I would just like to say that the inclusion of childhood memories in the following article is 100% intentional. And for once, they're not all mine. I recruited some friends -- Jenn M., Kristen S., and Jennifer S. -- to share their memories as well. And what are we reminiscing about today? It's one of my favorite childhood TV shows!
For more than thirty years, The Ramblin' Rod Show aired on weekday mornings in Oregon and southwest Washington. The show would begin with the image above, then the television would zoom in to focus on a group of children, situated on wooden bleachers.
Rod, the host, began the show by introducing the viewers at home to the kids. He'd start with the child in the upper-right, then move down the row, each time putting the microphone to the child's mouth and asking their name, and sometimes asking where they were from. (Answers ranged from "Newport, Oregon" to "My house" to blank stares.)
In this part of the show, Rod would meet about two-thirds of the kids, then break for a cartoon. After one or two Looney Tunes or Popeye shorts, Rod would reappear and begin the "Smile Contest." This was a daily ritual that had the camera panning past every child in the audience while they tried to hold their best grins. Once finished, one of the crew members would select the children who had the "best smiles," and those kids received some sort of little prize.
After showing more cartoons, Rod would meet the remaining kids.
During yet another break from cartoons, the Birthday Kids would line up in front of the wooden boat, where Rod would ask each of their names, give them a small present, and ask them to "bow or curtsy." A birthday song would also play. Occasionally, costumed escapees from Chuck E. Cheese would appear to perform the song.
"It's time to watch another cartoon!" "Yayyyy!"
At the end of the show, Rod would wave to everyone while being carted away in the wooden boat. Sometimes he'd remind us to watch a program on KPTV or to visit Chuck E. Cheese, one of the show's sponsors.
Check out Rod's jacket. Many years ago, one of those audience-children brought Rod a button/pin as a gift, which he may have accepted on-screen. Other children began bringing him buttons, and Rod put them on his jacket. Before long, the buttons covered his coat, but kids kept bringing them. He had so many, he had to start displaying them around the set.
It is fitting, perhaps, that he once gave kids these...
I can't remember if I got my button when I appeared on the show in 1988, or if I received it the time I met Rod at the Clackamas County Fair and watched yet another taping of the show (in 1988 or 1989). I think it was the latter.
During Ramblin Rod's run, many local children appeared on the show. The exact numbers are unknown, but doing a little math...
40 kids (average) per episode
x 5 days a week
x 30 weeks a year (approximately/possibly)
x 30 years (give or take)
=
+/-180,000 kids
Sure, some kids appeared on the show more than once. But that's still a lot of children!
And now you get to meet four of them!
  |   |
  |   |
If you were ever on the Ramblin' Rod Show and would like to share your memories with AlligatorJuice.com, please email me with your memories. Spelling and grammar count, so if you send me a bunch of netspeak, I will throw your email to the wolves. Please also send a photo of yourself from around the time you appeared on the RR show. I can't guarantee all memories will be published, but I'd love to hear them.
Want to watch an entire Ramblin' Rod episode? I have one available in wmv format: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Enjoy!
Care to learn more about Ramblin' Rod? Visit The Ultimate Ramblin' Rod Page! (There is another RR episode available for download on this site.)
2/26/2007
(c)2007 AlligatorJuice.com
