I didn't yet know the expression "WTF", but when I watched this (repeatedly) c 1960, that well summarized my reaction. "What is going on here? Why do other kids supposedly think this is 'nice' or funny or cute or what?" Between the elephant dramas (why does "Andy's Story Book" seemingly contain nothing else?) and the genuinely entertaining chaos artist Froggy, this was for me the most incomprehensible part of this most unusual show.
I once had a phone conversation with my Cuz'n Dan about this show. He's 10 yrs. younger than I (1937/1947). It took 15 min. for us to realize that his version was on TV, hosted by Andy Devine, whereas my version was on radio and hosted by Smiln' Ed McConnell. Neither remembered the other's version. So I called Joe, who's exactly halfway between us in age (1942). He remembered both.
Bro...We loved Andy, but regarded him as an interloper as, "Smilin'" Ed McConnell started the show on RADIO...then, later on TV... He came up with the animal characters. We saw a bunch of the first ones with Ed.. always advertised Buster Brown Shoes with Tige, the dog inside the heel along with the goofy Lord Fauntleroy looking Kid. Who looked exactly like the Buster in the Sunday color newspaper comic strips of the early 1900's. They are hilarious.
Poor cat...Poor hamster, too. I used to watch this show when I was little. Never thought then about the cruel way the creatures were treated. I just remember loving Midnight.
I suspect the animal close up shots were of real animals while the shots of them doing things were puppets or dolls. I believe the entire Viet Nam anti war movement was started by kids raised on Froggy the Gremlin. There was a hypnotizing surreal quality to the entire show. It was wonderful.
The cat and hamster had their revenge and filed a gross neglect and willful sadism suit against the fat man. Years later, Devine would relate his nitemares of them haunting his dressing room late at nite and in his dreams with,"Niiiice"!
Utterly warped phantom zone Andy’s Gang inhabitants, with its live animals manipulated by wires, cheap plastic puppets and smoke bomb effects, canned music, canned audience reactions, canned audience footage, endlessly recycled into infinity, but if not, perhaps the sight of Midnight the Cat being forced to mime playing the organ to the tune of “Yes, Jesus Loves Me,” while Squeaky the mouse / hamster is manipulated into beating out a dirge like rhythm on a bass drum and Andy Devine drones tunelessly along in the background
This show was completely faked. There was no live audience. The audience sounds were dubbed in & they cut in old stock footage of an audience in a theater. Andy Devine & the animals were shot separately (notice they're never in the same shot) and spliced together from two different films. It's all edited together. Talk about making a show on the cheap!
The poor kitty probably was indeed black furred, albeit not of the radically punch nosed kind. She’s probably a (rather early) postwar button nosed American Persian instead.
This is the strangest kid's show of all time. In every episode that I have ever seen, Andy Devine appears to be drunk, the animals are forced to do things that would get them busted by the ASPCA if done today, and the production is so cheap it looks like it was shot on a home movie camera!
Penultimate happy memory of Andy, Midnight, Squeeky, and Froggy! They helped get me through a very rough childhood. THANK YOU FOR THIS!
FOUND TREASURE from my Childhood ❗😄❤️❤️❤️❤️
The stuff for a generation of children's nightmares. LOVE Andy's Gang!!
Kids today would think the things we watched back in the day were weird. They don't know what they are missing.
this is the stuff nightmares are made of
😂😂😂
C'mon ❗😹
I watched Andy’s Gang every Saturday morning on WNBC ch 4 in NYC
Hello JAY !
I watched on WDSU NBC 6 in New Orleans ( the First TV station in Louisiana )❗👍🏼
I didn't yet know the expression "WTF", but when I watched this (repeatedly) c 1960, that well summarized my reaction. "What is going on here? Why do other kids supposedly think this is 'nice' or funny or cute or what?" Between the elephant dramas (why does "Andy's Story Book" seemingly contain nothing else?) and the genuinely entertaining chaos artist Froggy, this was for me the most incomprehensible part of this most unusual show.
Simple, Bernie - they got the 🐘 to work for peanuts so naturally they used him more than the others, who were all "Union" members ❗😹😸😋😺😂😁
I agree with Midnight: "NICE"!
I once had a phone conversation with my Cuz'n Dan about this show. He's 10 yrs. younger than I (1937/1947). It took 15 min. for us to realize that his version was on TV, hosted by Andy Devine, whereas my version was on radio and hosted by Smiln' Ed McConnell. Neither remembered the other's version.
So I called Joe, who's exactly halfway between us in age (1942). He remembered both.
Bro...We loved Andy, but regarded him as an interloper as, "Smilin'" Ed McConnell started the show on RADIO...then, later on TV... He came up with the animal characters. We saw a bunch of the first ones with Ed.. always advertised Buster Brown Shoes with Tige, the dog inside the heel along with the goofy Lord Fauntleroy looking Kid. Who looked exactly like the Buster in the Sunday color newspaper comic strips of the early 1900's. They are hilarious.
Way before Sesame Street, or even Disney!
Niiice!
Keyboard Cat's Great Great Great Great Grandpa!
Poor cat...Poor hamster, too. I used to watch this show when I was little. Never thought then about the cruel way the creatures were treated. I just remember loving Midnight.
"Niice"
Niceeeee
still luv him
They were puppets... I even knew that when I was a kid.
I suspect the animal close up shots were of real animals while the shots of them doing things were puppets or dolls. I believe the entire Viet Nam anti war movement was started by kids raised on Froggy the Gremlin. There was a hypnotizing surreal quality to the entire show. It was wonderful.
The cat and hamster had their revenge and filed a gross neglect and willful sadism suit against the fat man. Years later, Devine would relate his nitemares of them haunting his dressing room late at nite and in his dreams with,"Niiiice"!
lol
@mxylpx
Yep INDEED 👍🏼😂😹😸😋😜🤣
Nice.............
You ought to read Armageddon Rock by George R R Martin from the year 1982. I miss in this video Ghana the Elephant Boy.
The original grumpy cat!
I think the animals are puppets. I clearly recall this show.
No they're not. they're forced into suits that make them look like they're doing certain actions.
Utterly warped phantom zone Andy’s Gang inhabitants, with its live animals manipulated by wires, cheap plastic puppets and smoke bomb effects, canned music, canned audience reactions, canned audience footage, endlessly recycled into infinity, but if not, perhaps the sight of Midnight the Cat being forced to mime playing the organ to the tune of “Yes, Jesus Loves Me,” while Squeaky the mouse / hamster is manipulated into beating out a dirge like rhythm on a bass drum and Andy Devine drones tunelessly along in the background
You are an idiot
@BobDenny
Absolutely Right ❗😊👍🏼
@@brendanwoods9927
"Upon my word ❗" exclaimed Alice and Jerry's dad. 😂🤣😹
That cat smells like a brewery.
Obviously drugged and trussed animals. I think a lot of hamsters died during the filming of this.
Is Squeeky's real paws clamped down into that Harmonica ?
yuppers
Impatient bastard.
😢
0:44
eltons inspiration
My dreams be like:
This show was completely faked. There was no live audience. The audience sounds were dubbed in & they cut in old stock footage of an audience in a theater. Andy Devine & the animals were shot separately (notice they're never in the same shot) and spliced together from two different films. It's all edited together. Talk about making a show on the cheap!
So what???
Don’t tell anyone!
The cats eyes say "Kill me now".
Is Midnight a black persian?
The poor kitty probably was indeed black furred, albeit not of the radically punch nosed kind. She’s probably a (rather early) postwar button nosed American Persian instead.
This is the strangest kid's show of all time. In every episode that I have ever seen, Andy Devine appears to be drunk, the animals are forced to do things that would get them busted by the ASPCA if done today, and the production is so cheap it looks like it was shot on a home movie camera!
It won an Emmy in 1949
Grow up!
Hodgman was not.
What future Trump and NRA supporters watched as kids.