Happy's Party facts for kids

Happy's Party was a fun children's TV show that started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was shown on the DuMont Television Network for one season. The show featured a friendly dog puppet named Happy and his human friend, the host Ida Mae Maher.

Happy's Party first aired in Pittsburgh on March 1, 1951. It continued to be shown locally until August 13, 1955. The show was picked up by the DuMont network from September 6, 1952, to May 16, 1953. Network episodes were 30 minutes long, but local Pittsburgh viewers got an extra 30 minutes of fun!

Ida Mae Maher, who hosted the show, also visited elementary schools in Pittsburgh. She used another puppet, "Happy Tooth," to teach kids about keeping their teeth clean and healthy.

Finding Lost Episodes

The opening title card from the show.

For a long time, people thought that all the episodes of Happy's Party were lost forever. This often happens with old TV shows, especially from the early days of television.

However, in 2015, something exciting happened! A TV historian named Clarke Ingram, who studies the DuMont network, announced a discovery. He found a small part of an episode! This short clip aired on February 5, 1955. It is the only known video of Happy's Party that still exists today.

In 2019, this special footage was made digital and shared online. The original film is now kept safe at the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This helps us remember a piece of early children's television history.

Ida Mae and Happy, the puppet dog.

Other Shows from That Time

• Shows on the DuMont Television Network
• DuMont shows that still exist
• Local children's TV shows in the U.S.
• All About Baby (1953–55), from Chicago
• Kids and Company (1951–52)
• The Most Important People (1950–51)