With the passing of Bob Keeshan, aka Captain Kangeroo, the last of my childhood television memories is gone.
Keeshan got his start as Clarabell the Clown on the old Howdy-Doody show with Buffalo Bob Smith,
who died in 1998 Smith hosted the Howdy-Doody show for 13 years.
Keeshan's Captain Kangeroo ran on CBS from 1955 until 1984, followed by
six years on PBS -- the longest running children's show on television.
Both CBS and PBS received hate mail when the networks made the decision
to cancel Keeshan's show.
With Keeshan's death the old breed of television child show hosts are gone -- and with them an era that most likely will not be repeated. Children's programming is on the wane. Even Saturday morning cartoons are decreasing on networks and soon will join Captain Kangeroo, Howdy-Doody, Buffalo Bob and everyone else as just a memory.
Keeshan got his start as Clarabell the Clown on the old Howdy-Doody show with Buffalo Bob Smith,
who died in 1998 Smith hosted the Howdy-Doody show for 13 years.
Keeshan's Captain Kangeroo ran on CBS from 1955 until 1984, followed by
six years on PBS -- the longest running children's show on television.
Both CBS and PBS received hate mail when the networks made the decision
to cancel Keeshan's show.With Keeshan's death the old breed of television child show hosts are gone -- and with them an era that most likely will not be repeated. Children's programming is on the wane. Even Saturday morning cartoons are decreasing on networks and soon will join Captain Kangeroo, Howdy-Doody, Buffalo Bob and everyone else as just a memory.
Leave a comment