"The Howdy Doody Show", Part One Quiz

Answer: Bob Keeshan

Bob Keeshan was the original Clarabell. In 1952 he and three other performers hired an agent to represent them and negotiate raises. Soon they were fired (some say they quit). In 1955, Bob Keeshan came back on the air as Captain Kangaroo.

Answer: Heidi Doody

Heidi Doody was built by Margo Rose and had the voice of Norma MacMillan and Donna Miller. Heidi was introduced as a stranger who saved Buffalo Bob's life in Africa. Later, Heidi was adopted and became Howdy's sister.

Answer: Doodyville

Doodyville was the fictitious town founded by Chief Bungathud, grandfather of Chief Thunderthud. The first law of Doodyville stated, "Anyone absent from Doodyville for more than 10 days would not be allowed back."

Answer: False

Clarabell spoke only once. He said, "Good-bye kids" at the end of the final episode on December 30, 1960. Prior to this last episode, Clarabell only communicated by using two different bicycle horns. One horn meant yes and the other horn meant no.

Answer: eight

Flub-A-Dub had a duck's head, a cat's whiskers, a giraffe's neck (encircled with rings), a cocker spaniel's ears, a seal's flippers, a raccoon's tail, a dachshund's body and the memory of an elephant. After being brought to the show, Flub-A-Dub was given to Clarabell to have as his pet.

Answer: South America by Buffalo Bob

Originally his name was Fludub. The '-A-' was added later to make it easier to say. The creation of the Flub-a-Dub character resulted from the absence of the host, Buffalo Bob, while he was on vacation in the Caribbean during February of 1949. He told the kids in the Peanut Gallery that he was going on an expedition to South America to capture the legendary Flubdub.

Answer: The Bluster National Bank

The president of the Bluster National Bank was Phineas T Bluster, the grumpy Mayor of the town. All good children's shows must have a villain, some one to boo, and Phineas T. Bluster was the requisite villain on the 'Howdy Doody Show'.

Answer: He had 48 freckles, representing the 48 states in the U.S.A.

The Howdy Doody puppet we remember was the second puppet. The second Howdy was created by Walt Disney Studio artist Thelma Thomas who did the face/head. Howdy's freckles appeared when the new version was unveiled in 1948 and he became the all American, red-haired, freckle-faced boy we all knew so well with one freckle for each state.

Answer: False

Howdy Doody was truly the all American boy. The Howdy Doody of 1948 originally had 48 freckles, one for each state in the U.S.A. When Alaska and Hawaii became states, Howdy developed two more freckles to total 50 in keeping with one freckle for each state.

Answer: Princes Summerfall Winterspring

Princess Summerfall Winterspring was in the USA version while Princess Haida was in the Canadian version. Princess Summerfall Winterspring was first played by Judith Hess under her professional name Judy Tyler, then by Gina Genardi and briefly by Linda Marsh.

Thelma Dawson played Princess Summerfall Winterspring's counterpoint on the Spanish version. Princess Haida was played by Caryl McBain.