Boomtown (1956 TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boomtown |
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Rare footage from the Boomtown show is included in Bavaro's documentary. © 2005 TrailMixx Pictures
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| Starring | Rex Trailer |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Release | |
| Original network | WBZ-TV |
| Original release | 1956 – 1974 |
Boomtown was a super popular children's TV show! It aired on WBZ-TV in Boston, Massachusetts every Saturday and Sunday morning. The show ran for a long time, from 1956 all the way to 1974.
Contents
What Was Boomtown?
Boomtown was a live show that lasted three hours each weekend morning. It was hosted by a singing cowboy named Rex Trailer.
The Bunkhouse and Goldrush
The first hour of the show happened in a "bunkhouse" set. Here, Rex Trailer and his sidekicks would do funny, silly acts. This part was for kids watching at home, as the studio audience wasn't there yet. After the bunkhouse fun, Rex would get on his horse, Goldrush. He would then "ride" across a "prairie" (which was really a studio set!). This ride was part of a special intro with his song, "Hoofbeats." Then, Rex would meet his live audience for the next two hours. It was amazing how they made the Old West come alive in the studio!
Rex Trailer's Cowboy Skills
Rex Trailer was great at entertaining his young audience, who he called his "posse." He would lead them in fun contests and singalongs. Rex also showed off his real cowboy skills. He learned these skills spending summers on his grandfather's ranch in Texas.
Guests and Cartoons
Rex Trailer also had special guests on the show. These guests would give educational talks or join in funny skits. Rex would also introduce awesome cartoons like Popeye, Davey and Goliath, Gumby, and The Mighty Hercules. Over the years, Rex had many sidekicks helping him. Some of them were Pablo, Cactus Pete, Sgt. Billy, Terrence Currier, and Bill O'Brien.
The "Wanted Poster" Game
One really cool part of Boomtown was a game set to the song Hey, Look Me Over. Rex would pick two kids to be the sheriff and deputy. He'd give them a "wanted poster" with a picture of another kid in the audience, but it was a bit disguised. As the music played, all the kids in the "posse" would march through the "sheriff's office." They would wave to the camera so their families could see them at home! The sheriff and deputy would try to find the person from the poster as they walked by. If they found them, they won a prize! This game made sure every child in the audience got a chance to be on TV.
The Impact of Boomtown
Rex Trailer moved to Boston to host Boomtown for a short time. But the show became so popular it ran for almost 20 years!
A Show for Millions
About 200,000 children got to be on Boomtown during its run. Plus, four million more kids watched the show on TV or saw Rex at his many appearances. Rex Trailer was always himself on the show: kind, confident, and wholesome. Parents and kids loved Boomtown's messages about respecting others and nature. Rex Trailer stayed in Boston and was a local celebrity for many years after the show ended. He passed away in 2013.
The Boomtown Theme Song
Rex Trailer always started and ended the show by singing the Boomtown theme song live. People said the song was "as sticky as the molasses used for grandma’s cookies." The audience would join in, pretending to shoot a pistol in the air as they loudly sang, "Boom- Boom- Boomtown!"
Here are the full lyrics to the song: Howdy there, folks, we're glad to meet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
There's a bunch of folks who'd like to greet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
You can bet we'll have lots of Western fun
And excitement for you
We'll ride and rope, do a square dance and shoot a gun
And we'll sing a song or two
Come along, folks, now we're gonna start the fun in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
From six to sixty there's something for everyone in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
So do-si-do and swing around,
Get your gal and promenade down to
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
After Boomtown
Boomtown aired on WBZ-TV until the very last day of 1974. Rex Trailer and some of his friends tried to move the show to a new station, Channel 25. However, that station didn't have the right equipment to make the show as great as it used to be.
Boomtown Revisited
In the 1990s, Rex Trailer and Sgt. Billy came back to TV! They had a new show on cable called Boomtown Revisited. This show looked back at the original Boomtown series.
Rare Footage of Boomtown
It's hard to find old videos of Boomtown. This is because most of the shows were broadcast live. Any parts that were recorded were often taped over later.
Rex Trailer's Boomtown Documentary
Luckily, a documentary film called Rex Trailer's Boomtown was made by Michael Bavaro. He used rare old footage and memories from Boomtown fans. This film gave a wonderful look back at the show. It aired on WBZ-TV in 2005 and later on WGBH. You can even buy it on DVD!
