The Children's Hour (Boston children's television series)
Encyclopedia
The Children’s Hour was a local children’s television series produced in the mid 1960s by WIHS-TV channel 38 (now WSBK-TV
) in Boston, Massachusetts. Despite the show’s title, the program ran 45 minutes. It was hosted by Paula Dolan, and ran late weekday afternoons.
Unlike many local children’s programming, there were no children on-stage. In fact, Dolan was the only on-screen person on the program, which was produced in a very small studio.
The format was simple and never changed. At the beginning of the program, Dolan would introduce Wilbur the Wise Weather Rabbit, a hand puppet she controlled. Each day, Wilbur would make a prediction about whether tomorrow would be sunny, rainy, cloudy, or snowy. After she put Wilbur away, Dolan would then bring out a calendar, and tell the viewers she was secretly keeping track of Wilbur’s predictions. She would mark on the calendar what Wilbur’s prediction for tomorrow was, and make note of how accurate he was for today’s weather. The remainder of the program consisted of an episode of the cartoon series Bucky and Pepito
, and an episode of one of the Flash Gordon
serials starring Buster Crabbe
. Unfortunately, the serial episodes were not always shown in the proper order. Each program ended with Dolan doing a dance routine as the credits rolled.
WSBK-TV
WSBK-TV is a MyNetworkTV television station for eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire that is licensed to Boston. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter along the Needham and Wellesley town line southwest of the MA 9 and I-95 / MA 128...
) in Boston, Massachusetts. Despite the show’s title, the program ran 45 minutes. It was hosted by Paula Dolan, and ran late weekday afternoons.
Unlike many local children’s programming, there were no children on-stage. In fact, Dolan was the only on-screen person on the program, which was produced in a very small studio.
The format was simple and never changed. At the beginning of the program, Dolan would introduce Wilbur the Wise Weather Rabbit, a hand puppet she controlled. Each day, Wilbur would make a prediction about whether tomorrow would be sunny, rainy, cloudy, or snowy. After she put Wilbur away, Dolan would then bring out a calendar, and tell the viewers she was secretly keeping track of Wilbur’s predictions. She would mark on the calendar what Wilbur’s prediction for tomorrow was, and make note of how accurate he was for today’s weather. The remainder of the program consisted of an episode of the cartoon series Bucky and Pepito
Bucky and Pepito
Bucky and Pepito was a 1958 animated television series produced by Sam Singer. Two episodes appeared on a compilation DVD of the worst cartoons ever made, and it was described by Harry McCracken as setting "a standard for awfulness that no contemporary TV cartoon has managed to...
, and an episode of one of the Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
serials starring Buster Crabbe
Buster Crabbe
Clarence Linden "Buster" Crabbe was an American athlete and actor, who starred in a number of popular serials in the 1930s and 1940s.-Birth:...
. Unfortunately, the serial episodes were not always shown in the proper order. Each program ended with Dolan doing a dance routine as the credits rolled.