Betty Lou Varnum
Encyclopedia
Betty Lou Varnum is an American television personality. Her parents, Glen and Louise McVay, moved to the small town of Platteville, Wisconsin
later that same year. Her father was a popular local optometrist and sportsman and her mother was a housewife. The family lived in Platteville
during WWII as McVay completed public school. After the war, McVay moved to Madison
and attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in English literature. After graduation, McVay returned to her hometown, Platteville
, and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in teaching. She took a job teaching literature and speech at the high school in Port Washington, Wisconsin
.
An acquaintance of McVay's who attended the University of Wisconsin, Platteville and worked at WOI-TV
in Ames, Iowa
suggested her as a host for a television show. In late 1954, after being contacted by WOI-TV
managers, McVay left her teaching job and went to work in television. At that time, WOI-TV
was owned and operated by Iowa State University
and had just signed on the air on February 21, 1950. It was the first commercial television station in the United States
to be owned by a major college. Although she had never been in a television studio before and had only been on the job for two days, McVay took over as host of “The Magic Window
”, which would become America's longest-running local children's program.
“The Magic Window
” ran continuously from 1951 through 1994. “Betty Lou and the House with the Magic Window,” as the show was later titled, was a children's show aimed at kindergarten and preschoolers that took place in the Magic Forest. McVay and her special friends, “Gregory Lion” (a perpetually 4-year-old lion), “Catrina Crocodile” (a witch who had changed herself into a beautiful crocodile) and “Dusty the Unicorn” (more formally known as “Stardust Glimmer”, who was 3000 years old – young for a unicorn), would chat with visitors, teach a clever craft, and watch wholesome cartoons such as “Felix the Cat
” and “Tales of the Riverbank
,” a Canadian live-action short about “Hammy the Hamster”, “Roderick the Rat” and friends. Although targeted for young children, “The Magic Window
” would become a favorite of children of all ages as generations grew up with Betty Lou.
In 1959, McVay married James (Red) Varnum, also an employee at WOI-TV
. Red worked as a backstage designer, producer, director and writer and appeared in a number of shows including "The Red Dash" and “Gravesend Manor”. It was rumored that Red was the voice of one of the puppets in “The Magic Window
”, but neither Betty Lou nor Red ever confirmed this.
She worked on other projects at WOI-TV
and became the motive force behind many significant public affairs and entertainment shows. Among the first in her field, she hosted a local talk show, “Dimension 5”, which ran on Tuesday evenings starting at 10:30 PM and ending when all of the viewer’s questions were answered and the panel members had expressed their views—often causing the show to run into the early hours of the morning. “Dimension 5” addressed the controversial topics of the day with shows featuring Medal of Honor Winners, Nobel Prize Winners, The American Indian Movement, Women's Rights, Gay and Lesbian rights and many others. Betty Lou also produced and hosted the award winning “Status 6” which focused on the struggles of the handicapped in Iowa for which she received the McCall’s Golden Mike Award for Women in Radio and Television. In the mid-1970s, she conceived of and hosted "Stringers Newscast," a show that featured film shorts and animations produced by the viewing public. Betty Lou also hosted the yearly Iowa State Fair
and VEISHEA
Parades. Betty Lou retired in 1994 when WOI-TV
was purchased by a commercial company. During her 40 year career, Betty Lou received endless recognition and awards for her pioneering work in the television industry and as a woman in the early days of local broadcasting.
Betty Lou has always had a love for dogs, nature, the Arts and Mystery Novels.
Platteville, Wisconsin
Platteville is the largest city in Grant County in southwestern Wisconsin. The population was 11,224 at the 2010 census, growing 12% since the 2000 Census. Much of this growth is likely due to the enrollment increase of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville...
later that same year. Her father was a popular local optometrist and sportsman and her mother was a housewife. The family lived in Platteville
Platteville, Wisconsin
Platteville is the largest city in Grant County in southwestern Wisconsin. The population was 11,224 at the 2010 census, growing 12% since the 2000 Census. Much of this growth is likely due to the enrollment increase of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville...
during WWII as McVay completed public school. After the war, McVay moved to Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
and attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in English literature. After graduation, McVay returned to her hometown, Platteville
Platteville, Wisconsin
Platteville is the largest city in Grant County in southwestern Wisconsin. The population was 11,224 at the 2010 census, growing 12% since the 2000 Census. Much of this growth is likely due to the enrollment increase of the University of Wisconsin–Platteville...
, and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in teaching. She took a job teaching literature and speech at the high school in Port Washington, Wisconsin
Port Washington, Wisconsin
Port Washington is the county seat of Ozaukee County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The city is about 25 miles north of Milwaukee and 110 miles north of Chicago. In the 2000 census Port Washington had a population of 10,467...
.
An acquaintance of McVay's who attended the University of Wisconsin, Platteville and worked at WOI-TV
WOI-TV
WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...
in Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
suggested her as a host for a television show. In late 1954, after being contacted by WOI-TV
WOI-TV
WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...
managers, McVay left her teaching job and went to work in television. At that time, WOI-TV
WOI-TV
WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...
was owned and operated by Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
and had just signed on the air on February 21, 1950. It was the first commercial television station in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to be owned by a major college. Although she had never been in a television studio before and had only been on the job for two days, McVay took over as host of “The Magic Window
The Magic Window
The Magic Window was an American children's television program broadcast on ABC affiliate WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa from 1951 to 1994. With a run of 43 years, it was the longest running children's television program in American history...
”, which would become America's longest-running local children's program.
“The Magic Window
The Magic Window
The Magic Window was an American children's television program broadcast on ABC affiliate WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa from 1951 to 1994. With a run of 43 years, it was the longest running children's television program in American history...
” ran continuously from 1951 through 1994. “Betty Lou and the House with the Magic Window,” as the show was later titled, was a children's show aimed at kindergarten and preschoolers that took place in the Magic Forest. McVay and her special friends, “Gregory Lion” (a perpetually 4-year-old lion), “Catrina Crocodile” (a witch who had changed herself into a beautiful crocodile) and “Dusty the Unicorn” (more formally known as “Stardust Glimmer”, who was 3000 years old – young for a unicorn), would chat with visitors, teach a clever craft, and watch wholesome cartoons such as “Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in the silent film era. His black body, white eyes, and giant grin, coupled with the surrealism of the situations in which his cartoons place him, combine to make Felix one of the most recognized cartoon characters in film history...
” and “Tales of the Riverbank
Tales of the Riverbank
Tales of the Riverbank, sometimes called Hammy Hamster, is a Canadian children's television show starring Hammy Hamster and other animals....
,” a Canadian live-action short about “Hammy the Hamster”, “Roderick the Rat” and friends. Although targeted for young children, “The Magic Window
The Magic Window
The Magic Window was an American children's television program broadcast on ABC affiliate WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa from 1951 to 1994. With a run of 43 years, it was the longest running children's television program in American history...
” would become a favorite of children of all ages as generations grew up with Betty Lou.
In 1959, McVay married James (Red) Varnum, also an employee at WOI-TV
WOI-TV
WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...
. Red worked as a backstage designer, producer, director and writer and appeared in a number of shows including "The Red Dash" and “Gravesend Manor”. It was rumored that Red was the voice of one of the puppets in “The Magic Window
The Magic Window
The Magic Window was an American children's television program broadcast on ABC affiliate WOI-TV in Ames, Iowa from 1951 to 1994. With a run of 43 years, it was the longest running children's television program in American history...
”, but neither Betty Lou nor Red ever confirmed this.
She worked on other projects at WOI-TV
WOI-TV
WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...
and became the motive force behind many significant public affairs and entertainment shows. Among the first in her field, she hosted a local talk show, “Dimension 5”, which ran on Tuesday evenings starting at 10:30 PM and ending when all of the viewer’s questions were answered and the panel members had expressed their views—often causing the show to run into the early hours of the morning. “Dimension 5” addressed the controversial topics of the day with shows featuring Medal of Honor Winners, Nobel Prize Winners, The American Indian Movement, Women's Rights, Gay and Lesbian rights and many others. Betty Lou also produced and hosted the award winning “Status 6” which focused on the struggles of the handicapped in Iowa for which she received the McCall’s Golden Mike Award for Women in Radio and Television. In the mid-1970s, she conceived of and hosted "Stringers Newscast," a show that featured film shorts and animations produced by the viewing public. Betty Lou also hosted the yearly Iowa State Fair
Iowa State Fair
The Iowa State Fair is an annual state fair held in Des Moines, Iowa.The 2011 Iowa State Fair was held August 11–21 and marked 100 years of the butter cow sculpture.-History:...
and VEISHEA
VEISHEA
VEISHEA is an annual week long celebration held each spring on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. The celebration features an annual parade and many open-house demonstrations of the university facilities and departments. Campus organizations exhibit products, technologies, and...
Parades. Betty Lou retired in 1994 when WOI-TV
WOI-TV
WOI-DT, channel 5, is the ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Ames, and serving the Des Moines, Iowa market. Its studios are in West Des Moines...
was purchased by a commercial company. During her 40 year career, Betty Lou received endless recognition and awards for her pioneering work in the television industry and as a woman in the early days of local broadcasting.
Betty Lou has always had a love for dogs, nature, the Arts and Mystery Novels.