Cliff Holman
Encyclopedia
Cliff Holman best known as "Cousin Cliff," was a well-known television
personality in the Birmingham, Alabama
market. As Cousin Cliff, he hosted a variety of children's shows, with the longest-running version shown daily on WABT, later WAPI.
Before entering television (and briefly while he was on TV as well), Holman worked in a creamery
and ran his own grocery.
) for the local Loveman's
department store
chain. After a stint in the United States Armed Forces
during the Korean War
, he returned to Birmingham and sought work in the entertainment business. His break came when a local bakery
began a 15-minute children's show on WABT called Tip-Top Clubhouse. The show had its debut on March 15, 1954. The bakery withdrew its sponsorship after a couple of years, but the station kept the popular show and expanded it to 30 minutes, five days a week, renaming it Cliff's Clubhouse. The show eventually evolved into The Popeye Show, featuring a live studio audience and Popeye
cartoon
s.
Holman performed magic tricks throughout the show, and his captain's hat and ribbon tie became his trademark. Holman was closely identified with the primary sponsors of his show, Pepsi-Cola and local fast food
chain Jack's Hamburgers. The show was so popular that tickets for children to appear in the live studio audience were often booked months in advance.
In 1968, WAPI began taping the show instead of broadcasting it live, and moved the schedule to the following morning — largely missing its intended audience of children, who would be in school at the time. Holman was unhappy with the move and the plunging viewership, and took a position with new station WHMA
in nearby Anniston, Alabama
in 1969. The Cousin Cliff Show ran there for three more years, sponsored by McDonald's
, Jack's main competitor. The Sergeant Jack Show starring Neal Miller, an actual Jefferson County
deputy sheriff (deputized primarily for the show's purposes) took over Holman's slot and sponsorship.
Holman left television, working a number of positions in and out of media, until he revived his show on cable television
in 1985. The show had a short stint on independent station WDBB. In 1990 Holman was back on broadcast television with Cousin Cliff's Clubhouse, a Saturday-only show on WBRC-TV. That show ran for two years, after which Holman again produced a cable version for Jack's Hamburgers. After a short run, Holman retired from television altogether.
Holman was also seen on various other variety shows in both Birmingham and Anniston over the years, and also worked behind the cameras. Holman was also an early on-air promoter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association
. In the days before its now-famous Jerry Lewis Telethon became a nationwide tradition, "Cousin Cliff' encouraged children to hold backyard carnivals to raise money for MDA, and hosted his own carnival in the WAPI studio parking lot as well.
manager for the local chapter of the American Lung Association
, and an announcer for WCRT
radio. He successfully ran for a seat on the Vestavia Hills
city council
in 1980, but declined to stand for re-election after becoming disenchanted with the position and politics.
His health took a turn for the worse after a fall following a performance in 2001. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
in 2007 and moved to a hospice
in Albertville, where he died in 2008. Holman's battle with Alzheimer's was highlighted in the 2009 HBO documentary The Alzheimer's Project. The funeral was held at Mountain Chapel United Methodist Church in Vestavia Hills. His interment was located in Birmingham's Elmwood Cemetery
.
Holmam was survived by his wife, Ann; daughter Lynn Holman Brown and son Kyle Holman; and two grandchildren. Another son, James Clifton Holman III, died in 2005.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
personality in the Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
market. As Cousin Cliff, he hosted a variety of children's shows, with the longest-running version shown daily on WABT, later WAPI.
Early life
Holman was born in Mobile, but his family soon moved to Birmingham. He attended Woodlawn High School, and began performing the magic act that would eventually lead him to television.Before entering television (and briefly while he was on TV as well), Holman worked in a creamery
Creamery
In a dairy, the creamery is the location of cream processing. Cream is separated from whole milk; pasteurization is done to the skimmed milk and cream separately. Whole milk for sale has had some cream returned to the skimmed milk....
and ran his own grocery.
"Cousin Cliff" and television
Holman began his television career in 1950 as a puppeteer for a short-run show (in a format known today as an infomercialInfomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
) for the local Loveman's
Loveman's of Alabama
Loveman's of Alabama was a Birmingham, Alabama-based chain of department stores with locations across Alabama. It adopted this name to distinguish it from Loveman's department stores operating in Chattanooga, Tennessee and in Nashville, Tennessee.-History :...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chain. After a stint in the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, he returned to Birmingham and sought work in the entertainment business. His break came when a local bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
began a 15-minute children's show on WABT called Tip-Top Clubhouse. The show had its debut on March 15, 1954. The bakery withdrew its sponsorship after a couple of years, but the station kept the popular show and expanded it to 30 minutes, five days a week, renaming it Cliff's Clubhouse. The show eventually evolved into The Popeye Show, featuring a live studio audience and 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...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s.
Holman performed magic tricks throughout the show, and his captain's hat and ribbon tie became his trademark. Holman was closely identified with the primary sponsors of his show, Pepsi-Cola and local fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chain Jack's Hamburgers. The show was so popular that tickets for children to appear in the live studio audience were often booked months in advance.
In 1968, WAPI began taping the show instead of broadcasting it live, and moved the schedule to the following morning — largely missing its intended audience of children, who would be in school at the time. Holman was unhappy with the move and the plunging viewership, and took a position with new station WHMA
WHMA (AM)
WHMA is a radio station licensed to serve Anniston, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Williams Communications, Inc.It broadcasts a Gospel music format and features news programming from Fox News Radio.-History:...
in nearby Anniston, Alabama
Anniston, Alabama
Anniston is a city in Calhoun County in the state of Alabama, United States.As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 24,276. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 23,741...
in 1969. The Cousin Cliff Show ran there for three more years, sponsored by McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Jack's main competitor. The Sergeant Jack Show starring Neal Miller, an actual Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
deputy sheriff (deputized primarily for the show's purposes) took over Holman's slot and sponsorship.
Holman left television, working a number of positions in and out of media, until he revived his show on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
in 1985. The show had a short stint on independent station WDBB. In 1990 Holman was back on broadcast television with Cousin Cliff's Clubhouse, a Saturday-only show on WBRC-TV. That show ran for two years, after which Holman again produced a cable version for Jack's Hamburgers. After a short run, Holman retired from television altogether.
Holman was also seen on various other variety shows in both Birmingham and Anniston over the years, and also worked behind the cameras. Holman was also an early on-air promoter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
. In the days before its now-famous Jerry Lewis Telethon became a nationwide tradition, "Cousin Cliff' encouraged children to hold backyard carnivals to raise money for MDA, and hosted his own carnival in the WAPI studio parking lot as well.
After television
After leaving television, Holman performed his magic and comedy act in numerous venues. He also worked as a manager for the Parliament House hotel, and public relationsPublic relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
manager for the local chapter of the American Lung Association
American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is a voluntary health organization whose mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.-History:...
, and an announcer for WCRT
WCRT
WCRT is a Class B AM radio station licensed to the community of Donelson, Tennessee, near Nashville. Broadcasting a format of evangelical preaching and talk shows, WCRT is owned by Bott Communications, a Christian broadcaster, which bought the station, formerly WAMB, from longtime Nashville...
radio. He successfully ran for a seat on the Vestavia Hills
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
Vestavia Hills is a city in Jefferson and Shelby Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a suburb of the city of Birmingham.-History:Vestavia Hills is named for the estate of former Birmingham mayor George B. Ward. It was situated on the crest of Shades Mountain in what is now the northern...
city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
in 1980, but declined to stand for re-election after becoming disenchanted with the position and politics.
His health took a turn for the worse after a fall following a performance in 2001. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
in 2007 and moved to a hospice
Hospice
Hospice is a type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.In the United States and Canada:*Gentiva Health Services, national provider of hospice and home health services...
in Albertville, where he died in 2008. Holman's battle with Alzheimer's was highlighted in the 2009 HBO documentary The Alzheimer's Project. The funeral was held at Mountain Chapel United Methodist Church in Vestavia Hills. His interment was located in Birmingham's Elmwood Cemetery
Elmwood Cemetery (Birmingham, Alabama)
Elmwood Cemetery is a cemetery established in 1900 in Birmingham, Alabama northwest of Homewood by a group of fraternal organizations. It was renamed in 1906 and gradually eclipsed Oak Hill Cemetery as the most prominent burial place in the city...
.
Holmam was survived by his wife, Ann; daughter Lynn Holman Brown and son Kyle Holman; and two grandchildren. Another son, James Clifton Holman III, died in 2005.
See also
- Hollis, Tim (March 1991) Cousin Cliff: 40 Magical Years in Television. Birmingham: Campbell's Publishing. ISBN 0962879800