It has been a genuine pleasure visiting the site.

Question...is there any information about Dick Mansfield and his Safety Cavaliers? 

Inspector Mansfield of the DC Metropolitan Police had a TV show in the early 50's but eventually spent his time visiting schools all over the DC area promoting traffic safety.  He encouraged the kids to obey the school Safety Patrols and crossing guards, and to avoid jaywalking, among other things.

He was an artist who drew great caricatures with oil pastels during his presentations, and was one heckuva pianist.

His theme song, "We're Safety Cavaliers" was sung to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell."

Let's see if I can remember part of it:
"We're safety cavaliers,
we're safety cavaliers.
We ride our bikes.
We don't hitchhike.
We're safety cavaliers."

Is there anyone out there with a clue of who I'm talking about?

Paul Shugrue 

I enjoyed your web page...

I was on one of the earlier Bozo tv shows back around 1959-60?? I can't remember exactly when it was but was wondering if you might know of a way to possibly get a copy of a taping of the shows from back then.  I didn't know whether to contact the tv station (Ch 4) or not.

Thank you,
Jerry Richards

Hi.... I  lived as a child in Indian Head Maryland..... I remember sneaking down to Marshall Hall Amusement Park...... sitting down by the Potomac River...... oh how all the pictures bring back fond memories.

Joyce 

Hi.  I collect Romper Room toys and memorabilia. The audio clip you have of the old RR opening; I just got the video of it from 1960 and the teacher is Miss Nancy Rogers Claster when the show was airing on WJZ tv 13.  I have other episodes that I've been able to locate from Cleveland Ohio, Iowa, and Indiana. I also have a collection of different Romper Room pictures including an autographed pic of Miss Nancy from the 50's. I also have 3 different Romper Room Jack in the Boxes the one they made in the 50's, the Mattel one they made in 1960 and the Hasbro they made in 1970. The 1960 Mattel version is the one in the 1960 show in the opening. I also have many other toys like a Romper Room Colorform set with teacher and students on the Romper Room set.

Robert Forester 

As an alumnus of an appearance on the Uncle Artie Show, I seem to recall that people used to come on and tell about their backyard carnivals held to raise funds for research on muscular dystrophy. It was a big deal back then, and families staged elaborate mini-circuses. At least I think it was Uncle Artie who highlighted this activity.

I remember only a few things about my appearance, down at the WDCA studio off River Rd. First, I slid down the sliding board too soon, while the host was still listening to the joke that the kid who slid down before me was telling.

My joke was this: "How do you get six elephants into a Volkswagen?"

"Three in the front, and three in the back."

Some stagehand approached all the kids after the show and pressed upon us Verve Records lapel buttons that said, "Suzy Creamcheese, what's gotten into you? Freak Out with the Mothers of Invention." It was baffling to a little kid like myself, but I saved it--treasured it--and its meaning soon enough became apparent.

It is very likely that I am blurring which kids' show featured the MD carnivals--that was many moons ago.

I came across your site via Google.  I was telling my daughter a bedtime story last night--she always asks about my youth--and was recalling the show Romper Room.  So today at work I googled the title, hoping to confirm one of my few memories of the show--that it was hosted by a "Miss Connie."  Sorry to learn that Connie Bohlin died by her own hand some years ago.

I don't recall either Gormly or Johnson, but I do fondly recall Capt. Tugg (and Ranger Hal and Cousin Cupcake).  Fantail used to tease him, "Fanmail from some flounder?"  I remember Axel Grackle, too, and Commander Salamander. 

I was born in 1955.  I find, from reading comments on your site, that how old you were when you tuned into TV is an important determinant in what you recall.  For example, Uncle Artie aired for so brief a time that the demographic that is likely to be familiar with him is decidedly narrow.

I will turn more of my peers on to your site--it's quite a memory-jogger!  I'm impressed, also, by how close a fact-checker you are.  Keep up the good work.

Here's a question, too:  Who remembers the old kids' cartoon, "Beanie and Cecil?"

Rich McManus

Today in the shower, I tried to remember Billy Johnson. I thought from memory "Johnny Johnston"... I remembered Ginty ! I knew "Up the Lazy River". I was about 5... My, how Maryland has changed... I LOVED him... I typed Pick Temple into the search engine..and saw the reference to Billy Johnson. Thank You !!!

I am now 55, and I have actually found him ...I tried writing to several in DCto get info, but they couldn't help me. ... You will go on my favorites list. Is Mr Johnson still alive? I also remember the Lorenzo show..and a Shock Theatre Spook show host...

I lived in Calvert Holmes, Maryland. I ate Cheerios with chocolate milk, had a Bonnie Braids doll, and I watched Winky Dink and Billy Johnson. I adored Wally, and Ginty. You jogged my memory about his playing the records, and they sang slow or fast. Are there any video/film clips from that show? I almost started to cry when I found your site! Finding any information on Kids shows from that era is hard.

I do remember a show about a princess. An opening theme with a castle and a drawbridge, a castle moat? I also remember Kukla, Fran, and Ollie. I remember so many tiny details about things, but putting it all together takes team effort. I remember a man named Dick Mansfield.  I met him. I believe he was heavy set, and he drew. He was in a hotel broadcast station.

I think, the older I get the more I appreciate the past. I also remember Super Circus. Thank you for all the help today! 

 Miss Jandolin Marks 

Hi-

What a treat to come across this website. My brothers both sent the site to me. We were wondering if you came across our Dad who was "Sam the Safety Man." He was on Claire and CoCo a few times with his Trailways bus (may have been "Continental Trailways"). He gave safe driver and passenger tips. 

His full name was Samuel G. Athey, Jr. If you happen to come across anything, we'd love to know.

Again, great site. I loved Phoebe magazine at GMU.

Carolyn M. Dooley
GMU, 1987
 

Hi my name is Dave Athey and I was lucky enough to go to several Claire and CoCo shows when I was about 8 years old. The reason I went was my father Samuel G Athey was doing a small series on the show "Sam the Safety Man". My father worked for Trailways (Bus service) and his part of the series was a week long, showing various items about Trailways (learning to drive the bus etc.)

As my father passed away in 1984 and we only have photo's of him. Would it be possible to obtain tapes of that program? I would like give them to my mother so she can show them to all of her grandkids (which include my kids as well).

Also anyone remember the "Wilson Line"? 

Thanks in advance for your assistance in this matter, 

Dave Athey

Although I was never on the show, one of the neatest bits I remember Pick Temple doing was the one with the sledge hammers. He would take a boy and a girl out of the stands and give them each a sledge hammer and tell them to hold it straight out from their sides with one hand. The boy always got a real hammer and the girl always got a fake one. The girls could always hold it out and of course the boys never could.

Pick would then do a fake switch so you thought he gave each kid the other one, but the results were always the same. I seem to remember Pick would take each hammer and hold them both at the same time straight out from his shoulder; no mean feat with a real one, and then scratch his nose with each... still holding them straight out at arms length. He must have been in good shape.

Dave Beazley
Palmyra, VA
 

I was on the Uncle Artie show with my brother and sisters. We lived in Somerset just down the street from the station, (WDCA-TV 20). I remembered I was afraid of the slide and had to come around the slide to say "Hello". I do not remember what year it was though.

Harriet Haber