TV Time Machine
The Toothbrush Family
Published by Toronto Mike on June 14, 2009 @ 16:41 in Memories, TV Time Machine
 YouTube user Retrontario frequently uploads fantastic retro-Toronto-centric gems. These clips never fail to bring back a ton of memories for me, so I feature them from time to time.
A couple of years ago I wrote about Polka Dot Door. In the comments of that entry, someone asked about The Toothbrush Family. I remembered The Toothbrush Family well and wrote the following comment:
There's not a lot out there about the original Toothbrush Family. They modernized it in 1997, but I can't find any audio, video or images from the version I remember.
It seems these cartoon shorts originated on Captain Kangaroo, but I don't recall it that way. Maybe here in Canada a station licensed the shorts or maybe they found their way onto the Commander Tom show.
Retrontario tells me The Toothbrush Family did in fact run on Commander Tom's World, and on Global TV and CHCH 11 almost every morning. It first ran in 1974.
I'd guess I've seen these four minutes dozens and dozens of times, but I haven't seen this in about 25 years. I've been looking for this for some time...
Dear Aunt Agnes, Dear Aunt Agnes
Published by Toronto Mike on March 23, 2009 @ 17:41 in TV Time Machine
YouTube user Retrontario frequently uploads fantastic retro-Toronto-centric gems. These clips never fail to bring back a ton of memories for me, so I feature them from time to time.
I used to watch Dear Aunt Agnes on TVOntario in the mid-80s. It was about as low budget as you can get, but we didn't care. I don't think you could get kids to watch Dear Aunt Agnes in 2009.
After this clip, I'll hit you up with the lyrics to the memorable theme songs. If you're my age, you already know them by heart.
Dear Aunt Agnes, remember
You said you'd help me out if you could
Well my job is taking me far away
To leave the children just wouldn't be good
If you would say you would come and stay
You'd be the best aunt a girl ever had
Dear Aunt Agnes, Dear Aunt Agnes
Won't you come and stay?
Clickety Click, Barba Trick!
Published by Toronto Mike on August 28, 2008 @ 15:13 in TV Time Machine
It happened again today. I pulled a neat little trick with PHP and exclaimed "Clickety click, Barba trick!"
I've written about Barbapapa before. I used to watch this cartoon on TVO in the late 70s and early 80s and it was one of my favourites. Barbapapa was a pear shaped blob who could change his shape. He had a wife and several Barbababies, each a different colour.
That expression, "Clickety click, Barba trick!", comes from the show. Here's an episode that instantly brought me back to 1979.
Sam Crenshaw Caught Slacking on Today's Special
Published by Toronto Mike on April 28, 2008 @ 15:38 in TV Time Machine
 If you were a kid in the 80s, you remember "Today's Special". It ran on TVOntario from 1982 to 1987 and starred Jeff, Jodie, Sam and Muffy, that mouse who spoke in the most annoying rhymes.
Sam was the store's security guard and his trusty computer was TXL Series 4, who seemed to watch over the store for Sam. Sam was a hard worker, as I recall, but he wasn't perfect.
Here is Sam Crenshaw using company time and resources to play a frivolous game of tic-tac-toe. Busted!!!
Mr. Dressup Meets the Polka Dot Door
Published by Toronto Mike on March 2, 2008 @ 11:34 in TV Time Machine
YouTube user WNED17 recently uploaded some fantastic retro-Toronto-centric gems. These clips have brought back a tonne of memories for me, so I'm going to feature them one by one over the next few weeks.
I've written extensively about the children's shows I grew up watching in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Visit my TV time machine if you want to see what I saw. Two shows I watched as a wee lad were Polka Dot Door and Mr. Dressup.
The closing credits for these two shows were eerily similar. They both played the familiar song we associated with the show while cartoon images of the characters were displayed.
Here's Mr. Dressup's closing credits:
Here's Polka Dot Door's closing credits:
Polkaroo? I Missed Him Again!
Published by Toronto Mike on February 12, 2008 @ 19:51 in Memories, TV Time Machine
YouTube user WNED17 recently uploaded some fantastic retro-Toronto-centric gems. These clips have brought back a tonne of memories for me, so I'm going to feature them one by one over the next few weeks.
When I wrote all about The Polka Dot Door, one of my favourite television shows as a child, I couldn't find a YouTube clip to complement the memory. Thanks to WNED17, I now have a few to choose from.
This clip, from 1981, includes my favourite part from each episode. It's the inevitable moment the male host realizes he missed Polkaroo... again.
Here's the Polka Dot Door end credits. When I hear this song, I'm four again.
Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert
Published by Toronto Mike on September 27, 2007 @ 20:34 in TV Time Machine
I almost fell over when I was walking by the television James was watching and heard Fat Albert. Teletoon is now airing the '70s classic, bringing Fat Albert and his life lessons to a new generation.
Yeah, I know they made a movie, but I don't think anyone saw it. If you're going to do Fat Albert, you've got to do the gang 70s-style. Accept no substitutes.
Hey, hey, hey!
How Doctor Who Scarred Me
Published by Toronto Mike on August 3, 2007 @ 10:33 in Memories, TV Time Machine
As you might have noticed from my TV Time Machine, my childhood television diet was comprised of shows aired on TVOntario. TVO gave me Fables of the Green Forest, Jeremy, Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings, Read All About It, Dr. Snuggles, Barbapapa and Polka Dot Door.
Immediately following one of my shows, TVO would kick into Doctor Who. The Doctor Who intro used to spook the crap out of me. That music, that vortex and that face... it seriously creeped me out. I remember the fear and I've never been able to sample anything Doctor Who related as a result.
Here's that intro. Even now, watching it is difficult. I'm four years old again, wondering where the hell Jeremy went and how to turn off this frightening song. Mommy!!!
Marigold Chimes In
Published by Toronto Mike on July 25, 2007 @ 16:32 in TV Time Machine
It's not often I hear from Polka Dot Door's Marigold, but she just left a comment on this entry.
Hi,
I actually played Marigold on Polka Dot Shorts for the eight years it was
being shot.
It was pretty fun, you can get tapes at TVO. Patricia Ellingson is still
the head of childrens, and you can find the Producer, Jed Mackay on myspace
under "It's all Meat"
Good luck.
And yes there was a brown boot. it's name was BOOT.
The Marigold I grew up watching was just a doll and wasn't played by a human, but the younger crowd will likely remember Polka Dot Shorts.
My Marigold was speechless, unless she was whispering something to Alex, Nerene or Denis. Still, it's nice of her to chime in.
Tom Slick
Published by Toronto Mike on July 24, 2007 @ 17:55 in TV Time Machine
George of the Jungle and Tom Slick will be forever connected in my mind. The other day I wrote about George of the Jungle, and ever since I've been hearing the Tom Slick intro in my head.
It's a pretty simple tune, and maybe that's the appeal. It's something I could write. If you, Cuz A and Lev enjoyed George of the Jungle after school at grandma's house, you likely caught Tom Slick. Throw this in the nostalgia bin for safe keeping.
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