Willie Whistle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willie Whistle |
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Willie Whistle
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| Created by | Dick Beach |
| Portrayed by | Dick Beach |
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| Occupation | Clown |
Willie Whistle was a very popular clown character on children's television in Boston, USA. He hosted his own local TV show for many years, from 1967 to 1987. Kids in the Boston area grew up watching his fun adventures and cartoons.
Meet Willie Whistle!
Willie Whistle was a special kind of clown, often called a "seagoing clown." This means he had a look and theme connected to the ocean or sailing. The person who played Willie Whistle was named Dick Beach.
How Willie Whistle Started
Before Willie Whistle, Dick Beach created another clown character called Salty. Salty first appeared on a local TV show in Toledo, Ohio, named Fun Farm. In 1960, Salty became so popular that he got his very own show, called The Adventures of Salty and Friends.
Salty the clown had a unique trick: he used a tiny whistle that sat on his tongue! This whistle made his voice sound high-pitched and squeaky. On his show, Salty would perform funny skits with another character, Captain Cotton. They would also introduce different cartoons for kids to watch.
Moving to Boston
In 1967, Dick Beach was asked to bring his clown character to a new TV channel in Boston. This channel was WSBK-TV (UHF channel 38). He wanted to keep his Salty character, but there was a problem. "Salty" was the nickname of a well-known politician from Massachusetts, a senator. A senator is a person elected to represent their state in the government. To avoid confusion, Dick Beach had to choose a new name for his clown. That's how "Willie Whistle" was chosen! Besides being the star of the show, Dick Beach also worked as the promotions director for the TV station. This meant he helped advertise the channel and its shows.
Willie's Long Run
Willie Whistle became very successful in Boston. Even though his voice was often hard to understand because of the whistle, kids loved him! He even had an off-screen interpreter, which was someone who would help explain what Willie was saying.
The Willie Whistle show stayed on the air in Boston for twenty years. It was a big part of many children's lives until 1987. That year, Dick Beach decided to retire because of his health. Dick Beach, the man behind Willie Whistle, passed away on December 18, 2018, when he was 90 years old.
