When the Good Guys Wore White Hats Quiz

Answer: Winky Dink and You

One of my earliest memories is pleading with my mother to send off for my "Winky Dink Magic Kit." This was a great marketing ploy, because the kits - which consisted of a sheet of green plastic, a couple of crayons, and an eraser - cost pennies to make, but sold for the not inconsiderable sum of 50 cents.

The plastic stuck to the TV screen by static electricity, and you drew along with Winky Dink, deciphered secret messages, and saw things that were invisible without the "magic screen." The show was hosted by Jack Barry, who went on to become a famous game show host.

Answer: Sheena, Queen of the Jungle

"Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" aired from 1955 to 1956. The title character was played by Irish McCalla, a tall, blonde former pinup model, who possessed a figure with more curves than the Zambezi River. Every episode began with Sheena blowing on a horn to summon her animal friends, and almost all of them had frequent scenes of her swinging on a vine. McCalla actually did most of her own stunts on the show; as she put it in an interview, "I couldn't act, but I could swing through the trees." She could also show off a skimpy, tight-fitting leopard skin costume to great advantage!

Answer: The Lone Ranger

"The Lone Ranger" was broadcast on ABC from 1949 through 1957. It starred Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger, and Jay Silverheels as his faithful Indian companion, Tonto. His horse was named Silver, and Tonto's horse was Scout. The Lone Ranger was famous for wearing a mask, using silver bullets, and his unswerving dedication to law and order.

The Lone Ranger seldom shot anyone, but he was very handy with his fists. Many episodes ended with one of the characters asking, "Who was that masked man?"

Answer: Captain Kangaroo

"Captain Kangaroo" was one of the longest-running of all children's shows, airing from 1955 through 1984 on CBS. The Captain was played by Bob Keeshan, who had previously appeared as Clarabell the Clown on "The Howdy Doody Show." Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum played his sidekick, Mr. Green Jeans.

There were many running gags on the show, including one where Mr. Moose would tell a knock-knock joke and drop ping-pong balls on Captain Kangaroo's head. There were also cartoons, like "Tom Terrific" (and Manfred the Wonder Dog). One of the early sponsors of the show was the company that made PF Flyer sneakers. I can still remember how disappointed I was when I got my first pair and discovered that, contrary to promises made in the commercials, I could not run faster or jump higher in them.

Answer: Daniel Boone

"Daniel Boone" was shown on NBC from 1964 through 1970. The hero was played by Fess Parker, who had earlier portrayed Davy Crockett for Walt Disney. The show was set in Boonesborough, Kentucky around the time of the American Revolution. The show also starred Patricia Blair as Boone's wife, Rebecca, and Ed Ames as Mingo, Boone's Indian companion. Most of the episodes involve "Dan'l" fighting the British or hostile Native American tribes.

Answer: Leave It To Beaver

"Leave It To Beaver" ran for six seasons from 1957 to 1963. It was one of my favorite shows, because it dealt with issues from a kid's point of view. The main character was Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver, who was usually getting into trouble of some sort, often by being led astray by one or more of his friends. One of the recurring themes was that it is always better to tell the truth and face up to the consequences of your actions. One of my favorite characters was Eddie Haskell, the best friend of Beaver's older brother, Wally. Eddie was always super-polite to adults, but was actually a sneaky smart aleck when alone with Beaver and Wally.

His signature line, "That's a lovely dress you're wearing, Mrs. Cleaver," has become a classic.

Answer: The Adventures of Robin Hood

"Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen, Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men, Feared by the bad, loved by the good, Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood!" This was one of the few foreign-made programs to achieve popularity on American television.

Although made in England, it aired on CBS from 1955 through 1959. It starred veteran actor Richard Greene as Robin Hood, and Alexander Gauge as Friar Tuck. Lady Marian was played by Bernadette O'Farrell for the first two seasons, and by Patricia Driscoll in the final two seasons. Alan Wheatley played the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin Hood doesn't really "rob from the rich and give to the poor." He mostly concerns himself with recovering the excess taxes wrung from the working class peasants by the evil Prince John and the Sheriff, and upholding the rights of Englishmen against a corrupt government.

Answer: The Cisco KId

The character in the TV series has little in common with the outlaw created by O. Henry. Cisco and Pancho are two Mexican caballeros who are constantly fighting bad guys and rescuing damsels in distress. Unlike most programs of the day, it was not made by a network, but independently produced and sold in syndication; it was also one of the first television programs filmed in color. Cisco wore an elaborately embroidered Mexican costume, and never seemed to get dirty. Cisco's horse was Diablo, and Pancho's was named Loco.

The show originally aired from 1955 through 1960. It is interesting to note that while Cisco and Pancho were the first Mexican heroes on American television, the actors who played them had no links to Mexico at all. Duncan Renaldo, who played Cisco, was an orphan, and wasn't even sure where he was born, but most sources say Romania. Leo Carillo, who played Pancho, was a descendent of an old Spanish family who had lived in California since the 18th century.

Answer: Watch Mr. Wizard

"Watch Mr. Wizard" was a very successful children's show that ran on NBC from 1951 through 1965. It starred Don Herbert as Mr. Wizard. Each episode would have a kid as a guest, and Mr. Wizard would explain how things worked, and allow his guest to help him perform experiments.

Many of the experiments were simple enough that kids could recreate them at home. The show was instrumental in getting many kids interested in science for the first time. A sequel, "Mr. Wizard's World," aired on Nickelodeon from 1983 through 1990. Because of Mr. Wizard, I wanted a chemistry set for Christmas one year. I managed to create a variety of compounds which were very smelly and/or staining. My mother was not a fan of either Mr. Wizard or chemistry after that.

Answer: Hopalong Cassidy

Actor William Boyd created the character of Hopalong Cassidy on the big screen, appearing in 66 movies from 1935 through 1948. In 1949, Boyd purchased the rights to the character, and began producing the television series. In the beginning, previous theatrical releases were re-edited for television, and later 40 original television episodes were made and shown on TV from 1952 through 1954.

The program appeared in re-runs long after that. Unlike most "good guys" in Westerns, Hoppy dressed entirely in black.

When I was about five or six years old, I got a Hopalong Cassidy outfit, complete with twin cap pistols and a black hat for my birthday.