F is for Freddie Freihofer: My T.V. debut. Sixth of twenty-six posts in the April 2017 Blogging From A to Z Challenge on the theme “Whispering Chimneys: My Altamont childhood” — where my genealogy journey began. Wish me luck!
Home delivery was a way of life in the early 1950s before big supermarkets existed.
Milk trucks dropped off quart bottles with thick cream hovering at the top. Diaper services brought freshly-laundered weekly supplies right to the door of new mothers.
And for children like me — in New York’s capital district — there were bright red Freihofer’s Bakery trucks going house-to-house with the bread, cookies, pies and cakes!
They didn’t just deliver, either. Freihofer’s had a regular show on our local WRGB television station. The program’s official name was “Bread Time Stories” — but we all called it the Freddie Freihofer Show after the bakery’s mascot, a cartoon rabbit.
My T.V. debut
I was a huge fan, so my parents sent in my name — and in 1955 I made my T.V. debut on the program. Because the show taped on my actual birthday, I even got a frosted cake with my name on it — along with an 8-by-10 glossy photo of me with the other children.
A memorable event! And one that stays with me, along with the catchy Freddie Freihofer theme song. So please sing along as you watch the video below and enjoy a bit of upstate New York broadcast history.
Up next: G is for Gramps: Machinist and woodworker. Please stop back!
© 2017 Molly Charboneau. All rights reserved.
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Molly,
Great Story and shots. I didn’t make TV, but you are correct, they all delivered directly to the door. We had the Hathaway Man.
Thanks for the post.
Randy
Thanks Randy! Today some supermarkets in urban areas will deliver grocery orders. And there are now meal operations that will deliver ingredients and recipes each week anywhere — which folks think is novel. Yet we had home delivery way back in the 1950s!
How fun! Not many people can say to have had a TV debut at such a young age. Or, any TV debut at all, really. 😉
According to the video clip I posted, nearly 250,000 children appeared on the show during its run! Including the newscaster featured in the video 🙂
very sweet
Thanks, Debby.
You’re a natural! You struck a comfortable pose as if this was not a debut, but a recurring gig. 😉 Great story and memory.
Thanks Stephanie! Truth be told, I did PR work and community organizing for a few years and I loved doing on camera interviews 🙂 So it seems I got my start on the Freddie Freihofer Show.