OT: Anyone remember The Electric Company TV show?

[washabear]

Hello, all:

I recently saw a retrospective about The Electric Company, a children's reading show that ran on PBS in the 1970s. Anyone remember it? I loved that show. It starred, among others, Rita Moreno and Morgan Freeman, if you can believe it. Joan Rivers and Gene Wilder did some voices. It featured live skits and animation. I always found it original and entertaining for its time, or for any time, and I appreciated it when I first discovered it as a young adult. If you go to You Tube, you can find one of my favorite musical numbers from the show, called "LY." Other favorites would be "The Adventures of Letterman" and the Rita Moreno movie director skits. Anyone else have fond memories of this show?

Thanks.

 

[sikiguya]

I loved that show!

It was a wonderful kids show. I was very little when watching it (born in 1972) but I loved the animated pinball machine with the counting from 1 to 12.

Now I have that song stuck in my head, thanks! LOL

 

[sikiguya]

Youtube

I found it on YouTube!

 

[wiskybill]

Yes, remember it well!

My two daughters were young then and it was a regular program for them. Haven't thought of that for quite some time. Thanks for the pleasant reminder!

Bill

 

[58limited]

We're gonna turn it on.. We're gonna bring you the power...

Yes, I remember it! Haven't even thought of that show since I was a kid.

 

[bellalaundry]

Hey!

Boy... I remember this show real well. I think it's so cool that you can revisit it on YouTube. Thanks for a fond memory!

Guy

 

[scott55405]

I do indeed remember it. Came out not long after Sesame Street. Is Sesame Street still in production as a children's show?

If I saw Morgan Freeman or Rita Moreno, I didn't know who they were, but then that was over 30 years ago now, LOL.

 

[accapp]

As I recall, Spiderman was a frequent guest star. I guess being a journeyman actor in NYC at the time you had to take whatever work you got. Now that he is in Major Motion Pictures he thinks he is too cool for PBS, as if.

"LY" and "Silent E" were both written by Tom Lehrer, a singer/songwriter I find extremely hilarious. My favorite line of his is refering to someone who was at a State college studying "animal husbandry", until he was caught at it.

Anyone remember "Steampipe Alley" with Mario Cantone? He is one of the funniest people alive. His acerbic wit was totally wasted on the intended audience.

 

[lokringbob]

Rita Mareno

My Partner loves the show he say that it was how he learned to read. He is 12 year younger but I remember watching it, the Celebes were great. We were in SF 2 years ago at the Hotel York and Rita Mareno she was staying at the hotel and appearing in the little cabaret. We got to talk with her in the lobby she was very gracious even when my partner gushed all over her. He such a queen !

 

[eluxomarty]

HEY YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!

That was Rita Moreno when she would walk onto stage and look around and find no one. She would then put her hand to her mouth in a calling gesture and yell that phrase!! I used to watch The Electric Company among others and really liked it. All the kids shows nowadays are junk!!

Marty

 

[westtexman]

I never really watched the Electric Company . .

But I found the old Ladybug Picnic song from Sesame Street on You Tube! Ah, the memories!

Bryan

 

[DADoES]

I didn't watch The Electric Company regularly, but I do recall Rita Moreno being on it.

I liked the educational clips that ran between cartoons on Saturday morn. Conjunction Junction. The one about a Bill on Capitol Hill.

The Houston ABC affiliate KTRK/Ch13 had "Cadet Don." I always pronounced it as "Cadee-it Don." The show ran from 1959 to 1964. I was only 2 years old (more or less) in 1964, but I do remember the show and the hand puppet/alien Seymour, perhaps from reruns continued for a few years. He'd play a guitar and sing with Seymour sometimes, and I had a record album.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=stationinfo&id=3300525

 

[badata]

loved it

do you remember ZOOM??? i loved that one too!!!! i always remembered rita screaming "hey you guys" from electric company.

 

[nurdlinger]

When you say that, SMILE...

Morgan Freeman as a cowboy. I watched this show and the Zoom show when my friends' kids did. The "Hey You Guys" thing I remember was a sequence where she says "Hey. You. Guys." in normal voice with pauses in between the words, then faster and louder, ending with the "HEY YOU GUYS!!!". Years back I worked with serially-interfaced terminals and controllers and one of my favorite test messages was "Hey You Guys", and it was amusing to see who of my peers got the reference. My favorite performers on the show, however, were Judy Graubart and June Angela (short circus).

 

[maytagbear]

Glenn-

Those educational clips are collectively called SchoolHouse Rock!

Two of my favourites are "Three is A Magic Number," and "Figure 8."

They are available on audio cd, and I think, on dvd.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[jamman_98]

The Electric Company

It was an awsome show. So many big name stars too were on it as well. I believe Victor Borge's phonetic puncutation was broadcast on that show. I found that on YouTube too.

Joe
jamman_98

 

[selectomatic]

I hate to get old, but . . .

I was in the target demographic when Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood went on the air.

I was in the target demographic a few years later, when Sesame Street came on the air.

I was in the target demographic a few years later when The Electric Company came on the air.

I was in the target demographic when Zoom (that's Zoom, Z, Double-Oh, M, Box Three - Five - Oh - Boston, Mass, 02134) came on the air.

Also Schoolhouse rock, In The News, Scholastic rock, etc. Those were the days!

Getting old is hell, but it was a great time to grow up.

-kevin

 

[athanasius80]

I remember it in PBS. It was pretty damn cool as reruns to a 4 your old.

 

[fa_f3_20]

But what about... Naomi?