Does anyone remember the tv show Major Mudd which aired weekday mornings?  It was this goofy guy who wore an astronaut outfit and he was the host of the show.  I think the Three Stooges came on some mornings but a question I have is this.  Do you remember a series that played during this show and it had these kids who got into a rowboat and went down a stream and went into a tunnel or cave and when they came out on the other side they were in prehistoric times with dinosaurs?  I think it had the word "journey" in the title.....this was during the early sixties in the New Hampshire area.  I remember my father insisting on my eating breakfast while watching The Three Stooges...nice start to my day!  ha ha

wonder if that was a regional thing. cuz I woulda watched the Stooges for sure. But I don't remember any Major Mudd

There was a cartoon of the same name "Major Mudd" in the early 70's. There is a whole wealth of info for the Major Mudd your refering to via google though.

Don't know if anyone's paying attention, but I'm doing a little research myself on childhood TV memories. Major Mudd was, in fact, a local kid's TV host on one of the Boston stations during the Sixties, and the Stooges were mostly definitely part of the programming. There were (and still are) three major local stations affiliated with the national networks, and at the time I believe they were affiliated thusly:  Channel 7 (WNAC/CBS), Channel 5 (?/ABC), and Channel 4 (WBZ/NBC).  I think Major Mudd was on Channel 7, along with Bozo the Clown.

Anyone remember which Boston channel carried Fantasmic Features, which ran old fifties sci-fi films like The 50-Foot Woman, Caltiki the Immortal Monster, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and Fiend Without a Face?  Its host was a bubbly headed spaceman puppet with a rubber plunger mouth and an antenna on his head, named Feep. 

I also, by the way, was watching these shows in southern New Hampshire, so you might also remember Gus Vernier (Bernier? Veneer?), the WMUR-TV weatherman, AKA Uncle Gus (Host of a Popeye-based kids' cartoon show.  He also, I believe, was the host of a Santa Claus show on the same channel, with Ooglook the elf as his helper, and read letters to Santa from local kids.  ("Up, up and away!")

Don't know if anyone's paying attention, but I'm doing a little research myself on childhood TV memories. Major Mudd was, in fact, a local kid's TV host on one of the Boston stations during the Sixties, and the Stooges were mostly definitely part of the programming. There were (and still are) three major local stations affiliated with the national networks, and at the time I believe they were affiliated thusly:  Channel 7 (WNAC/CBS), Channel 5 (?/ABC), and Channel 4 (WBZ/NBC).  I think Major Mudd was on Channel 7, along with Bozo the Clown.

Anyone remember which Boston channel carried Fantasmic Features, which ran old fifties sci-fi films like The 50-Foot Woman, Caltiki the Immortal Monster, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and Fiend Without a Face?  Its host was a bubbly headed spaceman puppet with a rubber plunger mouth and an antenna on his head, named Feep. 



I remember all of this  ;D ;D

Does anyone remember the tv show Major Mudd which aired weekday mornings?  It was this goofy guy who wore an astronaut outfit and he was the host of the show.  I think the Three Stooges came on some mornings but a question I have is this.  Do you remember a series that played during this show and it had these kids who got into a rowboat and went down a stream and went into a tunnel or cave and when they came out on the other side they were in prehistoric times with dinosaurs?  I think it had the word "journey" in the title.....this was during the early sixties in the New Hampshire area.  I remember my father insisting on my eating breakfast while watching The Three Stooges...nice start to my day!  ha ha

yes i absolutely remember it, they rowed a boat through a tunnel in ny's central park and came out in the age of dinosaurs. the recurring line of the show was"the further you go back in time the simpler life becomes"

Ok, Here is the run down:  In the 60's, channel 4, WBZ was NBC.  Channel 5 was WHDH and was a CBS station.  Both of these also had affiliated AM stations.  Channel 7 was (I think) WRKO, and was an ABC station.  All have changed affiliation, 5 changed to WCVB  and 7 changed call letters a couple of times.  In fact, 7 is now WHDH.

Major Mudd was a live action show on channel 7 (Bozo was on channel 5, and was originally played by Frank Averuch, who for many years was their announcer and hosted their late night movie.)  It appeared at different times of the day, but was mostly on in the afternoon.  The Major was played by Ed McDonnel.  He also supplied the voice of Feep on Fantasmic Features. (also on channel 7)  I belive the Major Mudd Show was shown on other regional stations, but at different times of the day.

I do remember the rowboat going back through time.  I looked it up years ago, and it was actually a full-length movie filmed in another language, that was broken ionto serial segments and dubbed in english.  I've forgotten the name.

Ok, Here is the run down:  In the 60's, channel 4, WBZ was NBC.  Channel 5 was WHDH and was a CBS station.  Both of these also had affiliated AM stations.  Channel 7 was (I think) WRKO, and was an ABC station.  All have changed affiliation, 5 changed to WCVB  and 7 changed call letters a couple of times.  In fact, 7 is now WHDH.

Major Mudd was a live action show on channel 7 (Bozo was on channel 5, and was originally played by Frank Averuch, who for many years was their announcer and hosted their late night movie.)  It appeared at different times of the day, but was mostly on in the afternoon.  The Major was played by Ed McDonnel.  He also supplied the voice of Feep on Fantasmic Features. (also on channel 7)  I belive the Major Mudd Show was shown on other regional stations, but at different times of the day.

I do remember the rowboat going back through time.  I looked it up years ago, and it was actually a full-length movie filmed in another language, that was broken ionto serial segments and dubbed in english.  I've forgotten the name.



The name of the movie is "Journey to the Beginning of Time" which is actually an English-language version (with some American footage added) of Czech movie directed by Karel Zeman, the man who made, "The Fabulous World of Jules Verne."

I also remember a serialized cartoon/live action space adventure that featured cartoon characters that vaguely resembled the cartoon Tintin and featured live action rocket footage cadged, I believe, from some old unfinished German science fiction film.

What I specifically remember about that is a scene where they've landed (I think) on one of the moons of Mars, which has very low gravity, and the young hero runs too fast and goes flying off the moon and ends up floating in orbit around the moon -- potentially stranded there forever.

They also aired (and this is getting into very dim memories) a rather long and elegantly made Arabian Nights cartoon -- and all I really recall about it is a scene in which the leading character has to cross a rope strung across a pit which bursts into flames as he crosses, setting the rope on fire and the line, repeated at various points, "More pearls in the sea than stars in the sky."

Of course, I may be confusing some of the things that were shown on Major Mudd with things that were shown on Rex Trailer -- a saturday morning show that also showed cartoons and other things.

Let's face it -- it's been around forty years.

Does anyone remember the tv show Major Mudd which aired weekday mornings?  It was this goofy guy who wore an astronaut outfit and he was the host of the show.  I think the Three Stooges came on some mornings but a question I have is this.  Do you remember a series that played during this show and it had these kids who got into a rowboat and went down a stream and went into a tunnel or cave and when they came out on the other side they were in prehistoric times with dinosaurs?  I think it had the word "journey" in the title.....this was during the early sixties in the New Hampshire area.  I remember my father insisting on my eating breakfast while watching The Three Stooges...nice start to my day!  ha ha


I have vivid memories of the Major Mudd Show mainly because not only did I appear on the show in it's version of the "Peanut Gallery", but I was also chosen to sing a song on it too. The good Major was a hapless astronaut, as I recall, and after a short segment of games and gags, he would cut to cartoons. Those are my memories. I'd LOVE to hear more from anyone with more knowledge.

  -Gleno

The show with the kids in the rowboat is "Land of the Lost".  It had the Sleestaks...lizard-like creatures who were trying to get the Dad and the kids.  A few years into the show the Dad made it back (left the show) and an Uncle took his place, and a little creature "Cha-ka" came into the picture.

Marshall, Will and Holly...show was on saturday mornings like 1974...and here'sa tidbit...one of the Sleestaka was a young Bill Laimbeer!

I have vivid memories of the Major Mudd Show mainly because not only did I appear on the show in it's version of the "Peanut Gallery", but I was also chosen to sing a song on it too. The good Major was a hapless astronaut, as I recall, and after a short segment of games and gags, he would cut to cartoons. Those are my memories. I'd LOVE to hear more from anyone with more knowledge.

   -Gleno

I have vivid memories of the Major Mudd Show mainly because not only did I appear on the show in it's version of the "Peanut Gallery", but I was also chosen to sing a song on it too. The good Major was a hapless astronaut, as I recall, and after a short segment of games and gags, he would cut to cartoons. Those are my memories. I'd LOVE to hear more from anyone with more knowledge.

   -Gleno

The "show" you are looking for is actually a 1955 Czech film (in English) called"Cesta do pravěku" by famed director Karel Zelman. It had additional scenes added in 1960 for U.S. distribution and was renamed "Journey to the Beginning of Time". The 92 minute film was then cut into six minute segments and serialized to shows like Major Mudd.
While the film doesn't seem to be available in the U.S. on DVD, you can still find some VHS copies on sites like Amazon. Segments of the film are also on YouTube, like this one, which is the beginning of the film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2Q51CNwET0

LAND OF THE LOST ;)

Anyone remember which Boston channel carried Fantasmic Features, which ran old fifties sci-fi films like The 50-Foot Woman, Caltiki the Immortal Monster, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and Fiend Without a Face?  Its host was a bubbly headed spaceman puppet with a rubber plunger mouth and an antenna on his head, named Feep. 

It was WNAC channel 7. Feep was played by Ed T. McDonnell who also played Major Mudd. Contrary to what the IMDB article says, according to a kid that I was in the school band with, his uncle, Ed McDonnell, was actually inside a Feep costume with a giant hollow head. Through the magic of blue screen video compositing, he was then shrunk down to look like a little puppet against the normal-sized background set. He was supposed to be a tiny alien creature. I had thought it WAS a puppet but, after I was told this, I noticed the body moved too life-like for a puppet, so I think the kid was telling the truth.

Are you kidding?!  "Take an I and a B and a BBY means I'll be blasting you..."  I was on the Major Mudd show with my Brownie Troop.  He was the best!  I was  also on Bozo, Romper Room and Boomtown.

In the 1970's he also remember he had a show on Saturday with "older" kids...ten and up.

On July 04, 2006, 06:51:47  nmstevens noted that:
"I also remember a serialized cartoon/live action space adventure that featured cartoon characters that vaguely resembled the cartoon Tintin and featured live action rocket footage cadged, I believe, from some old unfinished German science fiction film.

What I specifically remember about that is a scene where they've landed (I think) on one of the moons of Mars, which has very low gravity, and the young hero runs too fast and goes flying off the moon and ends up floating in orbit around the moon -- potentially stranded there forever."

I remember this cartoon series as well, in fact I rememer the particular scene that he noted (it was my favorite cartoon on the Major Mudd show), but I can't remember the name for the life of me.

Does anyone remember the name of the cartoon?

Wow, I can remember Major Mudd very well. He came to our grade school when I was in 5th grade. I used watch his show before heading out to the bus stop. He used to show "Abbott & Costello" cartoons as well as "Sinbad the Sailor" cartoons. I actually still have VHS tapes of these cartoons. I'm sure they're on YouTube now too. Great memories! ;D