It’s Howdy Doody time!

Most kids today don’t realize that a freckle-faced puppet from the 1940s was a trailblazer for kid’s television programs of today. Created in 1947 by Bob Muir and produced at Studio 3A at NBC’s studio at Rockefeller Center, “Howdy Doody” came to life on the “Puppet Playhouse” show. The character was first popularized on radio and only known as a voice provided by Bob Smith. That same Bob Smith became “Buffalo Bob,” the show’s cowboy styled host.

As Howdy’s popularity grew, the demand for his likeness in toy form grew as well. Macy’s approached the actual creator of the figural puppet, Frank Paris, for the rights to produce a doll, but it was Bob Smith who owned the rights. This caused arguments between the two men, and Paris would often “kidnap” Howdy for days on end and the show would have to make up explanations to explain Howdy’s disappearance to the kids.

This problem was solved when Velma Dawson was hired to create a new Howdy puppet. Howdy had 48 freckles, one for each state. Of course he had to add a freckle in 1959 when Alaska became a state.

Howdy had several puppet friends as well as adult character friends who joined him on the show over the years; Heidy Doody, Mayor Phineas T. Bluster, Dilly Dally and the curious Flub-a-Dub were puppets. Clarabell the Clown (Bob Keeshan, who became Captain Kangaroo), Sir Archibald the Explorer and Chief Thunderthud, who coined the phrase “Kowabunga” long before Bart Simpson and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, were human characters.

We couldn’t talk about Howdy Doody without including the famous Peanut Gallery, which was the area of on-stage bleachers where the audience of children sat. Buffalo Bob would start the show with the famous question, “What Time is it?” Of course the kids would yell that it was “Howdy Doody” time and the theme song set to the tune of “Ta-ra-ra-Boom-de-ay” would start. The children would also help Howdy and Bob sing commercial jingles of the day.

The Howdy Doody show ended in 1960 with a surprise, which was revealing that Clarabell the Clown could actually talk. He never talked on the show but communicated through honking a horn or shooting seltzer bottles. Bob told him to prove he could talk and at the end of the show, he said “Goodbye Kids” with a tear rolling down his cheek.

The TV show “Happy Days” also paid tribute to Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob in an episode where Ritchie Cunningham wins a Howdy Doody look-alike contest and wins a trip to the show.

There is so much more information out there that you can read about this iconic children’s show but there is so much more that will fit in this article! Howdy Doody collectibles are also still quite desirable as the baby boomers relive their childhood through eBay! Happy Collecting!

Jillinda Falen has been buying and selling antiques for over 27 years and is a licensed REALTOR and estate liquidation specialist. You can contact her through the Houston Home Journal or via email at falen@windstream.net.

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