August - September 2020: This Month In Children's Media

It has been a long time since I did any anniversary recognitions, and I could not let this August-September go by without any. 

70 Years Ago

August 19, 1950 Animal Clinic with Dr. Wesley A. Young and Acrobat Ranch the first original network television shows on a Saturday morning for kids debut. A very small start for the institution of Saturday Morning kids blocks on TV. One episode of Acrobat Ranch still exists and can be seen online. 

September 05, 1950 - The Cisco Kid with Duncan Renaldo and Leo Carrillo began a colorful run on TV that continues in some markets (and apps) to this day. 

September 11, 1950 - The famous comic strip hero "Dick Tracy" enters the TV market. Ralph Byrd continues in the role of the square jaw detective after 13 years in serials and "B" pictures. Also premiering that were The Adventures of Paddy the Pelican considered one of TV's worst cartoons. 

September 18, 1950 - The syndicated "Telecomics" move to NBC as the NBC Comics with the adventures of "Danny March" "Space Barton", "Kid Champion" and "Johnny and Mr. Do-Right". Fortunately, at least one segment of these 4 series can be seen today. Check out an episode of "Space Barton" below.

50 Years Ago 

September 12, 1970. The Hanna Barbera classic "Josie and the Pussycats" debuts on CBS. The series is still notable for being the first Saturday Morning cartoon to have 3 female lead characters (Josie, Melody, and Valerie) and the first to have an African-American female lead character. Also debuting on CBS that same morning "The Harlem Globetrotters" the first all Black character animated series, the educational series "In the Know", and cartoon competition from Filmation with Archie's Funhouse and Sabrina and the Groovy Ghoulies. NBC and ABC shows will have to wait for another post.

Children's Cassette Tapes: Dick Tracy, Mother Goose, and Aesop.

Dick Tracy Audio Action Adventures. Episode 01 "Big Boy Turns Up the Heat." 1900 Walt Disney Company, Buena Vista Distribution. 

Audio cassette tapes are defiinitly on the many once everyday media experiences that today' children will not use. Unless they have an interest in media history, which I definitely would.

As a kid of the 1990s, I did not think there would not be sequel to the Warren Beatty Dick Tracy movie, based on how much advertising and merchandise was promoted with this movie. I was unaware of these audio adventures. 

Mother Goose Treasury Volumes I & II. 1991 J2 Communications 

This was an album from a nice live action version of the Mother Goose stories that used to air on the Disney Channel in the United States.

The Fables of Aesop. Date Unknown. Spoken Arts

This was one of several public school discarded cassettes from the "Spoken Arts" label that I have acquired. Featuring narration by John Franklyn, Pamela Mant, Sara Franklyn, Simon Franklyn, "Fables of Aesop" was also released as an LP.