A research blog on the history of radio, film, television and classroom media geared towards children and young audiences through most of the 20th century.
The Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves enters syndication. The TV series followed the very popular radio version (1940 - 1951) which starred Clayton "Bud" Collyer in the title role. After The Lone Ranger (1949 - 1957, which currently airs on the Cowboy Channel) and The Cisco Kid, Superman is still the third longest ongoing children's/juvenile adventure series in rerun history (currently airing on H&I).
If only someone would air reruns of Howdy Doody, Space Patrol, and Fury.
I am only blogging about a recent TV personality because of how much their talent is a reminder great children's entertainers of the past. One need not to have watched the entire summer 2017 season of America's Got Talent to have seen the extremely versatile Darci Lynne Farmer. The young singer/comedienne/ventriloquist already has millions of hits on her YouTube videos. In one of her acts which she performed lived on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, (and it was clear she was going to win) Darci Lynne did a funny comedy routine which led to a song, all the while giving each of her characters full personalities.
Darci Lynne is only 12 years old and has already made her national TV debut with a bang. This reminds me of four notable legends of puppetry & ventriloquism in children's media history who began their long careers as children or teenagers.
Shari Lewis (1933 - 1998) studied acrobatics, baton twirling and ventriloquism at a young age. She was 19 when she won first prize on the CBS television series Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. A year later she was hosting her first television series. She is still fondly remembered for her puppets Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy.
Paul Winchell (1922 - 2005) was a 13 year old boy stricken with polio when he sent off for a ventriloquism kit. He made his first and most famous dummy, Jerry Mahoney for a school project. Winchell was also the original and long time voice of Tigger from the Disney Winnie The Pooh classics.
Jimmy Nelson (1928 - ) was 10 when his aunt gave him a ventriloquist dummy she had won in a Bingo game. By the time he was a teenager, Nelson began performing for church groups and amateur contest. Today he is best remembered for his puppets Danny O'Day and Farfel the dog with the snapping mouth for Nestle ads.
Shirley Dinsdale (1926 - 1999) was the very first performer to earn an Emmy award. She was an Los Angeles area ventriloquist who starred on radio and television with her puppet Judy Splinters. Dinsdale got her first dummy at the age of 5 from her father as a gift to help her recover from injuries sustained during a fire. She began performing on radio around the age of 15.
I've let too many months go by so let's start fresh with September. There will be more in a couple of weeks.
50 Years Ago - September 8, 1967
"Off To See The Wizard" was a semi-animated/live action anthology series produced by MGM that used their beloved "Wizard of Oz" film characters to showcase family movie classics. It only lasted on season. The late June Foray was the voice of Dorothy.
Now For Saturday Mornings.
All of these series premiered on Saturday, September 9th, 1967 - 50 Years Ago!
1967 was a special season and a slight controversial one with the addition of action/adventure shows that led to a controversy about violence on Saturday Morning television.
Many of these series featured voice work by Golden Age of Radio Veterans like Janet Waldo, June Foray, Paul Frees and Joan Alexander, and would also feature some of the very last voice work by Bud Collyer and Gerald Mohr.
ABC
"The Fantastic Four" - On this series, radio veteran Gerald Mohr can be heard as Mr. Fantastic. He was also the very first Green Lantern on the Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure.
"Spider-Man" - The one with the catchy theme song. What else can I say?
"Journey to the Center of the Earth"
"George of the Jungle" - I always watched this (on ABC reruns in 1995) just for Super Chicken, and the theme song.
CBS
"The Herculoids" "Shazzan" "Moby Dick and Mighty Mightor"
"The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure"
NBC
Super President and Spy Shadow - actually premiered September 16, 1967
Samson & Goliath
Birdman and the Galaxy Trio
