50 Years of "Merrie Melodies" and "Looney Tunes" on TV

[musicradio77]

As you know that this year marks the 50th anniversary of "Looney Tunes" and "Merrie Melodies" since it first appeared on TV back in 1955. I looked up on TV Party website that "Looney Tunes" made its debut on TV on the old WABD-TV (now WNYW-TV) in New York City back in 1955 since it was debuted on channel 5. I wasn't even born since "Looney Tunes" came to life on TV. This was the cartoon that started on local TV in NY. I'll give you the history of how "Looney Tunes" began on TV. For those you fans of "Looney Tunes" like gilligan fanatic, a member of this and the Termite Terrace Trading Post, here is the story:

50 Years of Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes on Television

CHANNEL 5 VERSIONS

WABD TV Channel 5 became the first NYC based kid's show to air reruns of Warner Bros "Merrie Melodies" and "Looney Tunes" movie cartoons. "The Looney Tunes Show" debuted on channel 5 at the beginning of January, 1955.

Cartoonist and storyteller Bob Bean served as the show's first host . Mr. Bean engaged his viewers in stories, craftmaking, hobbies, drawing lessons, informational segments and interviews with guest performers between the cartoons. Mr. Bean left the show on Monday, April 11, 1955.

Sandy Becker became the second host of "The Looney Tunes Show" and Channel 5's most enduring kid's TV MC. Mr. Becker indulged his viewers with drawing lessons, craftmaking, hobbies, informative segments and interviews with in-studio guests. He also performed puppet skits and shared visits with "Uncle Mike," an animal trainer from Long Island.

Sandy hosted "Looney Tunes Show" until Tuesday, July 8, 1958. WABD moved the show from weekday evenings to Saturday evenings beginning on Saturday, July 5, 1958. At that point, Herb Sheldon took over from Saturday, July 5, 1958 to Saturday August 2, 1958.

Bill Britten (left) became the fourth and last host/performer of Channel 5's "Looney Tunes Show", from Saturday, August 9, 1958 until Saturday, August 30, 1958.

WABD/WNEW would also broadcast the very first prime time "Looney Tunes" cartoon show. Long before the ABC network began screening Bugs, Daffy, Porky and Roadrunner on "The Bugs Bunny Show," Channel 5 in NYC aired "The Bugs Bunny Theater" Friday nights beginning September 14, 1956. Sandy Becker served as the series first host until he stepped down on Friday, September 6, 1957.

WABD expanded the show to a weekday evening format starting on Monday, June 30, 1958 and Herb Sheldon took over as host. It was during Sheldon's tenure that the series' title changed to "Bugs Bunny Presents." The series ran from Monday, June 30, 1958 to Friday, August 1, 1958.

Bill Britten became the third host of "Bugs Bunny Presents" on Monday August 4, 1958 until the show's final broadcast on Wednesday, January 28, 1959; this was during Channel 5's last days as a part of the Dumount Network.

"Uncle Fred" Scott (left) was the fourth and last host of "Bugs Bunny Presents" from Monday, February 2, 1959 until Friday, May 2, 1959.

On Monday May 25, 1959, the show's title was changed one more time - to "Nuts & Bugs." Weekday evenings from Monday, May 25, 1959 until Thursday, August 13, 1959, Uncle Fred Scott captivated his viewers with craftmaking, stories, informational segments, contests and interviews with guests between Bugs Bunny cartoons and the Edgar Kennedy, Leon Errol and Charley Chase movie comedies.

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons were also screened on Cartoon Playtime weekday afternoons on WNEW from Monday June 30, 1958 until Friday January 29,1965. Channel 5's resident announcers Uncle Fred Scott, Uncle Tom Gregory , Uncle Ed Ladd and Fred Hall were the show's MC's.

The films were also screened on The Sandy Becker Show / Sandy's Hour weekday evenings and afternoons on Channel 5 and on the Sonny Fox/Bob McAllister versions of Wonderama, Sunday mornings and weekday afternoons during the 1960's and '70's.

CHANNEL 9 VERSIONS

There was another "Looney Tunes Show" on WOR Channel 9, that broadcast the pre-1938 Looney Tunes cartoons on weekday evenings beginning Monday, September 15, 1958.

Ginger MacManus, formerly Sonny Fox' young traveling companion on CBS TV's Let's Take A Trip was the show's first host/performer.

Set against the backdrop of an enchanted cottage in the forest, Ms. MacManus charmed visitors to her cottage (her viewers) in stories, games, crafts, educational segments and interviews with guest performers between the cartoons.

Ms. MacManus left the show on Friday, January 9, 1959. Paul Tripp (formerly CBS TV's pioneering kid's educator Mr. I. Magination, seen right) became the second host on Monday evening, January 12, 1959. Between the shorts, Paul Tripp engaged visitors to 'The Looney Tunes Cottage' in songs, stories, games, magic tricks, craftmaking, hobbies, informational segments and guest interviews.

He may not have cared much for the Looney Tunes cartoons as Mr. Tripp left the show just six months later, on Friday evening, July 10, 1959.

WOR moved "The Looney Tunes Show" to a weekday morning timeslot on Monday, September 14, 1959. Herb Sheldon (who, if you remember, served as the second host of Channel 5's "Looney Tunes Show") became the MC for WOR's version, now retitled "The Herb Sheldon Show."

Herb hosted the broadcast until Friday, May 18, 1962.

Channel 9 moved the show's timeslot one more time, to the weekday afternoon schedule.

Jazz bandleader, songwriter and entertainer Greg ("Chubby") Jackson became the show's fourth and last host/performer. Set against the backdrop of his clubhouse, the show was seen weekday afternoons starting Monday, January 12, 1962. Chubby performed comedy skits and musical numbers (with his talking bass fiddle puppet Casey) and introduced young performers on his show. The station execs at WOR forced him to do little more than perform short bits and intro the cartoons for three to four minute taped segments - and then pre-tape all of the commercials- all in one afternoon.

This continued for the 1961-62 season. Chubby tried to prevent the station management from sabotaging his show, but WOR execs forced the talented performer to adhere to their strict taping schedule.

Fed up with interference from station management, Chubby Jackson left the series on Friday, June 14, 1963.

With the departure of Chubby Jackson, WOR dropped "The Looney Tunes Show" from its weekday afternoon schedule.

"Looney Tunes" movie cartoons did not reappear on Channel 9's airways until Sunday, February 7, 1988 when WWOR began broadcasting "Steampipe Alley" with Mario Cantone from their new television studio in Seacauscus, New Jersey.

As you probablyknow, back in the early 90's, the "Looney Tunes" series disappeared from local affiliates as well as "Steampipe Alley", the last surviving TV kids show on local TV on WWOR-TV. In the world of cable TV, you have Cartoon Network and you also got Boomerang where they can show all the classic "Looney Tunes" on TV. Thanks to the DVD's of the "Looney Tunes - Golden Collection" series. You can watch all of your favorites on DVD. Just like you've seen on local TV. from the 60's and 70's. I have the DVD's, so I can watch it whatever I want. That's was what had happened 50 years ago where "Looney Tunes" debuted on WABD-TV, channel 5 (before it was WNEW-TV and now WNYW-TV).

[musicradio77]

Gilligan Fanatic, how do you like that story about "Looney Tunes" came to local TV 50 years ago? Please respond.

[gilligan fanatic]

I read that article at TV Party a while ago. I forgot that it was 1955 when it came though. A very important year for Warner Bros with this anniversary and all of the toons you have been mentioning such as Daffy Duck 68th birthday and Pepe Le Pew and Porky Pigs 70th.