Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Charley and Humphrey; A KTVU 70's After-School Appointment TV Staple for Me and my Friends; Tuesday Topper
"Charley and Humphrey" was a KTVU after-school staple for me and several thousand of my closest friends growing up in the Bay Area in the 70's. How quickly time flies.
The character behind the characters was none other than Pat McCormick, Channel 2's supreme genius that created C and H and also hosted "Dialing for Dollars." ("3 from the Top!"). McCormick was a larger-than-life fixture at the Oakland studios of KTVU. In addition to all his daily local TV sundries, he also went on to become the station's weatherman.
But it was Charley and Humphrey; the cagey horse and doggie that caught the heart and soul of nearly every local adolescent that immediately turned to Channel 2 come 3: 30 PM. You want 1970's "Appointment TV"?, you got it. Why were Charley and Humphrey so cool? Well, you just had to be there. (Check the video).
Maybe it was the fact that they were very much the symbol of innocence in the Bay Area during the 70's; we're talking about a period of time that saw the emergence of the SLA and Patty Hearst, the bad-ass Oakland Raiders, and don't forget the Black Panthers.
Charley and Humphrey was our escape from all of that 1970's kaleidoscope; if you happened to be there and watched even a smidgen, then you know what I'm talking about, don't you? But of course.
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'GLUE! I need glue!'
ReplyDeleteRich, thanks for the C&H memories. I also recall Bob March as "Captain Satellite" and Miss Nancy on "Romper Room". Other kid favs in those days included "Hocus Pocus" on KNTV, "Big Time Wrestling" on KGSC (36), and "Roller Derby" hosted by Walt Harris on KTVU. One of the other distinguishing characteristics of 1970's bay area tv was the roster of amateurish pitchmen on tv: J. Brown for Spartan Dodge, John Taylor for Downtown Datsun (We Are the Dealingest!!!), Tom Campbell for "Matthews Top-of-Hill-Daly City", Ed Barbara Furniture USA (Hi Kids). and many more...
ReplyDeleteDon't forget "Buster and Me".
DeleteBuster and Me with Chris Pray as Buster along with Robin Goodrow and John Fromer. It was what they did when the camera was off that was really funny. Another 60's show many of us watched was Jack's Place on KPIX with Jack Hanson and his various drawings.
DeleteHoly cripes! I'd forgotten about J Brown and Spartan Dodge. That is a golden call. And it takes you back to the days when San Jose TV stations (KNTV as well as KGSC) were small-time operators.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI miss the TV20 commercials with those cute fluffy dogs.....With that said, I have one off topic question for all you astute insiders and amateur anthropologists.....WHO is the soldier that shot all (16!)those poor afghan citizens? WHY IS HIS IDENTITY BEING KEPT SECRET? I will bet you my last big mac that most the reporters ALREADY KNOW HIS NAME, and are playing along with the white house. The White House is struggling on how to spin this 'situation' so as not to inflame..who? the 'Arab Street?
ReplyDeleteI think this soldier is either an american of Muslim descent, or a member of some 'protected minority'............Excuse my rampant speculation, but I'm saddened at both the atrocity and the fact that we cannot even trust working around the afghans without literally watching you back. I so wanted for the Afghan people to develop some sort of democracy or republic. They could then start to mine all those precious minerals beneath the surface. The afghans deserve better, but they have to want better en masse, vs though coersion. They are not ready, and may not be ready for a couple more score years. WHO IS HE?
I grew up in the 80s, and I probably know every word from every one of these clips.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Made my day!
ReplyDeleteI remember C and H and also loved the wry sense of humor that came from the mouths of C and H. Miss those days. Also Captain Sattelite and Captain Cosmic were cool too!
ReplyDeleteRadar
Chose Mayor Art and Captain Satellite anytime over doing homework.
ReplyDeleteI heartily agree with all the above comments... Also: lest we forget KBHK's "Sgt Sacto" (the redoutable Mike Cleary) and "Captain San Francisco"...
ReplyDeleteWasn't Bob March the first "Dialing for Dollars" host?
Didn't Ed Barbara ("Hi Kids") run afoul of the law a while back?
And don't forget "National All-Star Wrestling" on KTVU on Friday nights with Harris.
How 'bout "Gary," the cheesy nighttime movie host on KGSC/KICU "The Perfect 36" with his interminable MMM Carpets ads?
When Pat McCormick handled the weather on "The Ten o'Clock News"; he proved fancy meteorological credentials ("AMS certified") were not needed to do it. "Weathermen" were traditionally big-lug friendly guys who kind of served as goodwill ambassadors for the station...at some point women of buxom proportions came into vogue.
...just wanted to sum my long-winded post up, and maybe you guys might agree--"There's Only One...2!"
DeletePeeky boo ...
ReplyDeleteI am both charmed and somewhat appalled at how these charley and humphrey shorts informed my moral character as a wee sprog in oakland in the 70's.
ReplyDelete