Network: CBC Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1960 to 1961
Broadcast Medium: Television
Aired Monday through Fridays, after school, from October 1960 to June, 1961.
Murray Westgate hosted this one hour program that re-cycled morning shows on the network. The show was aimed at children up to age 14 and called upon the talents of the CBC Children’s Department for the content.
Bantam Roundup featured The Friendly Giant three times a week, supplemented by Maggie Muffins to fill out the week, and these elements formed the first part of the show.
The remaining 45 minutes were for older kids, and featured science fiction, drama, games, travel and interviews directed at the 9 to 14 year-olds. Most of the productions were regional in nature, much like most of CBC’s programming. Often a studio audience of children supplemented the production, and offered a platform for kids’ games with Dave Broadfoot and Jean Templeton.
Tuesdays often featured a science program with either Percy Saltzman or Steve Bloomer from Montreal.
Wednesdays featured singalongs with Stu Phillips in Winnipeg or Sea shanties from Halifax. Thursdays were dedicated to short films and documentaries. On Fridays, Tidewater Tramp was the featured repeat with a news for children segment called, Your World This Week. The show continued into the new year with more air time granted to Dave Broadfoot and Jean Templeton as hosts and more location shoots for the program’s content.
Supervising Producer: Stanley Cox
Producers: Doug Davidson, Francis Chapman, Maurice Dubois and Pierre Desjardins.
Writers: Michael Spivak and Cliff Braggins
Written by John Corcelli – May, 2005