TV Guided: Afterschool TV!

Redartz:  Think back to your school days. After a long day full of books, papers, pop quizzes, broken pencil leads, teachers and bus drivers, you finally return home and lay down your backpack. What do you do next? If you were like many of us, you grabbed a Pop-Tart and went for the television. After-school programming was a staple of many local television stations for many years. It may have been reruns of old sitcoms, game shows, or cartoons. And it may have involved some local tv talent, hosting a kid's program to lock up the afternoon audience. 

Growing up in central Indiana, our afterschool viewing often involved independent station WTTV out of Indianapolis. "Channel 4" always came in a bit rough at our location, some static. But that didn't matter to me, I tuned in to watch their two kids show hosts: Cowboy Bob and Janie. Both these programs featured lots of cartoons, along with animal visits, puppets, bad puns, visiting children, and all the usual kid show elements.

"Cowboy Bob" Glaze

Janie Hodge

Cowboy Bob was assisted by his dog "Tumbleweed" and by "Sourdough, the Singing Biscuit". Janie also was surrounded by puppet helpers, and commonly presented Popeye cartoons during her show. 
Both these shows, and the hosts that made them memorable, are a fond part of my youth. 

And, of course, there were other afterschool offerings. Reruns of  "Gilligan's Island", "I Dream of Jeannie", "The Munsters", and many other 60's staples were found on the local channel. And when I got to High School, I'd return home to catch "The Gong Show" which conveniently started just after the bus dropped me off. Homework could wait; Chuck Barris couldn't. 

So what programs did you enjoy upon getting home each day? Were there local hosts that you followed? Grab a seat and share...