Mike Mearian? (was Adv. Nostalgia)
Mark Wozniak, WBFO
> dinner time at the Christmas season. It was most memorable for Santa's
helper
> "Forgetful the Elf". Forgetful must have been over 6 feet tall and skinny as
a
> rail. He was always pestering Santa to ride on the sleigh, Christmas Eve.
Santa was played by a (now-deceased) WBEN radio/TV (Channel 4) executive named
Bill Peters, known on the air as Norman Oklahoma. He did a lot of radio
appearances on the Breakfast Club (I think it was called), mid-mornings live
from A M and A's department store downtown (incidentally, being closed down
this Saturday 3/18 by The Bon-Ton). Other present and past notables on that
show on WBEN radio included Mike Mearian (after the Captain Mike cartoon show
with Buttons the marionette ended each morning), Dick Rifenburg, Chuck Healy,
Van Miller, and no doubt others that I now forget.
Anyway, back to Santa, the show was a month-long series on Channel Four, every
holiday season. Santa would read letters from his mailbag, there would be gags
with Forgetful the Elf (another WBEN front office staffer, whose actual
identity escapes me). Finally, every year on Christmas Eve, Santa would get in
his sleigh, and take off on his rounds. Forgetful would be yelling after the
departing sleigh for Santa to come back, he forgot a present. I was always
afraid it might be mine :-(
BTW, reportedly Bill Peters hated kids!
While on the topic of old Channel 4 TV shows, anyone remember the Uncle Jerry
Club, I think it was Saturday or Sunday mornings? For some reason I want to say
that Schuler's potato chips was a sponsor.
> How about the Superman show with Supermouth,
> every weekday afternoon, only on on channel
> Seven-seven-seven-seven-seven-seven-seven-seven-seven?
I don't remember that, but I do remember the Jungle Jay show, with Jay Nelson.
He also was the morning DJ on WKBW radio in the early 1960s, before moving on
to Toronto. He passed away a year or two ago. Then, in late 1965, the Commander
Tom show began, with Tom Jolls. Kids could watch Rocketship Seven in the
morning, with Dave Thomas (now Dave Roberts in Philadelphia), and Commander Tom
after school (Roger Ramjet He's Our Man...Jimmy in Cheektowaga, happy birthday,
look behind the couch!). That continued for many years. Dave Thomas and John
Banaszak (Promo the Robot) would cross the hall at 9AM form Rocketship Seven to
do Dialing for Dollars, Dave Thomas hosting with Liz Dribben, and John Banaszak
playing accordian with Johnny and Jimmy. Tom Jolls, originally a weatherman on
Channel 4 in Buffalo, moved to Channel 7 in 1965, the final member of the
Eyewitness News team, the longest running TV news program with the same hosts,
lasting until sportscaster Rick Azar's retirement a few years ago. Irv
Weinstein still reports on "pistol-packing punks" and "Buffalo's blaze busters"
on Channel 7 at 6PM, and Tom Jolls still does the Weather Outside.
--
Mark Wozniak
"Morning Edition" Local Host
WBFO 88.7 FM Buffalo, WOLN 91.3 FM Olean and WUBJ 88.1 FM Jamestown
NPR News and Jazz from the University at BUFFALO!!
Tom Green
> Anyone remember the Uncle Jerry Club, I think it was Saturday or
> Sunday mornings? For some reason I want to say that Schuler's
> potato chips was a sponsor.
I'm pretty sure this was on on Sunday mornings. I don't remember the
sponsor, but I remember many of the acts - this was a local kids talent
show hour. Jerry would announce, "And now here's little [some name here],
all the way from Tronto!". About 50% of the acts were tap dancing and
another 25% were kids playing the accordion.
>
> I do remember the Jungle Jay show, with Jay Nelson.
> He also was the morning DJ on WKBW radio in the early 1960s, before moving on
> to Toronto.
I remember this show. They played episodes of "Tarzan" and "Sheena
of the Jungle" and ran cartoons also as I recall. Jungle Jay was
frequently hit with shaving cream pies, and on the very last show
they hit him with a 6 foot tall pie carried on by two guys.
Who were some of the other DJs on WKBW? The only other one I can
remember is Dan Neverith (sp?).
-Tom Green
tgr...@sw.stratus.com