History and Memories of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio Television and Radio from the 1940's-1980's..Dedicated to preserving the Broadcast Heritage of Northeast Ohio..
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..
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..
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
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
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..
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..
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..
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..
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..
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
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
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...
