By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo
Excerpt from 100 Years of Buffalo Broadcasting
In 1956, Miss Pat was the first Buffalonian to end Romper Room with… “I see Patrick… and Marie… and Jane… and Phillip…”
Through the 50s, 60s, and 70s, there were around a dozen different versions of the Romper Room franchise seen in Buffalo living rooms.
There were nationally syndicated versions aired on Buffalo stations, as well as local shows that were produced in Toronto and Hamilton easily seen in Western New York with rabbit ears and maybe a bit of tin foil.
But on three different occasions—on three different stations– there were Buffalo-produced Romper Room shows with Mr. Do Bee and the “magic mirror” as well.
Ch.2 aired its version of Romper Room starting in 1956 with Miss Pat as host. Par Schrier was a teacher in the North Tonawanda schools.
After a two-year run, Ch.7 picked up the show with a new host, Miss Mary. Her real name was Cele Klein, and she’d been a veteran soap opera actress. The show would get 150 letters a day from kids across WNY and Southern Ontario.
She handed her magic mirror over to Miss Sally Klein, who was around for about a year, then Miss Binnie Liebermann, who was hosting the show when the local version was cancelled in 1962– “clobbered” in the ratings, according to Channel 7, by Uncle Mike Mearian on Channel 4.
Doris Jones frequently filled in for Miss Binnie towards the end of the show’s run.
Another local version of Romper Room came in 1971 when Channel 29 first signed on the air. Miss Elaine Murphy was the host.
This page is an excerpt from 100 Years of Buffalo Broadcasting by Steve Cichon
The full text of the book is now online.
The original 436-page book is available along with Steve’s other books online at The Buffalo Stories Bookstore and from fine booksellers around Western New York.
©2020, 2021 Buffalo Stories LLC, staffannouncer.com, and Steve Cichon
