Bonus! What's on TV? Saturday, December 26, 1964

On Facebook, reader Jeremy Clark read the "This Week in TV Guide" for December 26, 1964 and asked it if might be possible to see the TV listings from that particular Saturday. I'm happy when I can oblige with this kind of request, because I love sharing with you all, and I get a great deal of pleasure when I can give you the kinds of things you enjoy.

Just a reminder that if you'd like to see the listings from a particular date, or if you'd like me to write up a specific TV Guide, or if you'd just like to let me know what you're interested in, please send me an email or contact me via Facebook, and I'll make every effort to comply. One reader has asked me do write about the NBC series Smithsonian, and I'm assembling information on that for an article early next year. If, like Jeremy, you've read about an issue I've done and want to know about the listings from a certain date, it only takes me a few minutes to whip one out.

So let's get to it, shall we?

	WCCO, Channel 4 (CBS)
	Morning
	06:30a	Sunrise Semester
	07:00a	Mister Mayor
	08:00a	The Alvin Show
	08:30a	Tennessee Tuxedo
	09:00a	Quick Draw McGraw
	09:30a	Mighty Mouse
	10:00a	Linus the Lionhearted
	10:30a	The Jetsons
	11:00a	Sky King
	11:30a	My Friend Flicka
	Afternoon
	12:00p	News (Don Dahl)
	12:15p	Weather (Bob Potter)
	12:20p	Sports (Hal Scott)
	12:30p	Hobbies and Handicrafts
	12:45p	Movie – “High Society”
	02:00p	Divorce Court
	03:00p	Roller Derby
	04:00p	Mora High School Choir (special)
	04:30p	The Year in Sports (special)
	05:30p	Battle Line
	Evening
	06:00p	News (Dave Moore)
	06:15p	Sports (Don Dahl)
	06:25p	Weather (Don O’Brien)
	06:30p	Jackie Gleason
	07:30p	Gilligan’s Island
	08:00p	Mr. Broadway
	09:00p	Gunsmoke
	10:00p	News (Dave Moore)
	10:15p	Weather (Bud Kraehling)
	10:20p	Sports (Don Dahl)
	10:30p	Critics Award Theater – “It Happened to Jane”
	12:00a	The Bedtime Nooz
	12:15a	Movie – “News Hounds”
	01:15a	Night Kappers

I may have mentioned this in the past, but Mister Mayor was a series developed by Bob Keeshan and CBS in an effort to force out a third party which shared ownership of Kangaroo with Keeshan and the network, If the third party refused to give way, the plan was to ax the Captain and replace him with the Major Monday through Friday as well. They were, evidently, successful in their efforts. 

Another mister, Mr. Broadway, starred Craig Stevens in his follow-up series to Peter Gunn. It was, I believe, produced by David Susskind's group, and one of the problems was how to explain why Stevens, a Broadway producer, had to always carry a gun and inevitably got involved in solving mysteries.

	KSTP, Channel 5 (NBC)
	Morning
	07:30a	Minnesota Farm Scene
	08:00a	Andy’s Gang
	08:30a	Hector Heathcote (color)
	09:00a	Underdog (color)
	09:30a	Fireball XL-5
	10:00a	Dennis the Menace
	10:30a	Fury
	11:00a	Exploring (color)
	Afternoon
	12:00p	Hobby Showcase (color)
	12:30p	Love That Bob!
	01:00p	Men Into Space
	01:30p	Southern Baptist Hour (special) (color)
	02:30p	NBC Sports Special (bowl preview)
	03:00p	Sun Bowl (Georgia vs. Texas Tech) (special)
	Evening
	06:00p	News (Bob Ryan) (color)
	06:15p	Weather (Johnny Morris) (color)
	06:20p	Sports (Al Tighe) (color)
	06:30p	Flipper (color)
	07:00p	The New Adventures of Mr. Magoo (color)
	07:30p	Kentucky Jones
	08:00p	Saturday Night at the Movies – “Adam’s Rib”
	10:00p	News (Bob Ryan) (color)
	10:15p	Weather (Johnny Morris) (color)
	10:20p	Sports (Al Tighe) (color)
	10:30p	Movie – “The Astounding She-Monster”
	11:45p	Movie – “Night Monster”

Something else I've commented on in the past - I'm fascinated that Channel 5's top news team of Bob Ryan, Johnny Morris and Al Tighe did the Saturday news as well as Monday through Friday (although I think John MacDougall did the 10pm news during the week). I know that later in the decade, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley would introduce a Saturday version of The Huntley-Brinkley Report. Of course, Saturday used to be treated like a mini workday, with many offices open until noon that day. Personally, I'm glad that part of midcentury American no longer exists.

  

	KMSP, Channel 9 (ABC)
	Morning
	08:30a	Buffalo Bill, Jr.
	09:00a	Shenanigans
	09:30a	Annie Oakley
	10:00a	Casper the Friendly Ghost
	10:30a	Porky Pig
	11:00a	Bugs Bunny
	11:30a	Hoppity Hooper (color)
	Afternoon
	12:00p	American Bandstand (guests Gene Barry, Bobby Vee, Mel Carter)
	01:00p	AFL Championship (San Diego at Buffalo) (special)
	03:45p	All-Pro Scoreboard (last show of the series)
	04:00p	Wide World of Sports (National Open Polo Championship, Australian Rules Football Grand Final)
	05:30p	ABC Scope
	Evening
	06:00p	Dobie Gillis
	06:30p	The Outer Limits
	07:30p	Lawrence Welk
	08:30p	The Hollywood Palace (host Van Johnson, guests Betty Grable, Sergio Franchi, Jackie Mason, Mimi Zerbini, Paul Gilbert, Jambaz balancing act, Bal Caron Trio dancers, Zeros knife throwing act)
	09:30p	The Rebel
	10:00p	News (local)
	10:15p	Weather (Mort Garren)
	10:20p	Sports (D.J. Leary)
	10:30p	Movie – “The Master of Ballantrae”

I would have been very interested to see how Wide World of Sports explained the mechanics of Australian Rules Football, a sport that seems to operate from the same rulebook as fizbin. I love watching it, though - those guys are tough!

I mentioned the AFL Championship in the TV Guide article on this week, and I couldn't help thinking about it again today when I was reading about how fans in San Diego were coping with the prospect of the Chargers moving to Los Angeles for next season. This is a city that provided the old AFL with some of their strongest support in the early days, and have been with the team through thick and thin. Of course, the owners aren't getting a free, shiny new stadium, and so they're taking their toy to a market where some fools will pay for it. A pox on their house.

	WTCN, Channel 11 (Ind.)
	Morning
	10:15a	News (local)
	10:30a	Pinky Lee
	11:00a	Exploring Nature
	11:30a	The King and Odie
	Afternoon
	12:00p	Lunch With Casey
	01:00p	Roundhouse Rodney
	01:30p	Whirlybirds
	02:00p	Championship Bowling (Ron Winger vs. Jim St. John)
	03:00p	Rocky and His Friends
	03:30p	Movie – “The Fall of Rome”
	05:30p	Sea Hunt
	Evening
	06:00p	All Star Wrestling
	07:30p	Movie – “Moon over Burma”
	09:00p	One Step Beyond
	09:30p	News (Gil Amundson)
	09:45p	Weather (Stuart A. Lindman)
	09:50p	Sports (Beutel/Horner)
	10:00p	Movie – “Beau Geste”
	12:30a	Amos ‘n’ Andy (time approximate)

Amos 'n' Andy is on Twin Cities television throughout most of the '60s, disappearing for good some time around 1967 or 68, I think. But even in 1964, it's on late at night.

The 90 minute block of Lunch With Casey and Roundhouse Rodney was some of the most invigorating, enjoyable television I would experience each week. TV