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 Hiya Kids ,
It is ten to nine
and I'm watching the battle for the Presidency and understand more than
ever how difficult the two party system really is and how Ralph Nader
brought about this whole situation which seems perfectly timed for the
new century. Wouldn't it be great if the two parties didn't vote for
their side, but realized we must do what's best for America?
That's probably
what I would have said after drawing a picture of Uncle Sam. But twenty
years ago children wouldn't have understood what I was saying; today's
kids are so different than all of you were in the old days.
Still whenever I
meet a fan they say, "Your show should be on the air today". I loved
that show and I'm happy you remember it with such fondness - I do too.
I'm enclosing a few pictures from my archives that I particularly like
-
In a moment, the
monitor will be turned off, the audience will turn to me to hear the
"Let's Pretend It's Storytime" song and raise their arms and cross them
while we all chant, "Magic Window on the wall - what's the best story
of them all?".
The camera would
slowly get a close-up of the window and the cloud slide would dissolve
into beautiful film footage taken from some airplane window accompanied
by a heavenly chorus announcing our entrance to storyland. Therein I
told stories of make believe and acted out all the parts.
I was Zeus, king
of the gods! I was Ceres , goddess of all green growing things! I was
Pluto, god of the underworld ! Playing men of great strength, women
of great weaknesses and evil characters like witches who"s gaze and
laugh were so horrible that many a child sitting on the floor wet themselves
so lost were they in the magic of my story telling.
My story telling
skills were born of two movies that I saw when I was a small child -
Walt Disney's first full length feature, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"
which taught me the meaning of fear ( how I loved being scared out of
my wits ) - a delight that I would nurture on my show. The other film,
naturally, was "The Wizard of Oz".
Alone in my room
when all the other kids were playing ball I'd tell myself the story,
acting out all the parts including Snow White standing by the side of
the well singing, "I'm Wishing" and if I saw strangers walking by from
my second story window I'd serenade them in my Snow White singing voice
hiding behind the curtain as Snow White did in the movie.
My whole life centered
around fantasy and if I was dancing around the house, pretending to
be Rita Hayworth or was in the attic mixing a brew made of Mom's finger
nail polish, oh such lovely colors, dropping in a lighted match to cap
the finale. Unprepared as I was for the explosion and fire that ensued.
Quickly, I ran
to the kitchen and busied myself reading a movie magazine in no time
the Fire Department came to put out the blaze. One of my brothers was
blamed for the fire and I said nothing.
Here 's a picture
of my third grade class at Fairfax Elementary School in Cleveland Hts,
Ohio - we're all eight years old and I remember posing for this picture.
See if you can find
me I'll give you a clue: I'm the most theatrical kid in the class and
my name then was... Eugene.
Email me at CartoonCorners@aol.com
and if you want more of these letters tell me so.
Love
you forever, Gene London  "Gene London was my favorite show on TV. I still draw swans using the number 2 and cats using the number 8. I have taught my children how to do that also. "I believe that Gene London gave me a love of drawing which I still dabble into day. He was a special part of my childhood. I wish my children would have someone like him on TV to watch today instead of some of the cartoons. "Thanks for this website as it brings back wonderful and happy memories..." Faith M.
CLICK
HERE FOR
:PHILLY
LOCAL KID SHOWS: |
Good news for Gene London fans - and there are a legion of them, let me tell you. We get mail almost everyday from folks who grew up with his Philadelphia children's show and still adore him. Here's an example from just the other day: I just wanted to share my short memories of the Gene London show. I lived in south New Jersey back in the 1960s and never missed an episode. I loved his show and remember having a crush on Gene. One time my Brownie troop went to Philadelphia for a field trip to sit in the audience of his show. I can remember that there was a raffle and one kid would get picked to go down and join Gene on stage. I completely remember my girlfriend nudging me that my name had been called. I got to run down and get a hug from Gene. I remember being completely awed by him and shy about being on stage. What great childhood memories!Now there's a Gene London news group and Gene is involved in the project. Check it out!
Classic TV
Come right on in to the General Store We have licorice, gum drops, sourballs, Anything that you're hankerin' for, You'll find in Cartoon Corners General Store. There's lots of stories and songs that you know, Toys to build and a big pot belly stove, Something else I've forgotten, let's see,.... Of course, GENE LONDON, that's me......!!! (Big finish with the organ.... at which point a cardboard crate covered with confetti would fall from the fly and land on his head.....) Gene used to take us to "the Land of Let's Pretend" through the Magic Window; had a crush on Debby Dibley, his boss's daughter, and was terrified of Quigley Mansion - nehpets "Are you kidding?!?! I was in love with Gene London. "I guess I was in elementary school and we took a class trip to the set. Aaaah, I just loved his voice, soothing, and as I said I thought he was cute. At 6 or 7, can you imagine? All the memories were good and still are." Sincerely, Marie H, Phila. PA |
Here
I'm at the magic window, pot-belly stove on one side and the trunk that
held the magical golden fleece on the other. The kids are looking at
themselves on the monitor, and the clouds in the magic window show that
the story is just about to begin...
So
you see I was an actor even then producing my own show and bringing
down the house.
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