Pioneers of Television Local Kids' TV (Season 2, Episode 4)
TV Episode | Documentary, History

Pioneers of Television

Local Kids' TV (Season 2, Episode 4)

TV Episode | Documentary, History

In the early years of U.S. television, virtually every local station had a locally produced program aimed at children. For the most part, they had several things in common: they were broadcast live, operated on a shoestring budget, had a ...See moreIn the early years of U.S. television, virtually every local station had a locally produced program aimed at children. For the most part, they had several things in common: they were broadcast live, operated on a shoestring budget, had a central character (often a clown), included puppets and a live studio audience made up of local children. Shows such as Bozo the Clown and The Wallace and Ladmo Show ( also known as the Wallace and Ladmo Show) made celebrities of Chuck McCann, Pat McMahon and Willard Scott. By the 1960s, Jim Henson had his own take on puppets, which he called Muppets, which became nationally known with the advent of Sesame Street. One major innovation was to franchise a children's show for local production. Perhaps the most successful program of this type was Romper Room which at its peak was being produced in over 100 locations. For Bill Cosby, his Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids was the first platform for African-American kids. Written by garykmcd See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
25 cast members

Name	Known for
Gordon L. Berry Self Self See fewer	Robin and the Dreamweavers (2000)
Ernest Borgnine Self / Guest Villain on Captain Video Self / Guest Villain on Captain Video See fewer	Marty (1955)
Daws Butler Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	Hey There, It's Yogi Bear (1964)
Dan Castellaneta Self Self See fewer	The Simpsons (1989)
Pinto Colvig Bozo the Clown (voice) (archive footage) Bozo the Clown (voice) (archive footage) See fewer	Creation (1916)
Joan Ganz Cooney Self / Sesame Street Producer Self / Sesame Street Producer See fewer	Sesame Street (1969)
Bill Cosby Self / Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Self / Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids See fewer	The Cosby Show (1984)
Stan Freberg Self / Beany and Cecil Show Self / Beany and Cecil Show See fewer	Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Kelsey Grammer Narrator (voice) Narrator (voice) See fewer	Cheers (1982)
Susan Harmon Self Self See fewer	Pioneers of Television (2008)
Jim Henson Self / Kermit the Frog from The Muppets (archive footage) Self / Kermit the Frog from The Muppets (archive footage) See fewer	The Muppet Show (1976)
Sharon Kelley Self / Director of Wally and Ladmo Show Self / Director of Wally and Ladmo Show See fewer	The Wallace and Ladmo Show (1954)
Mary Ann King Self / Romper Room Self / Romper Room See fewer	Young Birds Fly (2007)
Marlene Manderfield Self / Romper Room Self / Romper Room See fewer	Pioneers of Television (2008)
Chuck McCann Self / Puppet Hotel Self / Puppet Hotel See fewer	DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)
Pat McMahon Self / Gerald From Wally and Ladmo Show Self / Gerald From Wally and Ladmo Show See fewer	The Other Side of the Wind (2018)
Bill Mumy Self / Student on Romper Room Self / Student on Romper Room See fewer	Babylon 5 (1993)
Ray Rayner Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage) See fewer	McDonaldland (1963)
Fred Rogers Self / Mr. Rogers (archive footage) Self / Mr. Rogers (archive footage) See fewer	Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1968)
Lou Scheimer Self / Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Self / Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids See fewer	He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword (1985)
Willard Scott Self / Commander Retro / Ronald McDonald from McDonald's Ads Self / Commander Retro / Ronald McDonald from McDonald's Ads See fewer	Bozo the Clown (III) (1959)
Socorro Serrano Self / Romper Room Self / Romper Room See fewer	Ironside (1967)
Steven Spielberg Self Self See fewer	Schindler's List (1993)
Bill Thompson Self / Wally and Ladmo Show Self / Wally and Ladmo Show See fewer	The Wallace and Ladmo Show (1954)
Adam West Self / Kini Popo Show Self / Kini Popo Show See fewer	Batman (1966)