You Are What You Were. Celebrate Retro Pop Culture At Retroland.
When Ross Bagdasarian changed his name to David Seville, sped up his recorded voice, and released the single, “The Chipmunk Song,” he never could have fathomed the enormous popularity that would follow. Over a half-century later, his trio of Chipmunks – Alvin, Simon and Theodore – are still going strong, appearing in feature films and delighting young audiences with their squeaky voices and irrepressible charm. Let’s take a look back.
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Few clowns have ever enjoyed the same enduring popularity as the lovable red-haired, white-faced icon known as Bozo. For over half a century, literally dozens of men have donned the floppy shoes and red nose for the television cameras and endeared Bozo the clown to generations of young viewers.
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Long before the perpetual era of “reality TV" took foothold, a mischievous little series called Candid Camera offered us all the opportunity to laugh at other people on television. It also encouraged millions of viewers to ponder the unsettling realization that someone, somewhere, might just be pointing a camera at them.
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Every morning, he opened the door to his Treasure House and invited kids to share an easygoing hour of laughter and learning. He wore a jacket with giant pockets, and thus came his name, Captain Kangaroo. He had the longest running children’s program in network television history. (Only Public TV’s Sesame Street can beat the record.) Let's take a look back at this beloved show.
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What a travesty it would be to have a circus without a clown – something no less odd than a western without a horse. Such was the dilemma on the popular children’s show, Puppet Playhouse, featuring host, Buffalo Bob Smith and a lovable puppet named Howdy Doody. Taking place within a circus big-top setting, the show had everything a kid could ever want – except for a clown. That’s where Clarabell comes in...
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Friends to the end, Gumby and Pokey, the clay-made cohorts of green boy and orange pony have been entertaining kids ever since Art Clokey created the malleable characters back in the early 50s, utilizing a strange new technique called 3-D Claymation. Gumby first appeared in the 1953 short, Gumbasia, and within four years was a regular on the highly-popular Howdy Doody. Following his success, the Gumbster was given a short-lived series of his own called The Gumby Show, which lasted a mere six months and was hosted by Howdy Doody’s own Bobby Nicholson and later, Pinky Lee.
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Between 1922 and 1948, comedic film director Hal Roach created a total of 220 film shorts under the name Our Gang. Featuring over 41 different child actors over the years, the beloved shorts chronicled the adventures of a group of children who lived in a poverty-stricken neighborhood together. In the early 50s, thanks to the enormous popularity of the series, MGM took 80 of the shorts and packaged them for television as The Little Rascals. And, in the decades that followed, millions of former kids sat mesmerized by the hilarious antics and colorful characters. A staple of syndicated television for many years, they still hold a fond place in our hearts.
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Once upon a time, a kindly old gentleman appeared in our collective living rooms on Sunday evenings. He offered a glimpse into his imaginative world featuring a literal treasure trove of family entertainment. Offering a mixture of classic live-action films, nature segments, and the company's iconic animation, the show went by many names over the years, appearing on just about every channel at one time or another. Most fondly remember it as The Wonderful World of Disney.
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