Early Television for Iowa's Children Becky Wilson Hawbacker

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Volume 75 | Number 2 Article 4

4-1-1994 Early Television for Iowa's Children Becky Wilson Hawbacker

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Recommended Citation Hawbacker, Becky W. "Early Television for Iowa's Children." The Palimpsest 75 (1994), 68-86. Available at: https://ir.uiowa.edu/palimpsest/vol75/iss2/4

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the State Historical Society of Iowa at Iowa Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in The alP impsest by an authorized administrator of Iowa Research Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Early Television fo r Iow a’s C hildren

by Becky Wilson Hawbaker

The day ivas hot and humid, and the sticky air was filled with the smell of grilled bratwurst and Maid-Rites. There were bands and bunting to celebrate the small central Iowa town s centennial in the 1970s, but for the croud of children milling about, the event was a pilgrimage to pay homage to a local hero and Iowa cultural icon. The children s excitemen t, including that of my seven-year-old brother and me at age eight, built to a crescendo as we saw the approaching lemon-yellow Volkswagen van until the cartoon dog on the side and heard the loudspeakers announce, “Floppy lues arrived/” My brother and / left that day with an autographed picture ofFloppy and his friend Duane Ellett (the picture was proudly hung in my brothers room even in college), two Floppy t-shirts that we wore until they were too frayed to be used even as rags, and the feeling that we must be very special for Floppy to visit us in this town. It was an experience on par with meeting the President or the Pope.

LOPPY, as any true central Iowan knows, was nei ther a politician nor a religious leader, but a pup pet. Floppy was not just any puppet, however; Floppy and Duane Ellett were the co-hosts of sever-

68 THE PALIMPSEST DUANE EUETT COUECTlON DES U

Duane Ellett and Floppy (back right) pose with guests January 3, 1978, on set used from 1976 through 1982. Dog mask (lower left) was a Floppy souvenir from the show and State Fair. "TV screen” sign promoted Ellett’s popular kids’ show on WHO-TV. DUANE ELLETT COLLECTION SHSI (DES MOINES)

Wilson Hawbaker

The day was hot and humid, and the sticky air was [died with the smell of grilled bratwurst and Maid-Rites. There were bands and bunting to celebrate the small central Iowa town s centennial in the 1970s, but for the crowd of children milling about, the event was a pilgrimage to pay homage to a local hero and Iowa cultural icon. The children's excitement, including that of my seven-year-old brother and me at age eight, built to a crescendo as we saw the approaching lemon-yellow Volkswagen van with the cartoon dog on the side and heard the loudspeakers announce, “Floppy has arrived!" My brother and I lefi that day with an autographed picture of Floppy and his friend Duane Fllett (the picture was proudly hung in my brother 's room even in college), two Floppy t-shirts that we wore until they were too frayed to be used even as rags, and the feeling that we m ust be very special for Floppy to visit S f ! ® » us in this town. It was an experience on par with meeting the President or the Pope. Duane Ellett and Floppy (back right) pose with guests l o ppy , as any true central Iowan knows, was nei January 3. 1978. on set used from 1976 through 1982. ther a politician nor a religious leader, but a pup Dog mask (lower left) was a Floppy souvenir from the pet. Floppy was not just any puppet, however show and State Fair. "TV screen" sign promoted F Floppy and Duane Ellett were the co-hosts of sever Ellett’s popular kids’ show on WHO-TV. 68 THE PALIMPSEST al cartoon shows broadcast by WHO-TV in The 1950s are often referred to as the Des Moines from 1957 to 1987, and friends “Golden Age” of television—a time of experi and heroes to thousands of Iowa children mentation and excitement for both broadcast- who watched the shows after school and on ers and those receiving the broadcasts on weekends. The Floppy Show is one example national and local levels. Local Iowa stations among many children’s television programs followed at least one important lesson already produced in Iowa beginning in the 1950s, learned by national networks: Children were including The House with the Magic Window an important group of television viewers, and and Canyon Kid. These local shows shared programs aimed at children were a necessary common characteristics, yet were unique component of any broadcast schedule. Across expressions of larger trends, and they cap the nation, as new local stations began broad tured the hearts of thousands of Iowa chil casting, nearly each and every one developed dren and adults. some kind of children 's show. As they did. they imitated the success of nationally televised children’s shows like Howdy Doody, Small Fry GENERATION before this visit to see Club, and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. Floppy, television was in its infancy in At the same time, local stations were con Iowa. In the early 1950s, for example strained by the economic forces inherent in Woodrow and Kathryn Wilson were commercial broadcasting. As Jack Kuney, the first on their block in Perry, Iowa, to purdirector of several nationally televised chil « chase a television set, ensuring instant popudren's shows, reflected, “There were no lines larity for their children. Although the chil drawn that made the ground rules for kids’ dren's viewing was restricted (their Aunt programming any different than they were for Helen thought that shows like Superman were “against God”), the now-adult Wilson children recall with nostalgia and surprising detail the FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12. 8 :55—News 4:00—Guest of Honor 1 shows they grew up with, and can remember 9:00-Ding Dong 4 :15-Gabby Hayes 1 all the words to the Howdy Doody theme song. School 4:30—Strike it Rich 9:30—Ask Washing 5:00-Magic Window 1 Forty years have not dimmed Iowan s' memo ton 5:15—Beat Clock 1 10:00-Schooltime 5 :45-Televisit ries of early television. 10:30—United Na- 6:00-Capt. Video 1

1 D € SM O IN E S REGISTER There were an estimated 7 million televi tiohs 6:30-Those Two 3 11:00-Bride & G’m 6:45—News Car’van sions in America in 1950, with 13,000 in the 11:15-Love of Life 7:00-RCA Show ll:30-Search for 7 :30—MyFriend Omaha/Council Bluffs area, 6,344 in the . Tomorrow Irma 2 Davenport area, and 3,500 in central Iowa, 12:00-12 O’clock. 8:00-Farm Facts 2 Whistle 8:30—Racket Sq’d according to surveyed distributors. At that 12:15-News 9 :00-Boxing 2 time, most Iowans could tune in to only one 12:30—Garry Moore 9 :45—Greatest Fights l:00-To be ann. 10:00-Reporters’ 7 1:30—Guid. Light Digest c or two stations, including WOC-TV in l:45-To be ann. 10:15—Football Davenport, KM TV and WOW-TV in 2:00—Big Payoff 10 :310-Life is Worth 2 :30-Mike & Buff Living Omaha/Council Bluffs, and WOI-TV in .Ames 3:00—Kate Smith ll:00-Robert Mont (which first broadcast in 1949 and 1950). 3:30-United Nations gomery 3 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13. 3 Occasionally—on a clear night when the 12:30 -To T)e ann. 6:00-20 Questions 3 1 4 :00—Industry on 6 :30—CiSco Kid 3 antenna was in just the right position—Iowans S Parade 7 :00-All Star Revue 3 4:15-This Week in 8:00—Show of Shows could receive transmissions from stations fur 1 Pictures 9:30-Hit Parade ] ther away (Kansas City or Minneapolis, for 4:30—Roy Rogers 10 :00—Sports 3 5:00-Strike it Rich 10:15-Wrestling example). Although a number of Iowa invest 5:30—This is Your 11:00—Film Theater ment groups clamored for a piece of the tele Life 3 vision action, they were thwarted for several years by a Federal Communications In 1952. viewers had a range of choices on WOI-TV Commission (FCC) freeze on approval of sta (Ames)—from Racket Squad to Farm Facts, Magic tion applications until the FCC could set uni Window to Captain Video, Guiding Light to Ask form standards and resolve technical issues. Washington, Kate Smith to Roy Rogers.

70 THE PALIMPSEST DAVENPORT DCHOCRAT AND LEAD€B{ 1 0 - 1 ^ 4 9 P 1 3 OF TELfVTSJOU SECTION)

The Russell H. Schwartz family, above, and “hundreds of [other] families in Davenport and the Quad-cities have been watching test patterns on Station WOC-TV for the past month,” says the Davenport Democrat and Leader, October 18, 1949 in a 24-page “television section.” Davenporters waited “with happy anticipation for the beginning of regular programs" on October 3 I. Across the nation, Americans were poised for the arrival of television in their communities. See map on back cover for U.S. cities with stations four months later. adults'. No program was useful unless it was children’s shows joined forces to make two or saleable.” That economic reality was tempered three of these ingredients inevitable in every by the thrill of working live and the creative local children’s show. freedom of “working in a new medium that had not yet found all the answers, set its UPPETS were one important ingredi boundaries, defined its terms,” as the director ent for success in early children’s pro of an NBC local affiliate wrote in 1987. “Ideas gramming. Radio’s Edgar Bergen and and formats were not yet frozen, and the Phis dummies Charlie McCarthy and cliches of the business had not yet been manu Mortimer Snerd had popularized the puppet- factured.” act format for years. Once the Howdy Doody Nevertheless, there were four main ingredi Show (originally Puppet Playhouse) and Kukla, ents for producing a successful locally pro Fran, and Ollie (hosted by former Iowa teacher duced children's television show in the 1950s: and radio announcer Fran Allison) demon puppets, cartoons, audience participation, and strated the enormous success of using puppets an adult host. Economic considerations, tech in television, these shows were imitated nation nological constraints, children’s radio-show wide. formulas, and the success of national network Puppets made good sense for a local station

SUMMER 1994 71 constrained by tight budgets and heavy cam be able to answer"). Floppy made his first eras that didn’t easily move to other settings. appearance in 1957 on WHO-TV’s Pet Corner, a Puppets and puppet sets could be constructed show sponsored by the Des Moines Animal cheaply, and only one person would have to Rescue League to find homes for unwanted be hired to make several puppets come alive. pets and to teach pet care, where he was origi Even better, that person might also double as nally called “Mr. Dog.” Creating Floppy was a the show’s host. collaborative effort by the show’s host, Duane In Iowa, one of the first, longest running, Ellett, who carved the head from balsa wood and best-loved of the local children’s shows in his home workshop; Fllett’s wife, Lois, who was The House with the Magic Window, produced sewed the body; and Flletfs mother-in-law, by WOI-TV of Ames beginning in 1951. Cora Nystrom, who knit the blight red sweater Described by host Bettv Lou Varnum as a “very Floppy wore even on the muggiest of Iowa f'-'f J gentle, friendly, accepting kind of program,” it Suite Fair days. Pet Corner was canceled, but incorporated three main puppets; Catrina Ellett and Floppy were offered their own chil Crocodile, Gregory Lion, and Dusty Unicorn dren’s show later in 1957, called The Cartoon in its unrehearsed, unscripted dialogues. Shof). Varnum recently explained that WOI “didn’t have a line in the budget for puppets—it was all volunteer.” Most of the volunteers, includ ARTOONS and film shorts were anoth ing production manager Ed Weiss and educa er necessary ingredient for locally pro tional broadcast director Red Varnum, the duced children’s programming, espe executive producer, and a publicity director, cially after Hanna-Barbera pioneered were part of WOI’s management team. Cpartial animation techniques using fewer Perhaps the best-known puppet character in drawings and repeated backgrounds, which Iowa was a dog named Floppy (so much so made cartoon production far cheaper. As that in 1983 Des Moines Registers “Iowa Boy,” industry chronicler George Woolery observed, columnist Chuck Offenberger, would declare cartoons were “routinely dropped in a multi Floppy recognition to be part of his “residency purpose format which fused many elements test . . . [of] questions every real Iowan should too costly to produce as separate programs

72 THE PALIMPSEST locally0 . . . the cartoons were seen between the games, songs, storytelling, crafts, and contests. . . . Nothing that would unduly tax the interest or attention span of a viewer.” Ernie Mims, a.k.a. Captain Ernie of Davenport’s WOC-TV’s Captain Ernie's Show Boat, produced from 1964 to 1974, called cartoons his show’s ‘‘main product.” Unfortunately, there were only a few animat- ed film packages available at the time for dis Duane Ellett’s pup tribution, and as a result, the same cartoons pet family. From were repeated over and over again. In 1987, left, Uncle Taffy, Duane Ellett explained his rationale for the Standeen, Floppy, redundancy: “People say, ‘why don’t you get Matilda the Book some new cartoons?’ and our theory is, keep worm. Scary Mary, and The Inspector using the same cartoons and bringing new (whose earlier career children along. It’s a lot more economical that

was introducing Mr. way.w ” Magoo cartoons on Despite the limited cartoon availability, Iowa Ellett’s show). children’s shows did not all use the same pack-

v; COLLECTION (OES SMSl MOINES)

Heavy cameras, inexpensive sets, and lots of young guests typified locally produced children's shows. This set was used by Duane Ellett and Floppy in the mid-1960s.

SUMMER 1994 73 locally . . . the cartoons were seen between the games, songs, storytelling, crafts, and contests. . . . Nothing that would unduly tax the interest or attention span of a viewer.” Ernie Mims, a.k.a. Captain Ernie of Davenport’s WOC-TV’s Captain Ernie's Show Boat, produced from 1964 to 1974, called cartoons his show’s “main product.” Unfortunately, there were only a few animat- ed film packages available at the time for dis Duane Ellett’s pup tribution, and as a result, the same cartoons pet family. From were repeated over and over again. In 1987, left, Uncle Taffy. Duane Ellett explained his rationale for the Standeen, Floppy. redundancy: "People say, ‘why don’t you get Matilda the Book worm. Scary Mary, some new cartoons?' and our theory is, keep and The Inspector using the same cartoons and bringing new (whose earlier career children along. It’s a lot more economical that was introducing Mr. wav./ ” Magoo cartoons on Despite the limited cartoon availability, Iowa Ellett’s show). children’s shows did not all use the same pack- SHSI (PHOTO BY CHUCK GREINER) constrained by tight budgets and heavy cam be able to answer”). Floppy made his first eras that didn't easily move to other settings. appearance in 1957 on WHO-TV’s Pet Corner, a Puppets and puppet sets could be constructed show sponsored by the Des Moines Animal cheaply, and only one person would have to Rescue League to find homes for unwanted be hired to make several puppets come alive. pets and to teach pet care, where he was origi Even better, that person might also double as nally called “Mr. Dog.” Creating Floppy was a the show's host. collaborative effort by the show’s host, Duane

In Iowa, one of the first, longest running, Ellett, who carved the head from balsa wood COLLECTION OUANE ELLETT SHSl(OES MOiNE and best-loved of the local children's shows in his home workshop; Ellen's wife, Lois, who was The House with the Magic Window, produced sewed the body; and Ellett’s mother-in-law, by WOI-TV of Ames beginning in 1951. Cora Nystrom, who knit the bright red sweater Described by* host Bettv / Lou Varnum as a ‘Very / Floppy wore even on the muggiest of Iowa gentle, friendly, accepting kind of program,” it State Fair davs./ Pet Corner was canceled, but incorporated three main puppets; Catrina Ellett and Floppy were offered their own chil Crocodile, Gregory Lion, and Dusty Unicorn dren’s show later in 1957, called The Cartoon in its unrehearsed, unscripted dialogues. Shop. Varnum recently explained that WOI “didn't have a line in the budget for puppets—it was all volunteer.” Most of the volunteers, includ ARTOONS and film shorts were anoth ing production manager Ed Weiss and educa er necessary ingredient for locally pro tional broadcast director Red Varnum, the duced children’s programming, espe executive producer, and a publicity director, cially after Hanna-Barbera pioneered were part of WOI’s management team. partial animation techniques using fewer Perhaps the best-known puppet character in drawings and repeated backgrounds, which Iowa was a dog named Floppy (so much so made cartoon production far cheaper. As that in 1983 Des Moines Register's “Iowa Boy,” industry chronicler George Woolery observed, columnist Chuck Offenberger, would declare cartoons were “routinely dropped in a multi ------■ ■ ------— ^ --- Floppy recognition to be part of his “residency purpose format which fused many elements Heavy cameras, inexpensive sets, and lots of young guests typified locally produced children s shows. This set was test . . . [of] questions every real Iowan should too costly to produce as separate programs used by Duane Ellett and Floppy in the mid-1960s. SUMMER 1994 73 72 THE PALIMPSESI As a member of the

/ agree To obey my Father and Mother

To observe all safety rules

To attend church regularly To always be a good sport

To be a good citizen To always be honest

- V* , , ’ ’ f-* M f * 1 i • in

* ^ * _ * Opposite: Canyon Kid membership card and, below, a occurred towards the end of each show when "special guest." Once a week the children could bring the children in the studio were invited to pets on the show; Jim Henry recalls the time a child’s share their best (or worst) jokes with Floppy, raccoon ate another child’s turtle. So goes live TV. “beep” his nose, and perhaps give him a kiss. Host Duane Ellett and Floppy patiently suf ages. Betty Lou Yarn urn's Magic Window fered through countless renditions of “Why showed only/ non-violent cartoon shorts like did the man put the car in the oven? Because Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings and black he wanted a hot rod!” and “What is the biggest and white film shorts of Tales from the pencil in the world? Pennsylvania!” They Riverbank. Most Varnum recently explained, “I always responded with a hearty laugh and a turned down some awfully popular cartoons” positive comment like, ‘That was a good one, because they were too violent or taught chil honey.” dren negative stereotypes. Beginning in 1954, After a number of years of the same jokes, KTIY-TV of Sioux City used Buck Rogers and Ellett tried to “retire” some of the worst of Flash Gordon movie serials from the 1930s as them to the “Riddle Hall of Fame.” He the basis for their Commander 4 program, recalled that it was a disaster: “I learned my which featured local host Red Quilleash lesson. I would try to get some of the kids to dressed as a futuristic space pilot. Quilleash change their riddle and they would cry. So I appeared on a stage set of flashing lights, gave up and decided to let kids be kids.” introduced the episode, and read viewer mail. In a recent interview with IPTV, Ernie Mims of Davenport station WOC-TV’s Captain Ernie's Show Boat remembered that having local chil UDIENCE PARTICIPATION was per- dren on the show was an important part of its i . haps the strongest and most unique success. The show “provided a vehicle for i draw to local kids' shows. As Jim youngsters and kids to be on TV,” and allowed J■ Henry, Sioux City KVTV’s “Canyon for local (though short-lived) fame, Mims Kid," recently reflected, in “television’s early explained. “They could say, ‘Hey Billy, I'm years . . . there was no difference between going to be on Captain Ernie's with the cub local television and network television. . . . I scouts so be sure to watch.’ ” mean, you were on television . . . and it didn’t Tied to the idea of audience participation make any difference if you were coming from was the role that each show’s host played in New York or from Sioux City. Wherever it was, the community outside of the show itself. they were impressed.” Canyon Kid appeared at small-town celebra Sioux City-areaj children visited Canyon j tions, county fairs, schools, hospitals, and char Kid’s show on their birthday, or with their itable events, and he always drew a crowd. scout troop, other organizations, friends, or Floppy and Duane Ellett made annual appear family. On Tuesdays they brought their pets to ances at the Iowa State Fair, as well as at hun share with the television audience. On dreds of town centennials and other local cele Wednesdays, they participated in Canyon's brations. The participation was thus two-way: drawing contest on the set and at home, and children could visit their local TV heroes by on Thursdays, children made their debuts appearing on their favorite show, and the singing, dancing, and playing instruments. hosts and puppets would visit children on the Some hoped to use the appearance as a other side of the screen, in their own commu springboard to other appearances and future nities, as well. lame (and some, like rocker Tommy Bolin, Not all successful shows used audience par succeeded). Henry estimates that over 70,000 ticipation. Magic Window did not include visits appearances were made by Sioux City-area by children viewers, partially because of the children, some visiting the show six or seven constraints of the facilities, but mostly because times. Betty Lou Varnum wanted each child viewer to The most famous (or infamous) form of receive her undivided attention. “For that half- audience participation on The Floppy Show hour of the show, ” she explained, “each child

SUMMER 1994 75 Floppy tours Iowa! Riding inside this well-traveled suit case, Floppy made up to fifty personal appearances a year, including (clockwise, from top left) 1966 Boone speedway; 1984 Iowa State Fair; Oska- loosa mall celebration (where he shared billing with Harold Hughes, former governor and U.S. senator); 1966 Pella Tulip Festival; Emmetsburg celebra tion; and Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, 1985.

Glam orous Mrs* Shamrock

Po&cant

Friday, March 18

7 :3 0 p-m.

Corrigan Hall

Emmetsburg’s 17th Annual

m CELEBRATION Yh March 18 -19 -20

Drawing tor 1,000 Bill *1 M D onation

TEEN DANCE SATURDAY * Featuring the "K itt" Band WIGHT / at lmwmt **' banquet ' BINGO Home Talent Show ^ S jt u r d i, Sunday, March 20th - 2 p.m. Tin*51 Corrigan Hall ^ A Entertainment From A il Age* /I Epr A ll Age* Under Chairmanship of Cytnder lio n s Clob Grand Opening Oct. 12,13, 14

Harold Hughes Duane Ellett & Floppy Sat. O ct. 14 at 2:30 P.M O ct. 13 at 4:00 P.M.

FAIRMONT FUTURA 1979 RED FORD Many Other Prizes Also! Register At Each Store ^ was at the center of my attention. I wanted shows were “usually hosted by some kind of them to feel that I was speaking directly to father figure with little interest in the needs or each one of them.” wants of children. He was usually an actor/announcer of limited talent. . . . HE FOURTH INGREDIENT used in Producers created a whole new panoply of successful children’s television pro authority figures to supply banal programs for grams of the 1950s was an adult host. In kids. There were Captains, Admirals, Circus retrospect, many of the hosts of local Ringmasters, Policemen, Firemen, Canadian children's shows seem unlikely choices. Few of Mounties, Foreign Legionnaires, and lots of them had had any kind of training in working clowns and cowboys. Most of them were sales- with children, and most were radio announc men, and program hosts secondarily. They ers and technicians “temporarily” assigned to were neither emotionally or educationally pre take over the new kids’ show on the local TV pared to be the TV Pied Pipers of America’s station. children.” Jack Kuney, a producer of children’s shows In the case of Iowa’s children’s shows, for CBS, recalled cynically that local kids’ Kuney’s observations about the lack of train- SH$» (COURTESYSH$» JIMHENRY) “Canyon Kid” Jim Henry interviews Hoot Gibson, circa 1953. Cowboys were standard fare on many children’s shows, like Henry’s in Sioux City, Iowa.

78 THE PALIMPSEST

DUANE EILETT COLLECTION. SHSI (DES MOINES) et owr pann te show’s the clubhouse work planning to went whatsoever. knewmanager] [Theas much . .. youprobablycould this." do explained, Henry daily “visitors"as friends puppet in their and hosts the with up grewIowans who of sands talents, and abilities their about judgment His accurate.whole, the on are, hosts of ing WHO-Radio’s on Rider” Ghost singing “ hn rdojunls cas neetd him class interested radio journalism a when here, experience any had Nobody . . . new. responded, manager the recentlyrecollected, heas but, one, no of think could Henry one. some recommend to station Henry asked The show. manager kids' a host for to looking someone began and 1953 in to City KVTV Sioux came when Theater Community homestheir by way of televisionthe screen. thou by loyaltyfelt deep and fondness the of light in unfair and harsh however, seems DanceFrolic. the as career broadcasting began his Ellett Duane 80 THE PALIMPSEST THE 80 formatset. and “becausesona itwas easiestthe costume,” and said,soIwesternachose ‘Sure.' " per Henry And did. I as programming children’s about a y r ad a atnig rk University Drake was attending lawyer, and “You'llthisthat was have understand to brand “Howabout you?Why youit?don't do 1 mean, J J J s i Hnyws cie n h Sox City Sioux the in active was Henry |im un Elt oiial wne t b a be to wanted originally Ellett Duane Photo 1950. circa Iowa Barn

groundwerea typical craftproject. ih simple shapes.with tissue The paper back in flowers peteer,and onartist Kalamaja Fred” "Mr. was manager, a production pup ah oa ae. h so' oiiaos in originators show's for The area. local teacher/host each different a with program e agt hlrn o t da pcue b starting by pictures draw to how taught children He ece-otsapaac t te show’s the out- to appearance teacher-host's like shows on conversations dialogues topicsfor and the choosing in dom Baltimore scripted everything from the the from everything scripted Baltimore Magic Window. Romper Room unscripted free-wheeling, the to contrast in shows, their locally one show standsproduced local other children’s shows. of cational content edu higher the explain to helps background schoolEnglish in teacher Wisconsin, withboth askedinterviewto show,thefor she washigha training and experience in education. Her Her education. in experience and training was Varnum When training. her of terms Floppy was created. with duction on Rider" Ghost n 1947,in playing singing guitarthe and as‘The RadioWHOattookjoba He broadcasting. in 1957,he was involvedin WHO'stelevision pro While most hosts had nearly complete free nearlycomplete hosts hadWhile most BettyinexceptionisVarnumLou notable a e CornerPet The House with the Magic Window. oa an Dance BarnFrolic. Iowa MagicWindow , the show for which for show the , was nation-widea Floppy tocompared SHSI (COURTESY WOI-TV)(COURTESY SHSI o even or By

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Souvenir book from The Dr. Max Show urged young viewers to do all the right things.

line and topic. And then, of course, there were pregnancy was carefully concealed on the the Romper Room brand toys, such as hobby show with a long dark cape and hoop skirt, horses that the children played with on the allegedly made for her by the little people in show and viewers could purchase in their local the magic forest. toy store. (One grassroots watchdog group. Action for Children’s Television, in 1969 found that 16/4 minutes of the 30-minute DUCATION WAS NOT the ultimate Romper Room broadcast comprised “one long goal of most of the locally produced commercial for Romper Room products.”) children’s programming. Certainly, The Even Magic Window had its constraints. House with the Magic Window had a repu While host Betty Lou Varnum was given some tation of having more educational content freedom in regards to program content, her than most shows, with its craft activities, pup-

SUMMER 1994 81 1/eKY Second HeArT p m t s f LtT4 \ Of TffE day Tf N OtfE HUNDRED not forgit TML HARDWORKING h iL L '°M ReD BlPoD DIGESTIVE ) TAKING \ SVSTLW / MY TUMMY CEU.S are destroyed HUMD^ED MBS OUT TO Tt V LU N C H / AMD REplACe d

HbaKT PtiMpS Four TH°0$dWt> 2^,2-MO qALLOM^j OF BREATHS IN 2.H Bl^oD x HOURS On The Floppytown Gazette weekend show (1982-1987), B looD Courses Ellett used all his puppets and through OWE HUf^PRED eyes drew cartoon posters like this USE uP ^ OF TH°0SaHP Mi Le s o f 2/ one to present information DLooD Ve s s e l s Vour NtRl/d^S for his young audience. EMEROy Above: the Gazette set.

DUANE ELLETT COLLECTION. SHSI (DES MOINES)

pets, and educational film shorts from be kind to your friends . . . obey your mother Encyclopedia Britannica. Nevertheless, most and father ... go to church.” Iowa children’s shows tried to serve some “Dr. Max” Hahn of Cedar Rapids’s WMT- small educational function. As “Canyon Rid” TV’s The Dr. Max Shoiu handed out booklets J ]im Henry explained, the main purpose of with space for children to write “important “this show, in my mind, was to entertain the notes and messages I receive each day from children. . . . If we could give them some infor Dr. Max” and “Dr. Max Rules For the Day," mation along the line, if we could give them which included “brush my teeth . . . finger educational ideas, that’s swell, that was fine.” nails clean ... go to Sunday School or church Part of the membership package for the of my choice . . . read lots of good books." Canyon Kid Club included a membership card Commander 4 from KTTV in Sioux City sent that included what Henry described as “hints his fans cards with bicycle safety tips and rules on how to get along in the world. You know, for living. (First though, the cards had to be

82 THE PALIMPSEST decoded with a special device from “Space engaged in out-of-home activities. Another Legion Headquarters.”) early study appeared in Public Opinion In Des Moines, Floppy’s 1982-1987 week Quarterly in 1949. The study’s interview data end show was The Floppytown Gazette. In this suggested that TV brought families together, show, Ellett used all his puppet characters and bridged generation gaps, and formed new added educational information. In between friendships. The authors concluded that TV cartoons, Floppy, Matilda the Bookworm (who was “stimulating new interests within the fami championed reading), Scary Mary, Standeen ly, a new awareness of the family unit, and (Floppy’s stand-in), Uncle Taffy, and the enlarging the immediate circle of social rela Inspector explored everything from skate tionships.” board safety and Halloween do’s and don’t’s The popular press played on this image, to the human body and weather facts. referring to television as “a member of the Despite the educational components, pro family." Architectural and women’s magazines ducers of children’s shows on commercial sta created the perfect space in the home for this tions generally believed that they needed pri “new member”—the “family room.” marily to entertain in order to hold their audi- Des Moines Register “Over the Coffee” colum ences. Increasingly, however, educators and nist Harlan Miller was less enthusiastic: parents wondered whether programming for “Frankly, I'm inclined to doubt rumors that the entertainment of children was at odds with the TV set is a new magnet that hugs the programming to educate children. In 1952, whole family together around the hearth this question would provide impetus for a stone," he wrote in 1950. “My theory is that purely educational network of stations to be lots of young people, if they don’t find enough broadcast across Iowa. As proposed in a report privacy around the TV set, will go where they to the governor by the Joint Committee on can neck.” Educational Television, the network would be At the same time, researchers were question funded by the state and by grants. This effort ing the quality of the time families spent was tabled in 1953, but would be resurrected together in front of the TV. A 1950 study by in the 1965 legislative session, leading to the Edward McDonagh that appeared in Sociology Iowa Public Broadcasting Network in 1968 and Social Research cautioned, “The television (now the Iowa Public Television Network). family during the evening hours is changing from a social group characterized by conversa MIDST THESE DEVELOPMENTS. tion to an audience sitting in the semidarkness and as the numbers of television sets and silently gazing at their commercially spon increased, .in acrimonious national sored entertainment via television.” M M debate was gaining heat The fields of Education journals raised concerns about education, psychology, sociolog)', mass com how television would affect children’s academ munication, and journalism, as well as the ic performance. One 1950 journal article cited popular press, were involved in a fractious dis complaints by parents of “over stimulating course about television. This debate reaches experiences which lead to sleepless nights and into the present, with many of its points of fatigued eyes" and the experience of a teacher conflict unresolved. At issue are the effects of who left the field “since she finds that she can TV viewing on the attitudes and behaviors of not compete with the antics of the favored children and families, and the question of comedians” and that school subjects were “no responsibility for such effects. match for the adventure and excitement of Early literature on the effects of television the cowboy programs.” This particular study, suggested that TV would have a positive effect however, argued that TV programming was on children and families. One of the earliest not to blame for such a suite of affairs; rather, studies was a qualitative study by psychologist it was lack of parental control of television Thomas Coffin in 1948. He reported that fam viewing that was at fault. ilies with TVs spent more time together, while Others worried that the popularity of televi families without TVs spent more time apart, sion would mean the death of print literacy,

SUMMER 1994 83 sparking a round of studies comparing media McCloskey recently recalled that “kids were consumption “before television" to “after tele making things, doing things, learning things, vision." One of these studies, a 1960 State not just sitting there." Program Manager Mike University of Iowa dissertation, compared sur LaBonia explained that “we wanted to prompt vey data of Des Moines children taken eight kids to do things for themselves. Ironically, we weeks before WOI-TV began its first broad wanted them to turn the television off and go casts to survey data from a similar sample try all the things they learned about.” eight years after the first broadcast. The study Because the show was not required viewing found that overall consumption of mass media for Des Moines students, however, it couldn't had increased dramatically, with television be dry, calling for experimentation with the dominating the media choices. Although elusive, perfect mix of education and enter motion picture attendance and radio listening tainment. The show used a varied format of were down, newspaper reading was not signifi educational film shorts, puppets, and field cantly affected, and leisure book reading had trips. It was popular among children; sixteen actually increased. thousand sent in requests to be members of As juvenile delinquency became a national the “KiDiPus Club.” obsession in the 1950s, television was inevi In the following year, 1968, Channel 11 tably implicated in the moral ruin of youth, (then KDIN after it was sold to the state) won just as dime novels, radio, and motion pictures a Ford Foundation grant to continue the had been in the past. Yet some parents argued block concept programming for Saturday as that TV helped to keep their children off the well as weekdays. The Saturday show was streets and out of trouble. BvJ the mid-1950s, called Volume See, and it was seen not only in public debate over TV and juvenile delinquen Des Moines, but also in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; cy culminated in a United Suites Senate sub Hershey, Pennsylvania; Austin, Texas; and committee, special reports, and calls for FCC Roanoke, Virginia. Each of the other four regulation. member stations submitted segments to be

BvJ 1962, FCC chairman Newton Minow was aired on the show in addition to the segments calling television a “vast wasteland” that was produced in Des Moines and the educational “just as tasteless, just as nourishing as dishwa films. The station in Hershey submitted seg ter.” Grassroots movements were growing that ments on puppet-making, featuring soon-to- would eventually lead to projects like the be-discovered Muppeteer Jim Henson and Children’s Television Workshop (CTW), and Henson's early versions of Sesame Street charac- shows like CTN’s Sesame Street. ters Bert, Ernie, and Kermit. Fred Rogers (who would become “Mr. Rogers" of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood) was at CTUALLY, Sesame Street modeled that time working at Pittsburgh educational , . parts of its format on two successful station WQED, was asked to host Volume See __ i programs broadcast by Des Moines but turned down the offer. Instead, KDIN ■ Channel 11 (KDPS). The station was chose a talented African-American named owned by the Des Moines school district, then Carl Williams, who played the straight man sold to the state, of Iowa in 1969. KDPS won a against such characters as Buford the Dragon, federal grant in 1967 to produce a three-hour Cy the Eye, a swami, and two acrobatic writers. daily block of children’s programming Although the shows were acclaimed, when the Monday through Friday. The block was divid grant sources dried up, the station could no ed into segments for each grade level, First longer afford to produce such large blocks of through sixth, and each section was coordinat children’s programs, and KiDiPuS Land and ed with the curriculum of the Des Moines Volume See were canceled. By that time, howev schools. er, national educational shows like Sesame Street The show, named KiDiPuS Land for the sta and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood were being pro tion’s call letters, was designed to create active duced and distributed by public television net rather than passive viewers. Cameraman Bob works. When Sesame Street was first in produc-

84 THE PALIMPSEST tion, the directors not only interviewed Carl pattern. In 1984, WHO officials decided to Williams for a role, but also talked to Volume cancel Floppy from its 3:00 p.m. time slot due Sees producers about their successful format to decreasing ratings, competition from new and methods. independent cable stations, and changing In fact, Iowa was an even earlier leader in viewer’s habits. Although then-station manag educational television. From 1932 to 1939, the er William Jackson admitted that it was hard to State University of Iowa’s station W9XK con- cancel a show that had been part of the sta ducted limited educational broadcasting and tion's schedule for twenty-seven years, Floppy technical experimentation. The station trans was replaced with Ijwe Boat reruns “to become mitted a total of 389 programs on nearly more competitive for the adult audience in everything from art to shorthand, drama to the late afternoon.” Floppy remained in the botany, using a “scanning disc” instead of a less desirable spots of 12:15-12:30 daily (Duane picture tube. and Friend) and a thirty-minuteJ show on week- In 1950, WOI-TV in Ames was established as ends {I'he Flopfrytoum Gazette), but these shows an educational TV station that ostensibly did not include the audience participation of would be insulated from the demands of com the 3:00 show, and hence the notorious jokes mercial TV. WOI was the first and for several were silenced. years the only station of its kind in the nation Protests were organized and loyal fans pick and “literally pioneered educational television eted the WHO studio. One mother argued, for the rest of the nation,” stated the Iowa “It's important to fight for good TV. Duane is Joint Committee on Educational Television in a good role model,” and a college student its 1952 report to the governor. “Iowa can be proud to have been the mecca of educational television.” WOI not only produced the nation’s longest-running children’s show, The House with the Magic Window, but also many other educational children’s shows like Iowa TV Schooltime which brought art and music instruction to children whose small school dis tricts could not provide such instruction in school, as well as programs on science and geography. WOI-TV was sold in 1994, bringing many changes at the station, including the cancella tion of Betty Lou Varnurn's The House with the Magic Window, one of the nation's last remain ing locally produced shows for kids.

N IOWA, locally produced children’s shows on commercial stations did not face public debate on their quality; instead their enemy was market forces. As the broadcasting day wasI extended and program schedules became more complex, children's shows were neglect ed completely or moved to less desirable time spots. As those time slots became lucrative for adult programming, and old network shows Fans picket WHO-TV in September 1984 when became cheaply available through syndication, Floppy’s live afternoon show was preempted by Love Boat reruns. As programming became more competi the children’s shows were shoved on to the tive, locally produced shows—like Ellett’s—which had Saturday morning lineup or canceled. once helped fill long hours of available air time, often The Floppy Show is a prime example of this lost out to nationally produced shows and reruns.

SUMMER 1994 85 pleaded, “Floppy is important to a lot of peo er, can and do provide an avenue for such ple.” It wasn’t enough to bring Floppy back to shows to reappear, and are an opportunity for his old slot and format. Ellett’s comment on children themselves to create, direct, and pro the cancellation was, “I've been in this busi duce shows of their own. ness 38 years and you learn that there are What has not changed, however, is the con peaks and valleys. You never know, Floppy may tinuing debate over the proper place of televi come back in all his splendor some afternoon, sion in the lives of America’s children and the some year. ” effects of television on their behavior, with vio J lence and passivity two particular areas of con oday, most of the shows Iowa children cern. This part of children's television history watch are produced and distributed at continues to be written, by tightening FCC the national level. One notable excep regulations, by network producers, by tion is the Iowa Public Television researchers, by grassroots protest movements, TNetwork, which was born of a 1952 FCC reguand by parents and children themselves. lation to reserve 242 channels in the broadcast As children today spend more time watching spectrum for educational use only. This was TV than they do in school, playing with peers, “as significant and far-reaching in its implica or reading books, the words of then-FCC chair tions as the Morrill Act of 1862 which created Newton Minow in 1961 on the age of televi the Land Grant college system in the United sion still ring true: ‘Just as history will decide States,” according to a 1962 publication of the whether the leaders of today’s world employed U.S. Department of Health, Education, Sc the atom to destroy the world or rebuild it for Welfare. mankind’s benefit, so will historv decide The advent of cable television has meant whether today’s broadcasters employed their numerous choices for child viewers. At almost powerful voice to enrich the people or any time of day, a “channel-surfing” child debase them.” □ might flip to a slick cartoon series produced by an international production giant like Walt NOTE ON SOURCES The author would like to thank State Historical Society/ Disney Studios, watch Ninja Turtles eat of Iowa photo archivist Mary Bennett for her February 1994 oral history interview with “Canyon Kid" Jim Henry; Domino’s pizza, hear the classic strains of the Jerome Thompson, who curated the "Where s Floppy? " Sesame Street theme or the newer “I love you, exhibit, for his research on Floppy and the Ellett Collection; the producers of IPTY "s March 1994 broadcast you love me . . . ” of a certain notorious purple of TV We Grew Up On for their helpful interviews and dinosaur named Barney, even find whole sta information on numerous local children's shows; Bob McCloskey and Mike LaBonia for their KDPS memories; tions like Nickelodeon, the Disney Channel, Steve Kurtenback for VVOI photos; and Betty Lou and the Cartoon Network devoted to kids’ Varnum for her pleasant and helpful interview. Secondary sources on children’s television include shows and syndicated oldies. Indeed, many Carmen Luke, Constructing the Child Viewer: .4 History of the schools across Iowa and the nation begin their American Discourse on Television and Children 1956-1980 day with national television broadcasts from (New York, 1990); Lynn Spinel, Make Room for TV: J Television and the Family Ideal in Postwar America (Chicago, Whittle Communications’ Channel One, a fast- 1992); George Comstock, The Evolution of American Television (L ondon, 1989); and George VVoolery. paced news program with teenage hosts. What Children's Television: The First Thirty-five Years 1946-1981 is harder to find, however, is the local, ama (Metuchen, NJ, 1983). Reminiscences from early broadcasters include: Stephen teurish but lovable hosts and their puppet Davis, “It’s Howdy Doody Time," Television Quarterly 13(3) sidekicks. Local-access cable channels, howev- 1988; Jack Kuney, “Was There a Golden Age of Children's TV': or Life with Beany, Gumby, and Buffalo Bill,” Television Quarterly (1988); E, B. Kurtz, Pioneering in Educational Television 1932-1939 (Iowa City, 1959); and You can see Floppy and his sidekicks at the Richard Pack, “The Maybe Golden Days of Live Local State Historical Building in Des Moines, Television," Television Quarterly 12(4) 198*7. Information on Floppy was found in several Des Moines Tuesdays-Sundays. The “Where’s Floppy?” Register articles and the Duane Ellett Collection at the exhibit features puppets, photos, video State Historical Society of Iowa (Des Moines), and a WHO-TV special. Floppy: Thirty Years of Fun (May 1987 tapes, and memorabilia from the Society’s broadcast). An annotated copy of this article is held in the Palimpsest Duane Ellett Collection, some of which production files, State Historical Society of Iowa (Iowa appear in this article. City).

86 THE PALIMPSEST