Your Thoughts: "Pioneers of Television" with Jim Henson

[Phillip]

Tuesday night don’t miss the PBS special “Pioneers of Television” at 7 pm central, 8 pm eastern.

This special episode will honor children’s TV pioneers including Muppets creator Jim Henson, Fred Rogers, animator Bob Clampett, actor Chuck McCann, Pat MacMahon, Nancy Claster, creator of "Romper Room" among others.

Watch this special on your local PBS station Tuesday evening and post your thoughts here.

If you happen to miss “Pioneers of Television” Tuesday night, the episode will likely reair several times in the next few days, check your local listings for times in your area. A DVD of the “Pioneers of Television” episode will be released March 1.

http://www.pbs.org/opb/pioneersoftelevision/

 

[beakerboy12]

I liked the show. Even though it didn't really focus on Jim Henson for most of the show. It was quite interesting! Plus, because of this show, I learned something about Jim Henson I hadn't known. It was just quite good!

 

[Oscarfan]

Well, it wasn't much, but at least he was included.

This reminds me, I need to the get the DVD set of their "Make 'Em Laugh" series.

 

[minor muppetz]

Well I had to miss it. So what clips were included (or what productions were represented? I suppose Sam and Friends and Sesame Street, but what else?).

This special episode will honor children’s TV pioneers including Muppets creator Jim Henson, Fred Rogers, animator Bob Clampett, actor Chuck McCann, Pat MacMahon, Nancy Claster, creator of "Romper Room" among others.

I didn't know Bob Clampett was included. Did it only focus on Beany and Cecil, or were there clips from his Warner Bros. shorts?

 

[Oscarfan]

The clips came from Sam and Friends ("Ol' Black Magic"), some Wilkins Coffee Commercials, one of the Lay Choy commercials, The Muppets on Puppets and the first episode of SST (the punchline to the Rosie sketch).

 

[Drtooth]

What really surprised me was the inclusion of Fat Albert (far from being a local show), and interviews with not only Bill Cosby bu Lou Schiemer (SP?) and Filmation's educational adviser.

The Jim Henson stuff I was expecting, sure... but I really smiled when I saw that. i was also highly surprised by the inclusion of Adam West!

I didn't know Bob Clampett was included. Did it only focus on Beany and Cecil, or were there clips from his Warner Bros. shorts?

He was included ONLY for creating Time for Beany, the original puppet show, and only via the recollections of Stan Freberg. A clip of a Porky Pig cartoon WAS shown, but only to make another point.

 

[Lil0Vampy]

I personally loved it! Although Jim Henson's part in the special was quite small, I think it was a great program all the same.

 

[Drtooth]

Well, everything was basically small, and some of it anecdotal...and there seems to have been a lot of things overlooked. These really should be 2 hours each or something... maybe the DVD's have the extended cut. Though, I do wish they got more people to talk about Jim Henson that actually worked with him.

 

[MelissaY1]

It was ok. Of course I know the whole show couldn't be about Jim or Sesame Street, but I thought they spent a little too long on some of those other shows. And they showed so many great personalities at the end, and showed a picture of Shari Lewis, how come we didn't see more of her? And I really think they should've included the NY area show "The Magic Garden" as it had a very long run.

 

[Drtooth]

Well, I would say that, but the Pioneers of Television series DOES tend to do that. It seems that there was a LOT of ground they didn't have time to cover... they even had a 10 second segment with Ernie Borgnine that they didn't call back to in the rest of the show. That Phoenix show was brought up too many times (is this a PBS Phoenix production?) But I guess they wanted something that bridged the 50's to a current era.

And I didn't believe Sam and Friends was supposed to be a kid's show.

Yeah, a lot of it was anecdotal, but VERY interesting... Ronald McDonald came out of that area dropping Bozo the Clown and needing a clown to make public promotions...

Still, seems like some of the stuff didn't fit as local (Fat Albert), as fun as it was. They really need to do one JUST for national kid's TV.