WFLD Channel 32 - Romper Room and Friends (Complete Broadcast, 10/16/1983)Here's an episode of the syndicated Romper Room and Friends, as aired over WFLD Channel 32. The host was Miss Molly McCloskey, and featured are puppets UpUp, Nutro the robot, Kimble, Paddington Bear and Granny Cat. (Sorry - no Do Bee this time.)
Technical note: Audio was a little rough - attempt was made to clean it up a bit but it's still fairly hissy and also fades out at times.
This was at the point where the Metromedia era was coming into full bloom, with the logo set in a very closely-kerned Helvetica Bold - but bumpers continued to show the old Field era logo.
Includes:
Early Metromedia-era 32 ID (voiceover by Jim Barton)
Opening titles, followed by UpUp having trouble with barbell, a sequence with Nutro (the world's first nutritional robot) involving a guessing game, and Kimble in an outdoor segment with soccer players.
Bumper (with message created by airplane in sky)
Super Cartoon Sunrise promo for Tom & Jerry for 7:00am, The Flintstones for 7:30am, Woody Woodpecker for 8:00am and Popeye for 8:30am (voiceover by Dr. Don Rose)
PSA for Junior Achievement with Vince Evans of the Chicago Bears
Afternoon Fun promo for Inspector Gadget for 3:00pm, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe for 3:30pm and The Flintstones for 4:00pm (however, the end indicates a 2:00pm start - huh?) (voiceover by Dr. Don Rose)
PSA for Chicago Department of Human Services (teen going to play basketball and give young child a helping hand)
Another Jingle Bumper with Field-era 32 logo and "In Chicago, the kids' choice is Channel 32!" (that's not Miss Molly shown in the bumper - is it Miss Sally, who was on Romper Room before this new version took over?)
Return bumper, with sky message in reverse
Miss Molly catches Paddington Bear reading book with three children alongside him, leading to reading of "Paddington's Lucky Day"; followed by UpUp at San Diego Wild Animal Park to see the gorillas; Miss Molly, Nutro and children playing a game of "Freeze"; and Granny Cat showing Kimble how to use his muscles.
"We will return" sky bumper
Promo for Inspector Gadget (with mustache only featured in the pilot) for 3:00pm (voiceover by Jim Barton)
PSA for YMCA - "Y Indian Guides"
Promo for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe for 3:30pm (ending voiceover by Jim Barton)
PSA for Dairy Council - "Balance in Everything"
"Romper Room" Field-era jingle bumper
Return bumper
Miss Molly continues Paddington story, after which UpUp, emerging from behind tree, complains about not having brothers or sisters, leading to a song; afterwards, Miss Molly does her Magic Mirror demonstration, and concludes the program on behalf of the regulars (including Do-Bee, whom we do not see in this edition).
"Romper Bomper, Stomper boo, tell me tell me, tell me do. Magic mirror, tell me today - did all my friends have fun at play?"
Miss Molly "sees" Sherry, Tiffany, Ryan, Thomas, Brett, Carol, Julia, Pat, Heidi, Leslie, and you!
Ending credits:
Executive Producers - Sally Claster Gelbard, John Claster
Directed by Jon Stiehm
Associate Producer - Terri Braudes Akman
Cast:
"Miss Molly" - Molly McCloskey
"Kimble" - Bruce Edward Hall
"UpUp" - Bruce Edward Hall
"Do Bee" - Candy Claster
"Paddington Bear" - Candy Claster
"Granny Cat" - Molly McCloskey
Story Song Man - Carmino Ravosa
Puppets Built at Great Jones Studio By John Orberg and Matthew Stoddart
(program fades out at this point)
Promo for Mork & Mindy for 5:00pm and What's Happening for 5:30pm (voiceover by Jim Barton)
Station ID / promo for Three's Company for 6:30pm (voiceover by Jim Barton)
Interesting to note that there are no real commercials in this broadcast - just PSAs and promos.
This aired on local Chicago TV on Sunday, October 16th 1983 during the 6:00am to 6:30am timeframe.
