Dale
6:30 Dorothy Fuldheim
6:45 Sports
6:55 Weather
7PM Meet Corliss Archer
7:30 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
7:45 Perry Como
8PM Mama
8:30 Topper
9PM Schlitz Playhouse
9:30 Our Miss Brooks-Repeat of the 1953 Christmas Episode "Magic Christmas Tree" which had been done before on the radio version
10PM The Lineup
10:30 I Led Three Lives
11PM Liberace
11:30 Christmas Service-National Cathedral, Washington, DC
12:30 Christmas Service-Boys' Town, Omaha Nebraska..

WXEL-8 DuMont/ABC
8:55 Preview Corner
9AM Breakfast Club-ABC-Don Mc Neill
10AM Alice Weston
10:30 Charming Children-Marjorie Harm
11AM Nancy Dixon-Shopping
11:05 Maggie Wulff Show-Movie-Murder at Glen Athol
12:30 Rena and Bob (Ledyard)
1PM Portia Faces Life-CBS
1:15 Road Of Life-CBS
1:30 Movie-TBA-Maybe a short Christmas Film
2PM All About Baby
2:15 This Is The Story
2:30 All For You-Alice Weston
3PM Paul Dixon-DuMont
4PM Brighter Day-CBS
4:15 Secret Storm-CBS
4:30 King Jack's Toybox-Boyd Heath
5PM Santa Claus-Max Ellis
5:15 Desert Deputy-Western Films
6:30 Weather-Dr. Annear
6:40 Sports
6:50 Joe Potaro
7PM Captain Video-DuMont
7:15 News-Bob Lang, Jimmy Dudley
7:30 Rin Tin Tin-ABC
8PM Ozzie And Harriet-ABC
8:30 Ray Bolger-ABC
9PM Dollar A Second-ABC
9:30 The Vise-ABC
10PM Christmas Eve Concert-Symphony Of The Air (formerly NBC Symphony)
10:30 Frankie Laine Show
11PM News-Warren Guthrie
11:10 Sports
11:15 Weather
11:20 Movie-TBA

WFMJ-21 NBC Youngstown


7AM Today
9AM Movie-Shep Comes Home
10AM Ding Dong School
10:30 A Time To Live
10:45 Three Steps To Heaven
11AM Home-Arlene Francis
Noon Betty White Show
12:30 Feather Your Nest
1PM News
1:15 Hal's A Poppin-Hal Fryar
2PM Movie- Sittin Easy:The Gentlemen From California (Part 3)
2:30 Kitchen Corner- Marjorie Mariner
3PM The Greatest Gift
3:15 Golden Windows
3:30 One Man's Family
3:45 Miss Marlowe
4PM Hawkins Falls
4:15 First Love
4:30 World Of Mr. Sweeney
4:45 Modern Romances
5PM Suise Sidesaddle
5:30 Howdy Doody
6PM Film Fill
6:15 Telerama
6:30 News
6:45 Weather
6:50 Sports
7PM Big Picture
7:30 Eddie Fisher
7:45 Camel News Caravan-J.C. Swayze
8PM Red Buttons
8:30 Life Of Riley
9PM Big Story
9:30 Dear Phoebe-Peter Lawford
10PM Sports Highlights of 1954
11PM News
11:10 Sports
11:15 Playhouse 15
11:30 Vienna Boys Choir
Midnight Christmas Service-St. Patrick's New York City

WKBN-27 CBS/ABC/DuMont Youngstown

7AM Morning Show-Jack Paar
9AM Breakfast Club-ABC
10AM Movie-TBA
11AM Garry Moore
11:30 Strike It Rich-Hull
12PM Noon Show
1PM Portia Faces Life
1:15 Home Cooking-Hendricks
1:45 Curious Camera
2PM Robert Q. Lewis
2:30 The Christmas Story
3PM Big Payoff
3:30 Paul Dixon-DuMont
4PM It Pays to Remember
4:15 Grizzly Pete
4:45 Clancy's Clubhouse
5PM Barker Bill-CBS
5:15 Grizzly Pete
6PM Annie Oakley
6:30 News
6:45 Sports
6:55 Weather
7PM Dollar A Second-ABC
7:30 CBS News-Douglas Edwards
7:45 Perry Como
8PM Dangerous Assignment
8:30 Topper
9PM Schlitz Playhouse
9:30 Our Miss Brooks-Repeat of the 1953 Christmas Episode "Magic Christmas Tree" which had been done before on the radio version
10PM The Lineup
10:30 Person To Person
11PM News-Warren Guthrie
11:15 Showcase
12:30 Christmas Service-Boys' Town, Omaha Nebraska

WAKR-49 ABC Akron

4PM Movie-TBA
5PM Letters For Santa
6PM News
6:15 The Humbards
6:30 Sports
6:50 Ohio Story
7PM News-Jack Fitzgibbons
7:10 Sports-Bob Wylie
7:15 ABC News-John Daly
7:30 Chef Lorenzo
8PM Teen WHO Club
8:30 Ray Bolger-ABC
9PM Dollar A Second-ABC
9:30 The Vise-ABC
10PM Movie-March of The Wooden Soldiers (Laurel and Hardy)
10:30 Frankie Laine Show
11PM Christmas Service-Cathedral Of St. John The Divine/New York City..

Next:Part 2-Christmas Day Listings plus will try to find some video from the era..

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Silver Bells-An Enduring Christmas Favorite

Here, from an Andy Williams NBC Christmas Show in 1965 (PBS rebroadcast) are Mr. Williams and The Osmond Brothers singing "Silver Bells"



Also, from the Film "Lemon Drop Kid" (1951)here is the original version of this song..with Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell..William Frawley is also featured in this Clip..



Lemon Drop Kid used to be seen on local stations every Christmas season..Now, unless its on TCM or AMC (probably not)..Its never seen on TV..

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Two special announcements..

Good Morning:
Relating to our post last week on the Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol Book by Darrell Van Citters, Here is a note from Mr. Van Citters' Magoo Christmas Carol Book Facebook Page..

"I'm pleased to announce that Classic Media intends to release a deluxe HD version of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol on Blu-ray DVD (with bonus features) for next Christmas. I guess I'll have to buy a Blu-ray player."
End of Quote

This is great news, as this has been long overdue..The HD version has been shown at recent Museum of Broadcasting events in NY and LA and has gotten a great response..Here's hoping Classic Media cosiders also releasing the DVD on HD-DVD as well

Also:Phil Hoffman announces that the "Turn Blue" Ghoulardi Documantary has won two "Ava Awards" for best documentary and best animation..Congratulations Phil! I feel that we at Cleveland Classic Media have a small part in the award since some of our material here was used in the documentary..

Monday, December 7, 2009

Encore:WJKW NewsCenter 8, December 24, 1977


WJKW Logo in 1977

Hello:
Here is an encore of a post I did two years ago..A full half hour NewsCenter 8 telecast Saturday, December 24, 1977..Here, from December 13, 2007 is the original posting..


Tonight we present courtesy of Google Video, a complete Newscenter 8 broadcast from 30 years ago.. Saturday, December 24, 1977..The 32-minute program includes all commercials, as well as before and after newscast promo spots. There are several nice, heartwarming TV 8 "Seasons Greetings" spots..The Anchors were Jim Finerty and Kathy Adams with News, Mike Marlier with weather and Fred McLeod on Sports (now FSN-Channel 43 Cavaliers announcer)..In one of the last spots, we see Channel 8 was the 1977-78 local TV home for the Cavaliers, plus the sportscast mentions Barons NHL Hockey..being Christmas Eve, it was a relatively slow news day..

Hollywood Palace-Christmas 1969-Perry Como


TV Guide Listing for Hollywood Palace December 20, 1969

From December 20, 1969:Here is ABC's Hollywood Palace Christmas Show hosted by Perry Como, with Guests Dihann Carroll, Then starring in NBC's Julia, Comedian Shecky Greene, Edward Villella of the New York City Ballet, and Burr Tillstrom with Kukla and Ollie..(Shecky:Who'd you think I thought they were, Huntley and Brinkley?)..This hearkens back to the time of the "Christmas TV Special" when you had beautiful music and sometimes cheesy comedy..but most of us loved it..Perry here is at his easygoing best.as he reacts nicely to the goings on around him and sings some good songs as well..Commercials Included



Hollywood Palace-12/20/69 Part 1


Part 2-Kukla and Ollie, with Shecky Greene


Part 3 Dihann Carroll Sings


Part 4 Shecky Greene sketch, Perry Sings "Christmas Eve"


Part 5-Kukla, Ollie


Part 6 Christmas Medley with Perry Como and Singers

Como mentions here that he'll be back in February with a special sponsored by Sears "On another network that doesnt begin with C"

Quick thanks for all the Birthday greetings from Facebook friends and especially Cliff (WIXYGrad) Feightner for mentioning my birthday in his blog..

Thursday, December 3, 2009

New Book on Magoo's Christmas Carol..And an appreciation..


Cover of "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol:The making of the First Animated Christmas Special" by Darrell Van Citters


TV Guide Timex ad for the first showing of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol


TV Guide Closeup



Cover For The Akron Beacon Journal's "TV Preview" dated Sunday, December 16, 1962 featuring Jim Backus, the Voice of Magoo..The Cleveland Press and Plain Dealer were in the midst of a long Newspaper strike and were not publishing..The strike would last until Spring 1963.



TV Preview "Program Highlights" for Tuesday, December 18, 1962. As I mention every so often, you can click on pictures to make them readable..

In Our first Christmas season post, I would like to do two things..First call your attention to a brand new book by Darrell Van Citters, Animation Producer and historian on one of the more beloved Christmas TV Specials of the 1960's..And second share a little historical background about the time this special premiered and some personal thoughts on the production..

The book, self-published by Mr. Van Citters and released October 1, 2009, is titled "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol:The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special"..This is a coffee-table sized book that one can tell is a labor of love for Darrell..He spent the last several years talking to surviving cast and crew about the making of the special, and also gathered hundreds of photographs, drawings and animation cels to illustrate the book..He examines the History behind the making of the special, going back to Magoo's beginnings at UPA Productions in 1949. He also goes into the circumstances behind the decline of UPA theatrical animation leading to the early 1960's TV Magoo's (aired in Cleveland on WEWS-5)..He shares Producer Lee Orgel's hitting on the idea of Magoo as Scrooge in Spring 1961 and struggling to sell the special to sponsors and networks..This is all done in a very readable style..If you are a Magoo fan I heartily recommend this book..What may be an indication of its value..copies are already becoming "Collectible" on some online store sites..For a first effort, Mr. Van Citters has done very well indeed..

As good as the book is, I will admit to being biased, as I very much have loved the Magoo special from the time I first saw it as a child of 8 in 1965..possibly earlier then that..The UPA-style simplicity of the animation, along with superb voice acting and wonderful songs by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill should have made this a classic along the lines of Rudolph, Frosty, etc..Sadly, NBC only aired the special from 1962-67 and subsequent cable airings badly edited the special, to the point of cutting one of the most important songs out of the special..Just to put more commercials in..Very sad indeed..There have been a couple of DVD releases of Magoo's Carol, though I am hoping that through the book, enough interest would be shown that an ultimate DVD set would be done..



"Its Great To Be Back on Broadway" The Opening of Mr, Magoo's Christmas Carol..Also cut from some syndication prints..



"The Lord's Bright Blessing" (Reprise) Leading to the end of the special (Not shown here) where Magoo "brings down the house"-Literally!



As noted above, both Cleveland Newspapers were on strike, so there were extra newscasts on the Cleveland Stations..Mike Douglas had just finished his first year on KYW-TV 3..Romper Room was featured weekdays at 9:30 followed by Paige Palmer at 10AM on WEWS-TV 5..WJW-TV 8 had B'Wana Don at 9AM and Jack LaLanne at 9:30..

TV Guide Listings:
Tuesday, December 18, 1962

Cleveland
3-KYW-NBC
5-WEWS-ABC
8-WJW-CBS

Akron
49-WAKR-ABC

Youngstown
21-WFMJ-NBC
27-WKBN-CBS
33-WKST-ABC

C=Color Program

5:50
3 News

5:55
3 Farm Fare

6AM
3 Columbia Lectures
21 Continental Classroom

6:30
3-21 Continental Classroom-C

6:50
8 Meditation

6:55
8 News

7AM
3-21 Today
8 College Of The Air

7:25
27 College Of The Air

7:30
8 Rex Humbard

7:45
8 Clutch Cargo

7:55
8 News

8AM
8-27 Captain Kangaroo

8:55
5 News

9AM
3 Woodrow-Clay Conroy
5 Western Reserve Univ. Telecourse-French
8 B'wana Don
21 People Are Funny
27 Romper Room
33 Kartoon Showtime

9:30
3 Best Of Groucho
5 Romper Room
8 Jack LaLanne
21 Leave It To The Girls


10AM
3 Felix The Cat
5 Paige Palmer
8 As The World Turns
21 Say When-Art James
27 Calendar-Harry Reasoner

10:25
21 NBC News-Edwin Newman

10:30
3-21 Play Your Hunch-Robert Q. Lewis-C-Guest:Agnes Moorehead
8-27 I Love Lucy
33 Yoga For Health

10:45
5 Cleveland TV Classroom

10:55
49 News

11AM
3-21 Price Is Right-Bill Cullen-C
5-33-49 Jane Wyman
8 Dale Young Time-Variety
27 McCoys (Real McCoys)

11:30
3-21 Concentration-Hugh Downs
5-33-49 Yours For A Song-Bert Parks
27 Pete And Gladys-Just off CBS Primetime

Noon
3 News
5 News-Randy Culver
8-27 Love Of Life
21 Your First Impression-Bill Leyden-C Morey Amsterdam (One of the voices in Magoo's Carol), Joyce Jameson and Robert Horton
33-49 Tennessee Ernie Ford

12:10
5 Noon Show-Capt. Penny

12:25
8-27 CBS News-Harry Reasoner

12:30
3 Mike Douglas
8 Search For Tomorrow
21 Truth Or Consequences-Bob Barker
27 News-Al DePetro
33-49 Father Knows Best

12:35
27-Movie-Odette-English 1951

12:45
8 Guiding Light

12:55
21 NBC News-Ray Scherer

1PM
5 One O Clock Club-Bill Gordon, Dorothy Fuldheim
8 Adentures In Paradise
21 News
33 Susie (Private Secretary)
49 Movie-Two Girls and A Sailor Pt. 2-1944

1:15
21 Kitchen Corner-Marjorie Mariner

1:30
33 Our Miss Brooks

2PM
3-21 Merv Griffin-C
8-27 Password-Allen Ludden-Guests:Teresa Brewer, Darren McGavin
33-49 Day In Court

2:25
33-49 ABC News-Alex Drier

2:30
5-33-49 Seven Keys
8-27 House Party-Art Linkletter

2:55
3-21 NBC News-Floyd Kalber

3PM
3-21 Loretta Young
5-33-49 Queen For A Day-Jack Bailey
8-27 Millionaire

3:30
3-21 Young Dr. Malone
5-33-49 Who Do You Trust?-Woody Woodbury
8-27 To Tell The Truth-Bud Collyer-Guests:Skitch Henderson, Joan Fontaine, Phyllis Newman, Sam Levenson

3:55
8-27 CBS News-Douglas Edwards

4PM
3-21 Make Room For Daddy
5 Love That Bob!(Bob Cummings Show)
8-27 Secret Storm
33-49 American Bandstand-Dick Clark

4:30
3 Barnaby, Popeye and Friends-Linn Sheldon
5-33-49 Discovery '62
8 Edge Of Night
21 Here's Hollywood
27 Club 27-David Allan

4:45
27 Stanley

4:55
5-49 American Newsstand-Bill Lord
21 NBC News-Sander Vanocur
33 Casper and Company

5PM
5 Five O Clock Show-Capt. Penny
8 Mickey Mouse Club
21 Movie-King Dinosaur-1955
49 Movie-The Secret Six-1951

5:05
3 Movie-The Kid From Texas-1939

5:15
33 Double Three Ranch

5:30
8 Movie-Six-Day Bike Rider-1934

6PM
8 News-Ken Armstrong
27 Quick Draw McGraw
33 Hopalong Cassidy

6:05
8 Movie Continues

6:15
21 Century Milestones

6:20
5 Mr. Jingeling

6:25
21 Weather

6:30
3 News-Bill Jorgensen
5 Dorothy Fuldheim
21-27-33 News
49 Sheriff's Report-Akron

6:40
3 Weather-Dick Goddard-Still at WJW-8, where he has been over 43 years
49 Sports-Bob Wylie

6:45
3-21 NBC News-Huntley/Brinkley
5 News-Tom Field
27 CBS News-Walter Cronkite
33-49 ABC News-Ron Cochran

6:55
5 Weather-Carloyn Johnson
8 Weather-Howard Hoffman

7PM
3 Wyatt Earp
5-21 Hennesey (syndication-different episodes)
8 City Camera-Doug Adair
27 Peter Gunn
33 Broken Arrow
49 News-Jack Fitzgibbons

7:10
8 Sports-John Fitzgerald

7:15
8 CBS News-Walter Cronkite
49 Weather-Bill McKay

7:20
49 Talk Of The Town

7:30
3-21 Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol-C-SPECIAL
5-33-49 Combat!
8 New Loretta Young Show-CBS
27 Phil Silvers-Bilko

8PM
8-27 Lloyd Bridges Show

8:30
3-21 Empire-C
5-33 Hawaiian Eye
8-27 Red Skelton-Guests:Gordon, Sheila MacRae
49 TV Hour Of Stars (The Akron Beacon Journal Listings showed The Bach Christmas Oratorio, with the Akron University Orchestra and Chorus and The University of Akron Singers-This is likely what was aired)

9:30
3-21 Dick Powell
5 Expedition!
8-27 Jack Benny
33-49 Untouchables

10PM
5 Stump The Stars-CBS Monday 10:30-Mike Stokey
Regulars:Sebastian Cabot, Diana Dors, Beverly Garland, Ross Martin
guests:Ruta Lee and Rawhide stars Eric Fleming, Clint Eastwood and Paul Brinegar

Note:Interesting that 5 is carrying a CBS program being an ABC affiliate..and the show,to some point is basically a promo for Rawhide on CBS.

8-27 Garry Moore-Variety

10:30
3-21 Chet Huntley
5-33-49 Bell and Howell Closeup-SPECIAL

11PM
3 News-Bill Jorgenson
5 News-Tom Field, Joel Daly
8-27 News-Warren Guthrie (Sohio Reporter)
21 News
33-49 ABC News-Bill Shadel

11:10
3 Weather-Dick Goddard
8 City Report-Doug Adair
27 News-Ken Thomas
33 News-Don Parcher
49 News-Akron

11:15
3 Steve Allen
5 Tonight-Johnny Carson-C
8 TV Editorial-Norman Wagy
27 Sports-Don Gardner
49 Movie-Live, Love And Learn-1937

11:18
8 Sports-John Fitzgerald

11:23
8 Movie-The Crusades-1935

11:25
27 Movie-Seminole Uprising-1955
33 Movie-The Importance of Being Earnest-English-1952

11:30
21 Tonight-Johnny Carson-C

12:45
3 Movie-The Bachelor Father-1930

1AM
5 News

1:43
8 Movie-Gambling On The High Seas-1940