KTLA’S First Hit Show…’Time For Beany’
Beany and Cecil was created by animator Bob Clampett after he left Warner Bros., where he had been directing theatrical cartoon shorts. Clampett originally created the series as a puppet show called ‘Time for Beany’, which ran from February 28, 1949 to 1954 and originated at KTLA. ‘Time for Beany’ featured the talents of veteran voice actors Stan Freberg as Cecil and Dishonest John, and Daws Butler as Beany and Uncle Captain. This photo was taken on April 4, 1950…the cameras are RCA TK10s.
Mr. Clampett was scheduled to come to a TV station I worked for. I was excited, naturally, to meet him, as I knew Beany and Cecil, along with all those theatrical cartoons. I aquired mint copies of several of his cartoons, and a kinescope of B&C to use, that actually looked better than the video tape that his management supplied to us. Unfortunately, he passed away suddenly a couple of days before the scheduled visit.
Daws told me once about the time, on a broadcast, the head of one of the puppets (I can’t remember which one he said) fell off, and it was ad-lib from there!
That was the first tv show I remembered watching as a 6 year old…..
I think that’s cameramen Jim Cassin on the left & Eddie Resnick on the right
Steve, you are right on……………
I still have a birthday card that was sent to me from Beany and Cecil.