tv star collector
10-24-2008, 07:06 PM
With the recent passing of Howdy Doody producer Roger Muir, I thought
it would be a good time to salute some of the delightful denizens of Doodyville. How many of you folks over 50 remember ...?
Sir Archibald - English explorer, played by Dayton Allen, who wore an
explorer's outfit, pith helmet and long beard.
Petey Bluster - Nephew of Mr. Bluster and the pawn in many of his
uncle's plots.
Phineas T. Bluster - Howdy's nemesis, the mayor of Doodyville, and a
mean-spirited egomaniac, usually scheming to spoil everyone's fun. Voiced
by Dayton Allen, Allen Swift, and Nick Nicholson.
Buffalo Bob Smith - Howdy's voice, friend and confidant; the key
member of the show. He participated in every story plot, usually as a peace-
maker and guardian of Doodyville. And he was probably the best commercial
spokesman that there will ever be in children's television.
J. Cornelius Cobb - The shopkeeper (played by Nick Nicholson) who
had a strong dislike for clowns, especially Clarabell.
Dilly Dally - A circus roustabout who wore a sweater with a big "D"
(for being the waterboy on the Doodyville High School Football team) on it.
He had the ability to wiggle his ears. Voiced by Bill LeCornec.
Grandpa Doody - One of Doodyville's oldest citizens, he (like Howdy,
his grandson) was voiced by Bob Smith.
Heidi Doody - Introduced as a stranger who saved Buffalo Bob's life in
Africa, she was adopted as Howdy's sister. Voiced by Arlene Dalton.
Howdy Doody - Howdy began his career as a voice on radio. He was
originally a Mortimer Snerd-ish bumpkin named Elmer (voiced by Bob Smith).
His opening line was the greeting "Howdy Doody," and that's what the kids
who listened to the show began calling him. Frank Paris made the original TV
puppet (now known as "Ugly Doody"). When he walked off the show due to a
contract dispute, Velma Dawson was hired to build a more attractive Howdy
marionette (the familiar face we know and love today). Not being a ventriloquist, Bob Smith recorded Howdy's lines prior to the airing of the show.
John J. Fedoozle - Inspector John J. Fedoozle ("America's No. 1 BOING
Private Eye") was modified by Scott Brinker from the original Velma Dawson
Howdy Doody puppet. The detective's specialty was searching for two kinds
of people: those who are missing and those who have to be found! He was
voiced by Dayton Allen and Allen Swift.
Flub-a-Dub - Found in South America by Buffalo Bob while on vacation,
this character--who was eight-animals-in-one-- was voiced by Dayton Allen and Allen Swift. He had the head of a duck, the ears of a cocker spaniel, the
neck of a giraffe, a dachshund's body, a seal's flippers, a pig's tail, a cat's
whiskers and the memory of an elephant.
Hop, Skip and Jump - Three kangaroos introduced in 1953.
Clarabell Hornblow - A mute clown (originally played by Bob Keeshan),
he used his horn-equipped box to communicate a "yes" or "no." He was
generally lovable but wild and unruly in his early years. Squirting Buffalo Bob
and Chief Thunderthud with a seltzer bottle was his favorite pastime. He was
later played by Robert "Nick" Nicholson and, finally, by Lew Anderson.
Hyde and Zeke - Two bear cubs found in the snow.
Mambo - A dancing elephant, he became part of the show's circus.
Oil Well Willie - Doodyville's warm-hearted prospector (played by Bill
LeCornec). He always searched for oil but never found any.
Oscar - Played by Bob Keeshan, he never said a word except his own
name.
Peppi Mint - At first, Peppi (played by Marti Barris) was Hazel Witch's
maid.
Pierre the Chef - Played by Dayton Allen, he was the circus chef who
was constantly concocting new delicacies.
Sandra Witch - Voiced by Rufus Rose, she was a witch from Always
Always Land and generally caused mayhem with the Doodyville residents.
Capt. Windy Scuttlebutt - Voiced by Allen Swift, he was a jolly sea
captain with a large dog (also named Windy). He was later voiced by Robert
Nicholson.
Dr. Singasong - Played by Bill LeCornec, he dressed in a high black hat
and a mourning suit. He spoke as if he were singing and provided musical
entertainment. He was also the circus doctor, who sang all the time because he
believed singing would make his patients feel better (although it often had the
opposite effect).
Chief Thunderthud - Played by Bill LeCornec, he was a member of the
Ooragnak (kangaroo backwards) tribe and always shouted "Cowabonga" in
both greeting and anger. (Writer Ed Kean invented the word, long before
Bart Simpson or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were ever conceived.)
Tizzy - A dinosaur puppet had a voice described as being a cross
between Sir Archibald's and Eleanor Roosevelt's.
Tom Turtle - Discovered during an Arkadoodle adventure, he became
part of the circus. Voiced by Lew Anderson.
Ugly Sam - Played by Dayton Allen, he was a poor wrestler who
always lost his matches, wore a striped old-time bathing suit, and was dim-witted.
Princess Summerfall Winterspring - Introduced as a puppet (in 1950),
she was from the Tinka-Tonka tribe. On the day she was born, there was
summer sun, fall leaves, winter snow, and spring flowers at the same time.
In 1952, she was replaced by a live princess and was played by Judy Tyler.
Zippy - A live chimpanzee who met the HD cast at a Kellogg's
convention in New Orleans, in 1952. The chimp took a strong dislike to Mr.
Bluster and attacked the puppet each time he saw him.
(Ah, they just don't make TV kids' shows like they used to. But I guess you
had to be there. A thank you goes to Jack Koch's Howdy Doody
Collector's Reference and Trivia Guide for these biographical sketches.)
it would be a good time to salute some of the delightful denizens of Doodyville. How many of you folks over 50 remember ...?
Sir Archibald - English explorer, played by Dayton Allen, who wore an
explorer's outfit, pith helmet and long beard.
Petey Bluster - Nephew of Mr. Bluster and the pawn in many of his
uncle's plots.
Phineas T. Bluster - Howdy's nemesis, the mayor of Doodyville, and a
mean-spirited egomaniac, usually scheming to spoil everyone's fun. Voiced
by Dayton Allen, Allen Swift, and Nick Nicholson.
Buffalo Bob Smith - Howdy's voice, friend and confidant; the key
member of the show. He participated in every story plot, usually as a peace-
maker and guardian of Doodyville. And he was probably the best commercial
spokesman that there will ever be in children's television.
J. Cornelius Cobb - The shopkeeper (played by Nick Nicholson) who
had a strong dislike for clowns, especially Clarabell.
Dilly Dally - A circus roustabout who wore a sweater with a big "D"
(for being the waterboy on the Doodyville High School Football team) on it.
He had the ability to wiggle his ears. Voiced by Bill LeCornec.
Grandpa Doody - One of Doodyville's oldest citizens, he (like Howdy,
his grandson) was voiced by Bob Smith.
Heidi Doody - Introduced as a stranger who saved Buffalo Bob's life in
Africa, she was adopted as Howdy's sister. Voiced by Arlene Dalton.
Howdy Doody - Howdy began his career as a voice on radio. He was
originally a Mortimer Snerd-ish bumpkin named Elmer (voiced by Bob Smith).
His opening line was the greeting "Howdy Doody," and that's what the kids
who listened to the show began calling him. Frank Paris made the original TV
puppet (now known as "Ugly Doody"). When he walked off the show due to a
contract dispute, Velma Dawson was hired to build a more attractive Howdy
marionette (the familiar face we know and love today). Not being a ventriloquist, Bob Smith recorded Howdy's lines prior to the airing of the show.
John J. Fedoozle - Inspector John J. Fedoozle ("America's No. 1 BOING
Private Eye") was modified by Scott Brinker from the original Velma Dawson
Howdy Doody puppet. The detective's specialty was searching for two kinds
of people: those who are missing and those who have to be found! He was
voiced by Dayton Allen and Allen Swift.
Flub-a-Dub - Found in South America by Buffalo Bob while on vacation,
this character--who was eight-animals-in-one-- was voiced by Dayton Allen and Allen Swift. He had the head of a duck, the ears of a cocker spaniel, the
neck of a giraffe, a dachshund's body, a seal's flippers, a pig's tail, a cat's
whiskers and the memory of an elephant.
Hop, Skip and Jump - Three kangaroos introduced in 1953.
Clarabell Hornblow - A mute clown (originally played by Bob Keeshan),
he used his horn-equipped box to communicate a "yes" or "no." He was
generally lovable but wild and unruly in his early years. Squirting Buffalo Bob
and Chief Thunderthud with a seltzer bottle was his favorite pastime. He was
later played by Robert "Nick" Nicholson and, finally, by Lew Anderson.
Hyde and Zeke - Two bear cubs found in the snow.
Mambo - A dancing elephant, he became part of the show's circus.
Oil Well Willie - Doodyville's warm-hearted prospector (played by Bill
LeCornec). He always searched for oil but never found any.
Oscar - Played by Bob Keeshan, he never said a word except his own
name.
Peppi Mint - At first, Peppi (played by Marti Barris) was Hazel Witch's
maid.
Pierre the Chef - Played by Dayton Allen, he was the circus chef who
was constantly concocting new delicacies.
Sandra Witch - Voiced by Rufus Rose, she was a witch from Always
Always Land and generally caused mayhem with the Doodyville residents.
Capt. Windy Scuttlebutt - Voiced by Allen Swift, he was a jolly sea
captain with a large dog (also named Windy). He was later voiced by Robert
Nicholson.
Dr. Singasong - Played by Bill LeCornec, he dressed in a high black hat
and a mourning suit. He spoke as if he were singing and provided musical
entertainment. He was also the circus doctor, who sang all the time because he
believed singing would make his patients feel better (although it often had the
opposite effect).
Chief Thunderthud - Played by Bill LeCornec, he was a member of the
Ooragnak (kangaroo backwards) tribe and always shouted "Cowabonga" in
both greeting and anger. (Writer Ed Kean invented the word, long before
Bart Simpson or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were ever conceived.)
Tizzy - A dinosaur puppet had a voice described as being a cross
between Sir Archibald's and Eleanor Roosevelt's.
Tom Turtle - Discovered during an Arkadoodle adventure, he became
part of the circus. Voiced by Lew Anderson.
Ugly Sam - Played by Dayton Allen, he was a poor wrestler who
always lost his matches, wore a striped old-time bathing suit, and was dim-witted.
Princess Summerfall Winterspring - Introduced as a puppet (in 1950),
she was from the Tinka-Tonka tribe. On the day she was born, there was
summer sun, fall leaves, winter snow, and spring flowers at the same time.
In 1952, she was replaced by a live princess and was played by Judy Tyler.
Zippy - A live chimpanzee who met the HD cast at a Kellogg's
convention in New Orleans, in 1952. The chimp took a strong dislike to Mr.
Bluster and attacked the puppet each time he saw him.
(Ah, they just don't make TV kids' shows like they used to. But I guess you
had to be there. A thank you goes to Jack Koch's Howdy Doody
Collector's Reference and Trivia Guide for these biographical sketches.)