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Lariat Sam was developed by veteran game show announcer Gene Wood, then a show staffer (who also sang the cartoon's theme song). Other cartoons included Lariat Sam, who (aided by his loyal horse Tippytoes), confronted his nemesis Badlands Meanie and his sidekick Bushwhack. 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. However, sometimes the Captain could not get the keys to stay on the nail, and when they fell off, the theme music would begin playing again. Then he would put the Treasure House keys on a nail, and the music would stop. The show generally began with the theme music starting up, then the Captain would unlock and open the doors of the Treasure House from the inside, and viewers would catch their first glimpse of him. The show did not have a strict format, other than the entire program taking place in and around the Treasure House or the Captain's Place, where the Captain would interact with puppets, guests, or other members of the cast. Moose and the Captain's original navy blue jacket at the Smithsonian Institution Joyce Brothers as herself for three seasonsįormat Mr.
Captain kangaroo birthday song tv#
Whispers, Dancing Bear, Grandfather Clock, and Uncle Ralph he was the voice of Aniforms puppet TV Fred (a live-action on-screen puppet that appeared behind the blackboard in the Treasure House), and was the artist behind the Magic Drawing Board įrom left: Dancing Bear, Bunny Rabbit, Captain Kangaroo, Grandfather Clock, Mr.
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Moose (both of which he also created), Dennis the Apprentice, Willy, Miss Frog, Mr.
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Green Jeans, the New Old Folk Singer, Percy, Uncle Backwards, Mr. CBS canceled 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.
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Keeshan performed as the Captain more than 9,000 times over the nearly 30-year run of the show. Keeshan had portrayed the original Clarabell the Clown on NBC's The Howdy Doody Show during the network's early years.Ĭaptain 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. 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".
Captain kangaroo birthday song series#
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 to PBS and independent public stations until 1993. "Puffin' Billy" (The Captain Kangaroo Theme) (1955–1974) Ĭaptain Kangaroo is 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.
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