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Historical TV Schedules June 12, 1954
Sept 6, 1965
Aug 24, 1967
Aug 10, 1971




WAND, Channel 17, Decatur, Illinois

Part 1: The WTVP Years (1953-1965)

Planning for Central Illinois' First TV Station


On April 14th 1953 the FCC announced that the TV Freeze would be lifted on July 1, 1952.  The FCC was once again to grant TV licenses to applicants across the country.  This time, they would be granting permits for television station owners to build television facilities to broadcast on the new ultra high frequency band.  In fact, the new rules would allow for 617 Very High Frequency (VHF), 1436 Ultra High Frequency (UHF) stations and would establish zones with mileage requirements for separation of stations along with establish antenna height standards.

In September of 1952, the first commercial UHF station went on the air in Portland, Oregon on channel 27.  It would be less than a year later that central Illinois would not only see it’s first TV station, but it would be one of the new UHF stations on channel 17 broadcasting from Decatur.  On December 16, 1952 it was announced that the Prairie Television Company of Decatur, Illinois applied and received permission to build central Illinois’ first TV station.  W.L. Shellabarger, who said the facility would be built with a budget of $250,000, headed the company.  Even though the FCC approved the original license with the station broadcasting from a 350-foot tower, the license was modified and later approved for a 600-foot broadcasting tower.

By February of 1953, the man who would be General Manager was announced, Harold G. Cowgill.  In an interview, said that he hoped to pick up network programs from a microwave link which was under construction between Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis.  The link would include a series of microwave towers which would run on a path which would take it west of Springfield.  From a repeater there, it would be microwaved to another link which would take it to the studios of the new Decatur station.  He also stated that the station would air programs from CBS, NBC, DuMont and ABC.  He continued, “TV stations unlike radio, do not need to contract for exclusive use of one network.”  He also would soon announce the plans for the building of the actual facility in Decatur.

By March, the station announced the hiring of 28 year old James C. Wulliman, originally of Tuscola as Chief Engineer.  He came to Decatur from Connersville, Indiana where he was an engineer at WCNB AM/FM for five years.  Before that, he did broadcast engineering for the military, as well as engineering at WDZ, Tuscola in his early days.

On June 6th, 1953 testing began from their new studios and broadcasting site located on Route 47, about one mile south of Decatur (now Southside Drive).  The Studio was reported being 95% completed and the tower erection was taking place, having just over 100-feet of it’s planned 600-foot completed.  The RCA transmitter had arrived the previous week from the factory in Camden, New Jersey.  At that time, a few more facts about the station were released.  First of all, the call letters of the new TV station were to be WTVP, which would broadcast a signal of 17,100 watts.  It was estimated that the station would reach out between 40 and 60 miles across central Illinois.  It’s assumed the call letters WTVP stood for “T V Prairie.”

In June and/or July, Prairie Broadcasting filed an objection with the FCC over the placement of the tower of Champaign's first TV station, WCIA and Midwest Television.  Their objection basically stated that the proximity of WCIA's tower to Decatur could pose a hardship to the financial development of WTVP.   The term used was "invasion and encroachment" of WTVP's territory.  To avoid delays in the construction, another site was chosen by Midwest Television which engineers determined a minimal change in the proposed coverage area for WCIA.  That site was the current tower site of WCIA near Seymour along Illinois route 10 west of Champaign. 

Central Illiinois' First TV Station Signs On


By 4PM, Sunday, August 16th, 1953, WTVP signed on the air to a central Illinois TV audience in which only about 25-percent of the household TV’s were equipped to receive the new UHF station, and there was still a very low percentage of homes which even had TV in central Illinois.  Based on some of the national figures, probably only 25% of the total households had a TV.  The reception reports were all favorable, with one of the most distant reports from Champaign-Urbana as being “almost perfect.”  The relatively small number of households with TV at the time was probably one very large problem, for Sales Manager Downey Hewey in trying to show advertisers that the station had a large number of viewers in Decatur and across central Illinois.

WTVP would end up being a full time ABC affiliate, as the original plan by GM Harold Cowgill was a bit overstated.  The chances of WTVP or any other station being able to pick and choose programming from all of the networks were slim, unless there were no other stations available.  In this case, the chances of increased competition from other stations that were already under construction in central Illinois pretty well set the wheels in motion to network exclusivity between these stations.  WTVP was one of the original 19 ABC affiliates.

One of the major technical problems for these early TV stations, was the inability to receive live network programming.  (See WCIA and the lengths that that facility went through to receive network programming)   The microwave system which would give WTVP an opportunity to receive ABC programming, was still in the future.  There was no “coax cable” which could take the signal to Decatur.   In fact the closest one known to exist went through, of all places, Danville.  Based on maps which showed AT & T network TV cables which were in operation in 1951, the Danville connection existed because the cable was routed between Chicago, Danville, Terre Haute then St Louis.

The solution to the network problem, was one which many stations were forced to utilize.  They would “bicycle” kinescopes from the network to individual stations for airing.  That process, would require the network to film from a TV screen at New York, process the film, process a number of duplicate films of live broadcasts, then ship them to their affiliates.  Most of these would air either the next week or perhaps two weeks later than the original broadcasts.  So, WTVP would show films and kinescopes of the ABC shows until the microwave link was established.  In the meantime, the station would also rely on local live productions and during the early years, WTVP had plenty.

It didn’t take too long for WTVP to finally broadcast ABC programming live from the network.  By early October 1953, it’s believed that the link was complete to provide network programming to the Decatur station.  This same microwave link also fed stations in Springfield and Peoria.  In just a short time, WTVP was able to broadcast CBS programming live from the network as well.  How this came about technically is unknown.

By January of 1954, WTVP wasn’t alone in broadcasting to central Illinois.  WICS, Channel 20 in Springfield joined the list on September 30th, 1953, and on November 13th, 1953 WCIA, Channel 3 in Champaign was on the air.  WBLN, Channel 15 in Bloomington was added by the end of the year and in late December 1953, WDAN, Channel 24 in Danville wrapped up the roster.

Because of the coverage area of the UHF stations being somewhat limited, compared to that of the lone VHF station, WCIA, the network affiliations fell into place.   Due to some shrewd planning and negotiations WCIA ended up in the “cat bird seat” with CBS (primary), DuMont (secondary) and NBC (secondary).  Since WCIA’s coverage put Springfield in the fringe, WICS was granted a primary affiliation with NBC and ABC (secondary) with DuMont (secondary).  There were documented occasions, though, in which WICS broadcast programming from CBS.  WTVP with it’s proximity to both WCIA and WICS, was restricted to being an ABC primary affiliate with DuMont (secondary), but again, there were occasions in which WTVP broadcast CBS programming as well.  That also placed WBLN and WDAN as being in the ABC column, although it would be a time before WBLN was able to receive ABC network live.  Even though it seemed that the network scorecard was set, there was still a number of programs from one network, which would show up on another network’s affiliate.  This had to be very confusing for the viewers, as network promotional announcements had to appear from time to time on opposing stations.

"irreconcilable differences" take WTVP off the air in January 1954

In January of 1954, Prairie Broadcasting faced the reality of costs versus revenue.  It appears from the series of newspaper articles that describe the goings on at the Decatur station that a major change in policy and direction was about to happen.  On January 20, 1954, WTVP didn’t sign on the air.  It was said that “personnel and mechanical troubles” kept the station from going on the air that day, and that WTVP was expected to return to the air within 48 hours.

This episode ended up being a rather earth shattering event in the history of WTVP!  It was announced that Station Manager Howard “Harry” Cowgill, Chief Engineer James Wulliman and Program Director Paul Taff had resigned.  The trio later stated to the press, that they were asked to quit.  Meanwhile, Prairie Broadcasting President Shellabarger denied the three managers were asked to quit, but also said that a number of other staff members didn’t show up for work that day either.  The AWOL employees included Sports Director Tony Parker, Woman’s Director Deloris Ryan and another person Dick Shaugnessy, whose title was not stated but hosted a show on weekday afternoons (see schedule below).

The absent employees forced the cancellation of a network TV Polio benefit show which was hosted by Gene Autry.  A technical problem was also part of the situation, as the station finally returned to the air by evening, but without video, just audio of the broadcast.  It isn’t known, if this TV telethon event involved local community members as they often do today.  If it did, this would have been an extremely embarrassing event for WTVP.

In that later interview with now former WTVP Station Manager Cowgill,  he blamed “irreconcilable differences in views and positions” between himself along with Taff and Wulliman and Shellabarger.  It’s also assumed, part of the problem between the station’s department heads and the President of the company was the number of employees, presumably hired by the Cowgill and the department heads.  The WTVP staff consisted of 47 employees, more than twice the number of staff members at  WCIA or WICS!  Shellabarger, in an interview, said that the “stockholders thought we were tremendously over burdened by expense of this large staff and wanted to reduce it.”  It ended up being a “black Friday” firing of 20 employees, including News Director James E. Crowell.

A few days later Harold Cowgill showed up again in the headlines, as saying he intended to file an application for Channel 23 in Decatur.  He also said he could be on the air with the new station in as little as 90 days.  His alliance with his former workers at WTVP was evident when he went on to say he hoped that some of his former WTVP staff would follow him to his new station.  Whether or not, the application went forward from there is unknown, but as research continues, there’s no indication it was ever granted or it ever was filed with the FCC.

Another side note, WTVP’s Farm Director, Al Pigg was booked for an appearance on The Names the Same a  national TV game show hosted by Robert Q. Lewis from Goodson-Todman Productions.  This show would bring on a guest with an unusual name who would have some ironic tie in with their name.  A celebrity panel would then guess the name and the irony.  In his case, he was a Farm Director, by the name of “Pigg.”  He was to appear on the show, broadcast live from New York on February 9th, 1954 at 9:30pm CT.  It was fortunate that The Names the Same was broadcast on ABC where it would appear on WTVP.


WTVP Broadcast Schedule from January 22, 1954
2:00  PM Feature Film
3:00  PM Dick Shaugnessy(since he was fired a few days before this, his show probably wasn't on)
3:30  PM A Woman's World(again, with the loss of the hostess, Dorothy Ryan probably was a no show)
4:30  PM Prairie Ranch Home
5:00  PM School Program
5:30  PM Headlines From the Past(old newsreels presumably)
5:45  PM Triple Streak(unknown program-unknown source)
6:00  PM Farm News
6:15  PM John Daley(ABC-news)
6:30  PM Film
7:00  PM Dangerous Assignment(Syndicated)
7:30  PM All Star Theatre(unknown program, unknown source)
8:00  PM Pride of the Family(ABC-filmed sitcom)
8:30  PM Come Back Story(ABC-live from New York)
9:00  PM Hollywood Half Hour(probably "Showcase Theatre"ABC)
9:30  PM Amateur Hour(probably a kinescope from NBC's broadcast)
10:00 PM Weather-Mr. Esquire(unknown who/what is Mr. Esquire?)
10:15 PM News
10:30 PM Sports
10:45 PM Movie


For a look at the WTVP Schedule from later in the year.....June 12, 1954, and how it compared with the schedules of the other stations across central-Illinois click here.

WTVP Programming from 1953-1959

The early days of WTVP consisted of many hours of locally produced programs.  Most of these early local TV shows were simple productions covering topics such as women’s general interest features, local church services or presentations.  The list of subjects also include local school panel shows covering subjects such as the school calendar of events or school music and drama productions, farm news, children’s participation cartoon shows locally produced variety shows as well as local news, weather and sports.

In 1954 WTVP used the slogan, “The Best is Seen on 17. ”  By 1954 WTVP produced shows with titles like “A Woman’s World,” “Prairie Ranch House,” “Uncle Al’s Corral,” “Triple Streak,” “Kim’s Korner,” “Farm News,” “Teen Time,” “Romper Room”, “Fore-d” and “Decatur Churches.”  The subjects and hosts, other than the ones listed as part of the title,  are unknown and have been lost in history.  Among those shows, a little more information is known about “Kim’s Korner” which was hosted by longtime local TV celebrity, Kim Wilson, and “Uncle Al’s Corral” a children’s show with WTVP Farm Director Al Pigg.

A 1954 TV Guide had this description of the new weekday at 4:30 PM local program for kids, Uncle Al’s Corral: “Emcee of the show is Al Pigg, long-time favorite with frontier fledglings.  Featured are “Hiram, the Hollywood Horse” and a starling of uncertain ancestry called “Commonsence Bird.”  Uncle Al’s Corral is complete with feature length shoot-em-ups.”  In just a few years, Al Pigg was listed as the host of Farm News on WICS.  It’s assumed he left WTVP by 1957 to go to WICS in Springfield.  He did return to WTVP, but the exact date of his return is still unknow.

Also in the Fall of 1954, “Downstate Jamboree” was seen on Wednesday nights at 8:30-9:30 PM on WTVP.  It was a local production that was conceived by WTVP Program Director Bob Wright.  Once again, according to a 1954 TV Guide, he began to cast the local evening show in March of 1954.   He figured that Decatur was right for a western music television show, and evidently he was right.  Even after one telecast the station received over 350 pieces of mail from viewers of “Downstate Jamboree.”  The stars of the show were “The Rhythm Wranglers.”  


Supplemental Background:
  I received some additional information from Bill Burns, the leader of the "Rhythm Wranglers" mentioned above as one of the original live performers at WTVP.  He is the last living member of the group, and saw the mention of his group on this website. 

He wrote, "This is Bill Burns.  I was the leader of the Rhythm Wranglers on WTVP in the early days of TV in Decatur. All of them are dead now but me & I'm 79 so I'll be joining them again shortly. I was reading your report on the early TV days of WTVP on the internet and saw my name and the rest of the Wranglers.  Bob Wright did not discover us in a bar though. I got a sponsor for us to do a show and he had to listen to us. He discoverd us in his own studios after we did the show. We had a contract before leaving the station that day."

"I'm surprised your report didn't mention the country group of Jack Carson, Ralph Drake, Fred Bear & son who were appearing in the same era on your station in Champaign. Jack asked us to join him over there but we figured we had a better setup to do our own thing on WTVP what with the stars from WLS, KMOX and the Midwestern Hayride on WCKY in Cincinnati. We played all the local fairs and the state fair for International Harvester where they did a square dance with tractors & implements were used as partners. The tent they did it in was the largest one on the Fair Grounds with seating capacity of 1000 people. We did 5 shows a day for 9 days (45,000 people) When we'd take a break, we;d go over to the tent where Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers from WLS were appearing and catch their show. That's where I picked up a lot of stuff I used MCing our show". 

"Al Pigg only did our show a few times, then we had another guy for a few more, then I started doing it. We were on the air for two years. Well all this prattle isn't of much interest in general but I thought you might enjoy hearing from someone who was there."

Thanks to 70 year old Bill Burns, the last remaining member of the "Rhythm Wranglers" from the early days at WTVP!


They were a trio,
when they were discovered in a local bar “in which beer bottles have been used as instruments of combat.”  The Wrangles consisted of Bill Burns, Gene Eckes and Rio Diall and have added Leon Brontin.  Their lead female singer, Dorothy Hargus, left the group to audition for a Chicago TV Show.  Even though the show revolves around the Rhythm Wranglers, there a few guest stars including Red Blachard and Homer and Jethro.  The emcee, by the way, is non other than Al Pigg, WTVP’s Farm Director and host of “Uncle Al’s Corral.”


There were other, presumably, local shows on the limited schedule of WTVP in 1954, including “Music Box” (a variety show-the content and source are unknown), “Decatur Churches” (this one was local, but exact content and format is unknown), “The Christian Fellowship Hour” (a local religious show-airing Sunday evenings at 6pm in 1956), “Mayor of the Town” (a local production-again, content unknown), “Studio Party” (hosted by a person named O’Shane-format unknown, content unknown), “The Decatur Story” (a local production-again content, format, host unknown), “Old Scrapbook” (a music program, I assume it was a local production, but nothing is known about this production), and “What’s New” (was hosted by Kim Wilson on Wednesday nights at 10:10 PM, but again format and content is unknown).  By 1957, children’s programming included “Jingles Menagerie”(again, nothing is known about this entry to the schedule other than it was for kids), “Music Box Revue”(no information is known about this weekend Saturday night 9 PM music program), and “Channel 17 Calling”(nothing is known about this weekday afternoon local show from 1957).  During the late Summer of 1956, WTVP also listed “Little League Baseball” with Earl Hickerson as commentator, probably covering the local Little League Baseball standings from 5:45 to 6 PM on Mondays, with “Kiddie Pops” (listed as a music show) on Tuesdays, “Let’s Play Ball” with Hickerson on Wednesdays, “The Jerry Booth Show” (unknown program, unknown source) on 

Thursdays and “Look Ma I’m Dancing”(again, unknown program, unknown source) on Fridays.  Also in 1956 Friday nights at 9 PM included an hour long show, assuming locally produced called, “Centennial Hoedown.”  One can only assume it was another of WTVP’s Program Director,Bob Wright’s local country music shows.

In 1956 “Kim’s Korner” was increased from a 30-minute show to an hour followed by “Uncle Al and his Friends.”  The expanded “Kim’s Korner” would include new segments and special get acquainted sessions for new residents of Decatur but appeared to consist mostly of homemaking segments and recipes.  A locally produced musical variety show was included in the 1958 prime time schedule, Monday’s at 7:30pm, called “Frank Monte Show.”

By 1957 WTVP’s News Director was Dale Coleman.  His exact tenure span at Channel 17 is unknown, but later in the 1960’s he moved on to WICS as news anchor and News Director.  But, in 1957 while at WTVP, he offered air time to each of the five candidates seeking positions as circuit judges in the forthcoming elections.  Locally produced interviews were offered during the 10pm newscasts starting in mid to late May.  The schedule of interviews include Judge Charles E. Keller incumbent of Champaign appeared on May 16th, Piatt County Judge B.E. Morgan appeared on May 21st and Incumbent Circuit Judge Martin E. Morthland of Decatur appeared on May 23rd.  Tuscola attorney Harry Pate, the only Democrat was seen on May 28th and Moultrie County Judge Rodney A. Scott appeared on May 31st.  Out of the bunch, four would be chosen to serve as 6th Circuit Judge on the elections of June 3rd.  It’s unknown which of the four actually won the election.

Also in 1957 WTVP hosted it’s own teen dance show called “TV Record Hop” from 5 to 5:30pm on Saturday’s.  It's unknown who hosted this record hop formated program.  This pre-dates the WCIA version called “The Hop” which didn’t appear for several more years.  

“Romper Room” was a nationally syndicated concept show which was produced locally by stations in virtually every market in the country beginning in the mid 1950’s.  It usually featured a half dozen or so, five or six year old children in a classroom setting in which they would do art projects, hear stories read by the teacher and generally learn how to conduct themselves.  The phrase “Don’t be a don’t be, be a do be” was used to direct the behavior of the kids.  The show would air generally during the mornings around 9am, although in 1957 the show aired on WTVP live at Noon with Miss Ruth as the station didn’t sign-on until the mid day.



It was the golden age of syndicated programming, as the network schedules of the time didn’t cover the broadcast day as they do today.  Advertising agencies owned many programming concepts and would produce programming, many of which were thirty-minute low budget productions with B-movie actors.  Production companies would sign sponsors to their shows and with a lineup of local affiliate stations they were able to reach households in many markets across the country.  Some of these syndicated shows on WTVP included “Abbott and Costello” “This is the Life” (30 minute religious moral dramas which ran through the 1960’s on all three stations in the market),  “The Adventures of Kit Carson”starring Bill Williams and Don Diamond (kids western), “David Niven”(dramatic anthology),  “China Smith” with Dan Duryea.  Syndication also included national religious shows like “A.A. Allen” “Bishop Fulton Sheen” and “Oral Roberts” which were probably purchased by their respective producers.   Other syndicated shows of the mid to late 1950’s included: “Stage 7” (drama starring John Loder).  Adventure shows included “Orient Express,” “The Dick Powell Theater,” “Sea Hunt”(with Lloyd Bridges) and “Ramar of the Jungle.”  World War II newsreels were popular, and WTVP broadcast “Victory at Sea” during prime time Wednesdays at 8PM in 1958 as well as other military and government produced films such as “The Big Picture” throughout the 1950’s.  Country and Western music played a big part in the history of WTVP, with not only “Downstate Jubilee” but also the syndicated from Springfield, Missouri “Ozark Jubilee” which starred Red Foley, Brenda Lee, the Marksmen, and Bill Wimberly’s Country Rhythm Boys.  In 1956 a Sunday afternoon may have included a kids show produced out of Chicago called “Super Circus” with Ringmaster Claude Kirchner with Mary Hartline.  The episode which ran on August 21st, 1956 included The Atomics, tumblers; a clown sketch; Cockattos, valentine birds; Ted and Flo Vallet, baton twirlers; Bernie Hoffman, super menagerie; and the Dresler Brothers, motorcyclists.  It’s unknown whether this show was done live or was on film, but WTVP was the only station which broadcast it in the edition of TV Guide that week, which would hint at it being a kinescope, as opposed to coming off the network live.


Off network shows began to appear on local TV station schedules and WTVP was no exception.  Even in 1954, reruns of off network “Dragnet” episodes showed up on the schedules of both WTVP and WICS as “Badge 714.”  “The Honeymooners” the 30-minute filmed sit-com ended up on the Sunday prime time schedule at 7:30pm on Sundays during 1958.    “The Life of Riley” (off network NBC show) was shown on WTVP as well as “Mama” starring Peggy Wood which appeared Friday nights at 7PM in 1958.  Other off network syndicated series on WTVP by 1959 included  “My Hero” starring Bob Cummings(an off network NBC show from 1952-53) “Amos and Andy,” “Our Miss Brooks,” “Burns and Allen” and “Hoot Gibson.”

Daytime programming during the first few years of WTVP was fairly sparse.  Even though the station broadcast the Don McNeill’s  “Breakfast Club” live from Chicago off of the ABC network from 8 to 9AM, the station would sign off or run a test pattern until 3 in the afternoon when programming would resume.  It wasn’t until the very late 1950's that the weekday afternoon schedule began to expand inward.  By 1958, the daytime schedule would begin to fill out with locally run movies, local interest shows and eventually programming from ABC, such as “American Bandstand” with Dick Clark.  Also in that year the late afternoon lineup would include “Bandstand” followed at 5PM with “Fun at Five” (presumably a kids show with cartoons), Local News at 6PM, then the ABC Network News with John Daley.  ABC added “Woody Woodpecker” to the afternoon schedule in 1958-59.




It’s also interesting to note that the network schedule and the lineup of network affiliates were somewhat blurred during the 50’s.  WCIA was regarded as being a CBS primary affiliate, but their schedule included the broadcast of local news at 6:30pm, which shifted the airing of the CBS shows at 6:30pm CT to WTVP.   Among the CBS shows which ended up on the WTVP schedule were “Robin Hood” and “Willy”, a 30-minute sit com starring June Havoc and Denny Richards Jr..   On Sunday nights, “Lassie” aired on CBS at 6PM, but was not carried by WCIA.  Instead “Lassie” was broadcast on WTVP, while WCIA aired a kinescope “Zorro” which was broadcast on ABC the week before!  At least during the Fall of 1954, a program ran Thursday nights at 8:30-9:30 PM CT,  "NBC Ford Theater" (named for the sponsor), which was broadcast in central Illinois on all three of the major stations and stations in the surrounding markets: WCIA, KSD-TV(St. Louis), WGEM-TV(Quincy), WTVP and WICS!  In 1957, a Saturday afternoon ABC feature called “Five Star Comedy” which starred ventriloquist Paul Winchell and dummy Jerry Mahoney was shown by both WTVP and WICS.

Many shows of one network, ended up being shown either live or via kinescope on other affiliates later in the week.  Programming would either come live from a network coax, or would be a kinescope of the network program which would be shipped to the station by mail.   It appears that WTVP received it’s CBS programming live from coax at least by 1958, as the station broadcast Saturday afternoon baseball at least in 1958 along with CBS programming at 6:30 PM weekdays.   During the baseball season at least in 1958, WTVP broadcast the same CBS game broadcast on WCIA announced by Dizzy Dean and Buddy Blattner.   The baseball game would be followed by “All Star Golf” hosted by Dick Danehe and broadcast by stations of all three networks.  Why the CBS exclusive affiliation contract allowed this to happen is unknown.

In 1958 ABC broadcast the “Thanksgiving Day Parade” from Detroit sponsored by the J.L. Hudson Department Store.  Bob Keeshan as CBS’s Captain Kangaroo anchored the parade coverage on ABC!  It was also sponsored by Chrysler Corporation’s “The Forward Look” which was a marketing slogan used to describe their newly designed models which featured a lower body style, and a longer and wider wheel base.  The broadcast of this department store sponsored parade went head to head with the annual NBC broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York.

Above: TV Guide listing with WCIA(3)CBS, KHQA(7)CBS, WTVP(17)ABC, WMBD(31)CBS from 1958.  One of the "blurring" of the network affiliate situations that was common during the early days of the 1950's with the simulcast of the Yankees Vs. Tigers game.  WAND took the broadcast the CBS feed of the game along with WCIA.


Local Commercials

Early TV commercials existed in several different formats.  They were broadcast as live productions, or film slides, or filmed productions with either recorded or live announcer audio.  The assumption is made that virtually all of the local commercial productions have been lost to the ages.  There may be a few slides, or film clips, kinescopes or audio transcriptions that have been stashed into a box by an account executive, or master control operator over the years....with most being discarded at sometime during the last 45 years.  But....there’s also a chance that someone still has some material which was aired as part of a commercial production of WTVP, or any other broadcast station and doesn’t know what it is....or what it’s purpose was.  If you know of any material which exists from an earlier era of broadcasting, please turn it over to your local historical society...explain what the material is, and if there’s any question of it’s historical value or worth, have them get in touch with me!  I’ll explain it to them!

Probably one of the most remembered local sponsors on WTVP/WAND over the years was local Oldsmobile dealer Paul Weidenbacher.  Mr. Weidenbacher, dressed in his trench coat, sunglasses and dress hat would describe a new Oldsmobile or used car from the parking lot behind the TV station.  His commercials on WTVP during the 1950's, 60's and 70's made his name and face one of the most recognized in central Illinois.  He, evidently, saw the need for local TV to build his business, by his effort to drive one of his vehicles to the TV station EVERY day during the dinner hour for a live TV commercial

Other major local advertisers through the early 1960's included: El Bauer Chevrolet, Cohen Furniture, Good’s Furniture, TV Tom, The Millikin Bank, Tollie Foods, Heinkel Packing and Dawson and Wikoff Funeral Home.  There were alot more, but those were the one's which come to mind the easiest. 


A New Manager...more wattage

It was also in late January 1954 that Prairie Broadcasting announced the hiring of a new Station Manager, Steve Pozhay of Neenah, Wisconsin, where he held a position at WNAM-TV.  His hiring took place as WTVP was looking to the future and an increased coverage area.  Another new key staff member was announced during the Winter of 1954 to take control of the engineering of the station.  H.F. Abfalter was then the new Chief Engineer.

In early July 1954, a modification of the station’s licence allowed the station to increase it’s power.  A new transmitter was ordered from RCA which would take the power of the station from 17,000 watts to 213,000 watts.  It was stated that it would increase the radius of the signal from 40 miles to nearly 75 miles.

By October 30th, 1954, WTVP was on the air with 213,000 watts from their 600 foot tower on Southside Drive in south Decatur.  Reception reports came in from Paris (83 miles), Farmer City, Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, Effingham and Gibson City.  WTVP reported they were watchable in 140,000 TV homes across central Illinois.  By this time, the station continued to air a mixture of local shows of interest to farmers, housewives, children, along with local news and shows from ABC.




There's more on the history of WTVP at the bottom of this page......




Above is a staff photo from the 1950's.  In the center of the photo is longtime WTVP/WAND weatherman Loren Boatman.   The others were from far left front in sweater: Gene Bell(Sales), behind Boatman's left sholder is Bill Brackett(Operations and Program Director),   W. L Shellabarger is on the far right-front row(Station Manager), behind him is Jan Jones-Bell(Traffic manager-wife of Gene Bell).
 thanks to Bruce Frey for his contribution of identifying the Bells and Bill Brackett.

If you should know of any of the otehr people, please e-mail me at dougquick @  dougquick.com





WTVP was the first station central Illinois station to sign on the air; August of 1953.  It was a race with WCIA, WICS, WBLN and WDAN all trying to be first.  WTVP's studios were the first in the market to be constructed to be a TV station.  All of the other stations facilities were converted from other uses.  Channel 17 still occupies it's original studio location on Southside Drive on Decatur's southwest side.  The original tower still stands at the rear of the building. 

The first television broadcast of a University of Illinois athletic team at home, was by WTVP in Decatur on December 9, 1953 from Huff Gym.  A portable microwave set up was used to send the backhaul feed of the game to a site near Bement, where it was transmitted to a downtown Decatur tall building (probably the Millikin Bank) and relayed again to the WTVP studios either by cable or another microwave jump.  The top picture is of the broadcast booth at Huff Gym from the original game broadcast.  The bottom picture is of the "very modern" looking ad for the broadcast from the Urbana Courier.


"The Mickey Mouse Club" premiered on ABC and WTVP in 1955 where it continued to 1959.  It also was broadcast in reruns throughout several years in the 1960's as well.  The show featured talented kids, many of which were stars at teens and adults through the 1960's, who sang, danced, acted and supplied fill material between other Disney features and cartoons.  The "Mickey Mouse Club" was one of the most popular shows on ABC to that time and helped to finance the construction of the new "Disneyland" theme park in California.





"The Mickey Mouse Club" was the first time Walt Disney entered the TV industry.  The children's show aired every afternoon, after school, and was hosted by around 40 pre-teen boys and girls, and supervised by two adults.  Former song and dance man, Jimmy Dodd and a rather large co-host, Roy Williams, who went by the name of "Moose."  The show premiered on October 3rd, 1955 after a TV special introduced the opening of "Disneyland" in July of 1955.  The show ran for 360 episodes, all within 3 years!  Mouseketeers included: Bobby Burgess (later a dancer on Lawrence Welk Show), Annette Funicello (on a number of Beach movies of the 1960's, along with episodes of the "Love Boat), Cubby O'Brien, Doreen Tracy and Lonnie Burr.   One of the more popular features within the show was the serial "The Hardy Boys" which starred Tim Considine (
who later starred on "My Three Sons) and Tommy Kirk. 

The ABC series consisted of  several rotating themes: Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Adventureland, all named for areas of the original theme park.  It was the "Davy Crockett" segment of the Frontierland rotator whch was the big hit.  It starred Fess Parker(later "Daniel Boone") and Buddy Ebsen(later "The Beverly Hillbillies") which made a coon skin hat a must have for youngsters in the mid 50's.  The theme was sung by Bill Hayes("Ernie Kovacs Show" and later "Days of Our Lives") and was a big top 40 hit.
It was the beginning of the longest running prime time series in network history.  It started as "Disneyland" and was the first major effort by a Hollywood movie studio into producing TV shows.  This ended up being a major coup for ABC, as all the other networks had tried to work with Walt Disney but wouldn't come up with the exorbitant terms demanded by Disney.  Walt needed the network money to finance his amusement park in Anaheim, California.  Of course, both the TV series and the theme park were big successes  It's rather ironic, that now ABC is owned by Disney.
This was one of ABC's original shows having aired during 1950 and 1951.  "Dick Tracy" also appeared in syndication for a number of years and ran on WTVP during the 1950's.  This was based on the Chester Gould's famous comic strip I remember reading in the Chicago Tribune.  This, by the way, was not related to the weekday afternoon children's show on Channel 17 during the early to mid 1960's.
This ABC western series was based somewhat on a real life character, where the lead character carried a knife and not a gun.  Scott Forbes was "Jim Bowie."  This one ran on ABC from 1956 to 1958 on Friday nights.  Even though, it was preempted most of the time on WTVP, it did show up occasionally. "The Beulah Show" came from radio as a spinoff from "Fibber McGee and Molly."  She was TV's  first black person in a title role.  The first actress to play the role was Ethel Waters, until a complete cast change placed Louise Beavers in the title role beginning in 1952.  The show ran on ABC from 1950 until 1953.  It probably appeared at least during the first month or two on WTVP.

"Your Kaiser-Frazer Dealer presents....'The adventures of Ellery Queen'"  This version of the classic franchise ran on Dumont and later on ABC from 1950 to 1952.  This was one of ABC's original shows, and it's probably debatable whether it actually aired on WTVP.  I include it here as WTVP was one of the original ABC affiliates....and the question is...'what or who was Kaiser-Frazer?  The answer: A brand of automobiles.  The brand was founded by Henry Kaiser and Joseph Frazer which formed the brand after World War II.  Frazer was the former president of "Willys" which manufactured Jeeps used in WWII.  It was the number one selling independent brand in 1947 and 48.  By the mid 50's, the company went belly up.



"The Stu Erwin Show" was in all probablity the first bumbling dad situation comedy of the 1950's.  It ran on ABC from  1951 to 1955.   Stars were Stu Erwin, playing himself as a high school principal.  His real life wife June Collyer played his wife with a pre-Dobie Gillis Sheila James as daughter Jackie.  The series had several titles including "Life with the Erwins" and later "The Trouble with Father."  This was probably one of the first shows which aired on WTVP.

"Dollar A Second" premiered on DuMont in 1953, but moved to ABC during the 1954-55 season.  It was a game/quiz show hosted by Jan Murray and was somewhat similar to "Truth or Consequences" in which people would answer silly questions to win money, while another event was taking place outside the studio.  The contestant had to quit before the outside event was completed in order to win the money.  If the outside event was over before they quit, they lost their winnings. The outside event the contestants were racing against were things like the arrival of a specific train, plane or the birth of a baby which was unknown by the contestant, while the home and studio audience watched on a remote hookup.  "Dollar a Second" bounced around the networks schedule having aired on DuMont, NBC and ABC from 1953 to 1957.   By the way, the address on the graphic is still a TV studio!



"The Lone Ranger" was one of the original TV western series, it actually began on the Mutual radio network in the 1930's, making it's way to TV as a series of  30 minute films.  The first episode told the story of how the Lone Ranger got his name and became a crimefighter. The Lone Ranger was played by Clayton Moore and John Hart.  Pictured is Clayton Moore (the most remembered) and Jay Silverheels as Tonto.  This is another of the probable first shows which aired on WTVP.  "The Lone Ranger" also ran on weekends, as well as on weekday afternoons in syndication during the 1960's.

"Sky King", a rather unique modern day western was very "western" in it's feel.  There was still a lot of transportation supplied by horseback, but Skyler King, played by Kirby Grant piloted "The Songbird" a twin engine Cessna from the "Flying Crown Ranch" which was located in Arizona.  His niece and nephew lived with him played by Gloria Winters and Ron Hagerthy.  "Sky King" aired on ABC from 1953 to 1954, then later aired on NBC weekends, and eventually on CBS during the early 60's as part of it's Saturday morning children's block.  This was probably one of WTVP's original shows.


"Make Room for Daddy" began on ABC right after WTVP signed on the air.  It was one of TV's longest running family situation comedies.  The series experienced a number of changes including a name change to "The Danny Thomas Show" and the role of wife-mother, originally played by Jean Hagen changed to Marjorie Lord in 1956.  It was explained that Jean Hagen's character had died and Danny remarried.  Danny Thomas starred with the above actresses, with children played by Sherry Jackson, Penney Parker, Angela Cartwright ("Lost in Space") and Rusty Hamer.  Other regulars included Hans Conried, Sheldon Leonard, Pat Harrington, Jr. ("One Day at a Time") and Sid Melton.  This is another of the original shows from the 1953-1954 season,  the premiere season for WTVP.





"Don McNeill's Breakfast Club" was broadcast on ABC and WTVP during the early years of 1953-54.  The show originated from Chicago and starred McNeill and Sam Cowling.   The show was the reason WTVP signed-on for just one hour from 8am to 9am, then signed-off or ran a test pattern until 3 or so in the afternoon. 
I'm still trying to get a picture.

"The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" was another ABC western series based on a real life character.  This series starred Hugh O'Bryan as the famous Marshall.  This ABC series was one of the network's most popular shows of the time.  It ran on ABC from 1955 to 1961. "Topper" began on CBS during the 1953-55 seasons, moved to ABC from 1955 to 1956, then on to NBC during 1956.  It starred Anne Jeffreys and Robert Sterling as ghosts Marian and George Kirby who came back to "haunt" and guide Cosmo Topper played by Leo G. Carroll.  It ran on ABC on Monday nights at 6:30 to 7PM CT. "Abbott and Costello" a syndicated 30-minute comedy appeared on WTVP during 1954.  The show starred movie vaudville, radio and movie comedy duo Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.  The show also starred  Hillary Brooke, Sid Fields and Joe Besser as "Stinky."  It was produced from 1951-53 with a total of 52 episodes.
"The Rifleman" ran on ABC from 1958 to 1963.  The stars were Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford as father and son homesteaders trying to make a living.  Johnny Crawford became a teen idol during the run of this series, while Chuck Connors, a former pro baseball player, continued with a TV/Film career.  This was probably one of the most popular 30 minute western series running many years in reruns.

"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" was one of TV's longest running situation comedies.  It aired on ABC from 1952 to 1966.  It also came from radio with other actors playing the role of David and Ricky.  "Ozzie and Harriet" aired on ABC and WTVP from 1953 until 1966.  The stories were simple, many times based on everyday events and activities of the family members.  A true, "show about nothing" for the 50's and early 60's.


This is the 'ABC Circle A' logo which was used from 1957 to 1962.  It was modified by Paul Rand in 1962 and was then considered "ultra modern" at the time.  An example of the new Paul Rand design is at the bottom of this page.


The real genius behind this entertainment empire was Ozzie Nelson.  A seeming easy going guy, it would have been hard to believe that he was a definite type A personality, who utilized his family to build a TV career for everyone in his family.  Even his brother was on staff as a producer/writer.  Sons, David and Ricky were part of the show along with real life wife, former big band singer Harriet Hilliard.  In fact Ozzie was a big band leader during the 30's and 40's.  Other cast members included the wives of the sons, June (David's wife) and Kris (Rick's wife).  Pictured above are Ozzie and Harriet along with the other members of the family from a Christmas show in 1964.  Pictured is David and June with daughter, as well as Kris and Rick with a very young Tracy, who has an acting career as well.  The show filmed 435 episodes, 26 of which were in color.  This show even ran on other network affiliates, when no ABC station served some markets.  Sponsors included Kodak and Pet Milk.
"Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond" aired on ABC during the 1959 to 1961 seasons.  This was sort of a "Twilight Zone" which ran on ABC.  It was hosted by John Newland (sort of like Rod Serling).  This one featured actual case histories of supernatural phenomena and the occult.  It aired on ABC on Tuesday nights from 9 to 9:30pm.   Sponsor: Alcoa Aluminum.   "Leave it to Beaver" actually premiered on CBS in 1957 where it stayed until the 1958-59 season when it moved to ABC to finish out it's run to 1963.  The classic sitcom ran for years in syndication and is a regular today on TVLand.  The stars: Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Down and Jerry Mathers as "The Beaver."  "Leave it to Beaver" also ran on WTVP in syndication in late afternoons, after school time in the 1960's. "The Donna Reed" Show, was one of ABC's longest running family sitcoms having aired from 1958 to 1966.  Another of the shows which had a strong youth appeal, along with Donna Reed and Carl Betz, it starred Paul Peterson and Shelly Fabares.  Both Peterson and Fabares had hits in the top 40 making them both teen idols.  "The Donna Reed Show" also ran on ABC daytime during the 1960's. "Man With a Camera" starred Charles Bronson as Mike Kovac a former WWII camara man, now a free lance photographer working for newspers, insurance companies, police departments and private individuals who wanted a filmed record of a crime or other event.   "The Real McCoys" was developed by Irving and Norman Pincus and financed by Danny Thomas Productions.  Originally turned down by NBC, this was the beginning of "rural comedies" having been blasted by the critics, this became a long running hit for ABC.  It ran from 1957 to 1963 on ABC as a first run, but later moved to CBS, where it continued in reruns.  It starred Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, Kathleen Nolan and during the final season Butch Patrick (The Munsters). 

"The Honeymooners" all 39 episodes were in syndication by 1958, where it aired on Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM on WTVP.  This classic TV series starred Jackie Gleason and Art Carney as the New York apartment dwellers.  The series continues to be the most popular sit-coms of all time.

"Woody Woodpecker" was aired by WTVP and ABC weekday aftrnoons at 4:30pm in 1958-59.  Obviously, it was not shown in color.  The show was hosted by the character's creator Walter Lantz.
"Robin Hood" was actually a CBS series which aired in 1958 on Monday's at 6:30 PM.  WCIA ran local news during that half hour, so WTVP, having a coax feed for CBS, aired the show instead.
By the late 1950's there was a crop of off network filmed series which were syndicated to local stations.  "Mama" was one of those.  It was originally on CBS during the early 1950's.  It ran on WTVP on Friday nights at 7PM in 1958.
"Burns and Allen" with George and Gracie went to local TV station syndication in the late 1950's, where it popped up on WTVP.
The off network CBS network series went to syndication by the truck load in the late 1950's.  The now controversial "Amos and Andy" would be popular in syndication for just a few short years, when it was removed from circulation..
Yet another of the CBS off network weekly series, which ended up on the WTVP schedule, "Our Miss Brooks" starred Eve Arden and Richard Creanna.
"Lassie" the CBS network series was passed over by WCIA when it scheduled "Zorro" which was an ABC series in the time period.  So...WTVP picked up "Lassie" live from CBS in 1959 for it's Sunday night airing at 6 PM.  It later was shown on WCIA.
Here's what was on....
From 1953 to 1956: You Asked for It, Frank Leahy Show, Walter Winchell, Orchid Award, Peter Potter Show, Hour of Decision, Jamie, Sky King, Of Many Things, Junior Press Conference, Big Picture, This is the Life, Cavalcade of America, Make Room for Daddy, U.S. Steel Hour/Motorola TV Theatre, Name's the Same, Inspector Mark Saber, At Issue, Through the Curtain, America in View, Wrestling from Rainbo, Lone Ranger, Quick as a Flash, Where's Raymond, Back That Fact, Kraft Television Theatre, Stu Erwin Show,Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Pepsi-Cola Playhouse, Pride of the Family, Comeback Story, Showcase Theatre, Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club, Leave It to the Girls, Talent Patrol, Music at the Meadowbrook, Saturday Night Fights, Fight Talk, Flight #7, Martha Wright Show, Dr. I.Q., Break the Bank, Come Closer, Voice of Firestone, Boxing from Eastern Parkway, Twenty Questions, Elgin TV Hour, Stop the Music, Disneyland, Masquerade Party, Enterprise, Mail Story, Treasury Men in Action, So You Want to Lead a Band, Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Ray Bolger Show, Dollar A Second, The Vise, Compass Dotty Mack Show, Stork Club, Chance of a Lifetime, Original Amateur Hour, Life Begins at Eighty, Medical Horizons, Warner Brothers Presents, The Life and Times of Wyatt Earp, DuPont Calvalcade Theatre, MGM Parade, Star Tonight, Down You Go, Outside U.S.A., Ethel and Albert, Ozark Jubilee, Lawrence Welk Show, Tomorrow's Careers, Omnibus, Conflict, Cheyenne, Broken Arrow, It's Polka Time, Navy Log, Ford Theatre, Circus Time, Wire Service, Adventures of Jim Bowie, Cross Roads, Treasure Hun and the Ray Anthony Show.  This list is from the network schedules at the beginning of each season.  Just like today, there were probably cases in which shows were replaced by others not listed here.  It would be almost impossible to name them all.  Plus, as stated earlier, the network lines were a bit blurred as some ABC shows ended up on WCIA and WICS, while several CBS shows ended up on WICS and WTVP.
"The Untouchables" was a controversial series was a big winner for ABC beginning with the 1959 season.  Called the most violent TV series ever(even more so than the westerns of the day), it also made enemies of the Italian Americans who objected to the stereotypical use of Italians as gansters and killers.  This show was produced by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's Desilu Productions at the old RKO movie studios.  The series was produced by Quinn Martin who went on to produce another winner for ABC "The Fugitive." It was introduced as a segment of "The Desilu Playhouse" and went on to become a hit series starring Robert Stack as Elliott Ness.  Others in the cast included: Jerry Paris("Dick Van Dyke Show," director of many "Happy Days"), Abel Fernandexz and Nick Georgiade.  It aired on ABC from 1959 through 1963, spending most of the time on the Thursday schedule at 9PM CT.  It also ran in syndication on WTVP as well during the mid to late 1960's.

"The Untouchables" was the original Quinn Martin series that came from the Desi-lu studios.  Other Quinn Martin series produced for ABC included "The New Breed"(starring Leslie Nielson), ""Twelve O'Clock High"(profiled on this site), "The Fugitive"(also profiled on this site), "The Invaders"(profiled later), "The FBI"(also profiled later) and "Dan August"(starring Burt Reynolds).  All of these shows were part of the ABC schedule from 1959 through 1974.   A Quinn Martin production had the distinction of having each segment prefaced with an "ACT One"...."Two" etc.  then at the end of the show, an "Epilog."

Old Blue Eyes, "Frank Sinatra" showed up on the ABC schedule during the 1957 to 1958 season.  After his success in the movie "From Here to Eternity" he was a hot property.  ABC paid him $3-million, and game him carte blanche, for the opportunity to have them in the lineup.  Frank,  wanted to do a split formated series of shows with a third of them musical variety, third as dramas with him as the star, and the last third as a narrator of dramas with other stars.  It didn't work, although he probably took the money.


It meant a hit song for Johnny Cash...."The Ballad of Johnny Yuma", "The Rebel" premeired on ABC in 1969 and ran to 1961, before moving to NBC for it's last season in reruns.  The late Nick Adams was the star

 
"The Bob Cummings Show" was originally in prime time on CBS and NBC during it's run from 1955 to 1959, but was shown on WTVP as "Love That Bob" from 1959 to 1961 as part of the ABC daytime schedule. "The Lawrence Welk Show" occupied a couple of time slots on the ABC schedule during a time in the 1950's.  His "Lawrence Welk Show" ran on Saturday nights, and his "Top Tunes and New Talent" show aired on Mondays and Wednesdays during the 1956-59 seasons.  His original show began in 1955 and continued on ABC until 1971.  Pictured is from the 1958 season when it was called "The Dodge Dance Party."  More about Lawrence Welk in Part 2.
"The Detectives", starring Robert Taylor" premeiered on ABC in 1959 where it ran for two years.  The third year it aired on NBC.  Screen star Robert Taylor starred in this one with Tige Andrews(later of "The Mod Squad") and Adam West(later of "Batman"). "The Detectives" aired on Friday nights on ABC following "77 Sunset Strip."  "The Detectives" also was syndicated and picked up for weekends during the early 60's on WTVP.



An early network vehicle for up and coming comic, Johnny Carson.  "Who Do You Trust" was the beginning of the TV partnership of Carson and Ed McMahan for ABC.  "Who Do You Trust" ran weekday afternoons on ABC and WTVP during  the late 1950's. 

In the mid 1950's Warner Brothers seeing their movie properties not making the profit that it once had, saw a profit center on the small screen.  WB entered in an agreement with ABC to supply them with an exclusive number of series, filmed like theatrical movies, for TV.  Many of the actors were young, again going for the youth audience that ABC savored for years, making stars of most.  Many of the stars ended up being teen idols during the late 50's into the mid 60's.
"77 Sunset Strip" was the original in a long lineup of "hip" detective series all produced by Warner Brothers for ABC.  This one starred Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, Edd Byrnes (as "Kookie" who became a teenage idol), and Louis Quinn.  Taking place in Hollywood, it guest starred a bevy of other WB contract players of the time and spawned a bunch of spinoffs including those listed here.  77 Sunset Strip ran on ABC from 1958 to 1964. 
"Hawaiian Eye" was just like "77 Sunset Strip" but it took place in Honolulu.  Being that Hawaii just made statehood, it was a perfect match for ABC and WB.  This one premiered on ABC in 1959 and ran until 1963.  The stars were: Connie Stevens ("Wendy and Me"), Bob Conrad ("The Wild Wild West"), Anthony Eisley, Grant Williams, Troy Donahue and Poncie Ponce.  Even though the show took place in Hawaii, it was filmed in Hollywood.  This show later ran in syndication on WCIA during the mid 1960's. Capure from Good Life TV Network James Garner, Jack Kelly and Roger Moore starred as Bret Maverick, Bart Maverick, Beauregard Maverick.  "Maverick" was a western with a sense of humor.  The stars sometimes appeared together, but often times in separate stories.  Several stories parodies other western TV series making this one an audience favorite and a hit for ABC from 1957 to 1962.  This also ran in syndication a number of years as part o the weekday afternoon schedule on WTVP/WAND.
"Sugarfoot" starred Will Hutchins as Tom Brewster a young correspondence school law student who was a rather inept cowboy, hence the name "Sugarfoot" which is a step below "Tenderfoot."  It ran on alternate weeks with "Cheyenne" during the 1957-58 season and later on alternate weeks with "Bronco Lane."  This also ran in syndication on WTVP weekends during the early 1960's.
"Surfside 6" was another of the cookie cutter detective series spunoff from "77 Sunset Strip" in 1960 where it remained until 1962.  This one starred Van Willaims (later "The Green Hornet") as Ken Madison along with other stars Lee Patterson, Troy Donahue and Diane McBain.  "Surfside 6" took place in Miami, but was filmed in Hollywood.  Capure from Good Life TV Network
Other WB series running on ABC included "Cheyenne" starring Clint Walker.  This was the first of the WB roster of shows on ABC having premiered in 1955, running through 1963.  It began as one of three rotating series under the umbrella title of "Warner Brothers Presents."  Another WB series in the rotation was "Bronco" which aired from 1958 to 1962 and starred Ty Hardin as Bronco Layne.  "Bronco" came about when Clint Walker, of "Cheyenne" quit his series in 1958.  Walker returned in 1959.  "The Roaring 20's" is pictured above, and was another of the Warner's  series.  There's a complete listing of Warner Brothers TV productions which were on ABC below.  "The Roaring 20's" was an adventure series set in the 1920's at a newspaper in New York.  It included the use of newsreel footage from the period.  Stars were Rex Reason, Donald May, Dorothy Provine, Gary Vinson (later in McHale's Navy), John Dehner and others.  This was another of the Warner Brothers produced series. "Bourbon Street Beat" was the first of the cookie cutter detective series spunoff from "77 Sunset Strip."  This one starred Van Willaims (before he went to Surfside 6), Andrew Duggan, Richard Long ("The Big Valley", "Nanny and the Professer") and Arlene Howell.  BSB was the least successfull having run on ABC from 1959 to 1960.  Many of the characters of "77 Sunset Strip," "Surfside 6," and "Bourbon Street Beat" all appeared on each other's shows from time to time to cross promote  the entire group of shows.  Capure from Good Life TV Network

"Warner Brothers Presents" was the first televison program produced by Warner Brothers Pictures for ABC during the 1955-56 season.  It was a rotational formatted series with weekly episodes drawn from three different series.  Each one was losely based on other Warner Brothers properties such as the movie "Kings's Row," "Casablanca," and "Cheyenne."  Each episode was actually only 50 minutes or so, including commericals.  The rest of the hour was filled with promotional material from Warner Brothers Pictures.  This was the second such arrangement ABC had with major motion picture studios.  The first being with Disney.  It was also the year ABC had another arrangment with MGM with the broadcast of "MGM Parade."  Many of the original "MGM Parade" shows can now be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies.  According to the Museum of Broadcast Communications the participation of WB in the ABC programming lineup gavie the network enough prestige to attract the ad dollars of General Electric, Liggett and Myers (tobacco company) which were two of the biggest advertisers in broadcasting at the time.  The sole hit of the series was the segment "Cheyenne."  Other Warner Brothers series of the era included "Colt '45" (starring Chris Colt), "The Lawman" (starring John Russell and Peter Brown-later of "Days of Our Lives"), "The Alaskans(with Roger Moore),"The Dakotas" (with Larry Ward), "Temple Houston" (starring Jeffrey Hunter and Jack Elam),  and "The Gallant Men" (starring Robert McQueeney and William Reynolds-later of the FBI).  There were also comidies and sit coms including "Room For One More" (starring Andrew Duggan and Peggy McCay), "Wendy and Me" (described on the website-starring George Burns and Connie Stevens) and "No Time For Sergeants" (described on the website-starring Sammy Jackson).



Here are several end credits from various ABC shows. 
From the left: "The Jetsons(?)," "Top Cat," "Bugs Bunny Show"("This is It"),
an early ABC logo on an unknown program
and the "ABC TV Presentation" from an episode of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet."


Here's what was on....
From 1957-1960: You Asked for It, Maverick, Bowling Stars, Open Hearing, American Bandstand, Guy Mitchell Show, Bold Journey, Voice of Firestone, Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent Show, Cheyenne, Sugarfoot, Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Broken Arrow, Telephone Time, West Point Story, Disneyland, Tombstone Territory, Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Walter Winchell File, Wednesday Night Fights, Circus Boy, Zorro, Real McCoys, Pat Boone-Chevy Showroom, O.S.S., Navy Log, Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Adventures of Jim Bowie, Patrice Munsel Show, Frank Sinatra Show, Date with Angels, Colt 45, Keep It in the Family, Country Music Jubilee, Lawrence Welk's Dancing Party, Mike Wallace Interviews, The Lawman, Encounter, Bold Journey, Anybody Can Play, This is Music, The Rifleman, Naked City, Confession, Lawrence Welk's Plymouth Show, Donna Reed Show, Patti Page Show, Leave it to Beaver, Rough Riders, Traffic Court, Man with a Camera, 77 Sunset Strip, Dick Clark Show, Lawrence Welk's Dodge Dancing Party, Sammy Kay's Music from Manhattan, The Rebel, The Alaskans, Dick Clark's World of Talent, Bourbon Street Beat, Adventures in Paradise, Bronco Lane, Philip Marlowe, Alcoa Presents, Keep Talking, Court of Last Resort, Hobby Lobby Show, Hawaiian Eye, Gale Storm Show, The Untouchables, Take a Good Look, Man from Blackhawk, Robert Taylor: The Detectives, Black Saddle, High Road, Jubilee U.S.A., The Islanders, Surfside Six, Peter Gunn, Bugs Bunny Show(This is It), Stagecoach West, Hong Kong, Guestward Ho!, My Three Sons, Matty's Funday Funnies, Harrigan and Son, The Flintstones, Law and Mr. Jones and The Roaring Twenties.  Plus, as stated earlier, the network lines were a bit blurred as some ABC shows ended up on WCIA and WICS, while several CBS shows ended up on WICS and WTVP.  By 1959 or so, things started to lineup fairly strong along network lines.  With the addition of WCHU in Champaign the network affiliation exclusitivity became easier to accomplish.

We generally think of "Peter Gunn" as being an NBC show, but during it's final season in 1960-61 it was on ABC on Monday nights, as it was on NBC.  "Peter Gunn" was probably best known because of the great jazz score which was by Henry Mancini.  I have a few episodes in my collection and at least judging by the one's I have, this show has been extremely over rated.