WICS Springfield-Part 1

WICS-TV/DT Channel 20/42 Springfield, Illinois History

Page 1: WICS/Leland Hotel Years 1953-1965

WICS was the second Central Illinois station with sign-on listed as September 30, 1953. The station's first broadcast was that of the 1953 Major League Baseball World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers. Bernie Waterman, the station's first sportscaster did a pre-game show from the WICS studio, making that the first local TV production. On Monday, October first regular scheduled programming began with local news, weather, sports and "Captain Video" and "Dragnet." WICS was over the early years primarily an NBC affiliate, but 1954 editions of TV Guide also listed the station as an ABC affiliate. In fact, because WICS and WTVP were at relatively low power levels, there were times they actually ran the same program at the same time.

WICS's transmitter and tower was shared with WCBS(AM) radio(later WCVS) located on South Second Street in Southern View, on Springfield's south side from 1953 to 1958. The studios were shared with WCBS from 1953 to 1955 from studios in the downtown Leland Annex Building at 523 East Capitol Avenue in Springfield. In 1955, the facilities of WCBS was moved out of the facility, where the TV station expanded into the entire annex. The story of the call letter change of radio station WCBS to WCVS is one which hinted at a huge payout from CBS which handed over the rights to the call letters WCBS to the Columbia Broadcasting System, a situation which was reportedly against FCC rules at the time...but that's another story.

In 1953 at first sign-on, some of the employees included: Betty Mueller, Aggie Netznik, John Begue(Promotions Director/Weathercaster), Bernice Abner, Helen Kinner, Jim Harrelson, Jack Hoskins, Basil O'Hagen, Dick Ashenfelter and Milt Friedland.

The technical specs of WICS early days were documented by the Chief Engineer at WICS, Jerry Merritt during the 80's. A summary of the details will be included as part of Page 2.

When the antenna for WICS was installed in 1953, it took the place of the mast antenna operated as WCVS-FM at 102.9FM. The FM license was turned back in to the FCC in 1953, and eventually the allocation was moved to Decatur and used by WSOY-FM.

Based on what I've learned about local television stations receiving the network, WICS appears to have had similar problems as WTVP in Decatur. All of the major coaxial lines which fed the major market stations didn't reach out across much of the rest of the country until late in 1953. At that time, a coax line was installed across west central Illinois from Chicago, which appeared to feed WEEK and WTVH in Peoria and then proceed south along the Illinois River Valley to St. Louis. Somewhere along the path, a system was installed which would pull the network feeds from the coax, then microwave those feeds to WICS in Springfield and relay to WTVP in Decatur. That relay system relied on a series of small towers with two sided reflector/antenna structures at the top to receive, boost, and re-transmit the signal along the way. Keep in mind, the methodology, although good in theory, was based on tube technology and probably brought nightmares and constant network dropouts, bad video and audio problems.

WTVP used a "bicycle network", or the broadcast of week old, or older, kinescopes of network programming. This was because of the absence of a live network feed during the time before the installation of the western Illinois system before the end of 1953. The western Illinois coaxial cable/microwave set up to receive network programming came about at about the same time as WICS's sign-on and probably was an indication that the "bicycle network" wasn't necessary for the Capitol City's first TV station. That being said, the station still probably broadcast a number of network kinescopes during the era from ABC, such as for "Zorro" shown above in the TV Guide ad. Comparing the schedule of the other TV stations, the "Zorro" episode, and others from ABC which were broadcast on the other ABC stations live, seemed to be delayed broadcasts on WICS.

It's also possible that the relay of TV signals most likely wouldn't include the increased bandwidth necessary for the relay of color programming. Historical information provided by WICS referred to 1956 as being the year that "WICS began receiving and transmitting network color" which hints that the station was not able to receive NBC programming in color before that time, so that was probably that year that WICS was hooked up to the coaxial cable which gave them direct access to NBC programming.

WICS ad for the ABC show "Zorro" which proves that WICS was once at least technically a secondary ABC affiliate. It wouldn't be until 2005 until WICS became a full time ABC affiliate.

Since the concept of video tape was yet to occur at WICS, the only way to delay any network programming was for the network to film the live network presentation, and actually ship the kinescope or film to the local stations.

In 1955 WICS expanded into the full use of the downtown studio facilities, but by 1964 the need to expand took the TV station into it's present facility on East Cook Street. Ground was broken for the largest downstate TV studio facility in 1964.

Like the other stations in the market, WICS had a limited schedule of broadcast, but thanks to the early morning broadcasts of NBC, WICS had a much earlier sign-on at 7AM with Dave Garroway, Jack Lescoulie, Edwin Newman, Frank Blair and "The Today Show." NBC also offered several network talk shows, panel shows, game shows and eventually daytime dramas during the 1950's. Saturday mornings were not a part of the WICS schedule for a time, having delayed "Howdy Doody" until early Saturday afternoon, usually before the broadcast of NBC baseball or some other sports televised event. Once again, I assume that the "Howdy Doody" broadcast was from a kinescope of a previously produced episode.

By the mid to late 1950's, NBC's daytime schedule was pretty much complete, leaving just the late afternoons for local stations to program. Many stations, along with WICS, would program locally produced children's shows, which contained local hosts, local kids in the studio and off theatrical Warner Brothers cartoons, or from some other supplier or syndicator. At WICS, two local personalities who hosted local kids shows in the 1950's were Kim Wilson and "Pigwell Pete." Pigwell Pete's contribution was called "Circus Time" and is included in the 1958 schedule of WICS below.

Above is the logo used by WICS and
WCHU from around 1961 to 1963.

(This is from an ad in TV Guide,
courtesy of J.R. Evans)

WICS Broadcast Schedule from October 20, 1958

7:00   AM sign-on
7:00   AM Today-news/variety NBC
9:00   AM Do Re Mi-game NBC
9:30   AM Treasure Hunt-game NBC
10:00 AM Price is Right-game NBC Bill Cullen
10:30 AM Concentration-game NBC Hugh Downs
11:00 AM Tic Tac Dough-game NBC Jack Barry
11:30 AM It Could Be You-talk NBC Bill Leyden
12:00 PM News-local
12:15 PM Bernie Johnson Show-variety local?
1:00   PM Truth or Consequences-game/stunts
1:30   PM Hagis Baggis-COLOR-game NBC
2:00   PM Today is Ours-soap NBC
2:30   PM From These Roots-soap NBC
3:00   PM Queen for a Day-game NBC Jack Bailey
3:30   PM Country Fair-stunts/game NBC Burt Parks
4:00   PM George Rank Matinee-drama/film synd
4:30   PM Little Rascals-kids/film synd

5:00   PM Circus Time-kids/local host/cartoons
5:45   PM NBC News-Chet Huntley NBC
6:00   PM News/Weather/Sports
6:30   PM Tic, Tac, Dough-COLOR-game NBC
7:00   PM Restless Gun-drama/film NBC
7:30   PM Father Knows Best-sit com/film NBC Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Grey, Elinore Donohue, Lauren Chapin
8:00   PM Peter Gunn-crime drama/film NBC Craig Stevens, Henry Mancini musical score
8:30   PM Highway Patrol-crime drama/film syn Broadrick Crawford "ten-four"
9:00   PM Arthur Murray Dance Party-COLOR variety/dance/music NBC guests: Edie Adams, Ernie Kovacs, Shelly Winters, Dick Clark
9:30   PM Target-crime drama synd
10:00 PM News/Weather/Sports
10:30 PM Jack Parr-variety Guests: Anita Wood, Phyllis Diller
12:00 AM sign-off

Biography of Milton D. Friedland

Milton D. Friedland was born July 17, 1920, in Nashville, Tennessee, but was reared and educated in Chicago, Illinois. He as resided in Springfield, Illinois since 1953, and lives at 2008 Fairview Drive, Springfield, with his wife Ruth and two sons Lewis Allen and Howard Armand.

Mr. Friedland is a veteran of the United States Navy and served from 1942 to 1945 with U. S. Naval Intelligence. After honorable discharge from the Navy, he completed his education at Roosevelt University, Chicago, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1948, and followed up with post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago.

A high speed shorthand writer, Friedland was a former instructor in Pitman shorthand at Moser Business College, DePaul University School of Commerce, and Northwestern University School of Commerce in Chicago.

A veteran of almost 19 years in television broadcasting, Friedland entered television in its earliest commercial development in Chicago. He was on the staff of WBKB, then CBS Television in Chicago from June 1948 to 1953. There he served as administrative assistant to the general manager and finally as national sales manager. In 1953 he was associated with WBBM-TV Chicago, after CBS purchased the CBS Television outlet from WBKB, and serviced as sales service manger until June of 1953, wen he joined Plains Television Corporation to become General Manger of WICS Channel 20 in the State Capitol of Springfield.

Mr. Friedland organized the staff and put WICS on the air in September of 1953, and since has developed the Plaines Television Stations in Central Illinois to include WCHU, Channel 33 Champaign and WICD, Channel 24 Danville. In the fall of 1967, Plains will consolidate Channels 33 and 24 into WICD Channel 15 Champaign-Danville with one million watts power radiating from the tallest tower in the state. He now holds the position of Vice President and General Manager of Plains Television Stations in Central Illinois.

Friedland is very active in broadcasting affairs. He has served the Illinois Broadcasters Association as Vice President for Television and sat on it's Board of Directors. For several years he has been chairman of it's legislative committee and served on it's program committee in various capacities. He is a frequent speaker on television broadcasting to community groups in Central Illinois, and has been guest lecturer on television at the University of Illinois School of Communications. He is a contributing author of "Television Station Management" (Hastings House, 1964). He is a member of the Broadcast Pioneers and of the Chicago Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Mr. Friedland has been active in civic affairs for many years and has served on the boards of numerous organizations. Among them are the United Community Services, Association of Commerce and Industry, Urban League, Mental Health Association, United Cerebral Palsy, Springfield Symphony Orchestra Association, Municipal Opera Association. He has been president of Temple B'rith Shalom and of Emes Lodge B'nai B'rith in Springfield. He is a member of the Governor's Advisory Commission to the Fair Employment Practices Commission, the Springfield-Sangamon County Health Services Action Association and a lay delegate to he U.C.S. General Assembly in Sangamon County.

-from a hand out prepared by WICS-TV sometime around 1966(courtesy of WICS)

Even in the early days at WICS, NBC provided bookend programs, "The Today Show" to "The Tonight Show." That gave WICS a special challenge to fill the middle. Again, NBC was a leading network with daytime programming, probably because the network was also selling TV's. Just like with the programming of daytime color shows during the 1960's, were to sell color TV's to the public, in the 1950's, it was important to have NBC programming during the business day to sell TV's for the dealers and ultimately for RCA. Since RCA is also in the business of selling color TV's, they encouraged the installation of color television equipment at their affiliate stations to help in that effort as well. By 1956, WICS installed what was necessary for the station to broadcast the NBC signal in color.

The original TV studio was located at the Leland Hotel in downtown Springfield on Capitol Street until a new facility was built in 1964 at 2680 East Cook Street on Springfield's east side, where it remains to this day. The new studio complex was the largest downstate and included large drive through doors to accommodate cars and boats in studio production. One local sponsor, Railsplitter Lincoln-Mercury utilized the drive through doors on countless commercials during the Sunday morning local movie during the late 60's and early 70's.

A new 800-foot tower was constructed in 1958 near Mechanicsburg, Illinois, east of Springfield which the station used until the early 70's when a new 1400-foot tower was constructed. With the moving of the transmitter location to Mechanicsburg, this made WICS more of a broadcast player for viewers of central Illinois. This put another direct competitor's signal into Decatur, bringing more pressure into the business model at WTVP. It also made the reception of WICS better for residence in Springfield, now who just had to direct their antenna to the east to receive the signals of WICS, WTVP and receive a much weaker WCIA.

In 1959 the need to cover the entire Springfield, Decatur, Champaign-Urbana and Danville market became evident to remain competitive with WCIA, and reap the benefit of keeping the entire Central Illinois market as one, to collect larger national and regional advertising dollars. So a plan was in place to putting another UHF station in Champaign on the air. This Champaign station was to rebroadcast WICS's signal to the Champaign area.

This ad from TV Guide is from a 1956 edition of TV Guide. It shows that WICS by that time had a pretty much complete daytime schedule thanks to NBC.

In 1957 work began on the plan to put WCHU on the air on channel 33. By April 24, 1959, Champaign finally had NBC network television service when WCHU went on the air broadcasting from a short tower atop the Inman Hotel in downtown Champaign. There were problems with the dependability of the reception of WICS from a receiving antenna atop the Inman Hotel. Plans were undertaken to construct a receiving antenna north west of Champaign, which would receive a stronger signal from WICS's new tower near Mechanicsburg, then microwave it to the Inman. This worked for many years until an "intercity" microwave system was installed between Mechanicsburg and the studios which which were relocated on it's present sight at 250 South Country Fair Drive in 1978. A two way microwave system was installed in 1997. The main studio for WICD was moved from the Inman to the present sight, a former S&H Green Stamp store, on Country Fair Drive during 1979. Read more about the history of WICD here.

During the 1960's kids TV was a staple, and most stations offered locally produced programs with one of the staffers as hosts, interspersed with cartoons and local kids in the studio participating in games to win prizes. One's that come to mind at WICS was "Pigwell Pete's Circus"(sponsored by Pigwell Weiners---"We love Pigwell Weiners...good ole' Pigwell Weiners...they're the best in all the land....") hosted by Wild Bill Wingerter and Jo and Joey Mack. The sponsor Pigwell Meats had proof of purchase seals on them, and each product had different point values. A few times each year the Pigwell Auction would be held and kids could bid on toys and other merchandise based on the points they collected. Other children's shows included Popeye and Kim Wilson, Bugs Bunny and Clickitey Clack, the Funny Company and others. WICS also had it's own dance party show with "Marty's Pepsi Dance Party" during the early-mid 60's. During the 60's and 70's afternoon kids programming consisted of "The Three Stooges", syndicated off network programming such as "Gilligan's Island," "The Brady Bunch" along with games shows like "To Tell the Truth," "Wheel of Fortune," and talk shows like "Virginia Graham", "The Mike Douglas Show," "Merv Griffin," "Donohue."

When Steve Allen was replaced by Jack Paar, NBC talked him into a weekly live series, which would run opposite "The Ed Sullivan Show" on CBS. It only lasted one year. Steve was a comic genius, but couldn't compete against Sullivan.

WICS pre-empted NBC programming and aired their own local programming, presumably to broadcast more local commercials. During the first season of Star Trek on NBC, WICS aired off network reruns of "Laramie." WICS also preempted the first couple of seasons of "Saturday Night Live" to air movies. One piece of programming which was unique was the "Sunday Morning Movie" which ran for many years, every Sunday morning at 9:30AM. Commercials were done live, as the movie was sponsored for a time by "Railsplitter Lincoln-Mercury" and featured cars driven through the new WICS studios on Cook Street. The Sunday night rerun of the "The Tonight Show" was also pre-empted by WICS's "Sunday Night Movie." Many might remember the "Acree Creature Feature" which ran late Saturday nights.

From 1959, WICS also fed local programming to it's sister station(s), WCHU, channel 33, Champaign and WICD, channel 24, Danville as well as a translator station W-75-AD in Mattoon by the early 1960's. In 1967, WCHU and WICD were combined on channel 15 and retained the WICD call letters. The stations in Champaign and Danville covered local commercials with their own from the east side of the market, as well as locally produced programming, such as the afternoon children's programming and local news.

By 1965, WICS was able to enjoy the use of it's new TV facility located at 2680 East Cook Street in Springfield. The studio was the largest downstate TV studio with it's large drive-through doors to accommodate cars, boats and even trucks in studio productions.

In 1958, the transmitter site of WICS was moved from Springfield's south side suburb, Southern View to a much taller tower, at Mechanicsburg, with 1.5 million watts and a much greater viewing area in central Illinois. Now, communities that were outside the original coverage area, like Decatur, Taylorville, Lincoln, Bloomington, Litchfield, Hillsboro, Mount Pulaski and others were able to receive the new WICS signal.

Pictured above is the anchor lineup of WICS in 1958. News Anchor was G.B. Gordon, Weathercaster was Bob Warren and well known broadcaster, Wally Gair was the Sports Anchor.

"Mister Peepers" starred Wally Cox as Robinson Peepers, a science teacher at Jefferson High School. This sitcom was performed live across NBC from 1952 to 1955. Only a small handful of episodes exist today on very poor kinescopes. Other stars included Marion Lorne(Aunt Clara on "Bewitched") and a young Tony Randall. It was sponsored by Ford.

"Judge for Yourself" was one of the first TV shows on WICS, having premiered on NBC in 1952 where it ran until 1954. It was seen on Tuesday evenings at 9PM CT during it's run. It was hosted by radio veteran Fred Allen. The original format of the show, consisted of a talent "American Idol" type of talent show. The format changed during it's second season, in which top hits of the era were performed and celebrity panelists rated them as to their hit potential.


The Chevy Show ran on NBC from 1955 to 1956 and was hosted by a rotating group of stars. Among those Bob Hope and Dinah Shore, along with Betty Hutton and Ethel Merman. Above is a sample, complete with commercials with beginning introduction and ending.	The Jimmy Durante Show was a variety/sitcom which ran on NBC from 1954 to 1957. It was set in a night club which was owned and managed by Jimmy Durante, called Club Durant. It was originally done live, but this particular episode was from film or kinescope.

More NBC/WICS video coming soon

Ralph Edward's This is Your Life ran on NBC TV for nine years starting in 1952, when it had already aired for a number of years on CBS and NBC radio. The format of "This is Your Life" featured some unsuspecting celebrity or common person, who would be greeting in public with the statement "This is Your Life." They would then be transported to the TV studio, and a parade of people from that person's past would be brought out to reflect on aspects of the honored person's life. The person of honor would receive prizes, along with a film print of the show and a 16mm movie projector to show the film with.

It was interesting to note that most of the announcements to the featured person, were done by complete surprise to them, but NBC always had a kinescope cued and ready in case someone didn't agree to be featured on the program.

More NBC/WICS video coming soon


NBC was the first TV network to program a regular network newscast. It began in 1939 when Lowell Thomas(seen on a "MAS*H" episode in the 1970's) was featured as the first newscaster. The show included maps, diagrams prepared by NBC, but also included background music by organ! Newscasts were suspended during WWII, as most commercial TV activity, but in 1944 in returned as "The War As it Happens" and has been a part of network operations ever since. By 1953, John Cameron Swayze was the first one to be called "Anchorman" as he hosted the "Camel News Caravan" on NBC. He anchored the NBC news until 1956 when he was replaced by Chet Huntley and David Brinkley.


Milton Berle's "Texaco Star Theater" helped to sell more TV's than any other TV series at the time. "Uncle Miltie" or "Mr. Television" was so popular with viewers that we was awarded a decades long contract with NBC. The show consisted of musical numbers, comedy acts, skits and pretty much set the format for variety shows for years. But in 1954 Texaco decided to drop sponsorship in favor of "Jimmy Durante" and "Donald O'Connor" Shows.		After Texaco dropped sponsorship, Milton Berle's show became "The Buick Berle Show" for awhile. But, competition was getting tough, and the sponsorship of General Motors was dropped within a year. It later was just called "The Milton Berle Show" until it's eventual cancellation. His show which had been a part of NBC from 1948, was dropped from NBC's lineup in 1956. Tuesday nights wouldn't be the same, as he occupied the 7-8PM CT time slot, ever since most people purchased their first TV.


This is one of small group of TV shows that could be named as an example of TV's Golden Age. "Your Show of Shows" starred Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca along with Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Bill Hayes and many others who would later be a part of the first half century of television. Writers of the series became stars in the own right, geniuses like Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Woody Allen and Larry Gelbart. It was 90 minutes LIVE each week and it was all considered very, very good! Unfortunately, it didn't last long enough to be enjoyed by most households, because the penetration of households with TV simply wasn't all that large, even in 1954. So, some 6 months or so, after WICS signed on the air in Springfield, "Your Show of Shows" went off the air.



Jack Webb, who starred in a number of radio crime dramas, P.I. shows, developed the concept of "Dragnet" for network radio in 1949. By 1952, the show was ready for TV as well. These half hour filmed episodes were produced in documentary style, with realistic side plots, which gave the officers a connection to the viewers. Jack Webb played Joe Friday, an L.A. police detective who would solve various crimes with his partner. His partner over the years were played by Barton Yarborough, Barney Phillips, Ben Alexander and Herb Ellis. By January of 1953, it was a weekly series on NBC, and was part of the lineup of WICS during it's early years.

"Name That Tune" was hosted by Red Benson from 1953 to 1954 on NBC. It moved to CBS in 1954, where it continued through 1959. Contestants tried to identify popular songs as played by the shows in-house orchestra.

"Gang Busters" ran on NBC during it's 1952 season as an alternative to "Dragnet"(right). It was a stopgap show that was basically produced to fill time. That said, the show was a tremendous success anyway, but was still canceled after one season. Episodes ran in syndication for quite some time, and on WICS during the 1950's. It was based on the long running radio police drama which ran from the 1930's to the 1950's.

"I Married Joan" was NBC's try at the success of "I Love Lucy" on CBS. This TV series starred "TV's Queen of Comedy" as she was billed, Joan Davis. Davis was a screen comedian in several B-pictures of the 1940's. Her character Joan Stevens was the wife of Judge Brad Stevens, played by Jim Backus. The series was produced on film, similarly to how Desi and Lucy's show was produced, but the results were less than spectacular. One of the more unique aspects of the show, was the fact that the musical accompaniment was done accapella by a male singing group. The various “do-weee” and “do-waas” were dropped in to the various dramatic, or comedic places in the plot. Even the theme song was done accapella. "I Married Joan....what a wife, what a wife, what a life!" Joans character was somewhat similar to Lucy’s as well, having her get herself into some scheme and relying on slapstick action to get her out. It ran on NBC from 1952 to 1955, on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 7:30 CT, making it one of the original network shows on WICS. If you ever get a chance to see any of this TV series, you'll see just how silly it all was, and didn't have the writing, the acting, or the production elements of "I Love Lucy" which pretty much is the reason why you'll never see this one broadcast again!


"The Colgate Comedy Hour" was a big budget live variety show which began for NBC in 1950 and continued through 1955. Hosts over the time included Eddie Cantor, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Donald O'Connor, Abbott and Costello(see stills above), Jimmy Durante, Gordon MacRae and Robert Page. It was mostly a comedy series and originated from Hollywood and included the first NBC colorcast on November 23, 1953, before WICS went on the air. It wouldn't have made any difference anyway, as WICS, and probably most NBC affiliates at the time didn't have the ability to broadcast color. That didn't even include the fact that very very few viewers even had the ability to view color TV. The TV classic featured many other broadcast firsts over it's life, including broadcasts taking place at remote locations over the country, where ever some "big" event took place. It was always featured in the Sunday night, 7-8PM CT time slot.

"The Today Show" began before WICS went on the air in January of 1952. The morning news and entertainment program was hosted by Dave Garroway(shown above). It was developed by Pat Weaver for NBC, who also created "Tonight" for NBC(below). The show, which was produced live for the eastern time zone from 7am-9am was split for the central time zone. The second hour for the eastern zone, was the first hour for the central zone. Early on, before the use of video tape, a third hour was produced for the central time zone's second hour, and the first hour was only seen as the first hour in the eastern time zone. One of the unique production techniques was the use of the sidewalk studio, which would feature an "audience" outside on the sidewalk of Rockefeller Center in New York. Others on staff included Jack Lescoulie and Frank Blair. One other cast member who was featured was a chimp named J. Fred Muggs. After he became uncontrollable, he was dropped. Dave Garroway was the main host from 1952 to 1961.




	"Tonight" premiered in 1953 as a local show on the NBC Flagship station in New York, WNBT. The host of Steve Allen when it finally premiered on NBC in September of 1954, less than a year after WICS went on the air. The variety talk show included Allen, along with a cast of regulars who performed skits, live. The show showcased the many talents of Steve Allen, who along with a comedian, was also a songwriter, a performer, he played piano, and was an actor. He continued through 1956, when he left the show to be replaced by Ernie Kovaks. Others on the show included Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Andy Williams, Gene Rayburn(who also read a short newscast during one of the breaks), and band leader Skitch Henderson.


Unknown WICS film technicians in the film processing/screening room at the Leland Hotel Annex studios. Obviously before the current day "no smoking" rules went into effect! (picture courtesy of WICS)	At the Leland Hotel Studio, a very small cramped facility which was shared with the WCBS(later WCVS) studios. The unknown employees were involved in a local production which included a studio audience. It's unknown what the production was and who these WICS employees were. If anyone knows who the identities of these people are, please drop me an e-mail! (picture courtesy of WICS)
NBC during the years between 1953 and 1960 at WICS included the following network programs: People are Funny, Mr. Peepers, Colgate Comedy Hour, Philco TV Playhouse, Goodyear TV Playhouse, Loretta Young Show, The Hunter, Tony Martin, Caesar's Hour, Medic, Robert Montgomery Presents, Dinah Shore Show, Buick Berle Show, Fireside Theater, Armstrong Circle Theater, Truth or Consequences, It's a Great Life, Coke Time, I Married Joan, My Little Margie, Kraft Television Theatre, This is Your Life, Big Town, You Bet Your Life, Justice, Dragnet, Ford Theatre, Lux Video Theatre, Red Buttons Show, Life of Riley, Big Story, Dear Phoebe, Gillette Cavalcade of Sports, Mr. Wizard, Ethel and Albert, Mickey Rooney Show, Place in the Face, Imogene Coca Show, Texaco Star Theater, George Gobel Show, Your Hit Parade, Frontier, Medic, Martha Raye Show, Milton Berle Show, Chevy Show, Pontiac Presents, Big Town, Screen Director's Playhouse, Father Knows Best, Midwestern Hayride, Star Stage, Perry Como Show, Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, Circus Boy, Steve Allen Show, Adventures of Sir Lancelot, Stanley, Jonathan Winters Show, Noah's Ark, Jane Wyman Show, Break the $250,000 Bank, Adventures of Hiram Holiday, Twenty One, People's Choice, Ford Show starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, Walter Winchell Show, On Trail, Original Amateur Hour, Sally, Price is Right, Restless Gun, Tales of Wells Fargo, Turn of Fate, Suspicion, Nat "King" Cole Show, Eddie Fisher Show, Meet McGraw, Bob Cummings Show, The Californians, Wagon Train, Tic Tac Dough, Rosemary Clooney Show, Saber of London, Court of Last Resort, M-Squad, Thin Man, Polly Bergen Show, Club Oasis, Gisele MacKenzie, What's it For, Dinah Shore Chevy Show, Peter Gunn, Arthur Murray's Dance Party, Bat Masterson, Jefferson Drum, Ed Wynn Show, Behind Closed Doors, Buckskin, Ellery Queen, Steve Canyon, Cimarron City, Brains and Brawn, Riverboat, Sunday Showcase, Richard Diamond, Love and Marriage, Laramie, Fibber McGee and Molly, Witchita Town, Staccato, Bachelor Father, Trouble Shooters, Bonanza, Man and the Challenge, The Deputy, Five Fingers, It Could Be You
	Here's Promotion Director John Begue who was also the weather man. He's holding a coffee can of "Manhattan Manor House Coffee" who probably was the sponsor of the local weather. It was probably his job to do the commerical live talking about how "good tasting" Manhattan Coffee was. This was a time in which many local stations were collecting national advertising dollars for local sponsorships. WICS, because of it's location in the Illinois state capitol city, was more than likely the number two station in the market. See WCIA for other examples of national sponsorships. (picture courtesy of WICS)

(Left): Eddie Fisher was the host of "Coke Time" a 15 minute twice weekly music series which ran from 1953 to 1957 on NBC. Eddie Fisher was at the height of his career and was idolized by the teens of the era.

(Right): From "Your Lucky Strike Hit Parade" show.


"Lucky Strike's Hit Parade" ran on NBC from 1950 to 1958 on NBC before it moved to CBS for it's final season in 1959. It starred many singers who would recreate the hit songs of the day in skit and performance. Stars included: Snooky Lanson, Dorothy Collins, Gisele MacKenzie, Johnny Desmond and many more. By September of 1957, "Lucky Strike's Hit Parade" was broadcast in color, and it was the premiere of the NBC Peacock shown below. The sequence was 10-seconds long, and in spite of the use of the well known peacock image at the end, the first part was much different. This early version of the Peacock was used until the much more familiar version in 1962. Both versions preceded programs that were broadcast in color on NBC.


"Watch Mr. Wizard" was a children's science program which originated in Chicago from 1951 to 1955. In 1955 it moved to New York as was part of the NBC Saturday morning lineup until 1965. Don Herbert was Mr. Wizard playing the role of teacher, with an assistant who was a young boy or girl or perhaps both at the same time. He would conduct science experiments, to which the young assistants would say "Gee Mr. Wizard!" It was produced by the Public Affairs Department of NBC News.

Ernie Kovacs Show aired on NBC as a summer series from July to September of 1956. Ernie Kovacs starred with Edie Adams, Bill Wendell, Peter Hanley, Henry Lascoe, Al Kelly and Barbara Loden. It was a replacement for Side Caesar's "Caesar's Hour." Kovacs series was an inspiration for many future TV comedies, including Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In 12 years later.

NBC Saturday's Color Carnival was a series of variety shows which alternated with different hosts. This particular one was the first installment of "The Jerry Lewis Show" from January of 1957. Even though it's called "Saturday's Color Carnival" it was performed live, but this is a black and white kinescope recorded from the live broadcast. This is the only form in which the very colorful variety show hour was kept. It starred Jerry Lewis along with his father Danny and son Gary(later of Gary Lewis and the Playboys), Rowan and Martin and Eydie Gorme. The show was obviously an attempt to sell RCA color TV's to the public. It's sponsored by RCA and RCA/Victor along with Oldsmobile. This was broadcast in color on WICS, to probably just a few dozen households which had those expensive ($500) RCA color TVs.

From 1951 to 1957, "The Roy Rogers Show" ran on NBC, primarily on Sunday evenings from 5:30-6 pm CT. Along with Roy viewers saw Dale Evans and Pat Brady, along with Trigger, Dale's horse Buttermilk, their dog Bullet and the Jeep Nellybelle. Yes, Jeep, as this was a modern day "western" taking place at the Double R Bar Ranch.

"Wagon Train" premiered on NBC in 1957 where it ran until 1962. It was the first of the epic TV westerns. Stars included Ward Bond and Robert Horton, along with Terry Wilson and Frank McGrath. It moved to ABC from 1962 to 1965 with quite a few cast changes.

"The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney" ran on NBC from 1957 to 1958 and starred George Clooney's Aunt Rosemary. The show also starred Frank DeVol and his Orchestra, Paula Kelly and the Modernaires before being replaced by The Jones Boys in 1958. This variety series aired on Thursday's at 9-9:30 pm CT.

He was called "Lonesome George", George Gobel, probably one of the funniest guys in the business during the 1950's, and even in the 1960's, after his comedy was out of date. Gobel hosted "The George Gobel Show" on NBC from 1954 through 1959. In 1959-60, it moved to CBS. The show featured many classic performers during the time including Eddie Fisher, Joe Flynn, Anita Bryant, Harry Von Zell, the Johnny Mann Singers, Peggy King and the Modernaires. The show featured comedy skits along with musical numbers.

		Te "Zorro" was a product of the Walt Disney Studios" as part of their package of programs for ABC. In this case, it appears that the ad agency which represented products which sponsored the show, purchased time on WICS independently from the network. TV Guide even featured an ad with "Zorro" and an ABC logo, even though WICS was a primary NBC affiliate. It ran via film distribution the following night after originally being aired on ABC Thursdays at 7:00-7:30 pm CT. WICS ran the show the following night(or perhaps a week and a night later) at 7:30-8:00 pm CT. The title character was played by Guy Williams and starred George J. Lewis, Gene Sheldon, Britt Lomond, Jan Arvan, Henry Calvin, and others. The show's theme became a hit record, recorded by the Chordettes in 1958.xIt
In the late 1950's, WICS hosted a local country western music program called "The Holsum Ranch." It was sponsored by the local Holsum Bread Bakery(which was located on Clear Lake Avenue in Springfield). Here Gene Autry, in the double breasted suit, and white cowboy hat is flanked by unknown staff members of WICS. The other man with the cowboy hat was "Pegwill Pete." (picture courtesy of WICS)
		WICS broadcast from the Illinois State Fair during the TV station's early days. Here WICS cameras focus on a display at one of the exhibits at the Fair. Cities Service was an oil company which supplied gasoline and oil products to local gasoline stations, as well as home heating oil and agricultural products. I assume the photo was taken from the upper level of the Exhibition Hall at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. (picture courtesy of WICS)

"Break the Bank" made the rounds among the networks in the 1950's. It ended up on NBC during the Summer of 1953, before WICS signed on, but returned again during the Fall of 1956 and Winter of 1957. This game show began on Radio and featured Burt Parks. In 1956, it was called "The $250,000 Break the Bank," but during it's run, one one ever won $250,000.

Art Linkletter was a mainstay at CBS during the 1950's, but at the same time, he hosted "People are Funny" on NBC from 1954 to 1961. It was a contestant stunt show which would win participants cash and prizes. It also featured the first use of a computer to match single people together for dating. It ran at various times on the NBC prime time schedule over it's run.

"Queen for a Day" was TV game show which had it's beginnings in radio. Prizes were awarded to the person who told the best hard luck story as voted on by the audience "applause meter." The NBC show which ran from 1956 to 1964 was hosted by Jack Bailey. It was probably one of the first examples of reality programming.

"The Nat 'King' Cole Show" was the first network program hosted by a black performer. Unfortunately, it never attracted much of an audience, it was also said his race had something to do with not attracting a sponsor as well. He was truly well ahead of his time! The show ran in 15-minute and 30-minute versions from 1956 to 1957 on NBC and WICS.

"Blondie" was based on the comic strip which still runs in newspapers today! This was the first attempt at making a sit com based on the strip. It starred Arthur Lake, Pamela Britton, Blorenz Ames and Hal "The Great Gildersleeve" Peary as neighbor Herb Woodley. "Blondie" ran on NBC from January through December of 1957. It was also the basis of several movies as well.

Bob Cummings Show aired on both NBC and CBS during it's run in the 1950's. It aired from 1955 and 1957-59 on NBC, as well as 1955-57 on CBS. It was sponsored by Winston cigarettes. Bob Cummings played Bob Collins a photographer who worked by beautiful models, who was a swinging bachelor who lived with his sister, played by Rosemary DeCamp and her son, played by Dwayne Hickman. Ann B. Davis played his secretary who was madly in love with Bob, bus his eyes went to his gorgeous models. The show was a product of Paul Henning who went on later to produce the Beverly Hillbillies. In fact the show sharred many crew members and had much of the same production "feel." The show also co-starred Nancy Kulp(Miss Hathaway in Beverly Hillbillies), Lyle Talbot, King Donovan, Joi Lansing, Carol Henning and Ingrid Goude, Miss Sweden 1956.

Mark Goodson and Bill Todman developed this game show for NBC in 1957. One of the potential hosts for the long running game show was Dick Van Dyke, who auditioned for the job in 1957. A rare picture from his audition is left. Bill Cullen ultimately ended up as the host. This version was different from the Bob Barker version of the show with the same name. This had a panel of contestants who made bids on products, and would win prizes.



"You Bet Your Life" was one of the longest running shows on NBC during the 1950's. Groucho Marx was the host, in which people would win cash by answering questions. It was more of a vehicle to showcase the wit of Groucho, and worked for NBC from 1950 through 1961. It had always run on Thursday during it's entire run.

Bob Hope was an NBC regular from the early 1950's through the 1980's with "The Bob Hope Show." He would star in several TV big event "specials" each TV season, usually during ratings periods, as his show would normally end up in the top 10, if not number one, for the week. His show's were simple, with a format which was developed during his long run on "The Pepsodent Show" on network radio during the 1940's. The monolog, would be followed by a musical number, a skit, another musical number and finally another climatic comedy skit. The laughs were plenty, the cue cards were plenty and the great looking female guests were plenty as well. There were election specials(in which he was a well known Republican-well, not everyone's perfect), there were Christmas specials, specials based on football season, baseball World Series contests and more. Sponsors included Texaco, The Chrysler Corporation and others. Bing Crosby would guest star in many of these yearly specials too.

"The Bob Cummings Show" premiered on NBC in January of 1955 and run through September of that year, before switching to CBS through 1957. In September of 1957, it returned to NBC where it ran for two more seasons. Bob Cummings starred with Rosemary DeCamp(Death Valley Days), Ann B. Davis(Brady Bunch), Dwayne Hickman(Dobie Gillis), Nancy Kulp(Beverly Hillbillies), Lyle Talbot(Ozzie and Harriett), King Donovan, Joi Lancing(Beverly Hillbillies). The show also ran on ABC daytime during the early 1960's as "Love That Bob!"

Dinah Shore starred in two long running NBC series during the 1950's. "The Dinah Shore Show" first premiered in 1951 and ran until 1957. It was a twice weekly variety music series which ran on Tuesday and Thursdays from 6:30 to 6:45pm CT. The first series also starred the Notables, the Skylarks, Ticker Freeman the Harry Zimmerman Orchestra and the Vic Schoen Orchestra. The second series was called "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show" obviously sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet Division. Dinah would sing, "See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet....."

"My Little Margie" was another of the series which put on miles being shuttled between networks. This one ran on CBS and NBC in alternate years. It was on NBC in 1952 from October to November, then again from 1953 to 1955. It starred Gale Storm, a b-movie actress who also sang, and had a hit record in the early 1950's. Playing her troubled father was former b-movie actor Charles Farrell, along with Hillary Brooke.

Big Screen actor Robert Montgomery hosted "Robert Montgomery Presents" and was one of the big-budget dramatic anthology shows which ran from 1950 to 1957. It would star a number of many well known stars of the time, including his real life daughter, Elizabeth Montgomery("Bewitched"). It ran on Monday night at 8:30 to 9:30pm CT during it's entire run on NBC.

"The Loretta Young Show" was an anthology series, in which she starred in about half. The half hour show always began with her trademark entrance in her full skirt to introduce the place of the night. It ran on NBC from 1953 to 1961 on Sunday nights. It also ran on NBC daytime from 1960 to 1964, called "The Loretta Young Theater."


Jack Barry was the emcee of "Twenty One" on NBC from 1956 to 1958. In incredibly successful prime time game show in it's day, as it's contestants became national celebrities. Pictured in the right three pictures above, were two of the most acclaimed participants. Herb Stempel and Charles Van Doren were battling out for the big dollars when later it was disclosed that the contest was rigged in favor of the more attractive and younger Charles Van Doren. Herb Stempel resented the fact that he had to "take the dive" on a question from a subject in which he was well versed, the Academy Awards. For Charles Van Doren, a college professor, who acquired a job with the "Today" Show, the "arrangement" was especially embarrassing. The fraud became known as the "Quiz Show Scandals" and changed the method of operating for all others in the genre. Jack Berry was a game show outcast and it was a number of years before he and the producers Enright Productions regained the trust of the networks and the viewing public.

Here is a listing of the prime time NBC shows which aired from 1956 to 1960 which aired on WICS: Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers, Circus Boy, Steve Allen Show, Goodyear TV Playhouse, Alcoa Hour, Loretta Young Show, National Bowling Championships, The Nat King Cole Show, Adventures of Sir Lancelot, Stanley, Medic, Robert Montgomery Presents, Jonathan Winters Show, Big Surprise, Noah's Ark, Jane Wyman, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Kaiser Aluminum Hour, Break the $250,000 Bank, Eddie Fisher Show, Adventures of Hiram Holiday, Father Knows Best, Kraft Television Theatre, This is Your Life, Twenty-One, You Bet Your Life, Dragnet, People's Choice, Ford Show with Tennessee Ernie Ford, Lux Video Theatre, Life of Riley, Walter Winchell Show, On Trail, Big Story, Gillette Cavalcade of Sports, Red Barber's Corner, People are Funny, Perry Como Show, Caesar's Hour, George Gobel Show, Your Hit Parade, Original Amateur Hour, Sally, Dinah Shore Chevy Show, Meet McGraw, Bob Cummings Show, The Californians, Tic Tac Dough, Lux Show starring Rosemary Clooney, Jane Wyman Show, Sabor of London, Court of Last Resort, M Squad, Thin Man, Polly Bergan Show, Club Oasis, Gisele MacKenzie Show, What's it For, Northwest Passage, Restless Gun, Tales of Wells Fargo, Peter Gunn, Arthur Murray Dance Party, George Burns Show, Wagon Train, Price is Right, Milton Berle in the Kraft Music Hall, Bat Masterson, Jefferson Drum, Ed Wynn Show, Behind Closed Drawers, Masquerade Party, Buckskin, Adventures of Ellery Queen, Steve Canyon, Cimarron City, Brains and Brawn, Riverboat, Sunday Showcase, Richard Diamond-Private Detective, Love and Marriage, Laramie, Fibber McGee and Molly, Startime, Wichita Town, Law of Plainsman, Staccato, Bachelor Father, The Lawless Years, The Trouble Shooters, Bell Telephone Hour, Bonanza, Man and the Challenge, The Deputy, Five Fingers and It Could Be You.

October 17, 1958, "Another Evening with Fred Astaire" as broadcast on NBC. Viewers probably didn't know it, but it was the first color show to be pre-recorded on video tape at NBC's new "Color City" state of the art new studios in Burbank. This TV special pre-empted "M-Squad" and "The Thin Man" that evening. The NBC special was sponsored by The Chrysler Corporation. "Another Evening with Fred Astaire" won several Emmy Awards in 1959.

"The Perry Como Show" bounced back and forth between NBC, then CBS and NBC again by 1955 through 1963. This music variety show also featured announcer Frank Gallop, and later the familiar Ed Herlihy who is best known as the announcer for the Kraft commercials after he became host of the Kraft Music Hall in 1961.

"Peter Gunn" starred Craig Stevens in the title role, along with Lola Albright, Herschel Bernardi, Hope Emerson(replaced by Minerva Urecal). This very stylistic, crime drama featured the work of one detective Gunn who hung out a jazz nightclub, called Mothers where his girlfriend Edie(Albright) was a singer. The jazz score of the show was from Henry Mancini. "Peter Gunn" was a part of the NBC schedule from 1958 to 1960, where it moved to ABC from 1960 to 1961.

"Howdy Doody" was one of the pioneering children's programs which ran on NBC from 1947 to 1960. Although, it was on the air in 1953, it wasn't seen on WICS for at least a couple of years, as WICS didn't sign on until after the show aired live across the network on Saturday mornings. Since the show was presented live, WICS later ran kinescopes of the show on Saturday afternoon right after it's sign-on. It was also a pioneer in color TV as well, as it was presented in color during the late 1950's and in 1960 as a way to help RCA(the owner of NBC) sell color TV sets. Bob "Buffalo Bob" Smith was the cowboy host of the show and provided the voice of the marionette "Howdy Doody." Howdy wasn't the only puppet, as his sister was featured "Heidi." Other puppet characters were Doodyville Mayor Phineas T. Bluster, Dilly Dally, Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-Dub. There were live characters as well, including Clarabell the Clown, Chief Thunderthud(who came up with the word 'kowabonga') and later the Princess became a live character played by Judy Tyler. Clarabell, who was mute, was first played by bob Keeshan(who later became Captain Kangaroo). A scene during the final episode of the series in 1960 had Clarabell(pictured far right above) saying "Goodbye kids." WICS, when the decision was made to sign-on early on Saturday(around 1957) to air the lineup of kids programming later ran "Howdy Doody" live as it came across the network.

(Right): A photo taken from
"Capitol Conference" a public affairs
program broadcast from WICS.
Pictured is an unknown guest or
moderator along with WICS anchor,
Doug Kimball and WICS General
Manager Milton Friedland.

(Picture courtesy of WICS)

(Above): TV Guide ad for
Capitol Conference from
around 1961.
(Click to enlarge)

TV Guide Ad courtesy J.R. Evans


		In 1956, after covering the political conventions during the election year, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley replaced John Cameron Swayze as the "anchormen" of NBC News. "The Huntley-Brinkley Report" ran on NBC for nearly 14 years. The early years were 15 minutes in length, but by 1963, the newscast was taken to 30 minutes. This was done within a week of CBS taking their newscast from 15 to 30 minutes as well.


"Bonanza" began as a production of NBC, sponsored by major corporate sponsor General Motors, primarily Chevrolet. It was a replacement for "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show" which was canceled in 1959. "Bonanza" premiered in 1959 and ran through 1973. It was a promotional partnership which would be extended much further than the actual broadcast of the TV show. One of the more unique disadvantages of this partnership, was that the product couldn't be shown as part of the show itself! "Bonanza" was also a color TV pioneer, as it was broadcast in color throughout it's entire run, with many scenes designed to showcase the advantage of watching the show in color, hopefully on an RCA color TV no doubt. There was also a tour of a duplicate set of the "Pondorosa" ranch house exterior which made appearances at state fairs and other events across the country during the early 1960's. These displays also featured the latest models of Chevrolet vehicles The series was set on a ranch, which included many thousands of square miles called "The Pondorosa" owned by patriarch of a family of all half brothers. Adam Cartright was the father, played by Lorne Green, with sons Adam(Pernell Roberts), Eric"Hoss"(Dan Blocker), Joe "Little Joe"(Michael Landon). Others in the cast during the early years included Ray Teal as Sheriff Coffee and Victor Sen Yung as their cook Hop Sing. The series concentrated more on the relationship of the cast with guest characters. Many episodes would feature the drama surrounding just one or two of the main characters, but still included at least short cameos of the other members of the cast. The show also was featured in syndication and in reruns in other time periods as "The Pondorosa."

				The Jack Paar version of "Tonight" premiered in July of 1957 and ran on NBC through March of 1962. The announcer/co-host was Hugh Downs(pictured far left below), along with other regulars which included Dody Goodman, Cliff Arquette as Charlie Weaver, Pat Harrington Jr., Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Joey Bishop, Florence Henderson, Buddy Hackett, Betty White and others. This version of the late night variety show was much different than the Steve Allen version, as it included more interviews with the very emotional Jack Paar. As pictured here he interviewed politicians such as Richard Nixon, John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and others. He was very opinionated and brought his pet concerns to the limelight with various episodes. NBC, after having complaints about some of his opinions and actions, decided to use video tape to delay his shows after being edited for content. This did allow for reruns of the show to be run on Friday's, giving him a 4 night work week.

Construction on WCHU began in November of 1958, and the station originally went on the air in September of 1959 as a low power UHF station and a translator of WICS. The original coverage of area of WCHU was estimated to be no more than 15 miles from the transmitter site at the Inman Hotel in downtown Champaign. The power output on the new WCHU was 5.5 kilowatts visual and 2.96 kilowatts aural from a short antenna mounted on top of the Inman Hotel in downtown Champaign, the corner of Neil and University. Now by 1959, Champaign-Urbana could receive NBC programming full time....and in color by 1961.

Late in 1960, the exact date is unclear, but Northwest Publishing, owner of WDAN-TV sold the station to Plains Television Partners which then renamed the station WICD-TV to become a satellite station of WCHU which was a satellite of WICS in Springfield. The original WDAN-TV studios on North Washington Street in Danville after the sale, was leased from Northwest Publishing. The original facility also housed the WDAN-AM studio and transmitter while the television station was located there. Later during the early and mid 1960's Champaign's WCHU did originate local programming which was simulcast on WICD-TV, including local news, children's programming and local commercials.

"The Westerner" was a short lived western series which aired on NBC from September through December of 1960. It starred Brian Keith and long time radio and TV western guest star John Dehner. It also starred a pet dog which traveled with Dave Blassingame(Keith). Interesting bit of trivia-this was the same dog who played "Old Yeller" in the Walt Disney movie of the early 1960's.

"The Life of Riley" had two lives, maybe even more if you count the radio version of the 1940's and 50's. The first TV version ran on NBC Television in 1949-50 and starred Jackie Gleason in the role which originated by William Bendix on radio. The show didn't last long, but was recast with William Bendix when it appeared in the 1953 to 1958 version for NBC. His wife was played by Marjorie Reynolds, with kids Wesley Morgan and Lugene Sanders. His friend Gillis was played by Tom D'Andrea. Later George O'Hanlon joined the cast as Calvan Dudley(he provided the voice for George Jetson) and Martin Milner(Route 66, Adam 12) played a boyfriend and later husband for his daughter.

This 30-minute sitcom has the distinction as being broadcast by all three networks during it's run. "Bachelor Father" started in September 1957 on CBS when it moved in June of 1959 to NBC where it run until September 1961. The next month it popped up on ABC where it ran for another year-until 1962. John Forsythe(Dynasty) starred as a well to do bachelor Hollywood lawyer who was forced to adopt his 13 year old niece, Kelly, after her parents were killed. The cast also included his "house boy" Sammee Tong. On one episode, a friend of Kelly's came to visit, one young actress named Linda Evans, who later played his wife in the ABC series Dynasty some 20 years later.

This Nat Hiken show starred a great cast of comedians a couple of whom would work together again in the future. "Car 54 Where Are You" was shot in New York, featuring a police department in New York, The actors included: Joe E. Ross, Fred Gwynne, Bea Pons, Nipsey Russell, Paul Reed, Albert Henderson, Al Lewis and Charlotte Rae. Of course, Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis would work together later in the decade in "The Munsters." Joe E. Ross is probably best remembered with his catch phrase, "Ooh-ooh....."which preceded just about every line he delivered. A great show, with a great friendly feel to it and a live audience. Nat Hiken also produced "The Phil Silvers Show."

NBC had the chance to air a TV series with one of the greatest actors in history, and they wasted him on a western. "The Deputy" ran for two years on NBC from 1959-61. Even though, he was listed as the star, there were many episodes which he didn't appear, he did serve as a narrator for each episode. The co-stars were Alan Case, Wallace Ford, Betty Lou Keim and Read Morgan. It ran on Saturday nights from 8-8:30pm CT on NBC and WICS.

"Play Your Hunch" was emceed by Merv Griffin, with announcer Johnny Olson. Teams of related individuals were given problems to solve. Each problem solved would earn points worth $100. The winners would keep playing against other teams until the end of the show. The prime time version ran on NBC from 1960 to 1962.

"Play Your Hunch" actually ran on all three networks during daytime from June 1958 to 1963. The daytime emcees included: Merv Griffin, Robert Q. Lewis, Richard Hayes and Gene Rayburn.

Kim Wilson

Kim Wilson was a popular local celebrity at WICS from it's very early days
into the 1960's. She not only hosted several children's shows
including "Popeye and Kim," but also "Kim's Corner" during the midday
and various interview segments with local personalities and many
of the traveling promotional appearances with NBC stars.
Based on the WICS logo, this was probably from around 1963.
(pictures courtesy of WICS)

Above-top: Kim Wilson interviews a local personality.

Below Kim is pictured with Rory Calhoun who starred in
the syndicated "Western Star Theater" also known
as "Death Valley Days" after Borax discontinued it's
sponsorship when the series went into syndication.

Kim Wilson also spent time at WTVP in Decatur during her
central Illinois TV career.
(pictures courtesy of WICS)

WICS didn't have the TV franchise to "Romper Room," but with Kim Wilson, who needed it? Kim Wilson, based on my memory, was probably one of the most beloved TV personalities in the market. An extremely versatile TV performer and artist, she hosted the children's shows, but also conducted celebrity interviews, did programs on women's issues and even local news features. In this publicity hand out, it included her autograph. Click on picture for larger view.
(picture courtesy of WICS)

Here is Kim in what's probably an early publicity shot for "Kim's Kiddie Korner" which aired sometime in the 1959 to 1962 era. This time it was sponsored by Hill's Brothers Shoes(an early incarnation of Payless Shoes).
Click on picture for larger view.
(picture courtesy of WICS)

Here's Kim Wilson once again, with a studio guest, an unidentified celebrity cowboy. As you can tell, the studio was rather filled to capacity with Springfield area kids, and left over studio furniture in the background. Click on picture for larger view.
(picture courtesy of WICS)

Based on the camera and tripod, this was more than likely from the era from 1959 to 1962 at the Leland Hotel studios. Here Kim is performing in an installement of "Kim's Kiddie Korner." Click on picture for larger view. This photo also contains the only photo of a very notable kids show.....more on that later.
(picture courtesy of WICS)

This 1963 Photo has Kim Wilson with one of her celebrity interviews during the "5 O'Clock Report" newscast. Here she's interviewing Virginia Graham, who was a show business reporter and host of a syndicated show which aired during the Noon hour in the early to mid 1960's.
Click on picture for larger view.
(picture courtesy of WICS)

WICS Election Coverage.

It's difficult to determine what election
this was, but it was perhaps from
the 1964 General Election.

The man standing is most likely
Dale Coleman, News Director.

It's also difficult to determine who
is at the desk...could be Wayne Cox.

The sponsor was Bressmer's, a downtown
clothing department store in Springfield
for many years.

(picture courtesy of WICS)

"The

"The Bob Hope Show" ran on NBC as a series of Specials on the network. Here he is pictured with guest stars Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and Jack Benny.





Dale Coleman This is Dale Coleman, who was initially News Director at WTVP in Decatur. By the late 50's into the early 60's he was News Director at WICS. He was noted by an early biographer as being "a tall, warm, outgoing farm boy from norhern Illinois." He later became the Public Information Director at Springfield's Sangamon State University(now UI-S). He passed away at the age of 54 in 1983. (Picture courtesy of WICS)	WICS-WCHU Anchor Team 1963 Pictured above are the WICS anchors from the early 1960's, in tuxedos no less! Top row: Wayne Cox and Joe Thompson Bottom row: Nick Alexander, News Director Dale Coleman, Alan Crane. (Picture courtesy of WICS)

Wally Gair It's unknown what the purpose of this feature was but along with an attractive unknown female celebrity was Dick Clark along with WICS's Wally Gair. (Picture courtesy of WICS)		Wayne Cox Wayne Cox was a long time WICS Anchor during the mid to late 1960's.


"Dr. Kildare" was one of the most popular TV medical dramas in the history of TV. He was played by Richard Chamberlain. His co-stars were played by Raymond Massey, Eddie Ryder, Jud Taylor, Joan Patrick and Lee Kurty. It aired on NBC from 1961 to 1966. If this series was produced in color, it probably would have been seen more in syndication later, but it's pretty much disappeared off the radar screen. The series was based on a series of 1940's B-movies. During it's run, the young Dr. Kildare went from being an intern to a resident. The hour long show also went to being aired as a two part, 2-half hours show broadcast on two consecutive nights on NBC. Some of the story lines lasted on 2 or more episodes as the series became more serialized in format. It's also important to note that another important popular medical drama premiered the same year, "Ben Casey."

By 1959 and 1960, the NBC schedule included just a small number of regular series broadcast in color. That year "Laramie," "Bell Telephone Hour" and "Bonanza" was about it, along with a few specials, like "the Bob Hope Show" and others. In 1961, Disney moved to NBC as "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" to the list that made Sunday the night of color with 2 hours of prime time. In 1962, "The Virginian" was added along with "Sing Along With Mitch, "The Andy Williams Show" and select movies of "Saturday Night at the Movies."

One daytime classic which withstood many years of competition was "Concentration" hosted by long time NBC announcer/host Hugh Downs. Two contestants would choose panels on a huge board, which would hide duplicate prizes and cash. Contestants would have to remember which one's matched, and when they guessed the ones, they would display another piece of a large puzzle. A simple game, but one which would last many years. It was produced by NBC.

Sheri Lewis hosted "The Sheri Lewis Show" on NBC Saturday mornings from 1960 to 1963. She was a puppeteer and created "Lambchop" and "Charlie Horse." These puppets were also merchandised as toys during the period.

"The G.E. College Bowl" was a game show, of sorts, featuring a contest of knowledge of teams representing colleges across the U.S.. Since the show was sponsored by General Electric, it featured commercials of appliances....and color TV's. So, it being the cousin of RCA, it was broadcast in color and was a regular Sunday late afternoon feature. The questions were tough, and these kids were smart. Where is this show today?? Note the colleges shown above were The University of Colorado and Decatur, Illinois' Millikin University.

	(Left): Do you recognize anyone in this picture? It was taken in the WICS studio during a live broadcast of one of the many children's programs of the day. It was apparently taken sometime in the mid 60's after the construction of the new WICS studios on Cook Street in Springfield. (Picture courtesy of WICS)
	(Left): Clicka T. Clack was the WICS host for several of the children's late afternoon programs in the early 1960's. His real name was William R. Miller. This one was "Bugs Bunny and Pals with Clicka T. Clack." It began with a cartoon segment of a railroad train pulling up to the station(taken from a Warner Brothers cartoon). He was also host of "The Funny Company" (TV Guide ad courtesy of J.R. Evans)
	(Left): is Clicka T. Clack (William R. Miller) pictured with several local children holding "Pay Day" candy bars, as part of a local promotion with the candy maker. "In my opinion, these baby boomer children shows which were an important part of local TV during the 1950's to early 60's were a strong foundation of viewership to local TV for those kids as they became adults. When local TV discontinued their local participation children's shows in favor of off-network sit coms in the late afternoon, stations eliminated a strong emotional tie for viewership in the future. Now, local TV for most young viewers is just another notch on the cable tier as they have no emotional tie to the local television station." "I would challenge any local TV station to duplicate what was done during the era....perhaps those FOX, CW and MY-TV stations would be able/willing to take this on. There would not be a better way to make your TV station stand out among the crowd with young viewers....who ultimately become older viewers!" --Doug Quick

The Lost Kid's Show

In my time looking at and sorting through files of pictures taken at WICS during the early years, one thing I remembered very well as a kid's show staple was missing. No pictures were on file of "The Pegwill Circus" and Pegwill Pete.
This weekday afternoon children's show was sponsored by the Pegwill Packing Company which was owned by Bill Wingerter. Mr. Wingerter was the
founder of WFMB radio and WBHW(TV), now WRSP, Channel 55.

The show was done with Pegwill Pete being the "ring master" of a circus. The kids who were involved with the production were in circus tent like bleachers and would sing the Pegwill theme song...."We love Pegwill Weiners.....good ol' Pegwill Weiners....."

The only evidence I could find was in the background in a picture shown above with Kim Wilson. Behind the curtain is part of the Pegwill Circus set which was a passenger train with the Warmer Brothers cartoon characters in each of the windows of the passenger train. Partially visitble is Elmer Fudd waving out the window.

If any one has any photographs, personal or professional, of this or any other WICS local TV production, or any background material which could be included here, please e-mail me!

(Right): Kim Wilson hosted the local children's show "Popeye Fun Time with Kim." It was also called "Popeye and Kim Wilson." It featured the more recent King Syndicate versions of the classic cartoon character along with local children in the studio. It was also broadcast in Champaign on WCCU, Channel 33. (TV Guide ad courtesy of J.R. Evans)

This space is reserved for photos and information from WICS children's programming during the 1960's. Pegwill Weiners sponsored "Pegwill's Circus." There was also "Marty's Pepsi Dance Party." It's possible that "Marty's Pepsi Dance Party" was hosted by long time Springfield personality Marty Roberts, but I'm not sure. A search is underway to find pictures and more information about the production of these terrific shows for kids produced at WICS during the early to mid 1960's. If you have any photos or information, or perhaps you appeared on one or more of these Springfield based shows, send me your remembrances to me to be included on this site.
E-mail at: dougquick @ dougquick.com

A form of "The Andy Williams Show" ran on ABC back in 1958, then moved to CBS in 1959, but really waited until it's premiere on NBC to build a huge audience. Big stars were guests, many musical acts of different styles from what Andy Williams was associated with. He did have several hit records in the 1960's including his version of "Moon River." Regulars included The Good Time Singers, Jonathan Winters, Marian Mercer, R.G. Brown, but the best known were a group of young boys from Utah, from one very large family, the Osmonds. His family also guested on Christmas shows. His wife, a french beauty, Claudine Longet, and his children. Longet was pop up as a semi regular on McHale's Navy and guested on various comedies and dramas of the 1960's, as well as had a career as a singer having recorded several mediocre hits.

The NBC big time epic western 90-minute color series was "The Virginian." It was loosely based on the movie of the same title and starred Lee J. Cobb, James Drury(as the no-name "Virginian"), Doug McClure, Clu Galager, Charles Bickford, Jeanette Nolan, David Hartman(Good Morning America), John McIntire, Tim Matheson(Jonny Quest), Lee Majors(Big Valley), Stewart Granger and Pippa Scott. Most episodes would feature a story of just a few of the cast, as the shooting schedule of a 90-minute weekly series required several production units, so it was rare that a large number of cast members would appear together.

John Novak was played by James Fransiscus. The title character was a young first year High School English teacher at Jefferson High School. "Mr Novak" also starred Dean Jagger, Burgess Meredith and Marion Ross(later of "Happy
Days." You might notice that another similarly formatted series "Mr. Peepers" about 10 years before, also took place at Jefferson High School. "Mr. Novak" ran on NBC from 1963 to 1965.

In September of 1961, Walt Disney's "Disneyland" left ABC where it would find a home on colorful NBC. The hour long family anthology would include produced for TV episodes and reworked theatrical features along with some animated specials and documentaries. The show was introduced by Walt Disney each week, who would explain that week's episodes. Pictured above is Ludwig Von Drake(voiced by Paul Frees) along with Walt Disney and the NBC peacock. I remember how glorious the tinker bell's magic wand looked as it spread color across the screen.

"Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" was a Sunday night regular series for 20 years from 1961 to 1981 on NBC.


"You Don't Say" ran on NBC daytime from 1963 to 1969 with host Tom Kennedy(pictured above left). Two teams consisting of a celebrity and a regular contestant would guess the name of a famous person from clues given by the other team member. The clue would be a sentence with the unknown name being the last words in the sentence. "You Don't Say" was also part of the NBC prime time schedule from January to May of 1964.

This is a promo for weekday mornings on NBC from 1965. Notice the emphisis on color programs. RCA had NBC run it's daytime schedule in color to help demonstrate color TV's among it's hometown dealers to sell more color TV's.


"The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" premiered in 1962 after the Jack Paar version shown above. These scenes, excluding the lower right(which is from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In), were from installments early in it's run which originated from New York. The show began with a monologue, then he would chat with one or more of the celebrities of the day. Many of which were promoting other TV shows or movies, or perhaps a book or some other effort. Musical numbers were done by guest musicians, and over the years many comedians were also exposed to the national viewing public for the first time. Many of his more successful skits were evolved from his earlier shows on CBS and his game show experience on ABC. His ABC announcer on "Do You Trust Your Wife" was Ed McMahon who continued with him during his entire run on NBC. His band leaders included Skitch Henderson, Milton Delugg and Doc Severinsen over the years. It's unknown when the broadcast of "The Tonight Show" went from black and white to color, but it seems to be in the 1963 or 1964 time frame as ads from TV Guide from 1964 list it in color. Many of the shows, though, even though they were recorded on video tape for later broadcast, were not kept. Most of the recordings from the show during the 1960's were recorded on black and white film kinescopes, as virtually all of the video tapes were either destroyed or recycled to record other episodes. The more classic shows were finally kept, when Carson asked for more days off and the show was rerun on weekends for network affiliates that didn't run their own late night movies or other programming, when guest hosts weren't available. The original show actually ran from 10:15 to midnight CT, but many stations ran half hour local news at 10pm CT, so the first 15 minutes were not aired on most markets. Carson by 1965, refused to do the first 15-minutes, so filling the time was left to Ed McMahon and Skitch Henderson. It was later dropped in 1967 forcing all of the NBC affiliates to fill with local news. In 1972, the show moved from New York to Burbank where it continues today(at least until it moves to Universal). The show later in the 1980's dropped back to one hour installments from 90 minutes. Carson retired in 1992. NBC awarded the show to Jay Leno, while having favored his late night partner David Letterman of "The David Letterman Show." The controversy and in-fighting which occurred at NBC between Leno, Letterman and the network executives was the subject of a book and a TV movie "Late Shift."


"Jeopardy" was a part of NBC daytime during much of the 1960's, and well into the 70's, the 80's...and it still continues today in syndication. This Merv Griffin produced show was originally hosted by Art Fleming, shown above. I'm sure you know the format, it really hasn't changed, even though the technology of the game board has changed somewhat. The long time announcer of the show was Don Pardo(Saturday Night Live).

"Mr. Roberts" was an NBC series, based on the book by Thomas Heggen, a play and the classic Warner Brothers movie which starred James Cagney, Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon. The series which aired from 1965 to 66 starred Roger Smith, Steve Harmon, Richard X. Slattery.

The Ford Motor Company sponsored "Hazel" on NBC which featured Hazel driving a Ford Falcon, while his boss played by Don DeFore drove an LTD, his wife played by Whitney Blake drove a Mustang. The son was too young to drive, he was played by Bobby Buntrock. The series did go through a change during it's later seasons when most of the cast was dismissed, and Hazel went to work for another family. Only Buntrock continued.....but by then it had moved to CBS. It ran on NBC from 1961 to 1965. It was broadcast in color during it's last season on NBC. This could be the only series to be produced in black and white, then color, then shown in black and white during it's final season when it was on CBS.

The origination of "The Jonathan Winters Special" is unknown. It could have been a network special, but the history of WICS includes quite a few network preemption's for locally sponsored syndicated programming. This enabled WICS to sell and air more commercial time than what would have been available for network programming. The program listings for "Jonathan Winters" were shown exclusively by channels 20, 24 and 33 and didn't include the other NBC affiliates who were showing regular NBC programming, so it appears to be syndicated programming.

This was another of the popular dramatic anthology series of the 1950's and 60's. It was hosted by Richard Boone with a cast of regulars which included Robert Blake, Lloyd Bochner(Dynasty), Harry Morgan(M*A*S*H), Jeannette Nolan(Real McCoys) and Guy Stockwell. It lasted on NBC from 1963 to 1964.

"Truth or Consequences" ran on NBC from 1954 to 1958, but also ran in syndication hosted by Bob Barker who took over hosting duties in 1956. Before that it was hosted by Jack Bailey(Queen for a Day). The syndicated version with new episodes were a weekday afternoon staple in the late 1960's and early 1970's on WICS.

"Let's Make a Deal" premiered on NBC daytime in 1963, and eventually made it's way to prime time in 1967. Monte Hall was the host who dealed with costumed audience members and traded junk for major cash and prizes.

"Get Smart" was a satire on the popular spy movies of the time, especially the James Bond movie series. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry and starred Don Adams as Agent 86, Barbara Feldon as Agent 99, Edward Platt as the Chief and others who went on to other series later, including: Stacy Keach, Bernie Kopell(The Love Boat), Dick Gautier(When Things Were Rotten-also a Brooks production), Victor French(Little House on the Prairie) and Jane Dulo(many cartoon voices for Jay Ward Productions). It ran on NBC in black and white for one season, then went to color in 1966. It later moved to CBS where it aired for it's last miserable season in 1970.

"Hullabaloo" was produced in color(the only show of the night in 1965) and was an attempt by NBC to really get hip with the young crowd. Unfortunately, it was incredibly stale, very stuffy and seemed to be written by someone's grand father. If you ever get a chance to see the episode which stars Michael Landon as guest host, check it out and laugh out loud. It also appeared that the producers felt that Gary Lewis and the Playboys(a pop-rock group of the mid 60's) couldn't hold up the show, on a later episode as they brought in the lead's father to co-host, Jerry Lewis. The result is another laughable musical variety show. There was a segment which originated from England hosted by Beatles manager, Brian Epstein, which was in black and white. By the way, check out the long "go-go skirts" on the dancers....geez! "Hullabaloo" ran on NBC from 1965 to 1966.

Yet another spy show, this time it was played seriously. "I Spy" starred Robert Culp(Greatest American Hero), and Bill Cosby(Cosby Show) together as globe trotting spys out to foil the bad guys. Kelly Robinson and Alexander Scott were the good guys. It would air on NBC from September 15th, 1965 through September 2nd, 1968. It was produced in color.


This was an early version of "The Match Game" from those we see today in rerun form from the 1970's. Gone is the large collection of celebrity panelists. This time it's teams of three, one celebrity and two contestants, tried to match each other's answers to various fill in the blank questions. This show was aired live from NBC in New York and there are no known video tapes of the show in existence. There are, though, ten shows on kinescope which are in existence. It ran at 3PM CT on NBC and WICS from 1962 to 1969. The color photo to the right is a snapshot photograph taken from the set. It was eventually broadcast in color sometime in 1965.
			In 1961, the local newscast was called, "At Your Service." It was anchored by Wally Gair(sports), Jack Thorne(weather) and Nick Alexander(news). This was in TV Guide in 1961. (TV Guide Ad courtesy of J.R. Evans)
By 1963 the local news was called, "The Big News." It was a male dominated local news, as most were in the era, unless there was somekind of "women's news" feature included. Puctured on top row are: (unknown-could be a gentleman with the name of Duncan or Eaton), Chet Huntley(NBC), News Director Dale Coleman, David Brinkley(NBC), and another unknown. Bottom row: Douglas Kimball(WICS Anchor) and Wayne Cox(WICS Anchor). (TV Guide Ad from 1963 courtesy J.R. Evans)


	Probably one of the most trashed TV show ever, was "My Mother the Car." It really wasn't all that bad, although, the pitch for the show sounds terrible. It all begins when Dave Crabtree, played by Jerry Van Dyke, finds a vintage car , a 1928 Porter in a used car lot. He is strangely attracted to the car and he buys it. Well, come to find out, the car has the personality of his dead mother, and the voice.....of his Mom, played by long time film comedian and TV sit com veteran, Ann Southern. His wife, played by Maggie Pierce doesn't believe that this car talks....as his mom only talks to him(Mr. Ed, without the horse-just a car). The car is constantly being courted by a car collector, played by Avery Schreiber, Captain Mancini. It ran in black and white on NBC from 1965 to 1966.


"Today" began with Dave Garroway in the 1950's, but by much of the 1960's, the hosts were Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters. Downs was the main anchor from 1962 to 1971, while Walters began in 1964 where she stayed until 1971. Frank Blair was the newscaster during the entire period from 1953 to 1975. "Today" began to be broadcast in color by 1965.

"The Rogues" ran on NBC from 1964 to 1965 in black and white. It starred film stars Gig Young, David Niven and Charles Boyer. They were all con men who operated world wide to relieve the rich of their riches. They played family members who were well known thieves and scoundrels.

Click on the TV Guide Close-Up above for information about the first broadcast of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."

Larry "Buster" Crab starred in the old 1930's and 40's movie serial, "Flash Gordon" for the movie theaters. Each installment was one reel in length, about 20 minutes, which made it work in half hour installments with commercials of breakfast cereals, toys other kids necessities. WICS featured "Flash Gordon" weekday afternoons for a period of time in the 1960's, as well as on Saturday afternoons.

"The Mike Douglas Show" originated in Cleveland during the 1960's and syndicated to other Westinghouse owned TV stations. By 1965 it was syndicated to other local stations including WICS, where it ran on weekday afternoons. Here he is pictured with Steve Wonder.

Just like "Flash Gordon" "The Three Stooges" features were one reelers, again only about 20 minutes in length and made for a great half hour of after school programming for WICS. The show was later cast aside in more adult times in later years, as the harmless violence was considered too much for kids to handle.

"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." was NBC's knockoff of the James Bond character, but this time there were two for the money. Robert Vaughn was the title character, Napoleon Solo. His co-agent was the youthful Illya Kuryakin played by David McCallum. They were two super secret agents who were fighting THRUSH an international crime syndicate from 1964 to 1968. For you trivia buffs, U.N.C.L.E. stood for United Network Command for Law and Enforcement. The head of the Command was Mr. Alexander Waverly played by Leo G. Carroll.

Critics were not impressed as the story lines were almost comic book in nature and continued to get more so as the series progressed. The final season, the series took a more serious tone, but that wasn't enough to pull if our of the ratings doldrums.

The series did offer a spinoff "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E" starring Stephanie Powers. This series ran on NBC from 1966 to 1967 a short one season. The story lines were even more unbelievable, but young viewers loved them both, and were big fans of the merchandising offered by both series. Toy guns, secret agent gear were offered to young boy and girl secret agents.

Both series were produced by M.G.M Television. The initial season of "Man from U.N.C.L.E." was in black in white, with the rest of the run being in color. "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' was produced in color.

"The Cisco Kid" was an hour long color syndicated program which was produced from 1950 to 1956. There were a total of 156 episodes which aired on Friday evening at 6:30(the beginning of prime time) preempting the NBC programming at the time("Camp Runamuck" and "Hank"). This gave WICS an opportunity to air more local commercials during prime time, at a much higher ad rate that what the station could've gotten by airing NBC programming. Cisco was played by Duncan Renaldo and Pancho was played by Leo Carrillo, "Oh Ceesco...., Oh, Pancho!"

"The Adventures of Superman" ran weekday afternoons on WICS at 5PM during the mid 1960's. The syndicated adventure show starred George Reeves as the 'Man of Steel', along with Phyllis Coates and Noel Neill as Lois Lane, Jack Larson as Jimmy Olson, and John Hamilton as Perry White. The show included both black and white and color episodes from 16mm prints.

Here is a listing of the prime time NBC shows which aired from 1960 to 1965 which aired on WICS: Shirley Temple's Storybook, National Velvet, Tab Hunter Show, Dinah Shore Chevy Show, Loretta Young Show, This is Your Life, Riverboat, Tales of Wells Fargo, Klondike, Dante, Barbara Stanwyck Show, Jackpot Bowling, Laramie, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Thriller, Wagon Train, Price is Right, Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall, Peter Loves Mary, The Outlaws, Bat Masterson, Bachelor Father, Ford Show starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, Groucho Marx, Dan Raven, The Westerner, Bell Telephone Hour, Michael Shayne, Bonanza, Tall Man, The Deputy, Nation's Future, Bullwinkle Show, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, Car 54 Where Are You?, DuPont Show of the Week, 87th Precinct,Thriller, Dick Powell Show, Cain's Hundred, Joey Bishop Show, Bob Newhart Show, David Brinkley's Journal, Dr. Kildare, Hazel, Sing Along with Mitch, International Showtime, Robert Taylor's Detectives, Here and Now, NBC Saturday Night at the Movies, Ensign O'Toole, It's a Man's World, Saints and Sinners, Empire, The Virginian, Wide Country, Andy Williams Show, Don't Call Me Charlie, Jack Paar Show, Sam Benedict, Bill Dana Show, Grindl, NBC Monday Night Movie, Hollywood and the Stars, Mr. Novak, Redigo, Richard Boone Show, Espionage, Temple Houston, Kraft Suspense Theater, Bob Hope presents the Chrysler Theatre, Harry's Girls, The Lieutenant, Profiles in Courage, The Rogues, 90 Bristol Court: Karen, 90 Bristol Court: Harris Against the World, 90 Bristol Court: Tom-Dick and Mary, NBC Wednesday Night Movie, Daniel Boone, Flipper, Famous Adventures of Mr. McGoo, Kentucky Jones, Branded, Wackiest Ship in the Army, Hullabaloo, John Forsythe Show, Run for Your Life, My Mother the Car, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, I Spy, Laredo, Mona McCluskey, You Don't Say, Dean Martin Show, Camp Runamuck*, Hank*, Convoy, Mr. Roberts, Man from U.N.C.L.E., I Dream of Jeannie and Get Smart.

*These two Friday night series in 1965 were not aired on WICS. WICS chose instead to run it's own syndicated programming "The Cisco Kid", to gain more ad dollars with more valuable commercial time which would be available.

thanks to Cindy Larson and others at WICS for help in getting WICS photos.
thanks to J.R. Evans for the TV Guide Ads with WICS
If you have any additional material or can identify any people not ID'd in pictures, please e-mail me at dougquick @ dougquick.com

Page 2 is coming soon!