WGN's Frazier Thomas
MASSENGALE MELANIE O
at the time was not a superstation on cable but had excellent local
programming.
Among my favorite shows were GARFIELD GOOSE & FRIENDS and FAMILY CLASSICS.
Just wondered if anyone out there is familiar with these shows, both of
which were hosted by the inimitable Frazier Thomas. I believe Thomas has
died, but I'm not sure when. When did FAMILY CLASSICS and GARFIELD GOOSE
stop running?
Melanie
mass...@spot.colorado.edu
Tara O'Shea
MASSENGALE MELANIE O <mass...@spot.Colorado.EDU> wrote:
>Just wondered if anyone out there is familiar with these shows, both of
>which were hosted by the inimitable Frazier Thomas. I believe Thomas has
>died, but I'm not sure when. When did FAMILY CLASSICS and GARFIELD GOOSE
>stop running?
Well, I think Fraser Thomas (who was also on The Bozo Show when I
was little) died in the mid 1980s, because I remember watching Family
Classics with him, and then they hada the fellow who does the movie
reviews on WGN's news host FC, but it just isn't the same.
Mind you, I remember when Bozo retired (I lived in Chicago until 1992,
and WGN was a major part of the first 17 years of my life). Life
was never the same after that.
LJC
--
joh...@hydra.unm.edu * "Hello, Dad. How are you?" *
Lady Johanna Constantine * "I'm dead, son." *
or just plain Tara * a Fraser family reunion, Due South 12-15 *
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Lori Lucas
>Ah, yes. I do remember these shows. And you forgot the Ray Raynor show.
>Gosh, reading your post brought back fond memories of "The Canterbury Ghost",
>Gulliver's Travels, The Blue Bird, Boys Town,... I could go on and on.
I remember these too! Remember Cuddley Duddley. We begged and begged Dad to
subscribe to the Trib so we could get our "life-size" Cuddley Duddley in his
cardboard airplane.
Lori Lucas
ljl...@lookout.ecte.uswc.uswest.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The opinions expressed are my own and probably not shared by U S WEST Comm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kim Leburg
WGN was part of my growing up years but I remember Bozo being on at noon
with real circus acts and then during the summer we'd watch the Cubs
afterwards...
>
> >Just wondered if anyone out there is familiar with these shows, both of
> >which were hosted by the inimitable Frazier Thomas. I believe Thomas has
> >died, but I'm not sure when. When did FAMILY CLASSICS and GARFIELD GOOSE
> >stop running?
>
> Well, I think Fraser Thomas (who was also on The Bozo Show when I
> was little) died in the mid 1980s, because I remember watching Family
> Classics with him, and then they hada the fellow who does the movie
> reviews on WGN's news host FC, but it just isn't the same.
Kim Leburg
leb...@mgmt.purdue.edu
Krannert Computing Center
Purdue University
West Lafayette IN 47907-1310
MASSENGALE MELANIE O
>Melanie Massendgale) writes:
>>>I grew up in Chicago in the 60s. We always watched WGN Channel 9, which
>>>at the time was not a superstation on cable but had excellent local
>>>programming.
>>
>>>Among my favorite shows were GARFIELD GOOSE & FRIENDS and FAMILY CLASSICS.
>>
>>>Just wondered if anyone out there is familiar with these shows, both of
>>>which were hosted by the inimitable Frazier Thomas. I believe Thomas has
>>>died, but I'm not sure when. When did FAMILY CLASSICS and GARFIELD GOOSE
>>>stop running?
>Then Brenda wrote;
>>Ah, yes. I do remember these shows. And you forgot the Ray Raynor show.
>>Gosh, reading your post brought back fond memories of "The Canterbury Ghost",
>>Gulliver's Travels, The Blue Bird, Boys Town,... I could go on and on.
>I remember these too! Remember Cuddley Duddley. We begged and begged Dad to
>subscribe to the Trib so we could get our "life-size" Cuddley Duddley in his
>cardboard airplane.
Yes! Cuddley Duddley originally had a cardboard doghouse. Next year he got
the plane, I think. He might have had a car, too.
You could also order your very own Garfield Goose, Rhomberg Rabbit and (I
forget the Sherlock-Holmes-looking dog character's name) hand puppets from
the station.
Garfield was called "King of the United States" and Thomas was his prime minister. Every once in a while Garfield would lose it and start flapping his card-
board beak at Thomas. Then his king's crown would slip down over one eye.
I really enjoyed the cartoons: Hercules ("Winner of ancient glory"), Clutch
Cargo, and The Golden Antelope.
FAMILY CLASSICS was great. I first saw the old 1938 ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
(produced by David O. Selznick of GONE WITH THE WIND FAME) on the show, and
my favorite sci-fi flick of all time, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951, with
Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal).
Regards,
Melanie
mai...@nd.edu
>From: mass...@spot.Colorado.EDU (MASSENGALE MELANIE O)
>Subject: WGN's Frazier Thomas
>Date: 15 Mar 95 21:35:48 GMT
>Melanie
>mass...@spot.colorado.edu
Ah, yes. I do remember these shows. And you forgot the Ray Raynor show.
Gosh, reading your post brought back fond memories of "The Canterbury Ghost",
Gulliver's Travels, The Blue Bird, Boys Town,... I could go on and on.
--Brenda
nancy mathews
: ljl...@mover.it.uswc.uswest.com (Lori Lucas) writes:
: Regards,
: Melanie
:
Hi all,
I gew up in the late 50's and sixties Chicago land area
(Hammond, IN) to be specific.
I think the Sherlock Dog was Beuregard Burnsides the third,
I also think there was a Macintosh Mouse, that was supposedly shy,
and sat up with his feet on the ledge, (Am I remembershing this right?)
Also there was Garfield Goose's Mother (I think) You know the goose
with the granny glasses and shawl, I think an ear trumpet
You neglected to mention Hardrock, Coco, and Jo (Low note here) :)
Also Pow Wow the Indian Boy, loves all the animals in the woods....
And I think in the seventies or late sixties,
Trick and Treat (Where the magic hands would show you how to do
tricks)
Funny Company (Don't remember much about this, except I think there
was a shrinking violet or something like that)
Also Space Angel, that had the same people that did Clutch Cargo.
I always thought it was funny that the voice that did Clutch's
pal, spinner did the girl's voice on Space Angel (I can't remember
her name)
I always thought it was cute the way the theater screen was on
the front of the castle wall (or what was supposed to be the
castle wall) I know Fraier Thomas needed vactaions, but I just
hated it when that Andy character (you know the guy with the white
hair and mustache, usually wore a checked shirt, almost looked like
an old timer prospect) substituted for him.
While you're mentioning Ray Rayner, don't forget he hosted Bozo's
Circus, after Ring master Ned died. Ray at one time was on
WGN radio in the mornings too.
I wanted a cuddley duddly, but we lived in Hammond, and Daddy wouldnt
get a subscription to the Trib. :(
How much is that doggie in the window? The one with the cuddly tail?
Ah the memories.
Fraiser Thomas died some time in the early or mid eighties I think.
I'm not sure when they stopped running Garfield Goose. Some time in
the seventies I think. I don't know, but it was still on when I
came down to college here in 1971, so it stopped sometime after that.
Nancy
nmat...@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu
"Imagination is the spice of life"
James M. Gridley
Ray Raynor could really carve a turkey. How about the turtle races, trips to Brookfield zoo (Arc in the Park) and Chelveston the Duck ( I actually met the duck one day). Last I knew Ray was in Santa Fe and doing the weekend weather. Still wearing awful suit coats. WGN really make growing up a lot better.
BTW the dog on Garfield Goose was calle Bueregard (SP).
---
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Cheryl Dragel
>
> Ray Raynor could really carve a turkey. How about the turtle
> races, trips to Brookfield zoo (Arc in the Park) and Chelveston
> the Duck ( I actually met the duck one day). Last I knew Ray
> was in Santa Fe and doing the weekend weather. Still wearing
> awful suit coats. WGN really make growing up a lot better.
What about when Ray would make little craft projects? There would be a
sample made by his assistant Chauncey, then Ray would make the same thing.
Of course, his attempts were always totally pathetic. It was a hoot!
Also, remember the holiday cartoons on the Frazier Thomas show? There was
"Susie Snowflake" and "Hardrock, Coco, and Joe." We used to love those.
--
Cheryl Dragel
dra...@beatty.slip.netcom.com
Austin, Texas
Andrew Teton
> : >Melanie Massendgale) writes:
> : >>>I grew up in Chicago in the 60s. We always watched WGN Channel 9,
> : >>
> : >>>Among my favorite shows were GARFIELD GOOSE & FRIENDS and FAMILY
CLASSICS.
>Another Chicago favorite: Uncle Johnny Koons. My memory of the show is
dim, but I lived and Wilmette and remember we went by his house a few
times which made a big impression on me. Anyone else remember this show?
Susan Hodges
Yes! I'd forgotten all about those--now it all comes flooding back, over
20 years later--I can remember the Susie Snowflake song....Scary.
And of course Ray Raynor. He was my favorite. For some reason, I still
think occassionally about a really bad production number he did to some
song about Dallas ("Big D-A-Double L-A-S"). Very sad.
Does anybody growing up in Chicagoland in the late 60s/early 70s (or
maybe in other parts of the country too, if it was syndicated) remember a
show called "The Magic Door?"
-Susan
dr...@earthlink.net
Ray Rayner actually did three different shows a day at one point. In the morning he had the Ray Rayner show. At noon he was Oliver O. Oliver on Bozos circus. Then he was an astronaut on an afternoon kids show. Eventually he quit all but the morning show until he retired.
And Trick an Treat With The Magic Hands was Martial Brodine, who played Wizzo on Bozos Circus.
And don't forget Cookie. He was the hand in the puppets on Garfield Goose.
Finally there was a silent clown for a while, Sandy the Tramp. But he didn't last long.