THE PANCAKE MAN/1960s Kid Show/KOKO THE CLOWN
Jim Burns
Hi--
Forgive me for going off topic here (!), but
there is a link between Laurel andHardy, and the old kids-TV show hosts,
of the 1950s, and 1960s, so--
I'm hoping that, someone here, on this news-group, might be able to
help!
A truly obscure show, from the mid-1960s, was THE PANCAKE MAN,
sponsored, I think, by the International House of Pancakes, broadcast
way early in the AM, on local New York TV.
The host--a jolly-looking fellow in--naturally!--chef's garb (hat and
all!)--showed cartoons (mostly Fleischer's OUT OF THE INKWELL/KOKO THE
CLOWN, if I recall correctly.)
(As another potential memory "jog": one friend thinks that the show's
opening credits may have featured a filmed location shot, of The Pancake
Man, on the roof of a house, with "The Pancake Man" song, playing in the
background... Of course, the remembered house, used in the shot, may
actually have been, an IHOP restaurant!)
Does anyone, here, remember ANYTHING about this show?
(Was it on just in New York, what station did it
use to be on, for how many years did it run...?)
Now, here's where it gets even more interesting, or stranger:
Recently, I discovered, on some web-sites, statements that THE PANCAKE
MAN was a LOS ANGELES kids-show... If so, of course, it must have been
syndicated, explaining its New York broadcast (but also leading one to
believe, that it must have been on, in other states...
Also, some of these sites, say that Hal Smith (Otis the Drunk, from ANDY
GRIFFITH, and many other roles (including, cartoon voice-overs)), played
THE PANCAKE MAN... Now, it seems odd, that a station would cast someone
known for playing a drunk, to host a kid's show... So, I'm wondering, if
anyone, here, can confirm this..
Plus, I seem to have a distinct memory of there being two DIFFERENT
actors, who played the
host...
The mystery thickens (just like a good pancake batter, I suppose...)!
Here's the final, odd, memory:
At some point, during the show's run, IHOP (International House of
Pancakes), DID do a tie-in, giving out a three-inch high,
rubber/eraser-type material, figure of THE PANCAKE MAN, as well as some
other character from the show...
My guess, is that the other toy giveaway, was Koko the Clown, but I'm
not sure...
I realize the above may all seem a little bizarre, but I've been curious
about this show, for years!
(Plus, if nothing else, the show has some importance in local TV
history, for serving as what had to be many youngsters' introduction, to
the Fleischers' non-POPEYE work...)
Again, ANY memories--particularly THE PANCAKE MAN'S NY station, and when
it ran--would be appreciated!
Now that I've been told the show originated in Los Angeles, I'd be
particularly interested in hearing of its California origins, as well!
Thanks!
Jim Burns
Joe Libby
Hardy. Could you tell us what it is?
Best wishes,
Joe Libby
Stan G
I remember that show, but I also want to know, What's the link?
Stan G
Joe Libby <joe...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:28990-38...@storefull-101.private.bryant.webtv.net...
Jim Burns
I guess, maybe the "link" I was refering to, was--general, in nature...
If you grew up, as a tot, in the New York tri-state area--and I susprect
Los Angeles, as well as other cities... Looking back on that era, the
gentle, whimsical humor of Laurel and Hardy seems--in memory--apace with
what many of the local kids show hosts were, at least, ATTEMPTING to
do...
While, of course, there could be no comparison--as a four-year old--or
OLDER--you tended to look foward to seeing your "friends"--be they The
Little Rascals, The Stooges, Officer Joe Bolton, Pixanne, Baby Daphne,
Winchell and Mahoney--OR Laurel and Hardy, on TV...
While that's the general ALLUSION--
There's a direct link--to kids-show-hosts, anyway, as well...
Bizarrely, for many kids, in the 1960s, their first introduction to "the
boys," was via the Larry Harmon cartoons, often presented, in local
markets, by a "host."
Also, in NewYork--for YEARS--Chuck McCann (one of the founders of THE
SONS OF THE DESERT), had done his brilliant Oliver Hardy impression, on
his series of "kids shows," in New York--before becoming a nationally
recognized actor/comedian...
Besides, I also thought that anyone smart enough, and charming enough,
and funny enough.... To be part of a LAUREL AND HARDY NEWSGROUP, might
be a good source of informationon--even this most distantly related--of
topics....
:-)
So--
Stan , NOW would you please be kind enough, to share your
memories/knowledge of THE PANCAKE MAN...?
Thanks!
Jim
Stan G
I really don't remember anything more than him Introducing the cartoons and
hawking IHOP. I also remember him using a spatula a lot as a prop, sort of
like a magician uses a magic wand. As for IHOP employing Hal Smith who
played Otis the drunk on the old Andy Griffith show, remember that back in
the 50s and 60s it was acceptable to play Comedy Drunks in Movies and TV. I
think shortly after Dudley Moore did the Arthur movies that people took a
more serious look at alcoholism, and there were less Comedy Drunks
afterwards. (Just my Opinion).
Stan G
Jim Burns <james...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:28567-38...@storefull-103.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
Rob Ray
For those looking for seven degrees of separation between Hal Smith
and Laurel and Hardy, perhaps I can help:
THE PANCAKE MAN was produced and ran on TV in Los Angeles. Randy
Skretvedt, author of Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies,
spoke with Hal Smith about two years ago at the Hollywood Collectors'
Show. Though most younger people remembered him as "Otis" from reruns
of The Andy Griffith Show, Mr. Smith laughed when Randy sang the
entire Pancake Man Theme Song for him, and when Randy asked if he
still had any of those giveaway toys, Mr. Smith replied, "I just gave
the last one away a few weeks ago." Hal Smith died about a week
later.
Rob
Gene E. Costa
Jim,
You are correct regarding actor Hal Smith being THE PANCAKE MAN here
in the Los Angeles area either on KTTV or KHJ (now KCAL). When I saw
him in the Andy GRIFFITH SHOW as Otis, at a young age, I said, "That's
the PANCAKE MAN!!!" I thought I was only one who ever saw that show
outside of my brother who is two years younger than me, he remembers
it too!! IHOP chain, I believe, started in 1960, which explains, why
they were really trying to make a name for themselves. If you want to
really jog some memory how about old LA kids-TV shows, like DON THE
BEACHCOMBER and CHUCK JONES, THE MAGIC MAN on KCOP in the early to mid
sixties.
Best Regards