The Rootie Kazootie Club 1954

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Before you enjoy another rare Rootie Kazootie Show, I thought I'd start off with a visit to my storage facility in 2018 where I stored my Rootie Kazootie collection and then a flashback even further to the warehouse where the shows creator Steve Carlin stored his collection of the remaining 16mm kinescopes and memorabilia of Rootie in 1996.

Since then I've created a limited edition DVD Blue-ray collection, for those who still have a DVD player, along with offering some memorabilia for sale through Grapevine Video

At one time I located Naomi Lewis the voice of Rootie, and Pollka Dottie, and Mr. Deetle Dootle, played by John Schoeopperle, who was in a assistant living facility, but again no one was interested in doing any stories about them or Rootie.

Even today I can't get any streaming channels to help me host a show making use of the all the rare kinescopes and commercials I've uncovered over the last 50 years.

Notes: Rootie Kazootie was a boy "keen on sports" who played his "magic kazootie" and wore his signature baseball cap with the oversized bill turned up.

Puppeteer Paul Ashley controlled his movements, along with those of the "great Mexican catador", called El Squeako Mouse—a takeoff on the idea of a mouse dueling with a cat rather than a bull. Naomi Lewis supplied their voices.

Lewis also provided the voice of Rootie's girlfriend Polka Dottie. Frank Milano provided both the actions and voices for their spotted canine companion Gala Poochie Pup and for arch-villain Poison Zoomack, who constantly tried to steal Polka Dottie's polka dots and Rootie's magic kazootie.

Life-sized human characters included host and "chief rooter" Todd ("Big Todd") Russell and the nonspeaking policeman Mr. Deetle Dootle, initially played in 1950 by John Schoeopperle and thereafter by John Vee.

The show was performed live in front of a studio audience of schoolchildren who also were active participants. They joined in singing the theme song, proclaiming at the beginning of each show, "Who is the boy who is full of zip and joy?

He's Rootie Kazootie!" A regular feature was the "Quiz-a-Rootie", in which audience members received prizes for themselves and home viewers for answering simple questions.

The show first aired locally as The Rootie Tootie Club on the New York NBC affiliate WNBT on October 14, 1950.

The dog originally was named "Little Nipper" and resembled the mascot of the show's sponsor, RCA Victor, which used a dog referred to as Nipper, but it was rechristened when RCA Victor dropped its sponsorship. Other major sponsors included Coca-Cola and the Walter H. Johnson Candy Company, makers of Powerhouse candy bars.

The show aired on NBC until November 1952 and was seen on ABC beginning in December. The last telecast was seen on May 7, 1954.

Production

About 50 people were required to create each 15- or 30-minute show. Credits in addition to those mentioned above include:
Puppeteers: Paul Ashley, Cosmo Allegretti, Michael King
Music Director: Gene Perazzo
Education Director: Dr. Herman Mantell
Production Manager: Joseph L. Stuhl
Supervisor: Arnold Cohan
Director: Dwight A. Hemion, Dave Davidow
Producer: Steve Carlin

Influence in popular culture

At the height of the show's popularity, its audience was estimated at between 2 million and 3 million people, and in 1953 fan letters were pouring in at a reported average rate of 32,000 each week. Words such as "yesirootie" and "gosharootie" from the Rootie Kazootie lexicon were adopted by schoolchildren of the time.

The show spawned several children's books as well as a Dell comic book series. Numerous items of related merchandise, including toys, games, and hand puppets, were produced, many of which are available today as sought-after collectibles. Author Lawrence Naumoff appropriated the name "Rootie Kazootie" for the title of a 1990 novel, though it has no explicit connection to the character.

The puppets are now with the family of Paul Ashley, who created the puppets.

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