E. Roger Muir
Encyclopedia
E. Roger Muir was a television producer who created several television programs and game shows. He was the creator and executive producer of children's program The Howdy Doody
Show which ran from 1947 until 1960.
, Canada
, on December 16, 1918, and moved to Minneapolis as a child. He graduated from the University of Minnesota
, where he studied photography. He served in the United States Army
during World War II
, assigned to a film production unit.
after the war, based on the recommendation of a fellow soldier who had worked for the network before the war.
At NBC, he produced or directed shows including Who Said That?
, in which journalists and celebrities competed to identify the source of quotations in the news. Other programs included The NBC Opera, The Wide, Wide World and Your Hit Parade
. Muir produced The Howdy Doody
Show during its run on NBC from 1947 to 1960. In 1948, Muir conceived of a promotion in which Howdy Doody would run for President
of the boys and girls in the November election, running on a campaign platform advocating two Christmases and one school day a year, more pictures in history books and free lollipops, among other pledges. In response, the show received thousands of requests for Howdy Doody campaign buttons. The show was canceled in 1960, with Muir observing that advertisers preferred to spend their money to reach adults rather than children, as adults can offer a more immediate return on their advertising spending. NBC chose Shari Lewis
to fill the slot on the schedule.
In 1961, Muir joined with Robert "Nick" Nicholson to form a production company, Nicholson-Muir Productions, which produced pr created a number of game shows including Concentration
, The Newlywed Game
(produced by Chuck Barris
), Pay Cards!
(and its revival, Super Pay Cards), Matches and Mates, Spin-Off, and The Shopping Game
. Muir also co-produced The New Howdy Doody Show with Nicholson. The show ran in syndication in 1976 and 1977. The duo also created Canada's longest-running game show, Definition, which ran from 1974 to 1989.
on October 23, 2008, near his home in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
. He was survived by his wife, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Howdy Doody
Howdy Doody is an American children's television program that was created and produced by E. Roger Muir and telecast on NBC in the United States from 1947 until 1960. It was a pioneer in children's television programming and set the pattern for many similar shows...
Show which ran from 1947 until 1960.
Early life and studies
Ernest Roger Muir was born in AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, on December 16, 1918, and moved to Minneapolis as a child. He graduated from the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, where he studied photography. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, assigned to a film production unit.
Career
He was hired by NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
after the war, based on the recommendation of a fellow soldier who had worked for the network before the war.
At NBC, he produced or directed shows including Who Said That?
Who Said That?
Who Said That? is a 1947-55 NBC radio-television game show, in which a panel of celebrities attempts to determine the speaker of a quotation from recent news reports. The series was first proposed and edited by Fred W. Friendly, later of CBS News....
, in which journalists and celebrities competed to identify the source of quotations in the news. Other programs included The NBC Opera, The Wide, Wide World and Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade, is an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1955 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During this 24-year run, the show had 19 orchestra leaders and 52 singers or...
. Muir produced The Howdy Doody
Howdy Doody
Howdy Doody is an American children's television program that was created and produced by E. Roger Muir and telecast on NBC in the United States from 1947 until 1960. It was a pioneer in children's television programming and set the pattern for many similar shows...
Show during its run on NBC from 1947 to 1960. In 1948, Muir conceived of a promotion in which Howdy Doody would run for President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the boys and girls in the November election, running on a campaign platform advocating two Christmases and one school day a year, more pictures in history books and free lollipops, among other pledges. In response, the show received thousands of requests for Howdy Doody campaign buttons. The show was canceled in 1960, with Muir observing that advertisers preferred to spend their money to reach adults rather than children, as adults can offer a more immediate return on their advertising spending. NBC chose Shari Lewis
Shari Lewis
Shari Lewis was an American ventriloquist, puppeteer, and children's television show host, most popular during the 1960s and 1990s...
to fill the slot on the schedule.
In 1961, Muir joined with Robert "Nick" Nicholson to form a production company, Nicholson-Muir Productions, which produced pr created a number of game shows including Concentration
Concentration (game show)
Concentration was an American TV game show based on the children's memory game of the same name. Matching cards represented prizes that contestants could win...
, The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
(produced by Chuck Barris
Chuck Barris
Charles Hirsch "Chuck" Barris is an American game show producer, film director and presenter best known for hosting The Gong Show and creating The Dating Game. Barris, a survivor of lung cancer, is also an author and claims to have worked for the CIA.-Early career:Barris was born in Oakland, New...
), Pay Cards!
Pay Cards!
Pay Cards! was an American syndicated game show created and produced by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir that first aired from 1968–1969 and a revival, titled Super Pay Cards!, ran from 1981–1982. Both versions were hosted by Art James and taped in both New York City and Cincinnati...
(and its revival, Super Pay Cards), Matches and Mates, Spin-Off, and The Shopping Game
The Shopping Game
The Shopping Game was an American game show created and produced by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir that aired on the Satellite Program Network ....
. Muir also co-produced The New Howdy Doody Show with Nicholson. The show ran in syndication in 1976 and 1977. The duo also created Canada's longest-running game show, Definition, which ran from 1974 to 1989.
Death
Muir died at age 89 of a strokeStroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
on October 23, 2008, near his home in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,269 at the 2010 census. A venerable resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls...
. He was survived by his wife, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.