![]() ![]() The British cartoon Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings appeared in the 1970s, featuring a child with magic chalk who could create all sorts of short-lived creations in short adventures (the original version featured a British narrator, Bernard Cribbins, but Keeshan's voice was dubbed onto the cartoons for their U.S. ![]() Other cartoons included Lariat Sam, who (aided by his loyal horse Tippytoes), confronted his nemesis Badlands Meanie, which was developed by veteran game show announcer Gene Wood, then a show staffer (who also sang the cartoon's theme song). Tom had a sidekick named Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, and a nemesis, Crabby Appleton ("I'm rotten to the core!"). Several cartoon shorts were featured over the course of the series' run, including:Ī cartoon starring a funnel-capped shape-shifting boy named Tom Terrific was part of the show in the 1950s and 1960s. ![]() One never knew exactly what would happen from one episode to the next, although at certain times of the year, such as the Christmas season, paper cutout versions of such stories as The Littlest Snowman would be shown. CBS cancelled Captain Kangaroo at the end of 1984. In September 1981, CBS shortened the hour-long show to a half-hour, briefly retitled it Wake Up with the Captain, and moved it to an earlier time slot it was moved to weekends in September 1982, and returned to an hour-long format. The May 17, 1971, episode had two major changes on the show: The Treasure House was renovated and renamed "The Captain's Place" and the Captain replaced his navy blue coat with a red coat. Keeshan performed as the Captain more than 9,000 times over the nearly 30-year run of the show. Captain Kangaroo had a loose structure, built around life in the "Treasure House" where the Captain (the name "kangaroo" came from the big pockets in his coat) would tell stories, meet guests, and indulge in silly stunts with regular characters, both humans and puppets. Keeshan had portrayed the original Clarabell the Clown on NBC's The Howdy Doody Show during its early years. The show was conceived by Bob Keeshan, who also played the title character "Captain Kangaroo", and who based the show on "the warm relationship between grandparents and children". In 1986, the American Program Service (now American Public Television, Boston) integrated some newly produced segments into reruns of past episodes, distributing the newer version of the series on PBS until 1993. "Puffin' Billy (The Captain Kangaroo Theme)" (1955–1974)Ĭaptain Kangaroo was an American children's television series that aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for 29 years, from 1955 to 1984, making it the longest-running nationally broadcast children's television program of its day. Don't miss Joe Lee's recollection of TBM in comic form.Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan), left, with Nipsey Russell, 1976 Your headquarters for Banana Man scholarship is Rhett Bryson's excellent site. Now you can see what I was raving about all these years. Here's a Captain Kangaroo appearance, claimed to be from 1969. Maybe they came later.Īl Robins, a gifted propmaker, eventually sold his act to Sam Levine, who was the Banana Man I saw on TV in the Sixties. There don't seem to be any bananas in sight. Here he surfaces as "The Walking Music Shop" in Seeing Red, a 1939 short film emceed by Red Skelton. The original Banana Man was Al Robins, who toured the vaudeville stages of America. (Until the takedown notice arrives- I arrived too late to view the infographic opening from The Kingdom recommended by various blogs a few weeks ago). Well, perhaps all things eventually come to Youtube. Eventually, in 2004, polyfrog was able to obtain a VHS tape so I could see a performance once again. He had a very strange act that is hard to describe.įor years I quested, through libraries and across the Net, to gain a few hard-won facts about TBM. I have been frustrated to find that most of my contemporaries don't remember him. He appeared from time to time on Captain Kangaroo, the long-running morning show. You may know that I am fond of a performer I saw often in my childhood: The Banana Man.
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