Change Your Image
Peter_Fields
Reviews
Wonderama (1955)
Snake Cans!!!!
Thank goodness somebody other than myself remembers this incredible children's show.
Wonderama - with Bob McAllister (1967 - 1977) was a revolutionary children's variety show for its time. It combined music, exercise, learning, dancing, contests and all out fun. Bob McAllister was the host in those ten years that I watched it and his ability to interact and connect with children on an equal level was amazing. He was never condescending. You could tell he was actually having as much fun as the kids. Whether he was running the dance contest, choosing a child for the snake can game, leading the entire audience in exercise or performing as Professor Fingleheimer, his energy and excitement never waned. To this day, there has been nobody to match his ability to entertain and enlighten a child.
I can remember being on the edge of my seat to see if the first child picked would pull that bouquet of paper flowers out of the can and get all the toys, or get a snake and only get to pick one toy.
I jumped out of my seat for the exercise portion and even to this day know the words to the "Fingleheimer" song. "Has Anybody Here Got An Aardvark" still goes through my mind as I'm singing away in the shower and watching those kids on the "disco" segment dancing to music of the "1910 Fruitgum Company" and the "Archies" still makes me long for my youth. Why is it the best dancer never won that contest?
I remember seeing Tata Vega for the first time in my life on Wonderama.
Unfortunately, it was only when I looked up this listing that I found out Bob McAllister had passed away. If he only knew what an incredible portion of my childhood he played a part in. I was raised in Southern California, but through Bob, I learned about kids from all walks of life and realized that with different skin colors, different accents and different locations, we were all just kids that wanted to have fun and win toys!!
Bob, I miss you.
Cool as Ice (1991)
It was like . . . . . .
It was like a snake eating a goat . . . . disgusting, but you couldn't stop watching.
May God forgive me for my sins. I have taken the liberty of intentionally blinding myself and puncturing my eardrums in penance.
Swing (1999)
A swing film that doesn't focus on the dancers.
I had the opportunity of seeing a screening of "Swing" at Culver Studios, Los Angeles in August 1999 and was more than pleasantly surprised at the performance of Lisa Stansfield. She's a natural actress with incredible screen comfort and grace. The ensemble was incredible and thoroughly believable. Clarence Clemmons was a very nice added touch as the "voice of reality." I was particularly intrigued with the fact that this film dealt with the hero's (Hugo Speer of "The Full Monty") desire to form an orchestra and not on a bunch of Gap Commercial dancing tazmanian devils. This film never goes in the direction you expect it to. The hero's problems are rarely through any fault of his own nor is he portrayed as a bumbling "ex con who just can't make the right choices." His character is believable, likeable and you will find yourself rooting for him. Ms. Stansfield held more than her own in this film and gave some unique, sensual and breathy renditions of "Watch The Birdie" (originally performed by Miss Anita O'Day) and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens. Other outstanding characters are Peter Usher as Liam and Rita Tushingham as Mags. This is definitely a feel good movie and a guaranteed TOE TAPPER. Several people commented at the screening that they were very tempted to get up and dance in the aisle.
P.D.Q. (1965)
Game show guessing phrases
I was beginning to think I had imagined this show. I couldn't find one person my age who remembered or even heard of PDQ. As I recall, there were two sound proof booths with celebrity contestants. The audience contestants would put letters on a ledge on the wall board one at a time, in five second intervals until the celebrity would guess the phrase. The letters were not allowed to have any spaces between them in order to make it more difficult. When (and if) the celebrity guessed, the opposing team would be given a chance to beat their time.
Does anyone else remember this show besides me?