Buster Crabbe

Former Olympic swimmer turned movie serial actor Buster Crabbe hosted his own NYC based kid's TV show "The Buster Crabbe Show / Buster's Buddies" debuting on WOR 9 weekday evenings beginning Monday, March 12, 1951.

 

Set against the backdrop of a ranch foreman's bunkhouse, Buster Crabbe would engage visitors to his western ranch in games, stories, craftmaking, hobbies, informational segments and interviews with guest performers and personalities between reruns of old movie westerns, comedies and serials.

"Buster Buddies" continued to entertain viewers until WOR cancelled the show on Friday, October 3, 1952. The show returned to the NYC airways on WJZ (now WABC) Ch. 7 on Monday, September 21, 1953.

To make the show more acceptable to young viewers, Mr. Crabbe asked the station execs at WJZ to add a studio audience. Kids soon began appearing on "Buster's Buddies", unfortunately the Ch. 7 version of "Buster's Buddies" was not as successful as the original WOR format, despite the addition of kids in the studio.

Buster Crabbe failed to catch on with NYC's young viewers and said farewell to his "Buddies" on Friday, March 26, 1954.

NYC Local Kid Shows Roundup Laurel and Hardy Shows Little Rascal ShowsChubby Jackson3 Stooges Shows The Shari Go Round Carol Corbett Show Mighty HerculesUncle Fred ScottOfficer Joe Bolton / 3 Stooges Dick Tracy Shows Felix the Cat Shows Uncle Joe BovaFred Hall / Hall in Fun Looney Tunes Shows Mr. McGarrity Show Horn & Hardedt Children's Hour Choose Up Sides Beachcomber Bill Bill Jackson Joe DiMaggio Show The Merry Mailman Ray Forrest - Children's Theater Bob McAllister Shows Happy Feltons Knothole Gang Johnny Jellybean / Time For Fun NYC's Bozo Shows Freddie the Fireman, Cartoon Zoo, Capt Video Chubby Jackson The Funny Company Jim Stewart Jimmy Nelson Studio 99 1/2 Marvel Superheroes The New Howdy Doody NYC's Romper Room Tommy Seven Just For FunLet's Have FunJ Fred Muggs Show Joya's Fun School Captain Jack McCarthy The Chuck McCann Shows Captain Allen Swift Bonamo The Magic Clown Pixanne Claude Kirchner's Scrub Club Tinker's Workshop Surprise Show / Aniforms Herb Sheldon / Ray Forrest Mighty Hercules Sonny Fox - Just For Fun Buster Crabbe's Buddies Popcorn Theater Puppet Hotel On The CarouselBirthday HouseJohnny Andrews, Joe King Terry Tell Time Patchwork Family Lewis Anderson / Clarabelle the Clown The Ritts Puppets Shari Lewis Tom Gregory / Cartoon Playtime Wonderama Christmas Shows Thanksgiving Day Jamborees The Last NYC Local Kid Shows Roundup homepage

Lost Kid Shows Homepage / Shock Theater's Zacherle / Sesame Street / Andy's Gang / Sandy Becker / TV Pow! / Hilarious House of Frightenstein / The Friendly Giant / Madison's Cowboy Eddie / Who Was Doodles Weaver? / Lost Kid Show Recordings / Winky-Dink and You / Remembering Winky-Dink / Captain Kangaroo / The Old Rebel Show / The Soupy Sales Show / Walt Disney's Shows / The Magic Garden / Mad Mad Monster Party / Houston Local Kid Shows / Boston Local Kid Shows / Fabulous Sally Starr / New York City Locals / More New York City Locals / Tooter the Turtle / Crusader Rabbit / Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney / Alex Toth's Television Work / Diver Dan and Whirlybirds / Sonny Fox's Wonderama / The Pinky Lee Show / Bizarre Kid Shows / Chicago's Kid Shows / Chicago's Ray Rayner Show / Garfield Goose and Friends / Bob Bell's Bozo Show on WGN / Bill Jackson's Shows / Gigglesnort Hotel Memories / Bob McAllister's Wonderama / Cincinnati Local Kid Shows / More Cincinnati Locals / Make A Wish / Hot Dog / Supermarionation Puppet Shows / Philadelphia Kid Shows / Philly's Captain Noah / The Chief Halftown Show / Philly's Gene London / Bertie the Bunyip / Dickory Doc / Adam Android / LA Kid Shows / The Merry Mailman / Do Do The Kid From Outer Space / Romper Room / Romper Room Around the USA / St. Louis Kiddie Shows / Religious Kid Shows / San Francisco Local Kid Shows / Johnny Jellybean / Johnny Jupiter / Shrimpenstein / Uncle Fred Sayles / Raleigh's Uncle Paul / Shenanigans and Video Village / Pip the Piper / Thanksgiving Day Cartoon Specials of the 70s / Monster Movie Matinee / Big Blue Marble / STM Club / Popeye on TV / Cleveland Local Kid Shows / Wixie's Wonderland / Jet Jackson and Sky King / The Original Animated Hercules / Ruff & Reddy