Garfield Goose And Friends
Note: All photographs and sounds on this page are owned & copyrighted by WGN Television. More information about this childhood favorite can be located on their website here...
This little gem was another Chicago favorite from WGN-TV. The King of the United States himself. This famous' goose followed the great Ray Rayner show every morning for five days a week.
In 1955, Thomas joined WGN-TV with his "Garfield Goose and
Friends" program that had aired for 3 previous years on other Chicago stations. The
show, which featured Thomas' puppet creation "Garfield Goose" and Thomas himself
as the Prime Minister, ran from 1952 until 1976.
Artist/puppeteer Roy Brown (Cookie from The Bozo Show) created Garfield's friends Romberg Rabbit, Macintosh Mouse, Beauregard Burnside III, and Gar's nephew, Christmas Goose.
Here the Little Theater Screen would show the classic cartoons of "The Funny Company", Clutch Cargo, Marshal Brodines "The Magic Hands", as well as the Many chaptered "Journey To The Beginning Of Time".
"Garfield Goose" also featured child guests who had unusual hobby's or collections in a little segment titled "Hobby Corner".
In 1962, Frazier Thomas added another program to his schedule at WGN, "Family Classics with Frazier Thomas." Thomas not only hosted classic film, but he also personally selected titles and edited them to conform to the framework of good taste for the entire family to see.
For his work on this program, as well as "Garfield Goose and Friends," he received Emmy Awards from the Chicago Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
In 1976 Frazier Thomas and the "Garfield Goose and Friends" puppets then join WGN-TV's "Bozo's Circus." Garfield "buys" the circus from Ringmaster Ned and "names" Thomas as the circus manager. Garfield Goose continued as a regular character on the show until 1981.
Sadly Frazier Thomas passed away on April 3, 1985, at the age of 66. But to this day, weather it be "Garfield Goose and Friends", "Family Classics", or "Bozo Circus", Frazier Thomas will remain an icon of childhood memories.
Download the complete theme song for the Garfield Goose Show ('Monkey On A String' by organist Ethel Smith) by joining my free Yahoo club!
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Copyright ©1999 Roger B. Domian