The following is a list of local children's television shows in the United States. These were locally produced commercial television programs intended for the child audience with unique hosts and themes. This type of programming began in the late 1940s and continued into the late 1970s; some shows continued into the 1990s. Author Tim Hollis documented about 1,400 local children's shows in a 2002 book, Hi There, Boys and Girls!Hollis, Tim (November 2001). Hi There Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Programs. University Press of Mississippi. NPR episode "A History of Local Children's TV Programs", aired May 22, 2002
The television programs typically aired in the weekday mornings before school or afternoons after school, as well as on weekends (to a lesser degree). There were different formats. Almost all shows had a stereotypical, colorful host who assumed a persona, such as a cowboy/cowgirl, captain/skipper/commodore/admiral, jungle explorer, astronaut, king/queen, prince/princess, clown, sheriff/deputy/trooper, police/cop, firefighter, hobo/tramp, railroad engineer, magician, "cousin", "grandpa" (or "grandma") or "uncle" (or "aunt"), whose role was not only to be the "DJ" (confused for a person who work on music) for syndicated material (typically cartoons, although Westerns were more popular earlier on) but also to entertain, often with a live television studio audience of kids, during breaks.
Early airing fare included copyright programming, along animation such as Koko the Clown, Tom and Jerry (now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery), Looney Tunes (now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery), Crusader Rabbit, Dick Tracy, Popeye, Rocky and Bullwinkle (now owned by NBCUniversal), Casper the Friendly Ghost (now owned by NBCUniversal), Mighty Mouse (now owned by Paramount), Deputy Dawg, Hergé's Adventures of Tintin (now owned by Corus), Mel-O-Toons, Woody Woodpecker (now owned by NBCUniversal), The Funny Company, Mr. Magoo (now owned by NBCUniversal), Space Angel and Clutch Cargo, as well as short films, such as Laurel and Hardy, Our Gang/The Little Rascals and The Three Stooges (now owned by Sony Pictures), as well as animated versions of Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello and The Three Stooges, and live-action shorts, such as Diver Dan. Some included educational segments such as wildlife in Nature's Window.
Television broadcast markets Alabama
Anniston WHMA-TV-40, later WJSU-TV: The Cousin Cliff Show (with Cliff Holman)
Birmingham WVTM-TV, WAPI-TV: The Balloon Goon (with Sterling Brewer) WBRC: Birthday Party (with Joe Langston) WBRC: Bozo the Clown (Bart Darby, Ward McIntyre) WBRC: The Bugs Bunny Show (with Benny Carle) WTTO, WDBB: Cartoon Clubhouse (with Cliff Holman) WVTM-TV, WABT: Channel 13 Theatre (Bill Wright) WBRC: Circle Six Ranch (with Benny Carle) WIAT, WBMG: The Dick Tracy Show (with Neal Miller) WBRC: Quick Fire McIntyre (with Ward McIntyre) WVTM-TV, WAPI-TV: Romper Room ("Miss Jean", "Miss Jane", "Miss Carol") WVTM-TV, WAPI-TV: The Sgt. Jack Show (with Neal Miller) WBRC: Supersonic Sam (with Horace Pumphrey) WVTM-TV, WABT: Tip Top Clubhouse (renamed to Cousin Cliff's Clubhouse; hosted by Cliff Holman) WBRC: Uncle Bill and Spooky (with Bill Wright) WVTM-TV, WABT: Uncle Bill's Fun Shop (with Bill Wright) WVTM-TV, WABT: Western Theatre (with Benny Carle)
Dothan Miss Becky, Bugs Bunny, and Friends (with Becky Copeland)
Florence Captain Jack (with Jack Worley) Earline in Storyland WHDF, WOWL: Planet 15 (with Jack Worley) WOWL: The Children's Hour
Huntsville/Decatur WAAY-TV: 31 Funtime (with Johnny Evans) WAAY-TV, WMSL: The Benny Carle Show (with Benny Carle) Captain Barney and Popeye (with Johnny Evans) WOWL-TV: Earline in Storyland Junior Auction (with Johnny Evans) WMSL/WHNT-TV: Kiddie Circus (with Bill Sykes) (WMSL first aired the series in 1961, later taken over by WHNT in 1963) WAFG/WHNT/WMSL: Romper Room WMSL: Through the Looking Glass (with "Miss Dottie" Frame, 1958-1962) Western Theatre (with Johnny Evans)
Mobile Aunt Beka (Rebecca Horton) Bunnyville USA ("Barney Bunny") WALA-TV: Camp Walabear Captain Mal Captain Supreme (Earl Hutto) Cartoonerville ("Chuck Wagon" Charlie) Fun and Games (with Marcia Wanaker and Rosie Seaman) Junior Auction WEAR-TV: The Lynn Toney Show (hosted by Lynn Toney) WKRG: Popeye Cartoon Theatre ("Captain Hank") WKRG/WEAR-TV: Romper Room ("Miss Skeeter" [WKRG version]; "Miss Jackie" [WEAR version]) WKRG: Rosie's Place (hosted by Rosie Seaman) Jungle Bob / Scuba Bob
Montgomery Cactus Cal (with Calvin Ruff) Captain Zoomar (with Walter Bamberg) Cartoon Carl (with Carl Stephens) Junior Auction (with Curt "Pop" Blair) Kartoon Karnival (with Billy Morgan, Martha Sadler) Popeye Theatre (with Curt "Pop" Blair) Princess Pat's Storybook Castle (with Pat Barnes) Romper Room ("Miss Bobbi", "Miss Sue") Western Theatre (with Bob Underwood) Willie the Clown (with Bill Smith) Young World (with Marge Payne)
Alaska
Anchorage KENI: Mother Moose (with Larry and Carol Beck)
Fairbanks School for Fun
Arizona
Phoenix KTVK: Cartoonland KTAR-TV: Romper Room ("Miss Sherri", "Miss Coleene") KPHO-TV: The Wallace and Ladmo Show (Bill Thompson as Wallace, Ladimir Kwiatkowski as Ladmo, and Pat McMahon as Gerald, Captain Super, other characters). Also known as "It's Wallace" and "Wallace & Company." KPHO-TV: The Ladmo Show (Ladimir Kwiatkowski as Ladmo) KPHO-TV: Gold Dust Charlie (Ken Kennedy, with Bill Thompson as Wallace Sneed)
Tucson KVOA: Cartoon Corral ("Chuck Waggin") KTTU-TV/KDTU: The Friendship Club (with Bob Love) KGUN: Marshal K-Gun (with Burt Oien, Jack Jacobson and Bob Love) Romper Room (with "Miss Evelyn" (San Angelo)) KMSB-TV/KZAZ: The Uncle Bob Show (with Bob Love) KOLD-TV: Zipo the Clown (Zipo & Friends; starring Victor Dains Sr.)
Yuma KYMA-DT/KIVA: The S.S. KIVA (with Don Kenny, Bob Hardy, Elmore Eaton)
Arkansas
El Dorado/Monroe KTVE: Bozo the Clown (with Tommy Bush) KTVE: Chuckles the Clown (played by Dale Nicholson) KTVE: Commodore Clem (with Henry Clements) KNOE-TV: The Happiness Exchange KTVE: Romper Room ("Miss June")
Fort Smith KFSM-TV/KFSA: Captain Chuck (with Chuck Abraria) KFSM-TV/KFSA: Romper Room ("Miss Nancy") KFSM-TV/KFSA: Uncle Elmer (with Elmer Morris) KFSM-TV/KFSA: Uncle Zeb (with Jerry Davis)
Little Rock KRTV: Betty's Little Rascals (with Betty Fowler) KATV: Bozo the Clown (Gary Weir) KARK-TV: Bozo's Big Top (Gary Weir) (Replaced much of NBC's Saturday Morning lineup) KARK-TV: Candy the Clown (with Gary Weir) KARK-TV: Captain KARK (with Lloyd Denney) KKYK: Clowntown USA (with Gary Weir) KARK-TV: Lorenzo the Tramp (with Gerry Wheeler) KATV: Mr. Specs' Cartoon Caravan (with Bruce Smith) KATV: Romper Room ("Miss Sylvia", "Miss Linda") KARK-TV: Six-Gun Theatre (with Volmar "Cactus" Vick)
California
Bakersfield KBAK-TV, KERO-TV, KJTV-TV: Uncle Woody (with Woody Bryant)
Chico KHSL-TV: The Paul Bunyan Show (1963-1964) (with Richard Kiel)
Fresno KMPH: Uncle Woody Show (with Woody Bryant) KAIL: Leebo The Clown (with Leland Harris) KFSN: Fun Time (with Al Radka) KMJ: Miss Pat's Playroom
Glendale KHOF: Black Buffalo's Pow-Wow
Los Angeles KTLA-DT: Batfink (Len Maxwell) KTLA-DT: Beany and Cecil (Bob Clampett) KTLA-DT: Bozo the Clown (with Vance Colvig Jr.) KTLA-DT: Bozo's Circus (with Pinto Colvig) KTLA-DT: Buffalo Billy (with Bob Clampett) KTLA-DT: Cartoon Carousel (Frank Herman, a.k.a. Skipper Frank) KCAL-TV/KHJ-TV: Cartoon Express (with Engineer Bill, played by Bill Stulla) KCOP: Cartoonville KCAL-TV/KHJ-TV: Chuck McCann's Funstuff (with Chuck McCann, Barry Thompson, Sonny Fox) KABC-TV, KTTV: Chucko the Clown (with Charles M. Runyon) KTTV: Daphne's Cartoons KABC: Domingo KCBS-TV/KNXT: Dusty's Treehouse (Stu Rosen) KTLA-DT: For Kids Only (with Skipper Frank) KCAL-TV/KHJ-TV: The Froozles (with Sally Baker) KCOP: Hobo Kelly (with Sally Baker) KTTV: King Koopa's Kool Kartoons (Christopher Collins) KTLA-DT: Light Time (with James E. Stewart and Rolf Forsberg) KTTV: Mr. Wishbone KCAL-TV/KHJ-TV: Pancake Man (with Hal Smith) KTLA-DT: Pier Five Club (with Tom Hatten) KTLA-DT: Popeye and Friends (with Tom Hatten and Edwin McCormick) KTLA-DT: Popeye And Friends and Three Stooges Uncle Woody Show (with Woody Bryant) KCOP: Romper Room ("Miss Mary Ann", "Miss Socorro") KNBC: Serendipity (with Rudi Medina) KTTV: Sheriff John (with John Rovick) KCAL-TV/KHJ-TV: Shrimpenstein (with Gene Moss) KCOP: Skip and Woofer KCBS-TV/KNXT: Space Funnies (Dal McKennon) KTLA-DT: Squeaky Mulligan, the Talking Cat (with Al Jarvis) KNBC-TV: That's Cat (with Alice Playten) KTLA-DT: Thunderbolt the Wondercolt (John Carradine, Walker Edmiston) KTTV: Willy the Wolf (with Walker Edmiston)
Sacramento/Stockton KOVR: Captain Delta (early 1970s) KTXL: Cap'n Mitch (1970s-80s) KCRA: Captain Sacto (Fred Wade; 1950s) Capn's Locker Cartoonland KCRA: Romper Room ("Miss Nancy") Skipper Stu (hosted by Stu Nahan)
San Diego King Norman's Kingdom of Toys (with Norman Rosenburg) KOGO: The Johnny Downs Show (with Johnny Downs)
San Francisco Bay Area KRON-TV: Assignment Four (film docuseries) Buster and Me Captain Fortune KBHK: Captain San Francisco (Mike Cleary) Dapper Dan's Playhouse (with Dan McGrath) Fireman Frank (with George Lemont) Happy Birthday to You (with Lucille Bliss) Kippy the Kop (hosted by Dan Joffee) KRON-TV: The Mayor Art Show / The Popeye Show (host: Art Finley) KRON-TV: Mayor Art's Almanac (segment within Mayor Art Show, Art Finley) KTVU: Captain Satellite (Bob March) KTVURomper Room ("Miss Nancy" Besst, "Miss Ruby") King Norman's Castle KRON-TV: Skipper Sedley (Bruce Sedley) KTVU: Bits and Pieces KTVU: Captain Cosmic (with Bob Wilkins) KTVU: Captain Satellite (with Bob March) KTVU: Charley and Humphrey (with Pat McCormick) KTVU: Romper Room KTVU: TV Pow (with Pat McCormick) KTVU: Sir Sedley (Bruce Sedley) KTVU: Charley and Humphrey (Pat McCormick) KGO-TV: Aunt Lolly's Storytime (Alice Marino) KPIX / KGO-TV: Marshal "J" (Jay Alexander) KPIX: Jack's Place (Jack Hanson) Unknown affiliate: Cosmo's Castle
Visalia KMPH-TV: Uncle Woody (with Woody Bryant)
Colorado
Colorado Springs KRDO-TV, later KKTV: Romper Room ("Miss Betty", "Miss Diane", "Miss Susan")
Denver KWGN-TV: Blinky's Fun Club KBTV: Sheriff Scotty KBTV: The Clubhouse Gang KBTV, later KCNC-TV, later KWGN-TV: Romper Room KLZ: Fred & Fae KFEL: Fred & Fae The Soda Shop
Connecticut
Hartford WFSB/WTIC: Captain Bob WVIT/WHNB: Colonel Clown (with Joey Russell) WUVN/WHCT: Flippy the Clown (with Ivor Hugh) WUVN/WHCT: General Funn WFSB/WTIC: The Hap Richards Show (with Floyd "Hap" Richards) WFSB/WTIC: Ranger Andy (with Orville Andrews) WWE Network: Firefly Fun House (with Bray Wyatt)
New Haven WTNH/WNHC: Admiral Jack (with Guy Alyward) WTNH/WNHC: Captain Solomon C. Whiskers (with Mitch Agruss) WNHC/WTNH: Space Commander 8 WTNH/WNHC: Kitdoodle (with Kit Adler) WTNH/WNHC/WHCT: Flippy the Clown (with Ivor Hugh) WTNH/WNHC: Happy the Clown (with Joey Russell) WTNH/WNHC: Mr. Goober (with Mike Warren)
Delaware (see Pennsylvania, Maryland, and District of Columbia markets)
District of Columbia
Washington WWRC/WRC-TV, later WDCA: Bozo the Clown (with Willard Scott, Dick Dyszel) WDCA: Captain 20 (with John Kallimonis, Tony Alexis, Dick Dyszel) WTTG: Captain Tugg WTTG: Cindy Lou's Ranch (hosted by Cindy Dahl) WJLA/WMAL: Claire and Co Co (hosted by Claire Kress) WTTG: Countdown Carnival (with Bill Gormly) WWRC/WRC-TV: Cousin Cupcake (with Bob Porter) WTTG: Grandpa's Place (with Lee Reynolds) WTTG: Hoppity Skippity (with Jules Huber and Gordon Williamson) WDCA: Kids' Break (with Howard Huge) WJLA/WMAL: Pete and His Pals (hosted by Pete Jamerson) WTTG: Pick Temple (with Bob Dalton) WUSA (TV)/WTOP-TV: Ranger Hal (played by Hal Shaw)