cowboy thrills
Nowadays when children visit us, we entertain them with videos. They usually watch their favorites over and over, probably the same ones that the kids watch at your house.
When I was a kid we watched TV instead of videos. Lately I have realized that at least in those days children's TV had a local flavor. The shows I watched are different from the ones you probably watched where you lived.
The first TV program I remember watching regularly was "The Cowboy Thrills Club." I think it was probably on WBAP in Ft Worth, although I haven't found any references to it anywhere. I can't remember many details, other than that it was a showcase for Hopalong Cassidy and others. I also can't remember how I got this pin. "Everybody's" was the name of a local department store and "Admiral" was a brand of TV popular at the time. No doubt they were sponsors of the show and I may have got the pin at the store, where I can remember my parents shopping in downtown Ft Worth at Christmas time.
The greatest kid's show though was probably Slam Bang Theater. The host was Icky Twerp, also known as Bill Camfield, who showed Popeye and Felix the Cat cartoons, and later Three Stooges shorts. He even appeared in the last of the Three Stooges pictures. In between times he clowned around with various guests, some of them in gorilla costumes.
Icky Twerp was on Channel 11, my favorite of the four channels we could get. It was the only one that was not a network. It had lots of kid's shows and old movies. Even as a little kid I liked old movies, especially if they were horror shows or science fiction. In fact Camfield also hosted a series of horror films as "Gorgon."
Another favorite in our household was The Mickey and Amanda Show. This was a long-running puppet show featuring Mickey Mudturtle and Amanda Possum, and other characters too. Apparently Mickey moved on to LA later and hooked up with Michelle Mudturtle, so some of you may remember him from there. Mickey and Amanda was oriented toward a slightly younger crowd and hence was more popular with my little brother than with me.
On every show they would read from the Birthday Book the names of everyone who had a birthday that day and sing their song:
Mickey and Amanda say...Posted by Bill Hopkins on December 17, 2003 06:36 PM
Happy Birthday.
Although the shows and stations are different, the memories of similar television shows are the same. With only 2 or 3 channels to choose from, life was sure different for us.
It's always sad to learn that a beloved TV personality has passed away; they seem to freeze at the age they were when we remembered them.
Posted by: Leslie at December 17, 2003 10:27 PMMickey and Amanda were indeed 1957-1960 Ch. 11 king and queen...probably gave The Mickey Mouse Club over on Ch. 8 a ratings run for its money. The Mudturle and Possum were on at 4-5; Popeye with Cap'n Swabby the host at 5-5:30, and Slam Bang Theater at 5:30-7 with Icky Twerp. Mickey and Michelle had a brief stint at Ch. 5 around 1961-1962 before Turtlemeister Richard Clayton moved to LA and recreated his magic there. He's got a reference on an LA-tv nostalgia page...don't remember the address...but search for it. It's got photos and his comments and memories.
Posted by: Washmon at March 1, 2004 03:51 PMI just purchased from e-bay a certificate for the Cowboy Thrills Club. It certifies that Elaine Hickman is a member of the Club and entitled to all right and privileges (whatever those might have been)
Posted by: T Duncan at May 10, 2004 08:44 PM