Say, Kids! What Time Is It?: Notes from the Peanut Gallery

Rating:
Summary: Well worth the money!
Review: Everything you ever wanted to know about the back stage activities of the Howdy Doody show.

Well written, entertaining and authoritative. This book is a MUST if you want to know about the program.

Rating:
Summary: Everything that (and MORE than) you wanted to know!
Review: Fun, factual and no-holds-barred. Not only does this book trace the history, creation, long run and bittersweet ending of the Howdy Doody Show but it goes into behind the scenes politics, personality problems, and sometimes adult-oriented rehearsals. There are lots of valentine-like books about this wonderful baby-boomer show (which still is FUNNY on videotape if you can get the right episodes!). But those usually gloss over the time the show fired most of its cast, the frustrations of some cast members, and the extent to which the show became a corporate money-machine for NBC. In the end it's demise had little to do with ratings or show quality but production costs. If you liked Howdy Doody, are interested in the show from a nostalgic standpoint, a show biz standpoint, a puppetry standpoint, or are simply interested in solid show biz history this is a CRUCIAL book since you won't find a lot of this info elswhere. Yes, it's lovingly written in parts...but it doesn't cover the warts. And it's a GREAT read!

Rating:
Summary: This is THE book for Doodyville fans
Review: It's THE definitive, honest look at the operation. A thorough trip through the show's run and the personalities involved. My only criticism, which pales in insignifcance, is that I would have liked a lot more photos.

One even less important event the author missed was the day the Princess Summerfallwinterspring puppet changed *poof* into a real person and was introduced to the whole Doodyville cast, including the cameramen.

Buffalo Bob had that rare ability to look through the camera, past the picture tube and right into your eyes. When I buy toothpaste, it's still Colgate. I think that ability comes through in this book.

I'm still ticked off that the Buffalo backtimed the show so well that we didn't know until Monday what he unveiled in front of the Peanut Gallery on Friday: There was a new circus. I complained to my mother about that and I'm still right. But in my later years as a broadcaster, I still marvel at how he timed it out right to the second. Bob Keeshan makes reference to that ability near the back of the book.

Rating:
Summary: This is THE book for Doodyville fans
Review: It's THE definitive, honest look at the operation. A thorough trip through the show's run and the personalities involved. My only criticism, which pales in insignifcance, is that I would have liked a lot more photos.

One even less important event the author missed was the day the Princess Summerfallwinterspring puppet changed *poof* into a real person and was introduced to the whole Doodyville cast, including the cameramen.

Buffalo Bob had that rare ability to look through the camera, past the picture tube and right into your eyes. When I buy toothpaste, it's still Colgate. I think that ability comes through in this book.

I'm still ticked off that the Buffalo backtimed the show so well that we didn't know until Monday what he unveiled in front of the Peanut Gallery on Friday: There was a new circus. I complained to my mother about that and I'm still right. But in my later years as a broadcaster, I still marvel at how he timed it out right to the second. Bob Keeshan makes reference to that ability near the back of the book.