The Magic Window facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Magic Window |
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promotional photo of Betty Lou Varnum in
The House with the Magic Window |
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| Starring | Betty Lou Varnum |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes per episode |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC affiliate WOI-TV, Ames, Iowa |
| Original release | 1951 – 1994 |
The Magic Window (also known as The House with the Magic Window) was a popular American children's TV show. It aired on ABC affiliate WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa, from 1951 to 1994. This show holds a special record: it was the longest-running children's TV program in American history, lasting for 43 years!
Contents
Discovering The Magic Window TV Show
The Beginning of a Long-Running Show
The Magic Window was created by producer Dick Hartzell. He worked with WOI-TV artist Joy Ringham Munn. They wanted to make an educational show for kids. The show featured fun craft activities. It also shared news and celebrated viewers' birthdays.
Joy Ringham Munn co-hosted the show at first. She worked with Craighton Knau during the first season (1951-1952). Each episode was 30 minutes long. They aired three times a week. In the second season, Joy became the only host. The show then became 15 minutes long and aired five days a week. Joy left the show in 1953.
Who Hosted The Magic Window?
For almost all of its 43 years, The Magic Window was hosted by Betty Lou Varnum. She was a well-known person in central-Iowa television. Betty Lou was very talented. She hosted many different types of shows. These included a teen dance party and election coverage. She even hosted a call-in show about important topics.
Betty Lou Varnum is best known for her work on The Magic Window. She shared the screen with a cast of friendly puppets. Some of these puppets were Gregory Lion, Dusty the Unicorn, and Catrina Crocodile.
What Happened on The Magic Window?
The main part of the show was Betty Lou teaching kids new crafts. She used safe items like construction paper, safety scissors, and tape. The puppets often helped out. They would open a curtain to a screen. This screen showed different short films.
These short films included episodes from Tales of the Riverbank and Felix the Cat. There was also a series called "Let's Be Friends." This series introduced viewers to children from other cities or countries. It helped kids learn about different cultures and lifestyles.
