Puppet Playhouse

MIGOSH! WHERE DO we begin? It's truly incredible to think of how much we really do recall about a series of so long ago. It is even more unbelievable when one considers that when we viewed much of this, the age was about 4 or 5 years old!

IT WAS AN important part of the afternoon routine at the Ryan household of 1950 (when we got our first TV set) to 1952 (we moved into our won house) and beyond. Because of this early and elementary introduction, the show and its characters had a very profound effect on our development.

ODDLY ENOUGH, DUE to our family's explanation of things, we understood that all we saw on the show was make believe. Our Mom and Dad, as well as older Sister Joanne, clued us in as to the fact that the people we saw were Actors, who portrayed the participants of the festivities on the show.

AND WHAT A GRAND cast of characters it truly was! In addition to the marionette main character, Howdy Doody, himself, there were a number of other supporting puppets. The action was provided by: Mr. Phineas T. Bluster (Howdy's elderly nemesis), Flubadub (a crazy-quilt of an animal*), Dilly Dally (a lackadaisical boy), Captain Scuttlebutt (Dilly Dally's uncle and Tugboat Operator) and others.

LIVE ACTION REAL actors who were featured mainly consisted of some whom portrayed multiple roles. For example, we have: Judy Tyler** as Indian Princess Summerfall Winterspring, Robert Keeshin (Future Captain Kangaroo) as the original Clarabelle the Clown and Chief Featherman of the Tinka-Tonka tribe (the Princess'father), with Bill Le Cornec taking the versatility honors with a triple assignment of renegade Chief Thunderthud (of the Ooragnak tribe & often ally of Mr. Bluster), Dr. Singasong (visiting 'trubador' and look alike for Mandrake the Magician) as well as Oil Well Willie (old coot of a Prospector).

THERE ARE CERTAIN incidents that we well remember, without benefit of any refresher. There was a continuity called "The Search for the Golden Goat" (a treasure hunt).

THE SHOW'S MOVING from the original Howdy Doody Circus setting to "Doodyville" was particularly memorable, if mean spirited. In it, Howdy said that Mr. Bluster could have the Circus for his own. But as that day's show was closing, a wrecking crew was "tearing down" the set! Can you say "CRUELTY?"

THE CREATOR, ONE 'Buffalo Bob' Smith served as host and did have some time off for recuperation from a heart attack (when he was temporarily replaced with one 'Bison Bill') Although Bob (born Robert Schmidt) sported a costume that was patterned after a buckskin outfit, he was not truly a man of the Old West. He derived the name from having been born and raised in Buffalo, NY!

THE ENTERPRISING AND versatile Mr. Smith also provided the voice for the wooden-headed Howdy!

NOTE: * The "Flubadub" was a combination of many animals; having the ears of a cocker spaniel, flippers of a turtle, etc. It was sort of like a fictional version of a Platypus!

NOTE ** Judy Tyler was killed in a car accident in 1957. At age 24 she was just embarking on a promising career; having just co-starred with Elvis in JAILHOUSE ROCK!

With that greeting came the arrival of Howdy Doody, a marionette boy and leading citizen of Doodyville. Later on that name was the subject of much scatalogical humor.

The show's cast divided between marionette creations and some live players in roles. Chief villain of the show was one Phineas T. Bluster the mayor of Doodyville who probably stuffed the ballot boxes. He was a marionette and looked like a Scrooge character. Bluster had all kinds of nefarious schemes which always came up short. A worthy antagonist for the All American Howdy Doody.

Presiding over all of this was Buffalo Bob Smith who hailed from Buffalo, New York. He did it with grace and tact and never talked down to the kid audience. I remember that he had a real heart attack at one point in the 50s. A guy named Bison Bill came in for a bit and Smith's return was welcomed.

Buffalo Bob was assisted by Clarabelle The Clown played by Bob Keeshan who went straight into Captain Kangaroo when Howdy Doody finished its run of 13 years. Clarabelle the Clown usually ended quarrels with those oldfashioned seltzer bottles with the spritzers.

It was a great kid's show, just about in the boomer generation saw it.

I first saw "Puppet Playhouse" at the age of 5 on a neighbor's 5-inch GE TV (with a magnifying glass over the screen so that we could all see it). At that time, I lived near Buffalo, NY. Buffalo Bob's constant references to places around Buffalo brought the context a little closer. Then there were the old time movies, featuring Mickey McGuire and the Tons of Fun.

I also watched The Camel News Caravan, I Remember Mama, Milton Berle and all sorts of programs which stimulated my curiosity and imagination. And all this without the benefit of special effects that are now available. And, more importantly, a lot more imagination at play, than one would find in later years.

Years later when I'm watching my children watch cartoon characters flying around with devastating rays coming from their bare hands, I quickly devise ways to get the kids away from this stuff. My opinion is that (like another commenter) is that my kids missed some pretty neat stuff.

Howdy Doody went off the air fourteen years before I was born. Until today, I had never seen a single episode. Oh yes, I had seen the clip of Clarabell crying on the last episode, but it was not until today--at age 31--that I saw the show for the first time with my five year-old son.

I can't say that I have ever seen such a quality children's program. Maybe this is because Bob Smith & Co. were trained in radio and live television back in the 1940's, but there was something authentic about their performances. Their diction, their facial expressions, their chemistry, and their interaction with the kids... And then the story lines were not bad either. Plus, after seeing the live commercials, I was expecting my son to ask for Wonder bread.

All you have to do is compare their work product against any children's show today and you will see what I mean. They had a connection with the audience--something the Power Rangers don't have. Frankly, I feel sad for my son's generation, because there is nothing so real on television for him today. Instead of finding role models like Buffalo Bob on TV, all he has are impersonal cartoons; and if, God forbid, he should ever change the channel from these shows, he might find Jerry Springer and Maury Povich.

I watched this show everyday when I was a child in the '50s. I was even on the show once as a member of the 'Peanut Gallery'. Kids need more of this type of programming today and less of the pseudo violence and political programming that is labeled as 'kids TV' today. This stirs imagination, which in turn stirs creativity in children. The actors were wholesome people. Bob Keeshan who played 'Clarabell the Clown' for several years, later became successful as 'Captain Kangaroo'. Bob Smith who was also known as 'Buffalo Bob' did a lot of touring and public appearances. He was kind to children, I remember the day that I got to be in the 'Peanut Gallery', I was 8, Buffalo Bob was kind and not at all flustered by a bunch of young children. He seemed to really like kids.