Wee Willie Webber Colorful Cartoon Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wee Willie Webber Colorful Cartoon Club |
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|---|---|
| Presented by | Bill "Wee Willie" Webber |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 10 |
| No. of episodes | 2,500 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 3–4 hours |
| Release | |
| Original network | WPHL-TV in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Original release | 1965 – 1975 |
Imagine a time when kids rushed home from school to watch their favorite cartoons and shows! From 1965 to 1975, children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, did just that. They tuned into the Wee Willie Webber Colorful Cartoon Club. This popular after-school TV show aired on WPHL-TV.
The show was hosted by a friendly local TV and radio star, Bill "Wee Willie" Webber. He was the very first person seen and heard on WPHL-TV when it started on September 17, 1965. The program ran for three to four hours every afternoon, usually from 3 PM to 6 PM. It was one of the first big hits on a UHF channel, which was a newer type of TV station at the time.
Contents
What Shows Did Kids Watch?
The Wee Willie Webber Colorful Cartoon Club brought many exciting shows to its young viewers. Bill Webber introduced a lot of cool Japanese anime cartoons. These included 8th Man, Astro Boy, Marine Boy, Prince Planet, Kimba the White Lion, and Speed Racer.
Other Popular Programs
Besides anime, the show also featured many other beloved cartoons and live-action series. Kids could watch classic heroes like Ultraman and Spider-Man. There were also funny shows like The Patty Duke Show, The Brady Bunch, and Gilligan's Island.
For adventure fans, there was The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Cartoons like Casper the Friendly Ghost, Milton the Monster, Rocket Robin Hood, and George of the Jungle kept everyone laughing. The show even included old favorites like The Three Stooges, The Lone Ranger, and Daniel Boone. The catchy theme song for the program was "Yakety Sax" by Boots Randolph.
Fun with the Studio Audience
Once a week, the Wee Willie Webber Colorful Cartoon Club had a live audience of kids right in the studio! This group was sometimes called the Peanut Gallery. These lucky kids got to play games live on TV.
Games and Prizes
One popular game was Musical Chairs. Kids also won prizes for telling jokes. Another funny challenge was trying to whistle after stuffing their mouths with Ritz Crackers. The show was so popular that at its peak, families had to wait a whole year to get tickets to be in the audience!
Meet the Show's Characters
Bill Webber wasn't alone on the show. He had some fun friends who joined him.
Unique Friends and Guests
- Ralph the bear was a friendly puppet.
- Charlie ChinChopper was a funny character created by drawing eyes on Webber's chin and then flipping the image upside down with mirrors.
- The Bluebird of Happiness also made appearances.
Webber often took the show outside the studio. He would broadcast from different exciting places. These included amusement parks like Willow Grove Park, Dorney Park, and Hersheypark. He even traveled far away to places like Hawaii and Rome, Italy. In 1970, the show went to Bavaria Film Studios in Munich, Germany. There, they gave viewers a special look behind the scenes of the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory as it was being filmed!
After the Wee Willie Webber Colorful Cartoon Club ended in 1975, Bill Webber hosted a similar show. This new program aired on WKBS-TV (Philadelphia) from 1976 to 1979.
