Uncle Bobby
Encyclopedia
Uncle Bobby was a Canadian
children's television show that aired from 1964 to 1979 on Toronto
's CFTO and, for two years, beginning in 1968, as a weekly show on the CTV
television network (although it continued to be aired on local CTV stations across Canada thereafter). In its later run the show was known as Uncle Bobby and Friends and, in 1979, the show was renamed Kid's Corner and lasted for a few more years as a syndicated Saturday morning offering (and into the early 1990s in repeats on YTV).
The half-hour show starred Bobby Ash
(1924–2007), a former comedian and circus
clown
who had moved to Canada from the United Kingdom
. The show aired weekdays over noonhour and featured staples such as "Bimbo: The Birthday Clown", a stationary cardboard cut-out who would come out of his closet to the tune of Jim Reeves
's Bimbo and a booming laugh as Uncle Bobby announced that day's birthday greetings. Accompanying Bimbo were three puppets on a string, Wilson, Keppel and Betty
, named after British music hall
performers, who would "dance" to Bimbo's theme. The show featured regulars such as guitarist and singer Alex Laurier, Meredith Cutting (the singing police officer), ventriloquist Cy Leonard
and his partner Happy, magician Ron Leonard, accordion
ist Nancy McCaig, wildlife artist Barry Kent MacKay, clay artist Ruth Winkler as well as safety tips for children from Traffic Officer John. Uncle Bobby's catch phrase was MMMM...BOBBY'S HERE!!! Produced out of CFTO's Channel Nine Court studios, executive producers were Gerry Rochon, and, in the later years, Wayne Dayton. Children would also appear on the show and would be referred to by Uncle Bobby as "bobbysoxers". Maclean's Magazine described Uncle Bobby as "avuncular without being condescending."
Ash had previously played a clown on Professor's Hideaway starring former BBC Radio
star Stan Francis. He then went to England
for three years and, upon his return, was given the job of Uncle Bobby on his own show. He did not earn very much from the show and had to support himself by moonlighting as a school bus
driver in Scarborough, Ontario
. He retired to Elliot Lake, where he died May 20, 2007 of a heart attack at age 82.
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...
children's television show that aired from 1964 to 1979 on Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's CFTO and, for two years, beginning in 1968, as a weekly show on the CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
television network (although it continued to be aired on local CTV stations across Canada thereafter). In its later run the show was known as Uncle Bobby and Friends and, in 1979, the show was renamed Kid's Corner and lasted for a few more years as a syndicated Saturday morning offering (and into the early 1990s in repeats on YTV).
The half-hour show starred Bobby Ash
Bobby Ash
Bobby Ash was a British actor who became known to children in the Toronto area as Uncle Bobby the host of The Uncle Bobby Show on local station CFTO....
(1924–2007), a former comedian and circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
who had moved to Canada from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The show aired weekdays over noonhour and featured staples such as "Bimbo: The Birthday Clown", a stationary cardboard cut-out who would come out of his closet to the tune of Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves
James Travis Reeves , better known as Jim Reeves, was an American country and popular music singer-songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well-known for being a practitioner of the Nashville sound...
's Bimbo and a booming laugh as Uncle Bobby announced that day's birthday greetings. Accompanying Bimbo were three puppets on a string, Wilson, Keppel and Betty
Wilson, Keppel and Betty
Wilson, Keppel and Betty were a popular British music hall act in the middle decades of the 20th century who capitalised on the trend for Egyptian imagery following the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Their stage act, called the "sand dance", was a parody of Egyptian postures, combined with...
, named after British music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
performers, who would "dance" to Bimbo's theme. The show featured regulars such as guitarist and singer Alex Laurier, Meredith Cutting (the singing police officer), ventriloquist Cy Leonard
Cy Leonard
Cy Leonard was a Canadian entertainer who was the first ventriloquist to perform on Canadian television. He also appeared on The Adventures of Tugboat Annie, the first Canadian-made situation comedy...
and his partner Happy, magician Ron Leonard, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
ist Nancy McCaig, wildlife artist Barry Kent MacKay, clay artist Ruth Winkler as well as safety tips for children from Traffic Officer John. Uncle Bobby's catch phrase was MMMM...BOBBY'S HERE!!! Produced out of CFTO's Channel Nine Court studios, executive producers were Gerry Rochon, and, in the later years, Wayne Dayton. Children would also appear on the show and would be referred to by Uncle Bobby as "bobbysoxers". Maclean's Magazine described Uncle Bobby as "avuncular without being condescending."
Ash had previously played a clown on Professor's Hideaway starring former BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
star Stan Francis. He then went to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for three years and, upon his return, was given the job of Uncle Bobby on his own show. He did not earn very much from the show and had to support himself by moonlighting as a school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
driver in Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
. He retired to Elliot Lake, where he died May 20, 2007 of a heart attack at age 82.
External links
- The Uncle Bobby Show Page by Buffalonian Steve Cichon
- Program Details