I had no idea the guy was still around - 97 years old.

Watched his "Cartoon Express" show when I was a little kid.

http://mobile.latimes.com/detail.jsp...&rc=top&full=1

 

Green Light! Red Light!

I was one a the kids that sat in the audience around 1956 or so. At that time, Kellogg's Corn Flakes was one of the sponsors. During a commercial, which was live, 'ol Bill took a spoonful, as soon as the camera panned away...he spit it out! BLAH!

Tom Hatten from the Popeye cartoon show on KTLA is still around.

 

Don't forget Captain Kangaroo, Chucko the Clown (I was on that one once), Hobo Kelly, man, we're getting old!

 

and...it's Howdy Doody time! The Howdy Doody Show with Buffalo Bob Smith, and Clarabelle the clown.

I hated that show...cuz back then (early 1950's) I had flaming RED hair just like 'ol Howdy-Doody had.

Kids picked on me un-mercifully. That all ended by the time I was 10, cuz by then I was 6-1, 200 pounds..and no one picked on me ever again!

 

Sorry to hear about Engineer Bill.

Any of you guys recall Sheriff John? He had a board with stars (like a badge) that would light up when you brushed your teeth, made your bed, cleaned your room, etc. My little sister and I loved that show. Along with the Roy Rogers show.

 

Sheriff John sang: "Laugh and be hap-py with a merry mel-o-dy.." to open and close each show.

And you gotta be real old to remember this one: The Tim McCoy Show on KTLA which ran 1951/52.

Why I remember all this worthless trivia, I'll never know! (I remember the whole Sheriff John ditty...but I ain't singin' it on Sunday, even if you threaten me with a shotgun!)

 

Geez Bill... my Parents hadn't even met in '52!! Actually, they were both in high school at that time. My Dad went to Glendale High on Colorado Blvd.

 

Lets see, you're 45 something, the Big Dummy will be 64 next month...mebbe that explains it.

 

http://www.ilovewavs.com/Holidays/Bd...y%20(more).wav

As a kid, I was once on Howdy Doody, part of the Peanut Gallery.

Tim McCoy is the only name I don't recognize above.

And I remember the Lead Bell.

Pop

 

Tim McCoy, Lt.Col USA(R). Served in WWI & WWII. After WWI ended, he was the Adjudunt General of Wyoming.

In 1923, Famous Players-Lasky (later Paramount Pictures) approached him and asked him to provide Indians for an epic film they were making, The Covered Wagon.

After filming was completed, McCoy signed with Paramount as an actor. He appeared in 100's of films thru 1942, many with Buck Jones and Hoot Gibson.

After WWII ended, he retired to his Wyoming ranch, but was approached by Claus Oldenberg of KTLA to star in a TV show that portrayed Indian customs as they were in real life, not the Hollywood version of how they were portrayed.

McCoy, who ran away from his Michigan home, moved to Wyoming when he was 12. He spent time on several ranches working as a cowboy where he met many Indians, learned sign language and was later one of the foremost experts of Indian culture in the US.

Now you know.

Besides the cars, guns and other chittery, I'm also a film and western actor historian. This was typed off the cuff, NOT from Wiki Wiki!

 

Bill,

I think you meant Klaus Landsberg, of KTLA, didn't you?

THAT man was pure genius!

Pop

 

I typed the above off the cuff, I wasn't sure of Claus' last name, but I went with what I could recall.

KTLA was the first LA TV Station, originally it was a unit of Paramount Pictures. A pal of mine's dad was the station manager for many years, which meant I got to attend many of the live broadcasts.

Besides the Tim McCoy Show, I also got to attend the Doy O'Dell Show (western band), the Spade Cooley show, and other stuff I've forgotten.

Several different times, my pal had his birthday party at Corriganville, out in Chatsworth, owned by western actor Ray "Crash" Corrigan.

Corrigan was a friend of my pals dad who also was a Big Band leader.

Does anyone here recall Hoppyland? A theme park located in what is today Marina del Rey?

It was owned and run by William Boyd = Hopalong Cassidy. It closed around 1953.

 

I don't remember Hoppyland, but I sure remember Corriganville. It's actually in Simi Valley, in Ventura County. It was the next movie ranch west of the Spahn Ranch (which IS in Chatsworth), which itself became infamous for hosting Charlie and the girls while they were doing mis-deeds in other parts of town.

We passed Corriganville every time we went to a friend's home in Santa Susana, and in the late 70's I rode a few motorcycle races out on the property. A lot of it is now under the Simi Freeway.

I remember Spade Cooley (later convicted of murder) and Doy O'Dell. Remember Molly Bee? (.......two miles south of Sannee Anniee Freeway)

Pop

 

Cooley was later released from prison to do a benefit show, or so the story goes. After receiving accolades from the audience, he went backstage, keeled over and died right there.

Read this story on Cooley just recently in the LA Times...Sunday California Section: LA Then and Now.

Yes, I recall Molly Bee, and Charlie & the girls.

Charlie's new residencia is in Corcoran (?).

Despite pleas to the public, begging and going before the Parole Board, all of the girls (I think) are still in the hoosegaw, where they belong...until they keel over.

 

Funny... every time I watch an old western, The Rifleman, etc., it looks like Simi Valley, just east of Simi, or that area just north of the 14 freeway west of Acton. They must have filmed a whole lot of western shows in those areas!