Chance Encounters #Not all of my brushes with famous people happened in California. One of my earliest encounters was in an NBC studio in Rockefeller Center in New York City in the early 50s. My dad was somehow able to get me a ticket to sit in the ‘Peanut Gallery’ of the Howdy Doody Show, which was one of my favorites on television.
I nearly missed out because when we got to the lobby there were two lines of kids. One for the Rootie Kazootie Club show and the other for Howdy Doody. The uniformed attendant’s New York accent was so strong that we stood in the Rootie Kazootie line before the last call for the Howdy Doody Show was announced and I was the last one in line with a ticket. As such I was also the last one seated in the Peanut Gallery – top row on the end.
It was my first time in a television studio and a bit of a disappointment at first. I’d envisaged being part of what I saw on television instead of sitting in a big room full of cables, huge cameras, sound booms and busy people with clipboards. The only thing that was familiar was the puppet theatre, and even that seemed a lot smaller than I expected.
But any disappointment was soon dispelled by watching all of the activities going on in the studio and seeing that everyone and everything played a part in making the show what it was when it finally made it to my television at home. It was a realization that turned into a fascination that helped me many years later when I appeared on television and produced a number of the commercials and videos I’d written for clients. I helped me to see how the magic was created.
As the activity calmed down and the players started taking their places on the set an older, fat kid told me and the other kids in my row to move over to make room for him. We did and he took over my place on the end. Then we were all told to keep quiet until asked to cheer by one of the guys with a clipboard.
A red light went on over the door we’d entered through and the show was on air.
Buffalo Bob Smith made his appearance after sitting near the set when we entered. This was the first time he’d said hello or acknowledged us and we had to cheer. I didn’t get the feeling that he was even looking at us. From then on the show seemed to click along as scripted with the Peanut Gallery’s only function being to cheer on cue. That too was a disappointment because I always thought the kids in the Peanut Gallery were more involved.
Clarabell the clown was played by Bob Keeshan (later Captain Kangaroo). He too was a disappointment. His clown makeup stopped just above the neck of his ruffled collar. Since most of his shots were to camera and his back was turned towards the Peanut Gallery we could clearly see a band of his pale skin where the makeup was missing. Then that ruffle must have been uncomfortable to wear in all the heat from the stage lighting.
The fat kid sitting next to me kept squirming and demanding more room. He was also making rude comments directed at Clarabell. At one point he elbowed me and said, “Watch this,” and pulled out a peashooter from his shirt. After putting some ammunition in his mouth he aimed it at Clarabell and let go.
The first couple of shots missed but the first one to connect hit Clarabell just above he hairline of the scalp piece he was wearing as part of his makeup. I imagine it didn’t hurt because Clarabell swatted by the back of his head as if a fly had landed on his head. And there were a lot of flies in the studio. He didn’t even turn around.
Fat boy’s aim got better and he was finally able to hit Clarabell on the back of his neck and this time Bob Keeshan did turn around and saw the kid try and hide the peashooter and fail.
The show must go on and it did until there was a break. Clarabell stormed over to the Peanut Gallery using expletives I’d only hear before at summer camp and from a NYC taxi driver when my stepmom drove the wrong way on a one-way street. It was very enlightening.
The fat kid started talking back and Clarabell told him that if he tried that again he take him out back a beat the “holy living shit” out of him. Fat Boy, now in tears, countered this by saying that his father was an important NBC executive and would have Clarabell fired for this.
Just as quickly as it happened it was over and Clarabell was back in character and honking his horn as the show continued. However, fat boy didn’t do anything further and we were all given a bag of gifts as we left.
None of the cast ever said a word to any of us and the gifts consisted of sample tube of a sponsor’s toothpaste, a toothbrush some cards with the show’s characters printed on them and some other stuff I don’t remember. Hardly memorable.
I’ve read that a year or so later, Bob Keeshan left the show. Speculation was that he was fired. I’ve always wondered it Fab Boy’s father really was an NBC bigwig and he’d gotten his revenge.
Chance Encounters #1 © Robert R. Feigel 2022 – All Rights Reserved
Pieces from a Puzzling Life 