Tom Shales reflects on 'Kukla, Fran and Ollie'

The Washington Post ^ | March 29, 2010 | Tom Shales

[TBP]

How painful to see "Kukla, Fran and Ollie" consigned to somebody's slapped-together Internet list of "Forgotten TV Shows." Forgotten? Not by untold thousands for whom the adventures of Kukla, Fran and Ollie were once as integral to a day as eating breakfast, going to school or teasing your sister.

For some boomers, "K, F and O" may have been the first television show they ever really loved -- not some prefabricated folly to be lumped in with "Holmes and Yo-Yo" or "Baggy Pants and the Nit-Wits" or others in the ranks of the forgotten.

To help keep it remembered, fans of the show and colleagues of its creator, the gifted Burr Tillstrom, have reissued five episodes from a latter-day revival and packaged them in a five-disc 60th anniversary commemorative-edition DVD set.

[TBP]

Normally, I dislike Shales (a screeching liberal), but I share his love of this great early kids' TV series. How much better off the world would be if kids had things like this today instead of the junk and propaganda that is fed to them by the Establishment.

I LOVED this show. It remains one of my favorites all these years later.

I am SO glad that it's out on DVD, even if it is just a few episodes. Perhaps more will follow. (One can only hope.) I'm looking forward to seeing all the Kuklapolitans again.

You can find the DVDs at http://www.kuklafranandollie.com/Kukla__Fran_and_Ollie.html

[Kirkwood]

I hated the show. I hated the show almost as much as I hated Howdy Doody. The only puppet show I liked was Garfield Goose and Friends.

[TBP]

How could you hate “Kukla, Fran and Ollie”?

[Kirkwood]

How can you not like a show where the host was some kind of military officer?

[freedumb2003]

>>The only puppet show I liked was Garfield Goose and Friends.<<

You never watched The Winchell Mahoney Hour?????? Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smith?

Paul Winchell is known to the world as the voice of Disney’s Pooh-Bear’s Tigger (which was Knucklehead Smith’s voice).

It was about that same time.

[JayVee]

If I recall correctly, “Kukla, Fran and Ollie” was the first childrens’ programing in the Chicago market, sandwiched in between the test patterns.

[Kirkwood]

I liked the Nestle commercials on that show more than the show itself. The puppets creeped me out.

Garfield rocked because he was a conservative agitator prone to violence. LOL.

[Kickass Conservative]

As a child I liked Beany and Cecil.

For those of you in Southern California, we had Engineer Bill on Channel 9 and Sheriff John on Channel 11. Hobo Kelly did nothing for me though. I was a bit too old when she showed up. LOL

I won a Frisbee from Engineer Bill at the Grand Opening of a Shopping Bag Grocery Store. Life was good.

Engineer Bill went on to be Stock Broker in the Valley. Not sure what happened to Sheriff John.

[freedumb2003]

>>As a child I liked Beany and Cecil.

For those of you in Southern California, we had Engineer Bill on Channel 9 and Sheriff John on Channel 11. Hobo Kelly did nothing for me though. I was a bit too old when she showed up. LOL

I won a Frisbee from Engineer Bill at the Grand Opening of a Shopping Bag Grocery Store. Life was good.<<

Engineer Bill went on to be Stock Broker in the Valley. Not sure what happened to Sheriff John.

Wow — Beanie and Cecil was Bob Clampett (and, if you get a chance go back and watch again — the wit and social commentary is rapier-like! Even moreso than Jay Ward (believe it or not).

Sheriff John (Rovick) is still alive, and will turn 91 next October. His positive influence on millions of Boomers continue to be his legacy.

I remember meeting Engineer Bill (Stulla) when I was in the single digits. Always with a smile and a laugh. Sadly, he passed in 2008 at the age of — get this — 97! I suspect that living a good and honest life extends it greatly (I am doomed to early demise by that measure!)

[Kickass Conservative]

All of a sudden I'm feeling a bit old. I think I was 10 or 11 when I met Engineer Bill, way back in the early 60’s!

Engineer Bill, Red Light / Green Light.

Sheriff John, Put another candle on your Birthday Cake...
To this day, I remember him hawking Maggio Carrots on his show.

[freedumb2003]

>>All of a sudden I’m feeling a bit old.<<

It isn’t sudden for me. But I will quote a good friend (and philosophizer) of mine:

“Everyone else gets old. We stay the same age all the time.”

[Ditto]

Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smith?

Now that was a funny show.

N-E-S-T-L-E-S

[freedumb2003]

Scotty watty doo doo

If you research it, you will see that the originals of the Jerry Mahoney Time show were destroyed by the network and Paul Winchell got $17 million.

But all that money to him can’t reinstate our stolen and destroyed childhood memories.

If we only had a time machine...

[Beowulf9]

All this reminiscing and not one mention of Shari Lewis and Lambchop???

For shame........

Shari, darling, I love you and I love little Lammy’s. Sweetheart, come back to us, we really need your ‘adorable’.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Puppets and marionettes were weird. But the strangest kids show of all was the one sponsored by Buster Brown Shoes, starring Andy Devine and that rubber frog (”Plunk your magic twanger, Froggy!”). What was THAT about?!?!?

[TBP]

All this reminiscing and not one mention of Shari Lewis and Lambchop???

And Charey Horse. Another of my favorites. I had Kukla and Ollie puppets and I also had a LambCho puppet. Among the collecction of stuffed creatures in our house, mingled in with bears and others, is Lamb Chop. Shari Lewis, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and the lik -- kids today are SO deprived.

[TBP]

Paul Winchell inspired me to try my hadn at ventriloquism. Let’s say that I was good for a little kid, but not nearly as good as he was.

[TBP]

Yes, and the Kuklapolitans (the puppets) now reside at a museum in Chicago. The Chicago History Museum, I think.

Next time I’m in Chicago, I must go there and see them.

[freedumb2003]

He was quite the talent. Add in his being an inventor, including and especially an artificial heart that was essentially stolen by Jarvik, and you are talking a genius.

[TBP]

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=179962130&blogId=502210437

Did You Know That You Can “Adopt” A Kuklapolitan?

Every year, The Chicago History Museum allows the public to sponsor, or “adopt,” its famous artifacts. Since the museum has given the Kuklapolitans their forever home, it is only natural that they be included in the fund raising.

So that each Kuklapolitan gets his (or her, sorry Buelah!) day in the sun, the characters are rotated every year. Fletcher Rabbit is the Kuklapolitan adoptee for 2009.

The cost of adoption is anywhere from $35 to over $1000. This fund raising effort helps the museum with the upkeep of the wonderful treasures they hold. This might include a day at the hairdresser for Madame Ooglepuss, some polish for Ollie’s tooth, a tune-up for Buelah’s broom or starch for Fletcher’s floppy ears (on special occasions).

If you would like more information on adopting Fletcher, or several other items up for adoption, please go to the Museum’s website:

http://www.chicagohs.org/support/adopt/index

If you adopt an artifact you receive a personalized adoption packet, which includes a certificate of adoption, a picture of your artifact, and a description of its historical significance. There are many other benefits to adoption, all of which can be found at the link above.

Fletcher hopes you will adopt him and help support the Kuklapoitans’ home at the Chicago History Museum!