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.
There is a tendency for some people who specialize in the history of media consumed by children to mock concerned parents, parental groups and the alternatives they created or endorsed for children to enjoy. This is unfortunate because every generation has embraced a movie, comic book or TV program that came some sort of "seal of approval" (Captain Kangaroo, Let's Pretend, Ghost Writer) . Seeing a recent example of that mockery by a professional has motivated me to share some cool examples of fun, adventurous, humorous, instructional, educational and "parents-approved" comic pages from the past.
Mary Jane McLeod Bethune (July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was the famous Black American educator, civil rights activist and member of FDR's "Black Cabinet". Her story was retold for the first (and possibly only) time in comic/graphic form in Calling All Girls #038, April 1945, a publication of the Parents Magazine Institute.
The artist of this story is unknown but Ralph O. Ellsworth is credited as the art editor.
This comic book is in the public domain and can be freely used for educational purposes.
Running a blog with a monthly feature is tough. There were several highlights from January through March that I've missed and I will share a few, but focus mostly on April.
January 2017
Radar Men From The Moon - January 9th, 1952. This famous (?) latter day Republic Serial has been in the public domain for most of its 65 years and may be one of the most widely seen of the old Saturday Matinee cliffhangers.
March 2017
100 Years Ago! - March 23, 1917 - Jimmie Dale Alias The Grey Seal was a live action film serial verison of a pre-Zorro character who was a childhood favorite of Walt Disney. In fact Disney attempted to adapt The Grey Seal to television in the 1950s, but was more successful with Zorro. According to some sources, this entire serial may still exist in the archives of the Museum of Modern Art, but its preservation status is unknown.
April 2017
65 Years Ago! - April 4, 1952. The Abbott and Costello classic Jack And The Beanstalk turned 65 on April 4th, 2017. With its public domain status it may be their most widely seen movie. The duo was quite popular with children (they even had a Saturday morning radio show) and this film remains a great intro to these classic comedians.
75 Years Ago! - April 3, 1942. The Jungle Book - Live action color version of the Ruyard Kipling book starring Sabu. In the public domain and enjoyed by several generations.
April 8th, 1941 - Last year I missed the chance to recognize 75th anniversary of the death of Earle Graser (1909 - 1941) was not the 1st Lone Ranger, but he was the first to become widely known for the role. He was killed in an automobile accident 76 years ago today. He is one of the earliest examples of a broadcast star of a program popular with young audience who died suddenly during the production. His legacy would continue with the Lone Ranger television series as his cry of "Hi-Yo Silver" was used at times in the series. This video is one example from the 3rd episode of the TV series "The Lone Ranger's Triumph" originally broadcast September 29, 1949.
Eventually I would like to post a complete Lone Ranger radio adventure starring Graser.
An illustration by Olive Bailey for the 1945 Land Of The Lost book written by Isabel Manning Hewson.
Isabel Manning Hewson's great radio fantasy series about her childhood adventures with her brother Billy and the talking fish Red Lantern in various underwater kingdoms should not be confused with the 1970s TV adventures series in a dinosaur world. It was and still is thought of as one of the Golden Age of Radio's best children's programs and it is a shame that only 7 episodes are available today.
If you have never heard of this series, the newest video on the CMA YouTube channel is a great place to start of with this 1945 episode followed by the first of three cartoons made by the Paramount/Famous Studios in 1947.
The Land Of The Lost [radio]. Land Of The Knives Of The Square Table. October 28, 1945. Mutual Network. Isabel Manning Hewson (hostess).
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Land of the Lost (1948)
8 minute animated short. June 7, 1948
Jackson Beck- Red Lantern / King Knife / Dirty Dirk (voice) (uncredited)
Jack Mercer - Knives of the Round Table (voice) (uncredited)
Mae Questel - Isabel (voice) (uncredited)
Cecil Roy - Billy (voice) (uncredited)
50th Anniversary edition VHS from Republic Home Video
A 1985 Home Video Release from Hal Roach Studios
December 20, 1946 - It's A Wonderful Life hits theaters
While it thought of more as a family film in general, It's A Wonderful Life tells the story of a man with 4 children, who come to regret his life, and is reminded of the significance of it by his guardian angel, who also watched his life from the time he was a boy. Plus younger viewers tend to like this one too.
December 18, 1966 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas premieres on CBS
A little disappointed that there wasn't a special feature for the the 50th anniversary of the Grinch (like the one for last year's ABC special for A Charlie Brown Christmas). Oh well, there are still fond memories of the 30 anniversary special that premiered on TNT in 1996.
Walt Disney's Treasury of Classic Tales, December 10, 1961. This comic strip sometimes illustrated the latest Disney film, even beginning a run before a theatrical premiere.
Babes in Toyland (March of the Wooden Soldiers) (1934)
Babes in Toyland (Disney, 1961)
Not sure if it is just a coincidence but the two most famous film versions of Victor Herbert's operetta "Babes in Toyland" debuted on the same day (December 14) decades apart. Personally I prefer the Laurel and Hardy version, colorized or in black and white, but both are charming and have been shown on television (more infrequently in recent years) for decades. Recent generations were reintroduced at times to both films through cable presentations on WGN and Disney Channel. This blogger recalls the days in the late 1990s and early 2000s when both were shown at Christmas time on the WGN Superstation.
Babes in Toyland (1934 version) was retitled "March of the Wooden Soldiers" for re-release in 1949, and it was this version that began to appear on television around 1954. Disney's Babes in Toyland premiered on television as a two part episode of the Wonderful World of Disney on December 21 & December 28, 1969.
For the Christmas season let's start off with a few quarterly anniversaries of vintage children's media. For Part II, I will add many more classic films, radio programs, and television specials from the month of December.
December 20, 1991 - McDonald's beloved Christmas special "The Wish That Changed Christmas" debuts on CBS. Based on the children's book The Holly and The Ivy the special was created to inspire children to have a love of reading. Being sponsored by McDonalds led to a minor controversy over who should sponsor certain children's programming. This special has not aired on television since an ABC repeat in 1993 (?). Never released on DVD, the VHS is still available at some websites like Amazon.
December 15, 1966 - Walt Disney dies from complications of lung cancer, ten days after his 65th birthday. Production of "The Jungle Book" (1967) would have to continue without him and Sundays nights on television weren't quite the same again.
December 18, 1966 - The popular animated special How the Grinch Stole Christmas premieres on CBS. Horror legend Boris Karloff is the Grinch and the narrator. He would win a Grammy two years later for Best Children's Album from a reading of The Grinch.
December 5 - 26, 1941 - Shirley Temple Time For Elgin (or Shirley Temple Time) was a four episode Christmas season radio program which featured the worlds most famous child star in her first regular radio series. Two of the four episodes have survived and are widely available as downloads or CDs. Each episode paired Temple with a popular Hollywood leading man. For the definitive guide to this series go to this page from the Digital Deli.
December 25, 1916 - Snow White - The first film ever seen by Walt Disney - premieres in theaters. That this film left a lasting impression on the 15 year old Walt is a serious understatement. This adaption of the fairy tale was thought lost until a print was found in Amsterdam in 1992. For more information about the film visit this site from the San Francisco Film Festival.
It's Christmas Time and there will be much more coming up from this blog and my YouTube Channel this month.
