Before Cable and Satellite, we had PBS for our kids to watch ... and still do!

Tweet

Do you remember the Public Broadcasting Stations' (PBS) early kids shows (1960s/70s)? Sesame Street is still on today, but my baby daughter born in 1969 (as was Sesame Street) grew up with the original Muppet characters: Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, Grover, and Barkley the Dog (Kermit was an occasional guest star back then). The original humans were Bob (only original member still on today), Linda the Librarian (Bob's girlfriend who was deaf and the first deaf character ever portrayed on TV), The Robinson's - Gordan, Susan and adopted son Milo; The Rodreguiz - Maria and Luiz, and dear old Mr. Hooper the General Store owner,who really passed away in 1982. The show worked his demise in a series of 6 Emmy awarding episodes by teaching how to deal with sadness when death comes. I remember my daughter (now age 13, watching SS with a child she was babysitting at our home) and I both crying when Big Bird cried alone in his nest calling for Mr. Hooper. Who remembers Electric Company? This was the next level for those kids who outgrew Sesame Street. Did you know Morgan Freeman (as Mark and Easy Reader among other characters) and West Side Story's Rita Moreno (Carmella, Jennifer of the Jungle, and others) were the main stars when it ran from 1971 to 1977? (The 1976 and 1977 seasons were repeated on TV until 1985). Trivia: It was Rita Moreno's shout you heard in the beginning before the music: 'HEY YOU .... GUUUYSS!!!". I always wondered who that was.:D Remember Mr. Rogers Neighborhood when his hair was all dark? Remember when it was filmed live and the good doctor tripped off the stairs when he went to get his sweater? (he sprained his ankle). Another time a huge noise was heard off-camera and Fred looked very worried because he saw what it was, but they were still filming him and he couldnt leave the set. One of the huge lights fell down 40 ft and narrowly missed a crew member. Share your memories of PBS!