Remember Watching Rootie Kazootie?
Remember Watching Rootie Kazootie? I Do!
Did you know this was the first of two early children’s TV shows that introduced an interactive technique called “the magic screen”? The “magic screen” (a thick piece of green vinyl that you sent away for) would cling to the TV screen via static electricity. Kids could follow along with drawing and writing on “their side” the magic screen with a crayon. The second show was ‘Windy Dink And You’ in 1953. This show first aired locally as ‘The Rootie Tootie Club’ on New York’s NBC affiliate WNBT on October 14, 1950. Since the title character regularly used a magical kazoo, which he called his “Magic Kazootie,” the kids began calling him “Rootie Kazootie.” Following the kids’ lead, the names of the show and the character were changed with the December 26 show. The network began broadcasting it nationally on July 2, 1951. The show aired on NBC until November 1952, and was seen on ABC beginning in December. The last telecast was May 7, 1954. The link above it to a full 30 minute show from 1953 that came from ABC. Thanks to Maureen Carney for this rare photo.
“Winky Dink and You” was another early one for me. I got into big trouble drawing on the glass plate that was mounted over the picture tube on our old RCA Newport.
Every time I see someone with one of those silly hats with the big peak in the front turned sideways, I think of Rootie Kazootie. It’s probably one of the earliest shows I can remember in this life.
The animated ad for the fudge bar (at the end of the video) looks like anime! Reminds me of Speed Racer and Kimba the White Lion.