Editing Garfield Goose and Friends

{{short description|Chicago children's television show (1952-1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Garfield Goose postcard 2.JPG
| alt                  = Garfield Goose and Friends cast
| caption              = Romberg Rabbit, Beauregard Burnside III, Garfield Goose, Mackintosh Mouse, Frazier Thomas and Chris Goose on ''Garfield Goose and Friends''.
| alt_name             = Garfield Goose and Friend
| genre                = Children's program
| creator              = [[Frazier Thomas]]
| writer               = Frazier Thomas
| producer             = Frazier Thomas
| director             = Ron Weiner<ref>{{cite web|url=http://triblocal.com/highland-park-highwood/community/stories/2009/12/get-to-know-three-time-emmy-winner-ron-weiner/|title=Get to know…three-time Emmy winner Ron Weiner|last=Chavis|first=Blair|date=4 December 2009|publisher=Trib Local-Highland Park-Highwood|access-date=26 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606182354/http://triblocal.com/highland-park-highwood/community/stories/2009/12/get-to-know-three-time-emmy-winner-ron-weiner/|archive-date=6 June 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| presenter            =
| starring             = [[Frazier Thomas]]<br/>[[Roy Brown (clown)|Roy Brown]]
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 24 (2 on WBKB/WBBM, 1 on WBKB (now WLS), 21 on WGN)
| num_episodes         = 
| list_episodes        = 
| theme_music_composer = [[Ethel Smith (organist)|Ethel Smith]]
| opentheme            = "Monkey on a String" <br/>Trumpets heard are from "Cinderella" and were added through editing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvparty.com/lostgarfield.html|title=Garfield Goose and Friends|publisher=TV Party|access-date=14 February 2011}}</ref>
| endtheme             = "Monkey on a String" <ref name=TV/>
| runtime              = 
| channel              = [[WBBM-TV|WBKB-TV/WBBM-TV]] (1952–1954)<br/>
[[WLS-TV|WBKB-TV (now WLS-TV)]] (1954–1955)<br/>
[[WGN-TV]] (1955–1976)
| first_aired          = {{start date|1952|9|29}}
| last_aired           = {{end date|1976|10|1}}
| related              =  
}}

'''''Garfield Goose and Friends''''' is a [[children's television]] show produced by [[WGN-TV]] in Chicago, [[Illinois]], United States, from 1955 to 1976. The show was known as ''Garfield Goose and Friend'' from 1952 to 1955 when it aired on [[WLS-TV|WBKB]] and [[WBBM-TV]]. It was the longest running puppet show on television until ''[[Sesame Street]]'' broke that record.<ref name=Garfield/> The host of the show was [[Frazier Thomas]], who did all of the talking. The show centered on a clacking goose [[puppet]] named Garfield Goose, who considered himself "King of the United States." There were many other puppet characters such as Romberg Rabbit, Macintosh Mouse, Chris Goose (Garfield's nephew who was born on Christmas, hence "Christmas Goose") and a sleepy bloodhound called Beauregard Burnside III (whose name happened to be a mix of two [[American Civil War]] generals). The show used a "Little Theater Screen", upon which the camera would zoom before cartoons such as [[Total Television]], ''[[The Funny Company]]'', ''[[Clutch Cargo]]'', ''[[The Pink Panther]]'', [[Jay Ward]], [[Hanna-Barbera]], ''[[Space Angel]]'' and ''[[The Mighty Hercules]]'' were broadcast.<ref name=Thomas/>{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|p=58, 84}}

==History==

===Cincinnati===
Thomas created Garfield Goose for a local television program he hosted in [[Cincinnati]]. Thomas, who was an [[Indiana]] native and had worked on Cincinnati local radio since before World War II, said he got the idea when he saw [[Catholic]] nuns with a [[sock puppet]] in the form of a goose, with which they invited children to "feed the goose" with donations for charity.  He wanted to do something special to award prizes to children on his television show, so he created a Garfield Goose puppet for that purpose.<ref name=Frazier/> "Garfield" was the television station's telephone exchange. <!-- There are sources who say he started using the puppet at WLW and others who say it was WKRC. Looking at both shows, when Thomas says he came up with the idea of using a puppet to give children prizes on his television show, that could fit ''Shopper's Special'' at WLW or ''Meet the Little People'' at WKRC.-->In Cincinnati, Garfield Goose lived in a [[cuckoo clock]], since he had always wanted to be a [[cuckoo bird]].<ref name=Thomas>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotelevision.com/frazier.htm|title=Frazier Thomas|publisher=Chicago Television|access-date=6 February 2011}}</ref><ref name=Frazier>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/04/04/frazier-thomas-kids-tv-pal-for-35-years/|title=Frazier Thomas, TV Kids' Pal For 35 years|last=Heise|first=Kenan|date=4 April 1985|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=18 February 2011}}</ref><ref name=Feder>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbez.org/blog/robert-feder/remembering-chicago-classic-frazier-thomas|title=Remembering a Chicago Classic:Frazier Thomas|last=Feder|first=Robert|date=2 May 2010|publisher=WBEZ Radio|access-date=6 February 2011|archive-date=28 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728171724/http://www.wbez.org/blog/robert-feder/remembering-chicago-classic-frazier-thomas|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=51-66}}

===Chicago and WBKB===
[[Image:GAR1edited.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Ad for the show before July 1953 when WBBM-TV began to broadcast as Channel 2.]]
In 1951 Thomas and Garfield Goose moved to Chicago and CBS affiliate WBKB-TV, which was then on Channel 4. At first, the goose was a character on ''Petticoat Party'', a variety show hosted by Thomas. Later, when the character was thought to have enough appeal for a show of its own, ''Garfield Goose and Friend'' debuted on September 29, 1952 with Chicago puppeteer Bruce Newton.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=51-66}}<ref name=Thomas/>{{sfn|Hollis|2001|pp=92-93}} The actual first puppeteer for Garfield was a WBKB secretary, Lee Ann Prineas, who left her clerical duties while the show was on the air. The show aired directly opposite [[NBC]]'s ''[[Howdy Doody]]''.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=54-56}} In early broadcasts, Thomas hosted the show in a suit and tie, but on October 16, 1952, Garfield appointed him Admiral of his navy and his Prime Minister. making it necessary for Thomas to wear the uniform he is most remembered in.<ref name=TV>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvacres.com/child_frazier_thomas.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120917164339/http://www.tvacres.com/child_frazier_thomas.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 September 2012|title=Frazier Thomas|publisher=TV Acres|access-date=10 February 2011}}</ref><ref name=Thomas/> The uniform is now part of the [[Museum of Broadcast Communications]] collection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheptalk.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=304&whichpage=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716053743/http://www.sheptalk.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=304&whichpage=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 July 2011|title=Photo-Frazier Thomas Uniform at Museum of Broadcast Communications|publisher=ShepTalk|access-date=10 February 2011}}</ref>

At the time the show began, the American Federation of Radio Artists union began to recognize those working in television, becoming the [[American Federation of Television and Radio Artists]].  This made it necessary for television performers to become members of the union and to receive at least union scale wages for their work, which was above current station salaries in many cases. Those who appeared on camera or who had voice roles were now subject to union regulations. The television station indicated that it was only willing to pay a union-scale wage for one performer on the Garfield Goose program.  This obviously was Frazier Thomas, and it meant that any role played by Bruce Newton would be paid as non-union scale; he had to stay off-camera and could not speak.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=54-55}}

Newton had Garfield Goose communicate with Thomas through an off-screen [[typewriter]] but Newton was soon replaced by [[Roy Brown (clown)|Roy Brown]]; Brown later created the rest of the show's puppet characters.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=54-55}} Newton's own account in an interview for ''The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television'' has him quitting the show and suggesting Thomas contact the [[School of the Art Institute of Chicago|Chicago Academy of Fine Arts]] for a replacement. Thomas did just that and became connected with Roy Brown in this way.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=54-55}}
{{image frame|content={{Photomontage
| photo1a = Garfield Goose 1953 book cover.jpg
| photo1b = Garfield Goose 1953 book front page.jpg
| photo1c = Garfield Goose 1953 book young Garfield.jpg
| photo2a = Garfield Goose 1953 book pages 1 and 2.jpg
| photo3a = Garfield Goose 1953 book Garfield relatives.jpg
| photo3b = Garfield Goose 1953 book at home in castle.jpg
}}}}
Roy Brown became the graphic artist for the show; he and Thomas quickly redesigned the Garfield puppet.<ref name=Feder/><ref name=Roy>{{cite web|url=http://bozo-the-clown.info/roy-brown-our-kooky-cook-cooky-from-wgn-tvs-bozo-the-clown-show/|title=Roy Brown Our Kooky Cooky|publisher=Bozo the Clown|access-date=16 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116125042/http://bozo-the-clown.info/roy-brown-our-kooky-cook-cooky-from-wgn-tvs-bozo-the-clown-show/|archive-date=16 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Although Brown was still an art student and had no previous experience as a puppeteer when Thomas hired him for the show, Brown's talents for this type of work were quickly visible.  Years after the program had left the air, Brown talked about his time working with Thomas, whom he described as a perfectionist.  During those years of working together, Thomas granted Brown the ability to be creative with the show's characters; Brown discovered a slight hand movement which made it appear as if Garfield Goose was smiling.  Thomas was able to converse with the show's characters as if they were friends or neighbors, and to talk with his young audience without talking down to them. It was the working chemistry between the two men which made the show memorable and allowed it to become the longest-running puppet show on television.<ref name=Garfield/>{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|p=56}}{{sfn|Hollis|2001|p=95}}

The program was popular enough with Chicago area children in 1953 to inspire Frazier Thomas and Roy Brown to collaborate for a book, ''Garfield Goose Memory Book'', with Thomas writing the story of Garfield Goose and Brown doing the illustrations for it. In it, Thomas detailed information such as the names of Garfield's parents, Georgia (born in the state), and Godfrey, that he had a sister, Gloria, a brother in law, Gilbert, and a young nephew, Christmas.  This branch of the Goose family spent summers in Goosejaw, Saskatchewan, and wintered in Goose Bay, Florida.  Thomas and Brown also provided a picture of Garfield's average day in his castle along with information about his younger years.  The book was also able to be used as a coloring book.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZRchAQAAIAAJ&dq=personality+features+garfield+goose&pg=PA499|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries. Third Series: 1953: July-December|date=9 November 1953|author1=Library of Congress|author2=United States Copyright Office|access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref>

The first addition to the cast came when the show was just over a year old.  The storyline was that Garfield had hired a butler without the knowledge of Frazier, who learned of it through a phone call from the employment agency. He arrived on [[Thanksgiving|Thanksgiving Day]] 1953, and was a [[capuchin monkey]] named Geronimo. Geronimo was with the show even after it moved to WGN-TV.<ref name=TV/> The next new cast member appeared on [[Christmas|Christmas Day]] after some confusion.  Garfield gave Frazier a note saying he would be having Christmas Goose for the holidays.  Thomas was aghast at the thought of roast goose being served. Garfield's hastily typed reply said that Christmas Goose, his nephew, was staying with his uncle for the holidays.<ref name=TV/><ref name=Thomas/>

[[File:Garfield and butler thanksgiving 1953.JPG|thumb|left|220px|Geronimo, the butler, arrives: Thanksgiving Day, 1953.]]
WBKB-TV was sold in February 1953 and became [[WBBM-TV]], the [[CBS]] owned-and-operated station, which moved to Channel 2.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotelevision.com/channels1XX4.htm|title=Changing Channels Part IV|publisher=Chicago Television|access-date=20 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotelevision.com/channels1XX5.htm|title=Changing Channels Part V|publisher=Chicago Television|access-date=20 February 2011}}</ref> The initial sale contract for WBKB to CBS called for a one-year period where the new ownership agreed to keep all present programs on the station.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=garfield+goose&pg=PA6|title=News Capsules Coast to Coast-Ken Craig Directs WBBM-TV Operations|date=21 March 1953|magazine=Billboard|access-date=12 March 2011}}</ref>  Before the transition period was over, ''Garfield Goose and Friend'' moved to the new WBKB-TV, an [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] owned-and-operated station which jumped to [[WLS-TV|channel 7]]. During this period, the show was briefly carried nationally on the ABC network. At the time, Chicago did not have a Thanksgiving Day parade to usher in the beginning of the Christmas holiday season. The State Street Council produced a television show instead, featuring popular local children's shows.  Shown on both WBKB and WGN-TV in 1954, Garfield Goose was part of the broadcast.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LiMEAAAAMBAJ&dq=garfield+goose&pg=PA10|title=Thanksgiving Parades To Feature TV Names|date=27 November 1957|magazine=Billboard|access-date=12 March 2011}}</ref> On the show's last day on WBKB in 1955, Garfield said he would drive the castle away, while Thomas tried telling him it was impossible. The castle then rolled out of camera range, thanks to [[caster]]s installed by the stage crew. The show began airing on its permanent television home, WGN-TV, the next day.<ref name=Thomas/>{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=51-66}}

===WGN===
Roy Brown created, built, and/or performed numerous puppet characters for other WGN-TV children's shows; one of the first of Brown's new characters to be introduced to ''Garfield Goose'' was Romberg Rabbit, after the show moved to WGN-TV. Romberg had been featured on another children's show, ''Quiet Riot'' (hosted by Buddy Black) and after that show left the air, Romberg joined ''Garfield Goose'', where he was introduced as an "unemployed magician's assistant."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotelevision.com/friends.htm|title=Forgotten Friends|publisher=Chicago Television|access-date=18 February 2011}}</ref> With the addition of Romberg Rabbit, Thomas began calling the program ''Garfield Goose and Friends'' (pluralizing the title) and Romberg began "translating" for Garfield.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=3, 51, 56}}
{{multiple image
| direction=horizontal
| align    =right
| width1   = 180
| image1   = Garfield goose card roy brown 1.jpg
| caption1 = Roy Brown created items like this greeting card for young viewers.
| image2   = Wgn tv 1959 coloring book front.JPG
| caption2 = WGN-TV coloring book, 1959. Garfield, Frazier and friends.
| width2   = 150
}}
Other characters were also introduced. They included: bloodhound Beauregard Burnside III, who was the chief of Garfield's secret service and who readily fell asleep, prompting Thomas to pick up one of Beau's ears and call out "hot dogs, hamburgers, spaghetti and meatballs!" to rouse him;<ref name=TV/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://a1.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/123/6e6569aa9b9bef76fc9b0b45d130304c/l.jpg|title=Garfield Goose Secret Service code card|access-date=26 June 2011}}</ref>  Macintosh Mouse, who was in charge of the castle's mailroom.<ref name=TV/>  Some of Garfield's relatives visited regularly, including nephew Christmas "Chris" Goose and seasonal visitor "Mama" Goose (actually the Garfield Goose puppet with a wig and granny glasses).<ref name=Garfield>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvacres.com/puppets_birds_garfield.htm|title=Garfield Goose|publisher=TVAcres|access-date=15 February 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205195808/http://www.tvacres.com/puppets_birds_garfield.htm|archive-date=5 February 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Roy/><ref name=Timeline70/> Since only Thomas could understand what Romberg and the other characters communicated, Thomas would repeat what the puppets "said" for viewers to understand. Garfield would also go down into his castle and type a note (viewers would hear the sound of a typewriter), bringing it up for Thomas to read aloud.<ref name=TV/><ref name=Thomas/>{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=54-55}}

The program was both entertaining and subtly educational.  Guests from the [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science and Industry]], [[Lincoln Park Zoo]], and the show's own viewers with their hobby projects made learning interesting and also fun.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/09/20/if-the-face-looks-familiar-think-back/|title=If the face looks familiar, think back 25 years to...|last=Mueller|first=Jim|date=20 September 1998|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=18 February 2011}}</ref> In 1968, the understated educational aspect of the program saved a four-year-old boy's life. He and his older brother had fallen through ice at a creek near their home. The boys' mother responded to her older son's cries for help; after rescuing them, her younger son was not breathing. The mother knew how to respond to this emergency because of a ''Garfield Goose'' segment about scouting where a short film about life saving was shown. Remembering what she had seen in the film when she watched the program with her sons, she was able to revive her four-year-old.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D22cMPattCkC&dq=garfield+goose&pg=PA8|title=Dear Reader|editor-last=Barber|editor-first=Alden G.|date=May 1968|publisher=Boys' Life|access-date=17 February 2011}}</ref> The show also had a quiet moral tone, as Thomas would explain to Garfield why something he had done or wanted to do was wrong.<ref name=Frazier/><ref name=Stroke>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/04/02/frazier-thomas-suffers-stroke/|title=Frazier Thomas Suffers Stroke|date=2 April 1985|last=Schneidman|first=Dave|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=18 February 2011}}</ref>

Thomas' performances with a [[Jew's harp]] either drove the King of the United States to find a place in his castle out of earshot or to simply hit his Prime Minister and Admiral of his navy on the head.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=51-66}}<ref name=Thomas/> When Thomas sang "Jingle Bells" in [[Latin]] on the program during the holidays, he explained the meaning of the words to his young audience, and offered to send copies of the words to anyone who wrote to him.  He was inundated with requests; it took weeks to deal with sending all the replies.<ref name=Minister>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/05/19/the-childrens-prime-minister/|title=The Children's 'Prime Minister'|date=19 May 1985|last=Best|first=Patricia|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=12 February 2011}}</ref> In addition to hosting the weekday show, Thomas wrote all the scripts and produced the program.<ref name=Thomas/><ref name=Popular/><ref name=Visit/> The local chapter of the [[Academy of Television Arts and Sciences]] did not begin awarding [[Emmy]]s until 1958; the first recipient of the Best Male Children's Performer was Thomas; he won another award in 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicagoemmyonline.org/files/2013/04/1958-1959.pdf|title=Chicago Emmy Awards|date=1958–1959|publisher=Chicago chapter-National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences|access-date=13 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicagoemmyonline.org/files/2013/04/1964-1965.pdf|title=Chicago Emmy Awards|date=1964–1965|publisher=Chicago chapter-National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences|access-date=13 February 2011}}</ref>

The show remained on WGN-TV (channel 9), which bought the rights in 1955, for over two decades, most of this time running in the late afternoon after children had come home from school.{{sfn|Hollis|2001|p=97}} In 1957, [[Sylvester "Pat" Weaver|Pat Weaver]], who created the ''[[Today (NBC program)|Today]]'' and ''[[The Tonight Show|Tonight]]'' shows for [[NBC]], had hopes of starting a fourth network.  WGN-TV also hoped to be able to syndicate some of its more popular programs through it; one of them was ''Garfield Goose and Friends''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vh0EAAAAMBAJ&dq=garfield+goose&pg=PA2|title=Weaver Near WGN-TV Deal|date=27 May 1957|magazine=Billboard|access-date=12 March 2011}}</ref> During the early 1970s, the program slowly lost viewership to competition and was moved to weekday mornings. The show's long run ended on September 10, 1976.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|p=175}}

===''Bozo's Circus''===
[[File:Bozos circus garfield goose 1976.JPG|thumb|250px|left|Frazier and Garfield join ''Bozo's Circus'' in 1976.  Roy Brown (Cooky the Clown) and Bob Bell (Bozo) are also pictured.]]
Frazier Thomas had taken the role of "circus manager" on WGN-TV's longtime hit program ''[[Bozo's Circus]]'' after the retirement of Ringmaster [[Ned Locke]] in 1976. Thomas kept his puppets on the air with a storyline in which Garfield "bought" ''Bozo's Circus''.<ref name=Timeline70>{{cite web|url=http://www.wgntv.com/station/bozotime/tln1970s.htm|title=Bozo Timeline-1970s|publisher=WGN-TV|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001218093000/http://www.wgntv.com/station/bozotime/tln1970s.htm|archive-date=18 December 2000|access-date=16 February 2011}}</ref><ref name=Visit>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=T8VDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gq8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1109,1738654&dq=frazier+thomas&hl=en|title=Frazier Thomas to Visit Area|date=31 July 1977|publisher=The Daily Sentinel|access-date=10 February 2011}}</ref> The puppets made daily appearances until 1981.<ref name=Frazier/><ref name=Timeline80>{{cite web|url=http://wgntv.com/station/bozotime/tln1980s.htm|title=Bozo Timeline-1980s|publisher=WGN-TV|access-date=16 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010709002204/http://wgntv.com/station/bozotime/tln1980s.htm|archive-date=9 July 2001}}</ref> Thomas worked on ''Bozo's Circus'', later retitled ''The Bozo Show'', until his death in 1985.<ref name=Thomas/><ref name=Feder/><ref name=Popular>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i_ZGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UXsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5029,743245&dq=frazier+thomas&hl=en|title=Popular TV Children's Show Host Dies|date=4 April 1985|work=Times-Union|access-date=7 February 2011}}</ref> In 1987, the puppets were donated to The [[Museum of Broadcast Communications]] in Chicago.<ref name=Timeline80/> The display initially included Garfield Goose, Romberg Rabbit, Macintosh Mouse, Beauregard Burnside III, Christmas Goose, and Ali Gator (the latter a character who appeared only briefly in a serialized adventure during the show's early years). Ali Gator was later removed from the museum's display.<ref name=Thomas/><ref name=Feder/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/22729756@N00/4764101281/|title=Photo of Garfield Goose character puppets with Ali Gator at Museum of Broadcast Communications|publisher=Flick'r|access-date=13 February 2011}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
After quitting the show early on and against Frazier Thomas and Roy Brown's wishes, Bruce and Claire Newton mounted a live, traveling ''Garfield Goose Telepuppets'' show at neighborhood events for many years after the series had gone off the air, alongside other non-Garfield Goose puppets built and performed by the pair for other shows.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.richsamuels.com/nbcmm/hartline/Princess_Mary.html|title=Princess Mary's Castle-features Newton and his puppets|year=1957|publisher=Rich Samuels|access-date=24 April 2015}}</ref>  To Thomas and Brown's chagrin, WGN-TV management chose not to pursue the matter.  Although Bruce Newton would later claim his traveling show featured the first Garfield Goose puppet used on WBKB-TV, a 1991 news story described this puppet as a prototype. After Thomas' death, Newton attempted to claim that Garfield Goose was entirely his idea.  The general manager of WBKB-TV at the time the program first went on the air, Sterling "Red" Quinlan, says it was Frazier Thomas who came up with the concept of Garfield Goose.{{sfn|Okuda|Mulqueen|2004|pp=54-55}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/05/28/web-of-mystery-on-garfield-goose/|title=Web of Mystery On Garfield Goose|last=Zorn|first=Eric|date=28 May 1991|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=29 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotelevision.com/Newton.htm|title=Bruce Newton|publisher=Chicago Television|access-date=6 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxvalleyarts.org/newton.htm|title=Bruce and Claire Newton|publisher=Fox Valley Arts|access-date=6 February 2011}}</ref>

As often happened during the 1950s and early 1960s (such as with ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]'' or the first [[Super Bowl]] game), ''Garfield Goose and Friends'' aired live for much of its history. WGN did not keep many tapes of its local productions, including ''Garfield Goose And Friends''. Rather, since the reels of [[videotape]] were very costly, they were thriftily recycled. Station management did not foresee how valuable recordings of these broadcasts would have become. Only four complete episodes were preserved: March 14–15, 1974, and September 9–10, 1976 (the latter two being the final two shows aired in the series).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/09/04/wgns-birthday-salute-a-tour-of-chicagos-past/|title=WGN's Birthday Salute A Tour of Chicago's Past|last=Kogan|first=Rick|date=4 September 1988|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|access-date=17 February 2011}}</ref>

In December 2005, WGN-TV ran a primetime special called ''[[Bozo, Gar and Ray: WGN TV Classics]]'', which carried the earliest known saved clip of the show, wherein Garfield Goose had "luckily" gotten hold of tickets to the [[1959 World Series]] at Chicago's [[Comiskey Park]]. As it happened at the time of this 2005 broadcast, the White Sox had won the 2005 World Series, which moreover was their first World Series appearance since 1959. Additional color kinescope footage from 1965 came from a vintage WGN-TV sales film which also includes some scenes from ''Bozo's Circus''. The broadcast garnered #1 ratings in the Chicago market and is rerun annually during the holiday season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/ct-holiday-movies-chicago-celebs-20141218-story.html#page=1|title=Well-known Chicagoans name their holiday family classics|last=Liebenson|first=Donald|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=18 December 2014|access-date=24 April 2015}}</ref>

In 2005, the [[Museum of Broadcast Communications]] awarded WGN-TV's Studio 1 a plaque to commemorate the forty years of children's television broadcast from the studio.  ''Garfield Goose and Friends'' with a likeness of [[Frazier Thomas]] and Garfield, is on the plaque along with [[Ray Rayner]] for ''Ray Rayner and Friends'' and [[Bob Bell (actor)|Bob Bell]] with ''[[The Bozo Show|Bozo's Circus]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://markdecarlo.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/img_0720.jpg|title=WGN-TV Studio 1 Plaque Photo|publisher=Mark DeCarlo|access-date=9 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.museum.tv/newssection.php?page=304|title=WGN-TV Studio 1 To Be Honored For Its Historic Role In Children's Television|date=5 December 2005|publisher=Museum of Broadcast Communications|access-date=10 February 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628201728/http://www.museum.tv/newssection.php?page=304|archive-date=June 28, 2011}}</ref>

==Little Theater Screen Segments==

{{Empty section|date=January 2021}}

==References==
{{Reflist|40em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|url=http://muse.jhu.edu/books/9781621034087|title=Hi There, Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Programs|last=Hollis|first=Tim|year=2001|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|isbn=978-1-578-06396-3|via=[[Project MUSE]]|url-access=subscription}}
* {{cite book|title=The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television|last1=Okuda|first1=Ted|last2=Mulqueen|first2=Jack|publisher=Lake Claremont Press|year=2004|isbn=978-1-893-12117-1}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0322367|Garfield Goose and Friends}}
* [https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/04/15/frazier-thomas-friend-and-more/ Frazier Thomas: Friend and More] Bill Granger, 15 April 1985, ''Chicago Tribune''
{{Commons category|Garfield Goose and Friends}}

===Watch and listen===
* [http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=3606 Rare off-air recording of ''Garfield Goose and Friends'', Circa 1971] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320090445/http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=3606 |date=20 March 2012 }}, courtesy [[The Museum of Classic Chicago Television]]
* [http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=4472 Rare off-air recording of ''Garfield Goose and Friends'', Airdate: 11-20-75] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205085543/http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=4472 |date=5 February 2015 }}, courtesy [[The Museum of Classic Chicago Television]]
* [http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=966 One of only a few existing studio recordings of ''Garfield Goose and Friends'', Airdate: 3-14-74] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205075030/http://www.fuzzymemories.tv/index.php?c=966 |date=5 February 2015 }}, courtesy [[The Museum of Classic Chicago Television]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZj4Cm3_mbo Ethel Smith playing "Monkey on a String"]

{{Chicago Children's Television}}

[[Category:Local children's television programming in the United States]]
[[Category:1950s American children's television series]]
[[Category:1960s American children's television series]]
[[Category:1970s American children's television series]]
[[Category:American television shows featuring puppetry]]
[[Category:1952 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1976 American television series endings]]
[[Category:Works about geese]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Original programming by local channels in Chicago]]
[[Category:American live television series]]
[[Category:Lost television shows]]
[[Category:Television series about birds]]
[[Category:Television series about kings]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic geese]]
[[Category:Children's television series about talking animals]]