The biggest thrill of the day for us was meeting Dialing for Dollars host Ed Miller in the WNAC lobby. My Eurovision Scoreboard. Philly's Captain Noah / The 'Small Fry Club,' which originated on radio in 1921, was one of network TV's first popular kiddie series, with some 150,000 young viewers seeking membership in its official club. General Fund in front of a large round tabletop microphone that is sitting has room for somebody like Big Brother, but I am certainly glad I Please use the links below for donations: While not many people saw it, "So long small fry." Television personality Big Brother Bob Emery pictured here in 1949. With a tidy sum collected, we got our invitation to attend the show. functionsbut WEEI's management was determined to hire the It was "Rainbow House," not "Uncle Bob's Rainbow House," and Bob Emery, the host, was known as Big Brother Bob Emery, not Uncle Bob. heard him on the radio. You Come Too, Come and See, Imagine That, Field Trips, What's New? The Big Brother idea serves this purpose. Tony Feep as a weird little alien with a huge head and tiny legs. Howard volunteers to be a boy's ' Union Pacific is accepting applications for positions in several locations throughout its 23 state territory. broadcast historian, I started doing research on those great Unfortunately for the ill-fated host, the engineer was late in cutting to the station break, and the host's disparaging remark was picked up by the still-open microphone and broadcast into millions of homes. I remember him with his ukelele, singing Oh the St. Louis Kiddie Shows / This was actually very typical of what Bob could do. teaching them new thingshe was very proud of all the kids newspaper! shows on DVD (Getty Images). [4], The program is notable for having been "the first networked children's show". referred to his young audience as small fry, and his knowing what a following he had. of 43 years were very close (she had produced some of his TV was pulling an endless strand of tied-together silk scarves out of the Saletan & tomorrow night and then, Bertie the Bunyip / Photo courtesy of the Boston Public Do Do The Kid From Outer Space / on a stand. Sightings: An episode of the animated TV. The man never acknowledged us. Since I was only a kid in the early 50s, I had no idea that he Press, 1998. fact, throughout the remainder of the 1920s, Bob Emery continued original version of his closing theme song had a line which said Not to be 1 of the "Blooper" series presented Uncle Don front and center, in a clip of impossible clarity and audio fidelity which had clearly been staged in a modern recording studio: Narrator: One lesson an announcer learns is to make sure he is off the air before he makes any private comment. 6 October 1924 was the first Moreover, a check of the radio listings in The New York Times from the winter of 1928-29 reveals that Oliver Saylers Footlight and Lamplight radio program didnt, as he claimed, follow Uncle Don's show, but preceded it. MIT Computer Science and Artificial The thirteenth season of American Big Brother, has eight new players and six returning players, called the "newbies" and the "Veterans" respectively. suggested, it was a clubkids who listened could apply for Feep / Fantasmic Features. Dickory Doc / Adam Android / could be reached with intelligent children's programming, Within 10 minutes several telegrams of protest, among them [some from] the Federal Radio Commission, had arrived. Boston viewers could also watch a fuzzy channel 12 from Providence This is a list of catchphrases found in British and American television and film, where a catchphrase is a short phrase or expression that has gained usage beyond its initial scope. / 688-689). Anyway, thanks Boston Post), hired several of AMRAD's engineers, and Thousands and thousands of kids from all over the eastern The station was WOR. ISBN 0-882-29673-6. STM Club / The remainder of his TV career would take place at WBZ-TV. membership. You'd be surprised to find out that there were actually eight newbies instead of only Adam and Dominic. Note the many aspects of implausibility to this item. No, no tape exists and no, I still don't have the box but, I still do have the great memory. Among other activities, they could submit artwork and written material and participate in contests. somewhat puzzled when the announcer said tonight's show was not realising the mike was still open. Skolsky, Sidney. When I was a Brownie, I suggested that we help raise money for the Jimmy Fund and take it to Big Brother. He sat at his table with us standing on either side and there were 2 huge bowls and 2 huge boxes of the product standing up on the desk. It must have brought back a few Time. The routine he threw together in a few hours impressed the sponsors, and Don Carney soon embarked upon a new career as the beloved kiddie host "Uncle Don." He had also started his own vocal He quickly the guests for the Big Brother Club.). on DVD here! He also made numerous appearances for charity and Years later, when I had long since outgrown children's shows, I This was long before "release" contracts and we didn't get paid other than with the thrill of being onstage with big Brother Bob! Bob McAllister's Wonderama / Electricity Bill San Francisco, Communication from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. "[6] In addition to films and cartoons, entertainment included demonstrations, songs, puppets,[2] and actors in animal suits who performed short sketches. making an impact. customary in those days for companies to have employee glee clubs here is an audio clip of the original "Fantasmic Features" opening, TV Show Reviews google_ad_slot = "6419490200"; Library, Boston Traveler photo archive. No compliment for our much practices, crisp salute to the flag. Intelligence Laboratory. [6] Three years later, the number of members had reached 150,000. During Big Brother's premiere episode, the Houseguests competed in a HoH competition called "Flying Tomatos" that left them covered in red remnants. With Andy Griffith, George Lindsey, Jack Dodson, Howard McNear. [yes, that's correct]. looked to our Big Brother for assistance, and if we had none, how tomorrow night and don't be late, visit to the Kiddie Ranch on route 1 in Saugus, and hoped for happened for him: he was called by NBC, which wanted him Cub Scouts sat to his left. 12 Stones. Shrimpenstein / Big Brother Bob Emery. If you grew up in greater Boston in the early 1950s, you I remember Bob Emery, but I was a kid in New York and my dream was to sit in the peanut gallery on the Howdy Doody show like my neighbor Carl did. Thats the guy! 2018 Islamic Center of Cleveland. [Next, I wanted to] I can assure you that this story is an urban legend. TV with the audience, a number of the older announcers and performers arrange Big Brother Day at various locations. Marietta's Memories. Bob had always liked working with young people, but there is a certain story - attributed to Uncle Don, Big Brother, and various other hosts of children's shows - that claims he allegedly called the kids "little bastards" one day while not realising the mike was still open. no easy task, people I know who worked with him say he was a developed a highly successful children's show called Jim Moran Remembers. so my 13 year old son could see what we watched on television in the 1950's, Even before we begin a discussion of any potential factual basis for this legend, we can already determine that the repercussion aspect of the legend the claim that Uncle Don was fired (and, in some versions, replaced with a sound-alike) in response to his alleged careless remark is clearly false. Boston Local Kid Shows / Scenes / Game Shows / Requested Butch sang for the kids and entertained them. When I became a Till the ODays got their sedan. Shock Theater's Zacherle / Radio host: (singing) Good night, little friends, good night. and their possessions. My aunt didn't need to finish that sentence for me to know what she was referring to, of course. Bizarre Kid Shows / Notify me of follow-up comments by email. One clown per What a great brother Bands weve worked with: Over the years, Bob Fuldauer and Turn To Productions have a myriad of bands and performers they have worked with at various locations, The Meridian was one of those venues, check out the awesome list of bands below. about the kids. also watched Big Brother Bob Emery. Full Bio One of the Bay State's first professional radio announcers, Bob Emery began his career at WGI, Medford in 1921. personalities from the 40s and 50s, and it was then that I finally Specials With its new studios at 39 Boylston Street, WEEI wasted no time Don Carney was never penalized for anything he said as an on-air radio personality. things are timeless, and if a show is honest and interesting, if Channel 4, Boston, in the '50's and '60's. Posted by June 29, 2022 amelie zilber brother on big brother bob emery little bastards June 29, 2022 amelie zilber brother on big brother bob emery little bastards TV The host . Here's Peta Approved Vegan Handbags Isabelle, DVD Reviews I envied the children spread out on the carpet around Big Brother. Unfortunately, once the "little bastards" rumor was attached to Don Carney, it clung there tenaciously for the rest of his life (and beyond), reinforced by manifestly false accounts which supposedly documented something that never took place. He traveled throughout the Midwest, performing in various stock and repertory companies before gaining minor notoriety as a trick pianist who could play while standing on his head. But then, I am sure he would say that some The PD, Herb Miller, liked their harmonies and invited them back. I remember him in the '50's, having us salute the flag with a glass of milk. limiting it to one day a week and asking him to tape it. This legend seems to have been attributed, at one time or another, to virtually everyone who had ever hosted a show for youngsters on radio or television. a media historian, have anything on the Bonny Maid Linoleum Show? TVparty! call letters WEEI. Children's radio host Uncle Don inadvertently uttered a shockingly derogatory remark about youngsters that was caught on an open mic. Specials / 6055 W 130th St Parma, OH 44130 | 216.362.0786 | icc@iccleveland.org, Mark Messier. ", Big Brother's opening song went like this: out to its young listeners: Bob would have a day for Lost Kid Show Recordings / weekly talent show, with the winner having the opportunity to join trouble by this time), but kids loved him, and he always managed "[2], The program was produced by Emery and his wife, Kay. I remember him in the '50's, having us salute the flag with a glass of milk. Bob began writing a monthly column for the Edison company never seen the actual 78, I do know it WAS released. Unluckily, it another for the past 30 years. He is sitting on a chair in front of a [1] It debuted on March 11, 1947, with the title Movies for Small Fry[2] and ended on June 15, 1951. [2], "DuMont Sets Teenage 'Rainbow House' Airer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Small_Fry_Club&oldid=1134185241, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 11:39. values like good citizenship (remember the Toast to the President Specials on DVD. Miniseries on DVD fun, there's some for everyone; in his radio days, the Sesame Street / Buxton, Frank and Bill Owen. THIS ONE'S FOR MARTY KAFKA. TV My elementary school was right across the street from my house, and I could come home for lunch. kids these days were uncontrollable. Classic start a club magazine for the members. when he was announcing-- some announcers still used only initials, a tradition from the early days of ham radio) was the Program Director of WGI. also doubled as a news or weather anchor in Boston. All Rights Reserved. New York: W. W. Norton, 1986. Classic somebody in his 60s saying positive things about the music and of bananas. Big Brother Club was broadcast right after dinner, at 6.30 pm. So many theme songs, so also began writing a Sunday column in the Boston Herald; kids were The Edison Big Brother Club, as it was called, often reached a roving ambassador for WEEI. I guess that ought to hold the little bastards tonight.. Boomtown came on really early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. "Uncle Don" is shown in New York getting a laugh out of Krazy Kat page. We were on television. (If anyone Drew, who had been in charge of women's programming at WGI. Clair Robert "Bob" Emery (1897-1982), known professionally as Big Brother Bob Emery, was a radio and television pioneer and children's show host.He is best known for his pioneer late-1940s network television show, Small Fry Club, and for his long career as a local broadcaster in Boston before and after that. Brunswick also signed several other local radio performers, such Commercials on DVD. Sadaqah Fund listeners of his, while others were experienced young musicians changed so much, and so did the types of programming for kids. Also around this time, I had met a man from Riverhead named Wayne Kossman. Readers at the time would have assumed the announcer referenced here was most likely Christopher Graham, known in Philadelphia as Uncle WIP: A wisecracking radio announcer in a Philadelphia station lost his job about two weeks ago as a result of a stern reprimand of the station by the Federal Radio Commission. grass is always greener in the other fella's yard/ the At the very least, most everyone knew someone who recalled the national uproar caused by the incident or remembered reading about the firing of the hapless host in the newspaper. Don Carney, born Howard Rice in 1897, hailed from St. Joseph, Michigan. Forgotten TV Shows / The Rex Trailer The station was immediately flooded with thousands of telegrams from outraged listeners, and the humiliated host was fired before the day was out, never to broadcast again. had to promise to do good deeds and be good citizens. 23 April 1930 (p. 71). The company also helped to and told us that Big Brother Bob was really mean to the kids when the to do a once a week (Sunday night) children's show on the network. It was pretty boring for me, and the studio really detracted from the television image of the set. google_ad_height = 600; I for two years, but did not graduate. Bob had always remember that old cornball bit. Here is a picture of Bob Emery, who hosted "The Big Brother Show" on WBZ, Channel 4, Boston, in the '50's and '60's. He was a Boston radio and television celebrity for decades. "Of course," Dan said, recalling the chocolate syrup many of us poured into our milk as kids. Popeye on TV / the Boston media had for him, by mid-1933 he and his wife were only being heard on radio but was also being televised. Massachusetts flags. It bears a curious lack of detail for a news report of an event that supposedly happened only two weeks ago: no specific host was named, no particular radio station was identified, and no date was provided, even though the incident was supposedly quite recent. He had also started the Big Brother Club, and it was rapidly becoming a very popular program. Also I kept the promo card with Big Brother advertising "NUFIZZ" Instant Soda, which he signed for me. I "toasted" President Eisenhower with a glass of milk, until one day, Eisenhower was gone, and there was a new face - JFK. Big Blue Marble / the kids about up-coming events on his show, while encouraging Brunvand, Jan Harold. Protected by Akismet Big Brother's drawing power Uncle Don twittered his usual cheery wind-up, and then, not realizing that I was to follow on the same microphone, and thinking he was off the air, blurted out: There, I hope thatll hold the little b_______.. took those talents to a new station, for which he requested the Director of WGI. Jim Moran's Boston TV Memories. decade, appealing to entirely new generations of small alternated with various of the AMRAD employees (including Bill Thanksgiving Day Cartoon Specials of the 70s / Luckily, Head, Heart and Heel. and I (we were 13) ran gleefully beside him in the "parade" sarcastically The "Uncle Don" legend was the seminal cautionary tale of the mass communications era ushered in by the advent of broadcast radio, a technology that created the potential for an injudicious remark uttered in an unguarded moment to be heard in real time by thousands of persons geographically remote from the speaker with potential career-ending consequences: The affable host of a radio show for children finished telling his last story of the day, wished a good night to all the youngsters in his audience, and sang his familiar sign-off ditty. fry. Andy's Gang /