MY SHORT WALK WITH STARDOM

It was the spring of my fourth year, 1955. I remember the day well.

My Beginner Sunday School Class from church met at the church that morning to travel together to the nearby town of Greenville, South Carolina. We were all so very excited!

This was the anticipated day we would film the show with Howdy Doody! And we would be on television for the first time! Wow!!

We arrived and were lined up to prepare us to file in quietly. It was not a large studio and situated at the front, we were seated on three rows of bleachers. I was on the second row and near the center.

As the filming began, Howdy Doody came to each child with a “for real” microphone! Each in turn was asked their name and age. Then we were asked to tell something about ourselves. 

Usually a shy child, I was beside myself gitty because this was my second favorite television show in all the world, just under Liberace! When my turn came, I gave my name and age and then blurted out, “And I watch your show EVERY afternoon after my nap!” After a little laughter, Howdy Doody motioned to the director and soon I was wearing a cowboy hat, a holster and a toy gun. I was told in a few minutes they wanted me to ride the Bosco tractor for the commercial! Oh, double Wow!!!

After we sang for the cameras, my tractor arrived pulling a cart filled with glass bottles of Bosco. I boarded my mechanical steed and off I went, without one bottle of Bosco, which lay broken all over the floor. What a mess of glass and chocolate syrup! While it was cleared away, I was sent back to my place on the bleachers. 

They called me to the front again for the final commercial and I was off! This time the Bosco was steady because I watched behind me to be sure I did not break another jar.  Instead, I ran head long into the left camera, almost knocking the cameraman down with the impact! 

Obviously, my tractor was removed from my grasp permanently, as was my hat, holster and gun.

One lesson was learned by all that day.  Never cut a four year old loose with a lethal tractor!!!