Saturday, September 28, 2019

Vintage Video Games - "Fun House" and "Super Jeopardy"

"Fun House" video game by Hi-Tech Expressions of New York, NY, 1990
Home game versions of TV shows have existed for decades as board games and other toys. It is interesting coming across earlier versions of home video games based on TV shows. 

“Fun House” also known as “Fox’s Fun House” (1987 - 1991) was a children’s game show that ran in syndication, then on Saturday mornings as one the vey young FOX network.


Super Jeopardy video game by GameTek of North Miami Beach, Florida, 1991
 Jeopardy! needs no introduction. The current version of the hit game show hosted by Alex Trebek, just started its 36th season. Game versions of Jeopardy! have existed in multiple formats, from board games, to CD-ROM to handheld electronic versions.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Little Red Riding Hood's Kiddie Klub - WCKY Radio

Image of "Little Red Riding Hood" WCKY star from What's On The Air magazine June 1931
Red Riding Hood [Red Riding Hood Kiddie Klub] - WCKY Covington, Kentucky, c. May 1931 - ????. Weekdays at various times, sometimes twice a day, Central Time.

There are many interesting finds when searching old radio magazines for yesterday's children's shows. The "Little Red Riding Hood" radio program from station WCKY is just one of them.
Jeanne Ellis (originally named Jean Barber) (c. 1925 - 2007) was a radio child prodigy who became more famous for her time with Paul Whiteman's band around 1937. She began her radio career at age four singing for station KNOX. By age six she was cast as Little Red Riding Hood for Covington,  Kentucky station WCKY (W, C, KY...get it) beginning about 1931.

According to the June 5, 1931 issue of Radio Dial, many people could not believe a child so young was the star of a radio program and could have such a singing range. A publicity photo of the little girl was published to dispel any doubts.

Exact contents of the "Red Riding Hood Kiddie Klub" are unknown, asides from little Jeanne
s singing. The program was reportedly so popular that the little girl's sixth birthday party held at a theater attracted over 5,000 children. While the program seems to have drawn a lot of promotion and attention, it is not know if it aired after September 1931.

Bibliography:

"Child Prodigy to be heard; got start over WCKY" The Cincinnati Enquirer, Sun. Sept. 12, 1937

Rayno, Don. 2003. Paul Whiteman: pioneer in American music. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press.


Saturday, September 14, 2019

This Month in Children's Media: September 2019


Newspaper ad for the new "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" series that premiered Saturday, September 13, 1969 on CBS stations.

70 Years Ago - 1949
September 15, 1949 - The Lone Ranger, the "mysterious masked rider of the plains" comes to television on ABC. To date it is the only dramatic series that premiered before 1950 that is still being broadcast on American television (currently the Cowboy Channel).

50 Years Ago - 1969 

September 6, 1969 - Classic Saturday Mornings [Yes, All of these shows premiered on the same day!]
The Hardy Boys
Cattanooga Cats
Skyhawks
H. R. Pufnstuf
Hot Wheels
Here Comes The Grump
Pink Panther Show

Scooby Doo wasn't the only series to premiere September 13, 1969. "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop" was one of Saturday Morning's first sequels; to Hanna-Barbera's "Wacky Races". 

September 13, 1969
Scooby Doo, Where Are You? - A little disappointed that the gang was not on TV for their big 50th, (except for two recent movies) but streaming and Blu-Ray are where we are today.
Dastardly and Muttedly
The Perils of Penelope Pitstop - One of Saturday mornings first sequels and a homage spoof to silent serials and melodrama.

September 26, 1969
The Brady Bunch - The classic sitcom about Mike, Carol, their 3 sons, 3 daughters with "hair of gold, like their mother" and Alice. What else can be said.