Monday, October 6, 2008

Gary Flinn on Mr. Magic

Gary Flinn, Flint's historian extraordinaire, has a nice piece on WJRT Channel 12 in The Flint Journal that's worth checking out:

"In 1960, Earl Frank Cady (just Frank Cady on-air) began his fondly remembered run as 'Mr. Magic.' The show aired until the colorful "Bozo" replaced it on Labor Day 1967 — the day the station converted to full color. Cady played the role of Bozo, too.

"On 'Mr. Magic,' he'd played other characters, such as Clyde Clunker and his cousin Lulubelle — a homely woman who in one surviving black-and-white video lip-synched a performance by novelty singer Mrs. Miller. A popular ending on the show was Mr. Magic getting a pie in the face.

"Cady, as Bozo the Clown, had a 'peanut gallery' of children who participated in games for prizes from toy companies. He pitched products such as Bozo bread and Bozo milk. Cady also hosted Michigan Polka Party in the mid-1960s, featuring the local Michigan Dutchmen band and dancers from local high schools."

at 5:19 AM
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17 comments:

  1. I loved Mr. Magic. Didn't Frank Cady's daughter also have a show, "Raydean and Friends"? I was always fascinated by the sound of Raydean (sp?) cutting construction paper. I think they must have held a mic right down to her scissors. I dimly remember watching my big brother, Randy Gearhart, in the peanut gallery of either Mr. Magic or Raydean and Friends. And it was the highlight of the year when our Girl Scout troop was on the Bozo show. Thanks for taking me down memory lane this morning!
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  2. Great article Gary!!!!

    I can remember those shows like it was yesterday.

    I can remember seeing Bozo bread on the store shelves and asking my Mom to buy a loaf of it because Bozo was telling all of us kids about how good it taste.

    I can remember getting a three dollar bill with Mr. Magic's picture on it.

    And, when I wrote a letter to Rae Dean and Friends -- I can remember getting a postcard back with their picture on it.

    Those were the days.

    I can also remember when Channel 12 used pictures of places around the Flint and Tri-Cities area with their station's logo on it when they did their top and bottom of the hour station indentification. One of the attractions that they used their station identification slide was of the Longway Plantitarium(sp) and for a long time I thought that the Plantitarium was Channel 12's building. I discovered it wasn't Channel 12 when our elemetary class at Lewis went on a field trip to Longway.
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  3. My cousin's girl scout troop was on Bozo. My cousin won some nutty race, and she was told that she had won a year's supply of 'Ka-Boom!' (a cereal, as I recall)... she turned to the side, imagining she was looking away from the camera (when in fact she was looking right into it), and made a gag-me face. I was only about 7 but I sure remember that.
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  4. My brother made his television debut on Mr. Magic playing "Wipe Out" on guitar in 1967. I can still see him in his blue shirt with red polka dots. It was a proud moment.
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  5. My sister also got to go on Bozo's show. I was really bummed I couldn't go.

    I just have to share my favorite Seinfeld moment when George meets Jon Favreau who plays a clown at a kids party:

    George (G): Bozo?
    The Clown (TC): No.
    G: B.O.Z.O?
    TC: sorry, no
    G: You've never heard of Bozo the clown?
    TC: No!
    G: How could you not know who Bozo the clown is?
    TC: I don't know. I just don't.
    G: How can you call yourself a clown and not know who Bozo is?
    TC: Hey man, what are you hassling me for. It's just a gig, it's not my life. I don't know who Bozo is -- What, is he a clown?
    G: Is he a clown... What are you kidding me!?!
    TC: Well, what is he?
    G: YES, he's a clown!
    TC: Alright, so what's the big deal? There's millions of clowns!
    G: Alright, just forget it.
    TC: Forget it? ME!?! YOU should forget it. You're living in the PAST man. You're hung up on some clown from the SIXTIES man!!
    G: Alright very good, very good. Go fold your little balloon animals, Eric. Eric - HAH! What kind of name is that for a clown!

    Season 5, Episode 20 "The Fire"
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  6. Who was that cowboy who was in a bunkhouse and sang that song about "Oh, I'm going down the country, going to have a lot of fun - got a nickel in my pocket just to buy some bubble gum?" Or words to that effect?

    And why do I remember this?

    Cousin making face upon receiving box of cereal, though - that was classic! She was very expressive.
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  7. GillianL

    That cowboy was none other than Kenny Roberts -- who hosted a kid's show daily on Channel 5 and you pretty much have the lyrics to that song that he sang on the show every day. And if you can remember that far back -- when Kenny sang that song he was surrounded by kids who jumped up and down as he performed the song.

    I got a chance to be one of those kids that jumped up and down with Kenny on Channel 5. There was a telethon of some sorts that Channel 5 was doing and he was a part of the local cut-ins that Channel 5 was doing from the Durrant Hotel. Other celebrities at that telethon included Michael Landon (who was doing "Bonanza" at the time) and Joe E. Ross ("Tootie" from the tv show "Car 54, Where Are You?").

    I could not have been more than ten years old at the time and as much fun as I had jumping up and down on TV with Kenny Roberts -- what I remember most from that day was Joe E. Ross (with his hand on my shoulder) talking to me as we walked from one end of the huge ballroom (that Channel 5 was using as a studio) to the other end.
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  8. Thanks for the great memories. I am another jealous sister that saw her sister on the Bozo Show with her Brownie troop. I got my mom to buy Bozo Milk and bread as well....When I saw mr Cady's obit in the Journal i cried that day...More of my childhood slipping away!
    RoadsideDinerLover
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  9. My sister Brigid got to go on the Bozo show as a Brownie or a Girl Scout - I remember being excited about watching her on T.V. Man, how we loved that song "Wipe Out"! She had it on a 45 and we'd play it on our parents' 1950's hi-fi, along with some of those 45's we'd cut out of the back of cereal boxes - you remember those - "The Archies," "The Monkees," etc.
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  10. Thanks, Rich! I thought Kenny Rogers, but knew that wasn't it ... I can't believe I remember the words to that song! I did not, however, remember the kids jumping up and down. The Detroit Bozo, if I'm recalling correctly, was less lame than ours ...
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  11. Wasn't Rae Dean Dizzy Dean's daughter? Anybody remember Johnny Ginger show? wasn't he dressed as a bellhop or something? always told kids to be 'clean plate club' and held up a clean dinner plate?
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  12. GillianL

    I think the 2nd verse went like O sing a song the folks all know and always keep in time..if your in love with a pretty little you'll win her every time.

    I have no Idea why I remember it. I grew up on the east side on Bennett Ave, what a fun time remembering the past!
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  13. That must have been the same timeframe, because Michael Landon made an appearance at Atwood stadium, got my picture taken w/his arm 'round my sholder. Ha a huge cast on his wrist and enough slickum in his hair for 5 men...Who remembers Capt. Muddy? my Cousin Matt's Cubscout troop went on his show. I can't remember his name, but he worked at WNEM as a newsman. He and my Friend Roberta Ray used to come into Petko's all the time. Saw that Roberta is now a sitting Judge. I googled up Johnny Ginger-Gailan Grendel-and he's still performing. He appeared in the 3 stooges last movie, as Billy the Kid...
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  14. I worked at WJRT-TV from June, 1964 to November, 1969 when I left to get married. Rae Deane was not Frank Cady's daughter. Her last name was Gerkowski. There was no live audience for her show. Rae Deane died of a heart condition in 1973 at age 41. She was the sweetest person. Those were some of the happiest years of my life.
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  15. Yes, I remember "The Kenny Roberts Show". In fact I was on it too, maybe the same one you were on Rich! All I remember is it was a special broadcast from the Durant Hotel, and they had handicapped children on, as my sister was one. Somehow my Mother got me on too. What I remember is people crammed in everywhere, and not too much fun. His show was on 1961-1966. I was born in 1953, so I wasn't very old, and don't have a clue what year this special was from.

    Yes, watched Captain Muddy(Waters, as in Chuck)

    I found this blog site searching for the name of the instrumental played during the Hula Hoop segment on Bozo (WJRT-12)It wasn't Wipeout. But it's stuck in my head, and I need help finding out the name.

    Here's some of my memories:
    When "Mary Poppins" came out in 1964, we loaded up the neighborhood in 2 cars, and headed down to the Capitol. The line snaked around the block, but we got in. I remember enjoying it very much.
    First date in 1969, and went to a Diner, (similar to "Mel"s Diner"), which was on 12th st. and Fenton rd.
    I think they tore it down the next year.
    Us kid's in the 60's loved the drive in, especially the US23, not for the movies so much, but for the playground they had. Dad would pull in, and off we'd go. Insurance costs to protect from lawsuits took care of that by the late 60's.
    Back to Kenny Roberts. Listen to his novelty songs, they are pretty good. "I never see Maggie alone" is a catchy favorite of mine, and you can hear it on YouTube.
    I miss the 60's, the great TV, the even greater music. A great time to grow up.
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  16. The title "Salt Water Taffy" is stuck in my mind as being Bozo's hula-hoop song. I could be way off but it's a lead I guess.
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  17. Anonymous:
    Thanks for the suggestion on the Bozo song. After searching on that title, I did find a song called "Saltwater Taffy", out in 1963 by Morty Jay & the surfin' cats. I downloaded it, and it could be the Bozo Hula Hoop song. It's been so long now, I only remember I liked it, and it was an organ instrumental, which this one is. If you want to hear it, my e-mail is dahur1@q.com
    Just let me know.
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