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| Barnaby, flanked by his buddy Woodrow the Woodsman (left) and WEWS personality Captain Penny (right) |
Well, it really wasn't Barnaby per se. It was Linn Sheldon, the man who portrayed the straw-hat-wearing, elf-like character who hosted a children's show on the Cleveland NBC affiliate beginning in the late 1950s. Barnaby lived in the Enchanted Forest with his invisible parrot (Long John), showed Popeye cartoons and engaged in gentle banter directed to his audience of kids. What local Baby Boomer doesn't remember Barnaby's daily heartfelt sign-off, and the haunting theme song (A La Claire Fontaine)? I still get choked up when I hear it.
Anyway, around 1958 Linn Sheldon – who was a talented all-around performer and musician – released a Christmas novelty song: "Boofo Goes Where Santa Goes." Boofo is Santa's little dog, who stays by his side and accompanies him on Christmas Eve.
It's quite catchy and features Sheldon on his ukulele. But I gotta warn you – it might get stuck in your head permanently.
In the late 1990s, Boofo became the subject of a book written by Joseph P. King and E. Del Thomas and illustrated by well-known Plain Dealer cartoonist Dick Dugan.
This is definitely a new one for me, although I remember Barnaby strumming his ukulele and singing.
ReplyDeleteY'all remember "I Want to Go Back to My Little Ol' Earth"?
Where I grew up "boofo" was a *completely* different thing.
ReplyDeleteBut Barnaby... He was our Mr. Rodgers, wasn't he?
"If anybody calls, tell them Barnaby said hello. And tell them that I think you are the nicest person in the whole world... Just you."
What world doesn't need more of that?
Thanks for this, Dan - while I have a copy of the 45, the later book and plush animal are new to me. Dick Dugan was a talented cartoonist.
ReplyDelete