Monday, July 10, 2017

Short Cuts: Earliest TV Memories...






Redartz:  Okay, friends; ready to do some exercise? No, no, mental exercise. Think back, waaaaaay back to your childhood. Today let's talk about our earliest memories of television. TV, even in our youth, had huge influence on kids (and everyone else). Some of our parents may have allowed us pretty unlimited television viewing, others among us probably had some strict limits. My brother, sister and I had tv access early, but it was definitely limited. Even so, some of my very first memories are of tv viewing. Back in the mid 60's, when I was little, several Hanna Barbera cartoons were broadcast in prime time, weeknights. I can recall watching the Flintstones before being put to bed. 



Also Magilla Gorilla. And I have vague memories of watching Red Skelton, whom my parents LOVED (and never missed). Anyway, these shows would have been on when I was only about four years old. I have a few other memories from that early age, but not many. So the television influence is telling,even then.



 


So, how far back can you remember? What is the earliest age you can recall watching a show, and do you remember what show it was? Don't worry about 'showing your age', go ahead and open up!

18 comments:

Charlie Horse 47 said...

Must I remember soooo far back???

The very earliest memories are of White Sox baseball and some stray Saturday morning cartoons like Mighty Heroes (1966) and then Spider Man.

Earliest weekday morning kids stuff would have to be Bozo Circus, Ray Rayner, and Frazier Thomas's Garfield Goose, Captain Kangaroo.

Earliest weekday daytime stuff (afternoons) would have been game show Let's Make a Deal, Sale of The Century, Mike Douglas Show.

Earliest weekday evening stuff: FLip Wilson, Red Skelton, Rat Patrol, and a Bill Cosby show.

Humanbelly said...

My cognizant memory line does have a few tendrils that snake back pretty darned far-- they surprise even me, sometimes. (I DISTINCTLY recall a toddler-in-diapers incident where the safety pin came un-clipped and poked the BEJEEPERS out of my hip--) And, although it may be a power of suggestion memory, I could swear that I remember all of the TV stations (well, three) pre-empting all of their coverage for the procession and funeral of President Kennedy-- although I had no idea at the time what it was about (this would have been about a week before my third birthday). The despair at not being able to watch anything on TV is what I mostly recall.

Captain Kangaroo would probably be my earliest for-sure TV passion as well. Tom Terrific would have been the cartoon feature he showed regularly at that point-- although I think there was a different one prior to that, as the fog starts to thicken in the early-memory light. . . Larriot Sam, maybe?

Red Skelton was huge in our household as well-- Silent Spot always being my favorite. Probably around 1964 is when I became a glued-to-the-tube kid. . . in retrospect, it was really a serious addiction that my folks didn't seem to give any thought to at all. Kept us kids out of their hair, I suppose. In primetime I definitely remember the beginnings of Gilligan's Island, among other shows.

Our TV was down in our un-finished basement, in a side that my folks sort of partitioned off and collected furniture around. Antenna wire snaked through a basement window to where it was mounted on the roof-- and man, WNDU (Channel 16) was a dice-roll for years and years. Poor reception was a source of disproportionate anxiety for me during that formative time. . . My Dad viewed color television as a waste of money, so it wasn't until 1972 (after we'd moved to a bigger, nicer house) that he finally relented on that front. Until then we always went to my Grandma's house (his mother!) to watch big events on her big old Sylvania, with its deep pink and/or orange skin tones. . .

HB

Unknown said...

During the week, I recall tuning in to Sesame Street for an hour from 11 am to noon, just before the yellow minibus arrived to take me to kindergarten. The Flintstones was also an early favorite during the week.

On Saturday mornings I awoke early to watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe--a highly entertaining action-fantasy animated show I never missed, and Transformers ("More Than Meets the Eye"), Droids (animated with R2D2 and C-3PO), The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show, Hercules, Super Friends, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The Dukes of Hazzard, the Jetsons, The Price is Right, the reruns of the 1966 Batman series, Knight Rider, A-Team, and the Cosby Show were other weekday afternoon and evening shows I frequently tuned in to.

As you can see, I was an 80s boy.

Selenarch said...

I must have been watching some of those common items, but the first thing I definitely remember watching is a moon launch when my Air Force father planted me in the early morning in front of the TV and said, "This is history."

david_b said...

First memories were of the Marvel SuperHeroes, with my Captain Action figure in my hand.., circa 1967. Also the Fantastic Four and Spidey cartoons as well.

Smothers Brothers, the Glen Campbell Show.., the Johnny Cash Show.

At home during the summer mornings (later around '70/71..), I'd watch Jack Lallanne in the mornings with Andy Griffith reruns, the Lucy Show, and other staples.., always (ALWAYS....) wishing the 'really cool' cartoons (mentioned above..), would ever come back.

My Mom was changing my diapers when the JFK assassination occurred, but I do recall watching the funerals for both RFK and MLK..

Mod Squad, anyone...?

Dr. O said...

Sesame Street, Romper Room, Electric Company. . . I hated Mr. Rogers. He seemed square to me even then (though I have come to admire him in retrospect).

I also remember the live-action Shazam and Isis shows.

As for Prime-Time, Chico and the Man!

Garett said...

My earliest shows were I Dream of Jeannie and Get Smart. Animator Fritz Freleng did the intro for Jeannie, and Get Smart had that fun intro with all the doors.

dbutler16 said...

Wow, I don't know. I remember Electric Company, especially the Spider Super Stories. I prety much used to watch Electric Company just for that. It was probably my introduction to superheroes. Sesame Street, Land of the Lost, Super Friends, Banana Splits.

Steve Does Comics said...

The earliest TV memory I can put a date to was watching the, "Doctor Who," story, "Power of the Daleks," in November 1966. It was set in a factory but I thought it was a big house, presumably because I didn't yet know what a factory was.

Other very very early memories are of Batman and Robin trapped in glass tubes that were filling up with deadly gas, and also me singing along to, "The Addams Family," theme tune.

There was, "The Woodentops," with their weird spotty dog.

There was, "Bill and Ben," another puppet show, about two men made of flowerpots who shared a shed with a talking weed. Urban mythology has it that it was all about drug abuse.

Also, "Camberwicke Green," a puppet show that started every episode with one of its characters randomly appearing from inside a rotating music box. The sense of disappointment if it wasn't Windy Miller who appeared from that box was always crushing.

There was also, "Tales From The River Bank," which featured real animals with a voiceover that created the illusion that they were having an adventure. It always seemed to end with a guinea pig in a hot air balloon.

I also remember once throwing up on the carpet during the closing credits of, "The Flintstones." I don't think the Flintstones were to blame. I think it was just that young children don't need much excuse to vomit.

All of these memories are from my pre-school years.

Martinex1 said...

Everybody's comments bring back memories for me and I'm not sure I can keep straight which came first in my own recollections.

I recall two news events - Nixon's resignation speech and a space walk. At the time I didn't know what was going on but my dad called all of us kids in the room for those.

Also I recall a kids program called "The New Zoo Review" with Doug and Emmy Joe and Freddy the Frog and Henrietta Hippo. This was mixed in timing wise with Bozo, Romper Room, Ray Rainer, Garfield Goose and other WGN shows.

Speed Racer which was mentioned the other day was definitely early viewing.

And I remember my first tv viewing of the movie Planet if the Apes. It scared the bejeebus out of me. Not the Apes; I was fine with that. But the early scene of the female astronaut dead on arrival stayed with me.

And I remember watching Hee Haw and the Sunday Mystery Movies at my grandfather's house.

Early Saturday morning cartoons included the Funky Phantom and Josie and the Pussycats.

I suspect most of this fell between 1973 and 1974 but I am not sure.

Charlie Horse 47 said...

I interviewed the Miami Romper Room lady for a job in1994. The stories she told... If you can recall the camera suddenly changing the view, it was often due to kids fighting and an adult running out to "intimidate " the kids to behave!

Mike Wilson said...

Well, I watched Sesame Street and Mr. Dressup (sort of a Canadian Mr. Rogers) when I was very young. I can remember watching some shows in syndication just before suppertime--Mary Tyler Moore, Gunsmoke, Batman--and I recall getting up early on weekends to watch Roy Rogers, Gilligan's Island, and Jungle Jim. There was usually an old movie on Sunday mornings ... the Bowery Boys and stuff like that.

My dad says I used to watch Chico and the Man when I was really young, but I have no memory of it.

Martinex1 said...

I had a brother and a sister in Romper Room believe it or not. How many kids waited for that magic mirror sequence at the end to see if the teacher mentioned your name? I see Johnny, and Lisa....

Edo Bosnar said...

Man, HB, I can relate to having a dad that didn't see the point in having a color TV for the longest time; I was in third grade before our family got one (and it was even worse for my older sister, who was in high school by then, and brother, who was in eighth grade).
Anyway, I was born in '68, and I honestly can't recall the very first thing I watched. Usually at the youngest I just watched whatever my older sister and brother, or my parents, had on. It's all a blur, but I have memories of watching the non-rerun Brady Bunch (last 2 seasons I'd guess) and a show called 'Ozzie's Girls' that aired right after it in the evenings. I also recall watching the Tony Orlando and Dawn show in the evenings - I think my brother in particular liked that show. Also, right around that time when just before I started school and until about the 2nd grade, I *loved* Hawaii 5-0, which again, I think my older brother got me into. That and Emergency.
In the mornings, before I started going to school, my mom used to let me watch Capt. Kangaroo, which I loved, and also New Zoo Revue, but I don't remember much about it except that theme song. And yes, Sesame Street as well.

van mark said...

I have vague memories of watching the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, but don't know for certain if it was their first appearance in 1964 or later. I would have been four years old then so the timing is about right.

Around the same time, I remember watching "It Came From Beneath the Sea" on our little countertop black and white. It was the most frightening thing I had ever seen. After Ray Harryhausen's giant octopus sunk a boat, the navy reported that it was near Vancouver! It was the first time anybody on TV EVER mentioned Vancouver. That octopus looked awfully real, it's tentacles were very long, and we lived just a couple of blocks from the waterfront.
Despite my frantic urging, my mother refused to load up the car and drive to safety inland....



Dr. O said...

The New Zoo Revue reminded me of The Magic Garden, which I am pretty sure was a local NY thing, but did have my earliest TV crushes!

Check it out on YouTube! The Magic Garden with Carole and Paula

Redartz said...

Many thanks for all your comments and cool memories, everyone! Am late getting back in today, but I knew I could count on you!

Charlie- you remembered back just fine! "The Mighty Heroes" were great; look for them to show up here some day. And cool that you got the 'backstage dirt' on Romper Room...

HB- excellent powers of recall! Your safety pin story puts my first memories to shame. And good call on the Captain. "Tom Terrific" does ring the bell, along with his wonder dog "Mighty Manfred". And there was something about ping pong balls...

Selenarch and david_b and Marti-yes, those space shots were a huge deal back then, and of course the major news bulletins were as well. Our school would wheel a tv into the classroom so that all of us could watch the astronauts liftoff. Do you all recall the Apollo 13 rescue? david,it's impressive that you recall those two prominent funerals. And yes, Mod Squad definitely hangs in memory, probably due to the classic theme music.

Steve Does Comics- you win today; vomiting to the Flintstones gets you the nod.

Edo- our viewing sounds very similar. We also had the experience of delayed color tv. It once was such a luxurious treat.

van mark- you recall the Beatles on Sullivan? Most impressive! A great early moment of tv history to log from your memory book!

van mark said...


And another vivid memory I have came a year or so later, I was about 5 1/2 years in September 65.

I remember being really annoyed about something. I had been promised... something. A stop at the playground, or at the corner store to get a comic on the way home, or something. And whatever it was, it didn't happen, so I was miserable.

And I remember my mom's tone as she said, "oh, you're a little upset right now, but pretty soon you're going to be very happy."
And I was infuriated, saying "Not likely, I'm miserable, and I'm going to be miserable ALL EVENING."
And my mom just smiled, and said "something's coming on TV and you're going to really like it and you'll be my happy little guy." Or some such thing.

And I was absolutely outraged, imagine a 5-year-old Stewie Griffen, saying "how dear you even presume to understand what I might or might not like?!?! Curse you, woman, you go TOO FAR!!"

And then the show came on.
The very first episode of Batman.

After a few minutes, during that rousing opening theme, my mom smiled over and said,
"well, I guess if you still really want, we can go to the store or the playground for a few minutes, right now. Want to turn that off and go now?"

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