Pete McTee's Clubhouse
Encyclopedia
Pete McTee's Clubhouse was a Saturday morning television series that originally aired from September 15, 1990 until 2004 on WPMT
Fox-43 in York, Pennsylvania
. The show starred Pete McTee (Lou Castriota, Sr.) and featured an ensemble cast including Professor Noddles (Tom Ensminger), Captain Cool (Michael Ovadia from 2001–2003), and Sammi Jo (Leslie Morrison). Other characters on the show included Pete's dog Wembley, and his computer Scooter. Overall, 404 episodes were produced.
The show was filmed before a live studio audience, usually consisting of Boy Scouts
troops, Girl Scouts
troops, or other groups of children from the area. Each episode featured several segments, typically including an educational segment about science and a segment with a cartoon shown on Scooter's screen (such as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
).
The show was originally created by Castriota, programming director at WPMT at the time, in response to the Children's Television Act
, which required TV stations to air at least three hours of educational children's programming every week. Castriota handed the role of Professor Noodles, who served as Pete's sidekick of sorts on the show, to Tom Ensminger, whom he had known since High School.
The series won the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters
award for best locally produced children's show in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000.
In 2005, Lou Castriota and Tom Ensminger purchased the show from WPMT. Soon after, the cast began reuniting as the Pete McTee’s Big Red Nose Tour to perform annual live shows at Strand Capital in York, Pennsylvania in 2007 and 2008. The shows benefited Leg Up Farm, a non-profit organization founded by Castriota's son, Lou Castriota, Jr.
A re-mixed version of the show started airing in 2009 on WGCB-TV
, Family 49, in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. The show currently airs on WGCB Saturday mornings at 10:00am.
WPMT
WPMT, also known as channel 43 or Fox 43, is a Fox-affiliated television station licensed to York, Pennsylvania. Owned by the Tribune Company, the station has studios in Spring Garden, Pennsylvania , and its transmitter is located in Hallam, Pennsylvania...
Fox-43 in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. The show starred Pete McTee (Lou Castriota, Sr.) and featured an ensemble cast including Professor Noddles (Tom Ensminger), Captain Cool (Michael Ovadia from 2001–2003), and Sammi Jo (Leslie Morrison). Other characters on the show included Pete's dog Wembley, and his computer Scooter. Overall, 404 episodes were produced.
The show was filmed before a live studio audience, usually consisting of Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
troops, Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
troops, or other groups of children from the area. Each episode featured several segments, typically including an educational segment about science and a segment with a cartoon shown on Scooter's screen (such as The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959 to June 28, 1964 on the ABC and NBC television networks...
).
The show was originally created by Castriota, programming director at WPMT at the time, in response to the Children's Television Act
Children's Television Act
The Children's Television Act was enacted in 1990 in the United States to enhance television's potential to teach the nation's children valuable information and skills. The Act requires each full-service television station that offers children's television programming in the U.S...
, which required TV stations to air at least three hours of educational children's programming every week. Castriota handed the role of Professor Noodles, who served as Pete's sidekick of sorts on the show, to Tom Ensminger, whom he had known since High School.
The series won the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters
Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters
The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, commonly referred to as PAB, represents radio and television broadcasters across the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is affiliated with the National Association of Broadcasters. Every year the organization holds a convention where its main attraction,...
award for best locally produced children's show in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000.
In 2005, Lou Castriota and Tom Ensminger purchased the show from WPMT. Soon after, the cast began reuniting as the Pete McTee’s Big Red Nose Tour to perform annual live shows at Strand Capital in York, Pennsylvania in 2007 and 2008. The shows benefited Leg Up Farm, a non-profit organization founded by Castriota's son, Lou Castriota, Jr.
A re-mixed version of the show started airing in 2009 on WGCB-TV
WGCB-TV
WGCB-TV is a television station serving the Harrisburg/Lancaster/York region of Pennsylvania, United States. Broadcasting a digital signal on UHF channel 30, it is an independent station producing mainly Christian programs.It is also affiliated with Me-TV...
, Family 49, in Red Lion, Pennsylvania. The show currently airs on WGCB Saturday mornings at 10:00am.