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"Billy Johnson"
Can
Also
Be Found
at
These
Kaptain
Kidshow
Pages:
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EACH IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW
(Materials Provided By Billy Johnson. All rights reserved.)
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June 3, 1943
Entertainer Enters Marine Training
William R. Johnson, Jr, 18, has arrived at Parris Island Marine Base for his basic training. While at home in Silverton,
Bill was a well-known entertainer,
singer and guitarist, also a soloist
with the Withrow Minstrels.
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"The young singing cowboy"
Billy Johnson with guitar,
WMOH Radio,
Hamilton, Ohio, 1947.
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22-year-old
Billy Johnson posing
for a publicity shot
for WMOH Radio,
Hamilton, Ohio, 1947.
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"The
Billy Johnson Orchestra" (shown here with ten-pieces, a female vocalist
and Billy... all dressed in black) was quite popular.
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A new "Billy Johnson Orchestra" (shown here with six-pieces, a different female vocalist
and Billy on guitar... all dressed up in white) performed in and around Washington, DC during the 1950s.
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Billy performed on WKRC Radio's "Amber Room"... daily at 5:15p.m.
under the name "Jerry Evans",
along with the Wiegand Trio.
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WKRC Radio's
"Amber Room" show
was sponsored by
Wiedemann's Beer.
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In 1949, Billy joined Dayton's WLW-D TV in a 1-hour nightly show, Pauper‘s Penthouse, also fed to AVCO affiliates in Columbus, Oh., and Indianapolis, In.
Shown (l. to r.) are Arnie Recore, Billy, and Neil Van Ells (who would
later become a V.P. for NBC). The photo was shot by a fan off their TV
screen.
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Also while appearing on WLW-D,
Billy co-hosted his first kid's TV show, known as "Summer Pow-Wow"
(with Hank Stohl as "Chief Miami").
This day's guest was Milton Caniff, cartoonist of "Terry & The Pirates"
with an audience of Camp Fire Girls.
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After
serving again in active duty with the Marines during the Korean
Conflict, Billy would move to DC to star in his own kid's morning TV
show on WTOP-9. As this photo from the May 7, 1953 Post of a personal appearance would validate, Billy was a big hit with his audience.
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From 1953 through the mid-'50s, Billy would also use his powers of positive persuasion with kids in a series of
Fire Prevention radio programs for
the U.S. Forest Service, to be aired all around the country. His co-host, Smokey Bear, was voiced by Jackson Weaver.
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On September 1st, 1953, Billy's popularity led to a Washington Post story about his family. In the photo at left, "Boopie", age 2, (aka Billy the 3rd)
enjoys breakfast with his dad.
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CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE ARTICLE
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In that same Washington Post article, sister "Tita", age 5, (aka Teresa) joins her brother "Boopie" at the table
for a delicious bowl of cereal.
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Around 1955, Teresa Johnson, right, (with best friend Vicky Hammer) joined her dad for the National Press Club Father and Daughter Banquet which featured then V.P. Richard Nixon as the Guest Speaker.
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Watch For More
Photos From
Billy Johnson's Scrapbook
Soon!
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to
be continued...
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Billy Johnson Can Also
Be Found
at
These Kaptain
Kidshow Pages:
CLICK IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW
Billy Johnson, ill from heart problems,
died at age 81 on Christmas Day 2006
in the presence of his loving family.
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Photos
and articles courtesy of Billy Johnson. All
rights
reserved.
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All
Shows Originated From Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Studios
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Outstanding Sites
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Kaptain
Kidshow
Saluting
Vintage TV Kid Shows
Produced
In Washington, DC
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Page
Revised: 7/30/07
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