Kilroy Was Here

Howdy Doody TV Show with Buffalo Bob

The Howdy Doody TV Show aired on NBC from 1947 to 1960 for a total run of 2,343 episodes! Howdy was one of the very first children's programs and as such it inspired the creation of many other TV programs geared toward the entertainment and education of children.

The Howdy Doody Show had a pioneer, western cowboy them which featured a freckle faced red haired marionette named, of course, Howdy Doody. The marionette was voiced by Bob "Buffalo Bob" Smith.

Howdy Doody, as well as many other puppets on the show, were created by Rufus Rose and Velma Dawson.

If you would like to see the original Howdy Doody marionette for yourself pay a visit to the museum at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Buffalo Bob Smith: The Man Behind the Howdy Doody TV Show

Buffalo Bob Smith, born Robert Emil Schmidt on November 27, 1917, was an American television personality best known as the creator and host of the Howdy Doody TV show. A pioneer in children’s programming, Smith played a crucial role in shaping early television entertainment, becoming a beloved figure for generations of young viewers.

Smith’s journey into entertainment began in radio, where he worked as a singer and announcer. His rich voice and engaging personality made him a natural choice for children’s programming. In 1947, he developed the concept for the Howdy Doody TV show, which premiered on NBC and quickly became one of the most iconic children's television programs of all time. The show featured the famous puppet Howdy Doody, a freckle-faced, all-American character who captured the hearts of kids across the country.

As the host, Buffalo Bob Smith brought warmth and energy to every episode, interacting with live audiences and introducing memorable characters like Clarabell the Clown, Phineas T. Bluster, and Dilly Dally. His catchphrase, “Say kids, what time is it?” was met with enthusiastic responses from children watching at home. The Howdy Doody TV show was groundbreaking, being one of the first programs to use audience participation, puppetry, and early merchandising techniques.

Smith remained closely associated with the Howdy Doody TV show long after it ended in 1960. He made guest appearances, participated in reunions, and kept the spirit of Howdy Doody alive for nostalgic fans. Buffalo Bob Smith passed away on July 30, 1998, but his legacy as a television pioneer endures. The Howdy Doody TV show remains a treasured part of television history, thanks to the creativity and charisma of Buffalo Bob Smith.

Discover More Classic TV and Movie Gems Here!

Doodyville on Howdy Doody TV Show

Chief Thunderthud was the leader of the Ooragnak tribe. It is believed that Bob Keeshan was the one who came up with that strange name for the Native American tribe by spelling "Kangaroo" backwards.

An interesting bit if trivia here is that Chief Thunderthud was the one who first used the word "Kowabonga" later made famous by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Chief Thunderchicken was played by Dayton Allen.

Princess Summerfall Winterspring first appeared on the Howdy Doody Show as a puppet, but later on they brought in Judy Tyler to play the part. Judy played the part from 1949 to 1953, Linda Marsh replaced her in 1953 and played the part of Princess Summerfall Winterspring until 1957.

Other Members:

Bison Bill - Ted Brown
Timber Tom - James Doohan and Peter Mews
Cap'n Scuttlebutt - Larry Mann
Flub-A-Dub - Rhoda Mann
La Touke & Papa - Jean Cavall
Trapper Pierre - Robert Goulet
Willow - Eric House, then Barbara Hamilton
Princess Haida - Caryl McBain
Princess Pan of the Forest - Maxine Miller Gerrard
Mary Anne Heartline played herself

Interesting Howdy Doody TV Show Trivia

Howdy Doody was introduced for the first time on The Triple B Ranch Show, which was a radio program. On the program he was called Elmer and he greeted everyone by saying, "Howdy Doody!"

When the program first aired it was named The Puppet Playhouse. It wasn't until 1949 that the name was changed to The Howdy Doody Show.

Howdy Doody was the first television program to be produced in color.

The Howdy Doody marionette didn't actually appear on the first episode. The creators of the puppet experienced some delays so Buffalo Bob had to "make believe" that Howdy Doody was in a box.

Clarabell The Clown on Howdy Doody TV Show

Clarabell was a mute who's only method of communication was honking the horns he carried on his belt and squirting people with his seltzer water.

The original Clarabell the Clown was played by Bob Keeshan, who later became Captain Kangaroo. In 1953 Bob left the program and Bobby Nicholson took his place until Lew Anderson took over as Clarabell.

As an interesting note Clarabell the Clown did actually speak on one episode of the Howdy Doody Show. It was the last show to be produced, at the end of that last episode Clarabell said, "Goodbye kids."

Clarabell was: Bob Keeshan 1947 to 1953, Gil Lamb 1 episode in 1953, Bobby Nicholson 1953 to 1955, Lew Anderson 1955 to 1957

Buffalo Bob’s Vacation In Pioneer Village

Buffalo Bob Smith had a heart attack in 1954 and was forced to take a break from the show while he recovered at home.

During his "vacation" NBC used several different guests including Gabby Hayes (pictured on right) to host the show in his place. Allen Swift was brought in to do the voice of Howdy Doody while Bob was away.

Viewers were told that Buffalo Bob had went on a vacation trip to take a break in Pioneer Village. However, the advertisers were not happy with this so NBC actually created a small studio at Bob's home so that he could still do the advertisements.

Bob returned to the Howdy Doody Show in 1955.

The Howdy Doody TV Show Theme Song

Buffalo Bob started off the song with the question, "Say kids, what time is it"?
The kids replied, "It's Howdy Doody Time"!
Then the song began:

It's Howdy Doody Time.
It's Howdy Doody Time.
Bob Smith and Howdy Do
say Howdy Do to you.

Let's give a rousing cheer,
'cause Howdy Doody's here,
It's time to start the show,
so kids let's go!

Further Reading & Resources

📖 Read:Kids' TV Grows Up: The Path from Howdy Doody to SpongeBob

🔍 Explore: The Howdy Doody Show- 40 Episode Collection