Boomtown (1956 TV series)
Encyclopedia
Boomtown was a weekend children's show on WBZ-TV
in Boston, Massachusetts that ran from 1956 through 1974. Boomtown was hosted by Rex Trailer
, a singing cowboy. Rex rode his horse Goldrush onto the western-themed Boomtown studio set for several hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
With a natural ease and charisma, Trailer led his young studio audience (or "posse") in contests of skill and singalongs. Trailer also regularly demonstrated his considerable cowboy skills, which he picked up while spending his childhood summers on his grandfather's ranch in Texas. In addition, Rex took part in skits, and he introduced the cartoons
that rounded out the program, including Popeye
, Davey and Goliath
, The Mighty Hercules
among others. He was aided on the show by a succession of sidekicks and guests over the years, including Pablo, Cactus Pete, and Sgt. Billy.
One recurring, memorable segment of Boomtown was set to the music of Hey, Look Me Over. Rex would appoint two children sheriff and deputy, and hand them a wanted poster showing another member of the studio audience thinly disguised. As the music played, the entire "posse" would march through the sheriff's office, waving for the camera (and for their families and friends watching; the segment ensured that every child had a chance to be on screen at least once). Trying for a prize, the young lawmen would attempt to pick out the person shown on the poster as he passed through the office.
Trailer had moved from Philadelphia (where his TV series had ended) to Boston to host Boomtown on a short-term contract, but the show ended up running for almost two decades. Two-hundred thousand children appeared on Boomtown during its run, and another four million watched on TV or saw Rex at his many personal appearances across New England. Trailer essentially played himself, so he was never caught out of character: kind, quietly confident, eminently capable, and wholesome. Parents and children alike responded to Boomtown's subtle, integral messages encouraging respect for others and nature. Rex Trailer settled in the Boston area permanently where he remains a major local celebrity decades after the final episode of Boomtown aired.
The lyrics to the show's theme song, Boomtown, are:
Howdy there, folks, we're glad to meet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
There's a bunch of folks who'd like to greet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
You can bet we'll have lots of Western fun
And excitement for you
We'll ride and rope, do a square dance and shoot a gun
And we'll sing a song or two
Come along, folks, now we're gonna start the fun in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
From six to sixty there's something for everyone in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
So do-si-do and swing around,
Get your gal and promenade down to
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
Precious little footage exists of Boomtown because many of the shows were broadcast live, and the segments that were taped were routinely taped over after broadcast.
However, a documentary film titled Rex Trailer's Boomtown was produced by Milford, Massachusetts native Michael Bavaro
. Bavaro used archival footage along with the memories of Boomtown fans to provide a nostalgic overview. The film aired on WBZ-TV on June 18, 2005 and is now sold in DVD format.
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
in Boston, Massachusetts that ran from 1956 through 1974. Boomtown was hosted by Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer is a Boston, Massachusetts based television personality, broadcast pioneer, and Country and Western recording artist. He is best known as the host of the children's show Boomtown.-Early life:...
, a singing cowboy. Rex rode his horse Goldrush onto the western-themed Boomtown studio set for several hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
With a natural ease and charisma, Trailer led his young studio audience (or "posse") in contests of skill and singalongs. Trailer also regularly demonstrated his considerable cowboy skills, which he picked up while spending his childhood summers on his grandfather's ranch in Texas. In addition, Rex took part in skits, and he introduced the cartoons
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
that rounded out the program, including Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
, Davey and Goliath
Davey and Goliath
Davey and Goliath is a 1960s stop-motion animated children's Christian television series. The programs, produced by the Lutheran Church in America , were produced by Art Clokey after the success of his Gumby series.Each 15-minute episode features the adventures of Davey Hansen and his "talking"...
, The Mighty Hercules
The Mighty Hercules
The Mighty Hercules was an animated series based loosely on the Greek mythological character of Heracles, under his Roman Mythology name, Hercules. It was created in 1962 and then debuted on TV in 1963 and ran until 1966 coinciding with the sword and sandal genre of films popular at the...
among others. He was aided on the show by a succession of sidekicks and guests over the years, including Pablo, Cactus Pete, and Sgt. Billy.
One recurring, memorable segment of Boomtown was set to the music of Hey, Look Me Over. Rex would appoint two children sheriff and deputy, and hand them a wanted poster showing another member of the studio audience thinly disguised. As the music played, the entire "posse" would march through the sheriff's office, waving for the camera (and for their families and friends watching; the segment ensured that every child had a chance to be on screen at least once). Trying for a prize, the young lawmen would attempt to pick out the person shown on the poster as he passed through the office.
Trailer had moved from Philadelphia (where his TV series had ended) to Boston to host Boomtown on a short-term contract, but the show ended up running for almost two decades. Two-hundred thousand children appeared on Boomtown during its run, and another four million watched on TV or saw Rex at his many personal appearances across New England. Trailer essentially played himself, so he was never caught out of character: kind, quietly confident, eminently capable, and wholesome. Parents and children alike responded to Boomtown's subtle, integral messages encouraging respect for others and nature. Rex Trailer settled in the Boston area permanently where he remains a major local celebrity decades after the final episode of Boomtown aired.
The lyrics to the show's theme song, Boomtown, are:
Howdy there, folks, we're glad to meet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
There's a bunch of folks who'd like to greet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
You can bet we'll have lots of Western fun
And excitement for you
We'll ride and rope, do a square dance and shoot a gun
And we'll sing a song or two
Come along, folks, now we're gonna start the fun in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
From six to sixty there's something for everyone in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
So do-si-do and swing around,
Get your gal and promenade down to
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
Precious little footage exists of Boomtown because many of the shows were broadcast live, and the segments that were taped were routinely taped over after broadcast.
However, a documentary film titled Rex Trailer's Boomtown was produced by Milford, Massachusetts native Michael Bavaro
Michael Bavaro
Michael Bavaro is a filmmaker based in Manhattan. Born in 1959, he grew up in Milford, Massachusetts and graduated from Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Massachusetts with a B.S. degree in communications. In 1980 while at Fitchburg he produced a 16mm documentary film about his hometown of...
. Bavaro used archival footage along with the memories of Boomtown fans to provide a nostalgic overview. The film aired on WBZ-TV on June 18, 2005 and is now sold in DVD format.
External links
- Rex Trailer - official site