# Did you have a favorite character growing up



## Sassycakes (Dec 3, 2021)

I watched a certain show all the time. There was a character on there that I wanted to grow up and be. Here is her picture so you know who she was?


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## charry (Dec 3, 2021)

Sassycakes said:


> I watched a certain show all the time. There was a character on there that I wanted to grow up and be. Here is her picture so you know who she was?
> View attachment 197229


Who is she lol


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## Pinky (Dec 3, 2021)

I dreamed of having a family like the one on The Donna Reed Show.


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## Alligatorob (Dec 3, 2021)




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## Smiley Holly (Dec 3, 2021)

Back in the 70's even before my transition to becoming a women, I thought Mary Tyler Moore was it.


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## Murrmurr (Dec 3, 2021)

My dad was my favorite character.

I don't recognize that woman, @Sassycakes


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## fmdog44 (Dec 3, 2021)

I think my dad was the only person I looked up to and respected. The heroes I had were in comic books and man how I loved my comic books. I remember after reading one month's installments anxiously waiting for the next month's issues and riding my bike to the little store where I bought them when they came out. I would buy three or four different comic books then get home and go into my comic book world until I was done.  Even now I can feel how great that was.


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## JustinCase (Dec 3, 2021)

Anybody who wore a white stetson, rode a horse and saved the homestead & heroine from desperadoes, then rode off singing into the sunset.


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## Jace (Dec 3, 2021)

Sassycakes said:


> I watched a certain show all the time. There was a character on there that I wanted to grow up and be. Here is her picture so you know who she was?
> View attachment 197229


Hi! It "sorta" looks like Natalie Wood...but I'm not sure she was in a TV show.


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## debodun (Dec 3, 2021)

When I was about 8, I was a fan of Pippi Longstocking stories and the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.


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## Happyflowerlady (Dec 3, 2021)

My favorite childhood hero was definitely Roy Rogers, and of course, his beautiful palomino, Trigger.  We went to most of the western movies from the early 1950’s, but Roy Rogers, Rex Allen,  and Gene Autry were the ones who usually played themselves. 
I also got the new comic books as soon as they came out, and all of the neighborhood kids used to get together and trade comic books, so we could read the ones we didn’t have ourselves.


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## JustinCase (Dec 3, 2021)

Happyflowerlady said:


> My favorite childhood hero was definitely Roy Rogers, and of course, his beautiful palomino, Trigger.  We went to most of the western movies from the early 1950’s, but Roy Rogers, Rex Allen,  and Gene Autry were the ones who usually played themselves.
> I also got the new comic books as soon as they came out, and all of the neighborhood kids used to get together and trade comic books, so we could read the ones we didn’t have ourselves.
> 
> View attachment 197242


Never quite figured out Pat Brady and his jeep (Nellie Belle) riding the range in the 19th Century, maybe was frightened of horses?  I read an interview with John Wayne who said 'he personally hated horses'.


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## WheatenLover (Dec 3, 2021)

I loved Patty Duke in The Patty Duke Show (playing Patty Lane). Also Lucy. I loved Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Pippi Longstocking, too.


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## Pepper (Dec 3, 2021)

I loved Sally Fields as Gidget on TV; I loved Sandra Dee in the movie version.  I loved Gidget!  She was a free spirit and her dad an excellent parent.

eta--
Just remembered before I saw the movie I had already read the books by Friedrich Kohner.  The movie & tv show to a lesser extent where faithful to those terrific books!


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## Lewkat (Dec 3, 2021)

Of course it was Roy Rogers.  I was going to marry him when I grew up.  You can find out about that on another thread.


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## Pepper (Dec 3, 2021)

Also, Nancy Drew!  Another free spirit with a wonderful dad!  Hmm I see a pattern!


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## Happyflowerlady (Dec 3, 2021)

Lewkat said:


> Of course it was Roy Rogers.  I was going to marry him when I grew up.  You can find out about that on another thread.



I was going to marry Roy Rogers, too !  I remember being totally upset when my mom told me that I couldn’t because he was already married to Dale Evans. 
Even so, I tried hard to convince Mom that he would want to marry me anyway.


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## Pepper (Dec 3, 2021)

@Happyflowerlady ; @Lewkat 
This is starting to sound a lot like Sister Wives!


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## Gaer (Dec 3, 2021)

Don't remember any.
I was about 10 years old and told my Mother when I  grow up I want to look like Jane Russell.
She told me I'd better stand up straight then!


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## CinnamonSugar (Dec 3, 2021)

Not a tv show but I wanted to be Julie Andrew’s Maria Von Trapp in the Sound of Music


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## Shero (Dec 3, 2021)

Sassycakes said:


> I watched a certain show all the time. There was a character on there that I wanted to grow up and be. Here is her picture so you know who she was?
> View attachment 197229



I think that's Judy Tyler Sassycakes.


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## Shero (Dec 3, 2021)

I loved Pippi Longstocking and I wanted to live in an Izba (Russian log cabin). Did not think of how cold it would be!


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## timoc (Dec 3, 2021)

WC Fields always made me laugh, I learned how to mimmick him.


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## timoc (Dec 3, 2021)

Smiley Holly said:


> View attachment 197240Back in the 70's even before my transition to becoming a women, I thought Mary Tyler Moore was it.


*Being a man*, Mary Tyler Moore was 'sort of' it for me too.


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## Smiley Holly (Dec 3, 2021)

timoc said:


> *Being a man*, Mary Tyler Moore was 'sort of' it for me too.


I think I liked her for much different reasons. She was a very strong women and even though this was before I started my transitioning, I still think in the back of my head I wanted to be like her.


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## Feelslikefar (Dec 3, 2021)

Without a doubt, Sherlock Holmes.

Got to use his mind to solve Crimes, lived in London on 221B Baker Street, had a trusted companion and 
Mrs. Hudson pickup up after them and brought them Tea!
Saw my first Sherlock Holmes movie with Basil Rathbone and I knew he was the one and only person to play my hero.

( later, I saw him in 'Robin Hood' playing the evil Sir Guy of Gisbourne and was never the same...! )
​


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## garyt1957 (Dec 3, 2021)

Jace said:


> Hi! It "sorta" looks like Natalie Wood...but I'm not sure she was in a TV show.


I was thinking the secretary from Perry Mason.


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## garyt1957 (Dec 3, 2021)

Shero said:


> I think that's Judy Tyler Sassycakes.


It does look like Judy Tyler


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## Packerjohn (Dec 3, 2021)

Hey, what about the "Lone Ranger?"  With his faithful companion, Tonto and his mighty horse, Silver, he maintained law and order in the west.  As a little ole' country kid I thought that he sure was a big deal.  I still watch him on DVD but don't tell anyone!  Shhhhhhhhhh!  They might laugh at me but hey, I still like him.  Those were the good ole days when justice ruled and bad guys always ended up dead or in jail.  Not today; bad guys are media "darlings".


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## Sassycakes (Dec 3, 2021)

garyt1957 said:


> It does look like Judy Tyler


You are right garyt1957. She played Princess, Summer Fall Winter Spring on Howdy Doody show.


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## Sassycakes (Dec 3, 2021)

charry said:


> Who is she lol


Judy Tyler. She was on Howdy Doody as Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring.


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## dseag2 (Dec 3, 2021)

My favorite character was Shirley Booth from Hazel.  I used to totter around like her until I came to my senses.


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## fuzzybuddy (Dec 3, 2021)

I wanted to be Hopalong Casidy for a while. But my hero was Tommy Rettig, he played "Jeff" on "Lassie". At that time, I was an only kid, and he was kind of like an older brother. The show went to hell when they foisted "Timmy" on us, but my little brother adored him.


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## Bretrick (Dec 3, 2021)

H.R. Pufnstuf for me.​



Plus
Catweazle​


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## mrstime (Dec 3, 2021)

Ralph Valladares
Roller skater


Description​Ralph Valladares, often known as Ralphie Valladares, was a roller derby skater and coach. Born in Guatemala, Valladares moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was twelve years old. He hoped to become a jockey, but his weight reached 115 pounds, and he turned his attention to roller skating.


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## Gary O' (Dec 3, 2021)

Happyflowerlady said:


> My favorite childhood hero was definitely Roy Rogers


Yup

Roy was the ultimate 

For awhile, Easter begat a straw hat full of candy

A straw* COWBOY *hat

Heck with the candy, I became Roy

Me and the hat were good 'til rainy season

Here's me and my trike.....'Trigger'


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## Gary O' (Dec 3, 2021)

JustinCase said:


> Never quite figured out Pat Brady and his jeep (Nellie Belle) riding the range


Yeah, they coulda done without that


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## OneEyedDiva (Dec 4, 2021)

Not on a T.V. show. My favorite character was Lenore, the mermaid in the movie Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid which showed for 5 nights in one week on Million Dollar Movie.  The movie was in theaters in 1948, the year after I was born. I was probably about 7 when it hit the T.V. screen and it started my fascination with mermaids.


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## AnnieA (Dec 4, 2021)

I was head over heels for Colonel Hogan from childhood through high school....watched reruns every chance I got.


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## Pinky (Dec 4, 2021)

Anne Frank, because she was so brave.


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## feywon (Dec 4, 2021)

Packerjohn said:


> Hey, what about the "Lone Ranger?"  With his faithful companion, Tonto and his mighty horse, Silver, he maintained law and order in the west.  As a little ole' country kid I thought that he sure was a big deal.  I still watch him on DVD but don't tell anyone!  Shhhhhhhhhh!  They might laugh at me but hey, I still like him.  Those were the good ole days when justice ruled and bad guys always ended up dead or in jail.  Not today; bad guys are media "darlings".


LOL, me i always had a thing for Tonto, but then something about the under-recognized 'sidekicks' tended to appeal to me--i adored Bruce Lee's character in Green Hornet.


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## feywon (Dec 4, 2021)

Most realistic female characters when i was under 20 were not anything i'd aspire to be, altho i had a soft spot for Dale Evans.  And while i love scifi i was not into 'fantasy' (magical superheroes with superpowers.  So i tended to look to male characters--being close to my Dad first 10 yrs of life probably a factor too in who i admired as a teen. 

Richard Boone's Palladin in Have Gun, Will Travel; Charles Bronson's lead role in 'Man with a Camera.


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## fmdog44 (Dec 4, 2021)

Smiley Holly said:


> I think I liked her for much different reasons. She was a very strong women and even though this was before I started my transitioning, I still think in the back of my head I wanted to be like her.


I thought Rhoda was better looking. MTM was a diabetic all or most of her life. She looked horrible the last time she appeared in public during a tribute to I think was Betty White. Very Sad.


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## Smiley Holly (Dec 4, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> I thought Rhoda was better looking. MTM was a diabetic all or most of her life. She looked horrible the last time she appeared in public during a tribute to I think was Betty White. Very Sad.


Like I said, I don't think I was really looking so much at the appearance or looks , but more of what type of character they were playing.


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## garyt1957 (Dec 4, 2021)

Sassycakes said:


> Judy Tyler. She was on Howdy Doody as Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring.


Never saw that show. She had a tragic demise just after filming Jailhouse Rock with Elvis.


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## garyt1957 (Dec 4, 2021)

Definitely this guy. Still the best Superman ever for me.


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## mrstime (Dec 4, 2021)

feywon said:


> Most realistic female characters when i was under 20 were not anything i'd aspire to be, altho i had a soft spot for Dale Evans.  And while i love scifi i was not into 'fantasy' (magical superheroes with superpowers.  So i tended to look to male characters--being close to my Dad first 10 yrs of life probably a factor too in who i admired as a teen.
> 
> Richard Boone's Palladin in Have Gun, Will Travel; Charles Bronson's lead role in 'Man with a Camera.


I remember Charles Bronson in Man with a Camera, I thought he was the sexiest man in the world.


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## Sassycakes (Dec 5, 2021)

I had a crush on The Lone Ranger.


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## Fyrefox (Dec 5, 2021)

Since _Superman _and _The Lone Ranger_ have already been cited, I’m going to go a bit esoteric with _Sergeant Preston of the Yukon.  _A TV series based on a earlier radio drama, _Sergeant Preston _ran from 1955 to ‘58, and was filmed in _color_, unusual for that time.  The noble Mounty fought criminals and the elements with his faithful dog _Yukon King_, a malamute pup who was raised by a wolf…how cool is that?!  He also rode a horse, _Rex.  _I can still thrill to hearing Sergeant Preston shout, “_On King, on you huskies!”  _This series may have inspired the cartoon Mounty parody _Dudley Dooright…_


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## JaniceM (Dec 11, 2021)

Pepper said:


> View attachment 197255
> *I loved Sally Fields as Gidget on TV; I loved Sandra Dee in the movie version.  I loved Gidget!  She was a free spirit and her dad an excellent parent.*
> 
> eta--
> Just remembered before I saw the movie I had already read the books by Friedrich Kohner.  The movie & tv show to a lesser extent where faithful to those terrific books!



I didn't pay much attention to the show when it was first on, possibly because we had a b/w t.v., but when it showed up on a retro channel a few years ago it became one of my favorites.


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## oldiebutgoody (Dec 20, 2021)

I've been a dreamer all my life and imagined myself as a thousand different characters in my youth.  Among them were Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, Red Rider, Ilya Muromets, Perry Mason, and others.  But perhaps my fave and the one I imagined myself the most was Zorro. This perhaps because fencing was (and remains)  one of my favorite sports. I am a long time subscriber to the FIE network in YouTube and watch many international fencing tournaments.


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## IFortuna (Dec 21, 2021)

Hopalong Cassidy.  Watch every night,


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## Devi (Dec 22, 2021)

Favorite? One of mine was/is Mr. Spock from Star Trek. Eh — live long and prosper!


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## oldiebutgoody (Dec 22, 2021)

IFortuna said:


> Hopalong Cassidy.  Watch every night,




Good pick because many of those TV heroes back then had side kicks who were more interesting than they were.  

Hopalong has Gabby Hayes as Windy Halladay
Zorro ~ Bernardo
Cisco Kid ~ Pancho
Yancey Derringer ~ Pahoo (greatest body guard anywhere)
Jim Newton (of Fury/Brave Stallion) ~ Pete ( an old codger who was so much like me)
Ralph Kramden ~ Ed Norton
Get Smart ~ Agent 99
Inspector Montalbano (Italian TV) ~ Sargent Catarella (one of the funniest characters I have ever seen - utterly hilarious!)
Amos &  Andy ~ Algonquin J Calhoun, Esq - possibly the funniest character in TV history
Vicar of Dibley ~ Alice Tinker
Superman ~ Perry White (former shoe shine boy, crime reporter (he broke the story of the Untouchables), worked his way through law school, research scientist, masterful magician, officer in the military, former mayor of Metropolis, editor & publisher)


There were so many more!


and there were so many other characters who were even more interesting or entertaining than the lead character


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## IFortuna (Dec 22, 2021)

oldiebutgoody said:


> Good pick because many of those TV heroes back then had side kicks who were more interesting than they were.
> 
> Hopalong has Gabby Hayes as Windy Halladay
> Zorro ~ Bernardo
> ...


Don't forget Hoppy's other sidekick, California.  I love him too, especially in Borderland. Oh, the Vicar of Dibley, Dawn French.  She is wonderful.  Emma Chambers (Alice Tinker) was so talented.  She passed suddenly in 2018.  She was also in Martin Chuzzelwit. 

I was raised on Amos and Andy, I loved them so much. And, Ruby Begonia, love the name. They were fun.  

I met Leo Carillo (Pancho) when I was about 11 or 12. I was with my grandparents about to have lunch at a particular hotel when we spotted him.  He was bigger than life so I ran behind a pillar in awe of him! 
My grandmother used to dress up my grandfather like Cisco for Santa Barbara Fiesta days.  She and I wore Mantilla and pretty dresses.

 My dad loved the Honeymooners. And, my mom and I used to watch the Alfred Hitchcock series together.
Thanks for sharing your memories too!


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## IFortuna (Dec 22, 2021)

feywon said:


> Most realistic female characters when i was under 20 were not anything i'd aspire to be, altho i had a soft spot for Dale Evans.  And while i love scifi i was not into 'fantasy' (magical superheroes with superpowers.  So i tended to look to male characters--being close to my Dad first 10 yrs of life probably a factor too in who i admired as a teen.
> 
> Richard Boone's Palladin in Have Gun, Will Travel; Charles Bronson's lead role in 'Man with a Camera.


I agree.   I could not relate to the female character unless it was Annie Oakley! I related to the male characters as well.   My dad and I were best friends.  We use to hang out in his office at home and his coin store in Reno.


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## officerripley (Dec 23, 2021)

feywon said:


> Most realistic female characters when i was under 20 were not anything i'd aspire to be, altho i had a soft spot for Dale Evans.  And while i love scifi i was not into 'fantasy' (magical superheroes with superpowers.  So i tended to look to male characters--being close to my Dad first 10 yrs of life probably a factor too in who i admired as a teen.
> 
> Richard Boone's Palladin in Have Gun, Will Travel; Charles Bronson's lead role in 'Man with a Camera.


Same here; the female characters I most aspired to were in those romantic comedies from the 40s, 50s (I watched a lot of old movies on tv), such as Katharine Hepburn (and Goldie Hawn in a 70s comedy _Foul Play_), they were happy single gals with a great job living in a cute little bachelor girl's apartment in the big city. Sigh.

I'm kind of surprised that none of the men here on SF mentioned aspiring to be this kind of guy:



Instead  lot of outdoorsy, hard-bitten (except for Roy), cowboy types; interesting.


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## Chet (Dec 23, 2021)

Alligatorob said:


>


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## Tom 86 (Dec 23, 2021)

Roy Rogers,  Gene Autry & other western stars back in the 40s are on the radio.


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## Nathan (Dec 23, 2021)

garyt1957 said:


> I was thinking the secretary from Perry Mason.


Perry's secretary, Della Street...played by Barbara Hale on the TV series.  I watch Perry Mason every day, my heart beats a little quicker when Della is in a scene.


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## oldiebutgoody (Dec 23, 2021)

> *IFortuna* ~     My dad loved the Honeymooners.




One of my all time fave tv shows with "Bensonhurst Bomber" the greatest episode of them all:







This is what Brooklyn was all about back in the day.


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## officerripley (Dec 23, 2021)

Here's another that guys couldn't go wrong aspiring to IMO:


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## oldpop (Dec 23, 2021)




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## Packerjohn (Dec 23, 2021)

Sassycakes said:


> You are right garyt1957. She played Princess, Summer Fall Winter Spring on Howdy Doody show.
> View attachment 197293


Wow!  I too used to watch the Howdy Dody Show on black and white TV.  If my memory serves me right there was a cow called Clarabel or something like that.  I also listened to a radio show that I can still sing the theme song from.  It was called "Cockoo Clock House".  I wonder if anyone remembers that one?


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## Pepper (Dec 23, 2021)

Clarabel was a clown & he squirted me in the face with seltzer during an appearance at a kiddie amusement park located near my home.  The whole human cast was there.  I was riding the "roller coaster" -- kid version -- at the time.


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## IrisSenior (Dec 23, 2021)

I didn't really have a favourite character growing up, just some tv shows I really liked: Combat, I Love Lucy, Dennis the Menace, Leave it to Beaver, The Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchcock, Laurel and Hardy, Soup Sales...there were so many.


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## IFortuna (Dec 24, 2021)

Here is one of the best I saved for last.

I used to live in Sausalito, Ca.  It was sometime in 1972.  I was only 22 and I worked in a clothing store called "Opening Thursday".
The proprietor was a very sweet woman who allowed me to stay in a small upstairs apartment which was also the fashion department of the store for free.  She let me stay as I was homeless at the time. I was only homeless for a day but she helped a great deal so that I would be safe off the streets. I never even had a vehicle until 1976 after I move to New Mexico.

This lady used to design the most beautiful clothes which had an old fashioned twist which was really popular during that time.  She used use old tablecloths, old lace and beautiful old fabrics wherever she could find them. The clothes were so beautiful.
During sometime in the summer a fella came in with his girlfriend who wanted to try on the clothing.  She picked out several things and she tried them all on while the fella and I talked for a couple of hours. He was so sweet and friendly, one of the nicest people I would ever meet as it turned out. Turned out I was dating the woman's brother, Chris Green. He lived in Mill Valley in the house belonging to Lee Michaels. Lee had 4 or 5 cheetahs roaming the the "backyard".  They were as friendly as house cats.

So, it came time to pay for the clothing and the fella wrote a check.  As was our store policy, I asked for I.D.  He generously provided it without so much as a grumble.  I looked at the driver's license and the name hit me like a ton of bricks, Dennis Hopper;
the nice fella I had talked to for hours. I was able to cover up my astonishment and carried on.
I never had seen Easy Rider which was released in 1969.  I could never afford go to the movies.  I never went unless I had a date who would take me.  I knew who he was I just did not make the connection.  I guess I never thought I would meet him.

That was a day I won't forget. 




Here's a pic of Lee Michaels and a couple of the cheetahs.


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## Autumn72 (Feb 14, 2022)

WheatenLover said:


> I loved Patty Duke in The Patty Duke Show (playing Patty Lane). Also Lucy. I loved Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Pippi Longstocking, too.


Remember Patty Duke


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## Autumn72 (Feb 14, 2022)

Sassycakes said:


> Judy Tyler. She was on Howdy Doody as Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring.


What ever happened to these stars?
Must I ask?


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## Autumn72 (Feb 14, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Not on a T.V. show. My favorite character was Lenore, the mermaid in the movie Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid which showed for 5 nights in one week on Million Dollar Movie.  The movie was in theaters in 1948, the year after I was born. I was probably about 7 when it hit the T.V. screen and it started my fascination with mermaids.


I wasn't born until a year later.


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## Packerjohn (Feb 14, 2022)

Autumn72 said:


> What ever happened to these stars?
> Must I ask?


Just like my heroes, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, they are all now "pushing daisies."


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