Local Television of the Past

[mr.jaynes]

I remember the local TV offerings in Tulsa from my childhood, and they never fail to make me smile in nostalgia. They ceased production long before I got the urge to leave Oklahoma, but what memories!

I remember the morning Cartoon Circus and Uncle Zeb's Cartoon Camp, Doctor Ding's Cartoon Lab, and afternoon reruns of Little Rascals, all on Channel 8. It gave rise to my interest in classic animation and of a simpler time in our nation's history.  

There was the KTEW Channel 2 Afternnon Movies, hosted by George Hummingbird, and the Afternoon Movie on Tulsa 23-long before it switched to Fox. Tulsa 23 had the Creature Feature movies late Saturday nights, and I remember Sherman Oaks the host (who I saw at a Quik Trip without his mask-I just knew it was him), as well as Music Break (music videos months before MTV even went on the air in 1981).

I remember how channel 41 would cease programming for the day, and all night, they'd show Odyssey, a music video program-and I do mean all night.

Seems they stopped doing all of this before the 1980s came to a close (as well as my time in the Tulsa area), but good times, good times.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

I remember the local TV offerings in Tulsa from my childhood, and they never fail to make me smile in nostalgia. They ceased production long before I got the urge to leave Oklahoma, but what memories!

I remember the morning Cartoon Circus and Uncle Zeb's Cartoon Camp, Doctor Ding's Cartoon Lab, and afternoon reruns of Little Rascals, all on Channel 8. It gave rise to my interest in classic animation and of a simpler time in our nation's history.  

There was the KTEW Channel 2 Afternnon Movies, hosted by George Hummingbird, and the Afternoon Movie on Tulsa 23-long before it switched to Fox. Tulsa 23 had the Creature Feature movies late Saturday nights, and I remember Sherman Oaks the host (who I saw at a Quik Trip without his mask-I just knew it was him), as well as Music Break (music videos months before MTV even went on the air in 1981).

I remember how channel 41 would cease programming for the day, and all night, they'd show Odyssey, a music video program-and I do mean all night.

Seems they stopped doing all of this before the 1980s came to a close (as well as my time in the Tulsa area), but good times, good times.

If you haven't been over there yet, you really need to visit TulsaTVMemories.com, which discusses all of the above, plus Tulsa pop culture of the '50s through the '80s.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

quote:Originally posted by mr.jaynes

I remember the local TV offerings in Tulsa from my childhood, and they never fail to make me smile in nostalgia. They ceased production long before I got the urge to leave Oklahoma, but what memories!

I remember the morning Cartoon Circus and Uncle Zeb's Cartoon Camp, Doctor Ding's Cartoon Lab, and afternoon reruns of Little Rascals, all on Channel 8. It gave rise to my interest in classic animation and of a simpler time in our nation's history.  

There was the KTEW Channel 2 Afternnon Movies, hosted by George Hummingbird, and the Afternoon Movie on Tulsa 23-long before it switched to Fox. Tulsa 23 had the Creature Feature movies late Saturday nights, and I remember Sherman Oaks the host (who I saw at a Quik Trip without his mask-I just knew it was him), as well as Music Break (music videos months before MTV even went on the air in 1981).

I remember how channel 41 would cease programming for the day, and all night, they'd show Odyssey, a music video program-and I do mean all night.

Seems they stopped doing all of this before the 1980s came to a close (as well as my time in the Tulsa area), but good times, good times.

If you haven't been over there yet, you really need to visit TulsaTVMemories.com, which discusses all of the above, plus Tulsa pop culture of the '50s through the '80s.

Not only that, but I even left my first post there!

[marc]

They were very good times indeed. And way back in the sixties there was Mr Zing and Tuffy, Lee Woodward and King Lionel and that cool Fantastic Theater!

The seventies saw Uncle Zeb, the Channel 8 Plenty Scary Movie, and the 8's the Place guys Bob Hower, Don Woods and Chris Lincoln. Hey, wait a minute, Chris is back at KTUL again. Deja vu!

Lots of great newscasters over the decades. Cy Tuma, Jack Morris, Clayton Vaughan, many more.

I remember Creature Feature in the early days of Channel 23 with Sherman Oaks and his sidekick Steve Pickle. And I believe Sherman did some stuff with the legendary Mazeppa back during those great Uncanny Film Festival days.

[LisaPeace]

Creature Feature...Good Gawd, that brings back memories.  You people have in your midst the president and founder of the OFFICIAL Steve Pickle Fan Club!!!  

Granted, there were only two members, but we  had a massive crush on him (if I remember, he had a Linda McCartney-esque punk mullet).  He was very gracious to us and let us take a tour of the Channel 23 studios, we got to meet Sherman and Glenda Silvey and had lots of exciting information for the one and only issue of "The Pickle Press".  hehe.

[LilMikey]

When it comes to local programming, memories are all we have or will ever have.  (Unless, of course, you count Channel 2's recent profane discourse.  Now THAT'S entertainment!)

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by LilMikey

When it comes to local programming, memories are all we have or will ever have.  (Unless, of course, you count Channel 2's recent profane discourse.  Now THAT'S entertainment!)

That's the truth.  Cable TV and satellite dug the grave for local shows, especially children's programming.  Look at what 2-6-8 gives us on weekends.  It is usually a network sports event if we are lucky, but more and more it is infomercials ad nauseum.  What a waste of the airwaves, especially for those of us that still get our TV exclusively from free over-the-air broadcast.

And don't forget Big Bill and Oomagog among the earlier Tulsa kids shows.  And Generation Rap, with the psychologist twins as hosts.  And Dance Party with the Pepsi Dancers (Tulsa's 1960s local version of American Bandstand.)

[marc]

quote:Originally posted by LilMikey

When it comes to local programming, memories are all we have or will ever have.  (Unless, of course, you count Channel 2's recent profane discourse.  Now THAT'S entertainment!)

I am afraid you are right, local programming is not what it used to be. Channel 2 tried with "World's Worst Movies" back in 2001, but it was a far cry from Mazeppa or Creature Feature.

There was some profane discourse on Channel 2 recently? I missed that one. I do remember the Beth Rengel incident on channel 8 many years back. Another one of those local programming memories, lol.

LisaPeace, that's pretty cool, I didn't even know there was a Steve Pickle fan club back then. Did you take any pics of the tour?

I remember Dance Party too, Steve, although I was  pretty young at the time. Paul Revere and the Raiders once made an appearance on the show, I recall seeing it on one of those Tulsa Memories VHS tapes.

[mr.jaynes]

Oh, and who remmebers "TULSA23 GOES 3D!"

[TulsaTV]

Is this your KOKI 3D, sir?

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

quote:Originally posted by LilMikey

When it comes to local programming, memories are all we have or will ever have.  (Unless, of course, you count Channel 2's recent profane discourse.  Now THAT'S entertainment!)

That's the truth.  Cable TV and satellite dug the grave for local shows, especially children's programming.  Look at what 2-6-8 gives us on weekends.  It is usually a network sports event if we are lucky, but more and more it is infomercials ad nauseum.  What a waste of the airwaves, especially for those of us that still get our TV exclusively from free over-the-air broadcast.

And don't forget Big Bill and Oomagog among the earlier Tulsa kids shows.  And Generation Rap, with the psychologist twins as hosts.  And Dance Party with the Pepsi Dancers (Tulsa's 1960s local version of American Bandstand.)

We got "tulsa cable" in 1975 or 1976.  My brother and I spent hours watching the movie channel.  

Who can forget such classics as "The Blob" with Tom Poston, or one of my all-time campy faves "Good Neighbor Sam" with Jack Lemmon?  My brother and I knew every line in GNS.  Seems like they also showed about all the old Elvis movies, "Oklahoma", just about anything with John Wayne.

We would hurry home from school to see "The Little Rascals".  We built a few coaster "go carts" from ideas we got off that show using cast-off lumber, old lawn mower wheels, and re-bar for axles.  I've been a gear-head ever since. []

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by TulsaTV

Is this your KOKI 3D, sir?

I do believe it is!

[TTownGen4]

I remember Fantastic Theater and the host saying in an ominous German accent "Good evening, meine freunde". That show scare us to death. We were just little kids in grade school (Burbank) but mom let us stay up and watch it. I was also on Mr. Zing and Tuffy around '62 or '63. I wonder if the studio kept those tapes and if so, where they might be now? We used to walk down to Sheridan Village to the TG&Y and spend our meager allowance - but it actually seems like it went pretty far in those days.

[mrburns918]

Jim Millaway's (Sherman Oaks) was my favorite character from Mazeppa. His wit and humor made him a hero in my eyes.

I remember seeing him at Cafe Cubana (he is there every morning) when I moved back to Tulsa and was still star struck thirty years later. I am fortunate to now call him a friend and love the stories and insight he still gives to our group while having coffee.

Mr. Burns

[tulsarick]

Ok, what happened on channel 2?