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Who here remembers, when Captain Kangaroo was  on TV and occasionally would have a large Lionel train layout on his show. He would operate all the new Lionel accessories for that year, I was in grade school at the time. We lived about about four blocks from the school. I would run to school and get there just before the bell.   

Last edited by Rich Melvin
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I was born in 1958-- and I very well remember that large Lionel layout on Captain Kangaroo. It made me want a train set so badly. I don't know how many times a year it was on-- but not many, and it seemed like an eternity between showings. As you mentioned-- it had every Lionel gizmo a young chap could dream about, and it had several layers, and tunnels and wig wag crossing signals....! I never got a Lionel set-- but did a nice Marx set that I wore out....

@jim sutter posted:

Who here remembers, when Captain Kangaroo was  on TV and occasionally would have a large Lionel train layout on his show. He would operate all the new Lionel accessories for that year, I was in grade school at the time. We lived about about four blocks from the school. I would run to school and get there just before the bell.   

Most certainly.  There was an article about the Captain and his trains many years ago in CTT.  I'll see if I can find it.  I wrote the guest editorial for that one.

Lou N

Last edited by Rich Melvin

I certainly remember the CK episodes with Lionel trains.  Those episodes really would wet my appetite for Lionel trains every time I'd see them for sure.  If my memory serves me correctly those episodes would open with the trains running and of course the Captain at the throttle .... a ZW of course.  I was always so bummed  because I could only watch 10 minutes of the show before my Mom would force me out the door to school.  I think the episode would run twice per year; one during the regular season and secondly the same show during summer re-runs.  

Lou N. - I'd love to read your guest editorial in CTT.   Unfortunately I don't have any train mags lying around that go back that far.

There used to be a weekday kids show broadcast from Baltimore on one of the local network affiliates ( I think WJZ TV ) called the Early Riser with Stu Kerr as the host. This show was on just before Captain K.   He would sometimes ( once a year )  have a set of trains on that show.  I don't recall if they were Lionel or American Flyer.  

Searching the internet I found that the April 8, 1958 episode of Captain Kangaroo, Season 4, episode 189, featured the Captain and his toy trains. BUT, I can't find the actual video. It was deleted from YouTube as the person who posted it no longer has a you tube account. Easy to find is the episode where he was reading "The Little Engine That Could"

Can anyone here find it?

I recall sending away to CK for a clear plastic lens that stuck to your TV screen. They would put something up on the screen so you could copy/drawn it on the lens. Then they would play a cartoon and what you drew appeared to be part of the cartoon. Not exactly PlayStation quality, but we thought it was pretty neat.

If anyone finds the trains that would be a cool video for sure.

Last edited by GVDobler
@GVDobler posted:

I recall sending away to CK for a clear plastic lens that stuck to your TV screen. They would put something up on the screen so you could copy/drawn it on the lens. Then they would play a cartoon and what you drew appeared to be part of the cartoon. Not exactly PlayStation quality, but we thought it was pretty neat.

If anyone finds the trains that would be a cool video for sure.

I don't think that was Captain Kangaroo, I think it was on the Winky Dink show. A piece of static cling plastic placed on your TV screen.

BUT, it could have been on both

I remember Captain Kangaroo and Mister Greenjeans in the 1950's on a Chicago television station probably Channel 2, it was on at 8:00AM daily, Monday through Friday, I started grade school in 1955 and had to watch the time the nuns did not take kindly for arriving late for watching this show, the Catholic Grade School was in running distance from my parents house. As for the Lionel trains I remember them being shown in late November and December.

Was not there a train layout that was in a large table with smooth sides? it may have been HO. I vaguely remember it. It seemed to be sunken down and there was a lid on top to cover it up. It was shown maybe at the end of the show each episode or in a commercial during the show. Like I said I vaguely remember it.

I do remember the cornflakes on the flat car though.

@trumptrain posted:

I certainly remember the CK episodes with Lionel trains.  Those episodes really would wet my appetite for Lionel trains every time I'd see them for sure.  If my memory serves me correctly those episodes would open with the trains running and of course the Captain at the throttle .... a ZW of course.  I was always so bummed  because I could only watch 10 minutes of the show before my Mom would force me out the door to school.  I think the episode would run twice per year; one during the regular season and secondly the same show during summer re-runs.  

Lou N. - I'd love to read your guest editorial in CTT.   Unfortunately I don't have any train mags lying around that go back that far.

There used to be a weekday kids show broadcast from Baltimore on one of the local network affiliates ( I think WJZ TV ) called the Early Riser with Stu Kerr as the host. This show was on just before Captain K.   He would sometimes ( once a year )  have a set of trains on that show.  I don't recall if they were Lionel or American Flyer.  

I found the guest commentary.  It was from July 2000.  It was about CK and it also promoted Roger Carp's new Display Layout Book (I had contributed a number of blueprints to this book).

Patrick, check your inbox.

Lou N

When I was 4-5, my dad was the president of the Great South Bay Yacht Racing Association, an alliance of 20-some yacht clubs on the south shore of Long Island.  As such, we hosted meetings with the commodores in our living room.  Bob Keeshan was the then current commodore of the Long Island Yacht Club.  So I got to meet "The Captain" as a Commodore!

Jon

Hi Jim, YES I remember Bob Keeshan aka Captain Kangaroo.  Along with his collection of "friends".  Mr. Green Jeans, Bunny Rabbit and Grandfather Clock.  When he first started out, The Captain required padding to fill out the costume.  Not so much when he was towards the end of the run.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane.  Wishing you and yours a healthy New Year.

@Lionelski posted:

I don't think that was Captain Kangaroo, I think it was on the Winky Dink show. A piece of static cling plastic placed on your TV screen.

BUT, it could have been on both

It most definitely was the Winky Dink show and it was hosted by one Jack Barry who later was a noted game show host.  I was born in 1947 and I had my plastic cover which fit over our little TV screen and participated in Winky Dik's adventures every Saturday morning.  I also watched good old Captain Kangaroo as well but for the life of me I can't recall the Lionel Trains.  Great memories from a a simpler childhood time.

In addition to seeing Lionel Trains on CK's program, I also 'vaguely' remember there was another show in the mid to late-50s featuring a guy (I can't recall his stage name) who appeared on a kids' half-hour program that was broadcast on WBEN TV's Buffalo station at around 5:00 or 5:30 pm weekdays which featured Lionel trains in the run-up month(s) to Christmas.  That was the Lionel 'hook' for me.  Funny thing - I seem to recall that Bosco (a chocolate mix that you added to your glass of milk) was one of the sponsors of the show.  Yep, that was many years ago when life was a lot simpler.

@KOOLjock1 posted:

My Mom was positive that we'd receive radiation burns from doing Winky Dinks on the TV screen...

Jon

Yes, I remember we had to sit a certain distance from the TV because of the dangerous radiation. Of course the TV was small to start with and the image wasn't so hot, so not the optimal experience. Come to think of it, kind of like looking at a movie on your phone.

@GVDobler posted:

I recall sending away to CK for a clear plastic lens that stuck to your TV screen. They would put something up on the screen so you could copy/drawn it on the lens. Then they would play a cartoon and what you drew appeared to be part of the cartoon. Not exactly PlayStation quality, but we thought it was pretty neat.

If anyone finds the trains that would be a cool video for sure.

That sounds a lot like a show called Winky Dink.

Brad

@AGHRMatt posted:

And we rode Schwinn bicycles exclusively. Yes they were heavy, but they were built like tanks back then.

Yep, we were lucky kids.  Lionel trains and Schwinn bicycles.  Durable, reliable, both took a ton of punishment and still lasted a long, long time.  I'll never forget my Schwinn heavyweight with the rear coaster brake.  Nothing like going full throttle and then slamming on that coaster brake and skidding to the side.  The 12 and 13 year old girls loved it.  Almost as good as running Lionel's at full speed into a Lincoln Logs barricade on the track.   Ah, return with us us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear!  Ooops that was the Lone Ranger.  

@jim sutter posted:

Henry, It was shown in the fifthies.

It's possible that I was watching reruns but I vividly remember those shows from the 1960s also.  I was born in 1960 so I know I wasn't watching in the 50s.

My lifelong addiction blossomed while watching a brief clip where the Captain showed the detailed operation of a 364 Log Loader.  Holy smokes, did that ever set the hook!

I read somewhere that very few of the original CK episodes were saved.  That's a shame.

Steven J. Serenska

I well remember watching Captain Kangaroo in the late 50s and early 60s.  Sorry to say, but Mr. Green Jeans just creeped me out.  He was spooky.   He hardly every talked, he stood there like a looming giant, and he did alot of staring straight ahead.  Thirty years later, this type of character was cast as the killer in every chainsaw massacre movie.

I found Miss Connie on Romper Room to be far more endearing.

Oh, Lord! I remember ALL of this - I must be getting old. There was a Super"0" layout that had the tie ejector and ballast tamper running on it, and the track cleaning car was either pushed or pulled by one of the small turbines, and the Minuteman car shot a missile that went who-knows-where - I remember laughing because I heard an off-camera voice asking "Did you see where it went?"

Couple of mine Crusader Rabbit (color version), although I didn't know that, since we didn't have a color TV, with the standard father quote "I'm not buying one until they make a good one".

Sky King out of the blue of the western sky...

But I did get a new Lionel car every Christmas morning. Security car, Bronx Zoo Giraffe, Brake Man.

But soon it went the way of Aurora HO car racing.

Don't have the the racing stuff but I do have the Lionel!

The Captain's Super 0 layout had some great operating accessories. Later years were the disappointing HO setups.  There was a kid show (maybe local to Boston area) hosted by Big Brother Bob Emery who ran a contest with the winner receiving a Lionel Budd set with Super 0 track.  They ran it  on the air with an extra passenger car in the consist.  RICH

This was definitely an O gauge layout.  I clearly remember them demonstrating the new Lionel "transfer table" which while really interesting was way too large for my older siblings' home layout.  I don't remember any HO in the late 50's and early 60's (though I could have missed it).  I do think they stayed with demonstrating traditional O gauge accessories and not the crummy rocket launcher and exploding box car type stuff which were however shown on commercials that aired during the show.

@Will posted:

Now you are getting personal. I was on Romper Room, and my mother dressed me in lederhosen. Not only goofy, but shorts! I was mortified and have never gotten over it.

Will , could you post your Christmas layout with you in your lederhosen outfit ?

Get over it Will .  (  " mortified and have never gotten over it " )   As long as you are into model railroading and are still able to remember Romper Room 🤔 your psychological makeup is intact. 🙃

"Sky King out of the blue of the western sky..."

bptBill, you're the only other person I know that remembers Sky King!

We didn't have a color TV, but we had the "next best thing" - a plastic overlay with pink in the middle, blue on top, and green on the bottom... it "colorized" the B&W picture (as long as you were looking at a scene that had grass, sky, and something in between!)

What about the Merry Mailman?

ps.  I don't remember all the things you guys remember about Capt. Kangaroo.  I'm impressed!  Wait - who's that we're talking about?

@eddiem posted:

"Sky King out of the blue of the western sky..."

bptBill, you're the only other person I know that remembers Sky King!

We didn't have a color TV, but we had the "next best thing" - a plastic overlay with pink in the middle, blue on top, and green on the bottom... it "colorized" the B&W picture (as long as you were looking at a scene that had grass, sky, and something in between!)

What about the Merry Mailman?

ps.  I don't remember all the things you guys remember about Capt. Kangaroo.  I'm impressed!  Wait - who's that we're talking about?

I remember Sky King. He also had a niece named "Penny" that was in a lot of the episodes.

Jeff

Oh; I remember Skyking too!  Particularly the opening credits where the plane does a partial roll and dive with engines increasing in pitch.  Made me want to be a pilot so bad I convinced my Dad to pay for flying lessons for me.

I was probably one of the few kids around who were performing aerial stunt maneuvers in a Piper J3 Cub at the age of 12.

Curt

Last edited by juniata guy

Great thread on the Captain and his trains (plus a good story to add)---I loved Captain growing up and remember so well when he had trains displayed and running in the Treasure House.....for those interested "Classic Toy Trains" issue of September 2001 has a fantastic article on Captain Kangaroo (wasn't afraid of Lions) pages 58-59-60. Readers were also asked previously to write if they had any memories to share and Classic Toy Trains and as part of the promotion promised Lionel Monopoly board games to three lucky readers---I was fortunate to be one of them and still have the letter from Classic Toy Trains dated November 14. 2000 telling me I was one of those chosen and still have the game they sent.  The article is really special because of the memories readers shared and information provided. Also many years later I was able to attend a PBS sponsored meet and greet in Portland, Maine with Bob Keeshan in which he spoke about the importance of reading to youngsters (as he always did on his show)---afterwards anyone who wanted to talk to him could meet with him.  Naturally I thanked him for the years he had been on the air and how my own children appreciated the show also---THEN I had to ask one question and he said sure go ahead -I asked "whatever happened to those Lionel trains you would show and display"  he paused a bit and said he really did not know what became of them or how arrangements were made to have them on the Treasure House.....but he enjoyed them! I am glad I had that opportunity to meet him---very special person.  One more thing I also remember Sky King, My Friend Flicka etc ah the good ole days!  Honestly try to find and read that article if possible.

Jim

@Jim Berger posted:

I don't remember captain kangaroo so much. In the Cleveland, Ohio tv market in the 1960's we had captain penny on a local channel. Dressed in a train engineers gear,he had a moderate size Lionel layout I always looked for. It was a great time to grow up in.....

Captain Penny with his engineers hat and jacket was a Cleveland icon.  His show opened with a Lionel train running then he would climb down from his locomotive swinging his lantern (actually a step ladder).  He came to Hobby House in 1959 to hand out catalogs one Sunday before Christmas.  The train set was acquired by one of the channel 5 directors and made its way to Jim Berilla's Trading Post.  Its ran there for many years.  Don't know what happened to it when the store was liquidated.

Lou N

@Lou N posted:

Captain Penny with his engineers hat and jacket was a Cleveland icon.  His show opened with a Lionel train running then he would climb down from his locomotive swinging his lantern (actually a step ladder).  He came to Hobby House in 1959 to hand out catalogs one Sunday before Christmas.  The train set was acquired by one of the channel 5 directors and made its way to Jim Berilla's Trading Post.  Its ran there for many years.  Don't know what happened to it when the store was liquidated.

Lou N

Yep, I remember watching Captain Penney, Captain Kangaroo, and Barnaby.

I remember Captain Kangaroo and the Lionel layouts shown , Sky King (with both planes), and Casey Jones. Does anyone remember the two Lionel shows with the marionettes? I think it was called “Wonderful World of Trains”. First version was black & white, second in color. If I remember correctly it was narrated by a hobo marionette that prevents a train wreck.

"One of the Merry Mailman's (Ray Heatherton) best claims to fame is that he was the father of actress/singer Joey Heatherton who was definitely not a children's show personality "

You're on both! I had confused Candice Bergen's father are the Merry Mailman..

Edgar Bergan .. and his 2 friends Charlie McCarthy  and Mortimer Snerd.

Here in NY we had Officer Joe and the 3 Stooges "Kids don't try this at home the Stooges are trained professionals!

As a kid I loved watching Sky King, Fury and all the other shows. Fury actually had one show with a model train. What I really liked were the 30's serials including Flash Gordon. My all time favorite serial was The Phantom Empire with Gene Autry. Gene's two bumbling sidekicks were played by Smiley Burnette and William Moore. It turns out that William Moore is my wife's great uncle. Weird world.

Officer Joe Bolton also showed The Three Stooges on WPIX Channel 11 out of NYC. We also had Sonny Fox doing the Wonderama show on Channel 5 and of course the funny Chuck McCann. I remember he used to dress up as Dondi (cartoon character in Sunday funnies) and tape white dots to his eyelids. Don’t forget Claud Kershner as the ringmaster on, I think, Territune Circus on WOR Channel 9

Claud Kershner was sponsored by the other chocolate syrup- Cocoa  Marsh.  Before he did Wonderama, Sonny Fox had a show called, "Let's take a trip", I must be really old, to remember that.

Sonny Fox also had a show called Just For Fun where the kids would complete for prizes. Remember there was always two kids with piles of keys in front of them and they had to find the right key to open a treasure chest for prizes.

I think you guys forgot about a show dated back to the 50's which was "Sea Hunt" starring Lloyd Bridges as Mike Nelson and occassionally have sons Beau & Jeff Bridges airing on the shows. To be honest, Wonderful World of Trains sponsered by Lionel was the program that got the bug in me started. Got the biggest kick out of Algee Caboose.

    Steam Forever

            John

One of the Merry Mailman's (Ray Heatherton) best claims to fame is that he was the father of actress/singer Joey Heatherton who was definitely not a children's show personality .

I remember my poor father waiting on line for hours with me to see the Merry Mailman in person at one of the larger New York City theaters one year!

Jim

I don't know much about the Merry Mailman, but I sat next to Joey Heatherton at a Yankee Game once in the box seats behind the Yankee dugout, Section 13. Had to be in the late 70's or early 80's.

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