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List of local children's television series (United States) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Local children's television shows were special TV programs made right in your own town or city across the United States. These shows were created just for kids and often featured unique hosts and fun themes. They first appeared in the late 1940s and were very popular through the 1970s. Some even lasted into the 1990s! An author named Tim Hollis found about 1,400 different local children's shows in his 2002 book, Hi There, Boys and Girls!

These TV shows usually aired on weekday mornings before school or in the afternoons after school. Some were also on during weekends. They came in many different styles. Almost all of them had a colorful host who played a special character. This could be a cowboy, a captain, a jungle explorer, an astronaut, a king, a princess, or even a clown.

The host's job was to introduce cartoons or old movie shorts. But they also entertained the kids watching at home and in the studio audience. They would often play games, tell stories, or teach something new during commercial breaks.

What Did Kids Watch?

Early shows often featured classic cartoons. These included favorites like Koko the Clown, Daffy Duck, Popeye, Bugs Bunny, and Woody Woodpecker. Kids also loved watching movie shorts. Popular ones were Laurel and Hardy, Our Gang (also known as The Little Rascals), and The Three Stooges. Some shows even had educational parts. For example, Nature's Window taught kids about different animals.

Meet the Amazing Hosts!

Local children's TV shows were famous for their memorable hosts. These hosts made each show special and unique to its city. They often had fun names and costumes.

Cowboys and Captains

Many hosts dressed up as cowboys or captains.

  • In Birmingham, Alabama, kids watched Circle Six Ranch with Benny Carle.
  • Mobile, Alabama, had "Captain Supreme" (played by Earl Hutto).
  • In Florence, Alabama, there was Captain Jack with Jack Worley.
  • San Francisco had "Captain Fortune" and "Captain Cosmic" with Bob Wilkins.
  • In New Haven, Connecticut, kids could watch Admiral Jack and Captain Solomon C. Whiskers.
  • Portland, Oregon, had Captain Shipwreck and The Ramblin' Rod Show.
  • In Houston, Texas, kids loved Cadet Don.

Clowns and Other Fun Characters

Clowns were also very popular hosts. They brought lots of laughter to the shows.

  • Birmingham, Alabama, featured Bozo the Clown with Bart Darby.
  • In Little Rock, Arkansas, Gary Weir played Bozo the Clown and Candy the Clown.
  • Los Angeles had Bozo the Clown with Vance Colvig Jr.
  • In Chicago, Illinois, Bozo's Circus was a huge hit with Bob Bell.
  • Peoria, Illinois, also had its own Bozo the Clown.
  • Louisville, Kentucky, enjoyed Funsville with Presto The Magic Clown.
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin, also had its own Bozo the Clown.
  • In Tucson, Arizona, kids watched Zipo the Clown with Victor Dains Sr.
  • Detroit, Michigan, had Milky The Twin Pines Magic Clown.
  • Columbus, Ohio, featured Flippo the Clown with Bob Marvin.

Other hosts played different fun characters.

  • In Los Angeles, kids watched Sheriff John (John Rovick) and Hobo Kelly (Sally Baker).
  • Denver, Colorado, had Sheriff Scotty.
  • In Washington, D.C., there was Captain 20 and Ranger Hal.
  • Atlanta, Georgia, featured "Captain Bob" (Bob Underwood) on The Bugs Bunny Show.
  • Honolulu, Hawaii, had Captain Honolulu and Checkers and Pogo.
  • Chicago, Illinois, was home to Garfield Goose and Friends with Frazier Thomas.
  • Indianapolis, Indiana, had Cowboy Bob's Corral.
  • In St. Louis, Missouri, kids watched Captain 11's Showboat with Harry Fender.
  • Cleveland, Ohio, had Barnaby with Linn Sheldon.
  • Salt Lake City, Utah, featured Princess MakeBelieve with Alene Dalton.

Educational and Storytelling Hosts

Some hosts focused on teaching and storytelling.

Popular Show Formats

Many local shows followed similar formats to keep kids entertained.

Cartoon Showcases

Most shows featured popular cartoons. The host would introduce the cartoons, then come back during breaks to interact with the audience.

  • Popeye Playhouse in Miami, Florida, was a long-running show featuring Popeye cartoons.
  • The Bugs Bunny Show in Atlanta, Georgia, showed Bugs Bunny cartoons.
  • Popeye and Friends in Los Angeles, California, was hosted by Tom Hatten.

Live Audience Interaction

Having a live studio audience of kids was a big part of many shows. The hosts would talk to the children, play games, and celebrate birthdays.

  • Birthday Party in Birmingham, Alabama, was all about celebrating kids' birthdays.
  • Romper Room was a very popular show that had local versions all over the country. It always featured a "Miss" host who led activities and games for a group of preschoolers. You could find Romper Room in cities like Phoenix, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Boston, Massachusetts.

Western and Adventure Themes

Many shows had a Western or adventure theme, often with hosts dressed as cowboys, sheriffs, or explorers.

  • Circle Six Ranch in Birmingham, Alabama, had a cowboy theme.
  • Western Theatre was also popular in Alabama.
  • Sheriff John in Los Angeles, California, was a beloved host with a Western theme.
  • The S.S. KIVA in Yuma, Arizona, had a boat adventure theme.

Why Were These Shows Important?

Local children's TV shows were a big part of growing up for many kids. They offered entertainment and a sense of community. The hosts became like friends, teaching lessons and sharing laughs right from your local TV station. These shows helped shape childhood memories for millions of Americans before national children's programming became more common.

See also

  • Children's television series
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