The day in TV: December 12, 1966

As I mentioned last week, RadioDiscussions.com is no more.  It had a great classic TV discussion board (which I hope will be resurrected at another site in the near future), a place where TV nerds like me could compare notes on things like old television programming listings.  Whenever I linked to one of my TV Guide pieces, I'd always include the listings from a typical day, as a snapshot of what was going on that week.

I don't know if I'll continue to do that here on a regular basis, but the week seems kind of empty otherwise, so here's the schedule from last week's TV Guide - the date is Monday, December 12, 1966*, and it's the Minnesota State Edition of TVG, which includes listings from stations in outstate Minnesota.  Posting it here also gives me a chance to provide some more in-depth comments on various programs and personalities - it's from my TV viewing lifetime, so I know the time well.  So here goes!

KTCA, Channel 2 (Educ.)
Morning
09:00aClassroom
Afternoon
05:00pKindergarten
05:30pChildren’s Fair
Evening
06:00pNow See This
07:00pHoliday Festival
08:00pProfile (Henrik Ibsen)
08:30pHamline University
09:00pChoosing Your Career
09:30pFolio
10:00pMonday for Medicine

As you can see, educational television really was that, back in the mid 60s.  Classroom ran throughout the school day, not giving way to other programming until 5:30.  KTCA was not officially listed as an affiliate of NET (the precursor to PBS), so almost all of the programming here is locally or regionally produced.  

KDAL, Channel 3 (Duluth) (CBS)
Morning
07:35aFarm and Home
07:45aTreetop House
08:00aCaptain Kangaroo
09:00aCandid Camera
09:30aBeverly Hillbillies
10:00aAndy Griffith
10:30aDick Van Dyke
11:00aLove of Life
11:25aCBS News (color)
11:30aSearch for Tomorrow
11:45aGuiding Light
Afternoon
12:00pTown and Country
12:30pAs the World Turns
01:00pPassword (Jim Backus, Elizabeth Montgomery) (color)
01:30pHouse Party (William Demarest, Elaine McKenna) (color)
02:00pTo Tell The Truth
02:25pCBS News (color)
02:30pThe Edge of Night
03:00pThe Secret Storm
03:30pMike Douglas (Ann Sothern, Gary Crosby, Buddy Rich, Flip Wilson, Constance Towers, Anne Schuster)
05:00pLeave It to Beaver
05:30pCBS News (Harry Reasoner) (color)
Evening
06:00pNews (local)
06:30pGilligan’s Island (color)
07:00pRun, Buddy, Run (color)
07:30pLucille Ball (color)
08:00pAndy Griffith (color)
08:30pFamily Affair (color)
09:00pTo Tell The Truth (Orson Bean, Peggy Cass, Tom Poston, Kitty Carlisle) (color)
09:30pI’ve Got a Secret (Victor Borge, Henry Morgan, Bess Myerson, Bill Cullen, Betsy Palmer)
10:00pNews (local)
10:15pMovie – “The Young Stranger”

One of the nice things about a TV Guide with multiple network affiliates is that you can find out what programs weren't carried by your own local channel.  WCCO, for example, never carried the CBS Morning News, here hosted by Joseph Benti.  In the 70s you could see it on Channel 9, the independent station.  

The Mike Douglas Show, as was the case with many syndicated shows, ran on different schedules depending on the station you watched it on.  On KDAL, you see a completely different lineup than you will on WCCO.  

WCCO, Channel 4 (CBS)
Morning
06:00aSunrise Semester
06:30aSiegfried and His Flying Saucer
07:00aClancy and Company (color)
08:00aCaptain Kangaroo
09:00aDr. Reuben K. Youngdahl (color)
09:05aNews (local) (color)
09:10aHi Neighbor (color)
09:30aBeverly Hillbillies
10:00aAndy Griffith
10:30aDick Van Dyke
11:00aLove of Life
11:25aCBS News (color)
11:30aSearch for Tomorrow
11:45aGuiding Light
Afternoon
12:00pNews (local) (color)
12:20pSomething Special (color)
12:30pAs the World Turns
01:00pPassword (Jim Backus, Elizabeth Montgomery) (color)
01:30pHouse Party (William Demarest, Elaine McKenna) (color)
02:00pTo Tell The Truth
02:25pCBS News (color)
02:30pThe Edge of Night
03:00pThe Secret Storm
03:30pCandid Camera
04:00pMike Douglas (Allan Sherman, Elsa Lanchester, Shani Wallis, the Royal Showband, Natalie Keaton)
05:30pCBS News (Harry Reasoner) (color)
Evening
06:00pNews (local) (color)
06:30pGilligan’s Island (color)
07:00pRun, Buddy, Run (color)
07:30pLucille Ball (color)
08:00pAndy Griffith (color)
08:30pFamily Affair (color)
09:00pTo Tell The Truth (Orson Bean, Peggy Cass, Tom Poston, Kitty Carlisle) (color)
09:30pI’ve Got a Secret (Victor Borge, Henry Morgan, Bess Myerson, Bill Cullen, Betsy Palmer)
10:00pNews (local) (color)
10:30pOur Men in Vietnam (color)
10:40pMerv Griffin (John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Hugh O’Brian, Howard Keel, Sloane Simpson, Rufino Tamayo, Warren Avis)
12:10aMovie – “The Amazing Transparent Man”

Siegfried and His Flying Saucer was a local cartoon program that featured Wallace the Weather Bear giving kids the day's forecast.  Both Siegfried and Wallace were unanimated line drawings.  Siegfried was followed by Clancy the Cop, itself the successor to Axel's Tree House,and the reason you didn't get to see Joe Benti and the news.

By the way, did you see that lineup on Merv Griffin's show?  This isn't the CBS version, although it's airing on a CBS affiliate, but Merv's syndicated chatfest.  It should be noted that the first four stars were interviewed together in Mexico, where they were working on a movie.

KSTP, Channel 5 (NBC)
Morning
06:00aContinental Classroom – “The Constitutional Convention”
06:30aCity and Country (color)
07:00aToday (Minnesota Fats, Justino Diaz, Wendy Hiller, Dr. Michael de Bakey, Dr. Adrian Kamtrowitz) (color)
09:00aEye Guess
09:25aNBC News (color)
09:30aConcentration (color)
10:00aPat Boone (Margaret Whiting, George Lindsey) (color)
10:30aHollywood Squares (Glenn Ford, Michael Landon, Judy Carne, Peter Deuel) (color)
11:00aJeopardy (color)
11:30aSwingin’ Country (Leslie Uggams) (color)
11:55aNBC News (color)
Afternoon
12:00pNews (local) (color)
12:15pDialing for Dollars (color)
12:30pLet’s Make a Deal (color)
12:55pNBC News (color)
01:00pDays of Our Lives (color)
01:30pThe Doctors (color)
02:00pAnother World (color)
02:30pYou Don’t Say! (Keely Smith, Mel Torme) (color)
03:00pThe Match Game (Henry Morgan, Vivian Vance) (color)
03:25pNBC News (color)
03:30pDialing for Dollars (color)
04:30pOf Lands and Seas
05:25pDoctor’s House Call (color)
05:30pNBC News (Huntley/Brinkley) (color)
Evening
06:00pNews (local) (color)
06:30pThe Monkees (color)
07:00pI Dream of Jeannie (color)
07:30pRoger Miller (Frank Gorshin, Brothers Castro) (color)
08:00pThe Road West (color)
09:00pRun For Your Life (color)
10:00pNews (local) (color)
10:30pJohnny Carson (Woody Allen) (color)
12:15aM Squad

I don't know who hosts City and Country, but KSTP had a tradition of local programming in the morning; David Stone hosted a short music program for many years prior to the Today Show. Speaking of variety, I find it interesting how many variety shows NBC had on their daytime lineup - Pat Boone and Swingin' Country.  Beats what they put on the air nowadays.  

I don't suppose there was a market anywhere that didn't have some version of Dialing For Dollars, often included as part of an afternoon matinee movie.  

KMMT , Channel 6 (Austin) (ABC) 
Morning
10:00aMarket Sweep
10:30aThe Dating Game
11:00aDonna Reed
11:30aFather Knows Best
Afternoon
12:00pBen Casey
01:00pThe Newlywed Game
01:30pTime For Us
01:55pABC News (Marlene Sanders)
02:00pGeneral Hospital
02:30pThe Nurses
03:00pDark Shadows
03:30pWhere the Action Is (Peter and Gordon, Keith Allison)
04:00pMovie – “Man Without a Body”
05:30pTrails West
Evening
06:00pABC News (Peter Jennings)
06:15pNews, Sports, Weather (local)
06:30pIron Horse (color)
07:30pThe Rat Patrol (color)
08:00pFelony Squad (color)
08:30pPeyton Place (color)
09:00pThe Big Valley (color)
10:00pNews (local)
10:30pMovie – “Man Without a Body” (rerun)
12:00aNews (local)

KMMT is now KAAL, and it's still the ABC affiliate in Austin.  It's strange to think of a station that doesn't start airing until 10am, but that was the case back then.  

ABC does not have a particularly impressive daytime lineup, but compared to where it was a few years previously, it's grown by leaps and bounds - The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game are big hits, Dark Shadows remains a cult favorite, and General Hospital is one of the few programs from this listing that is still on the air.  But, like CBS, the lineup includes reruns of old series.  When Ben Casey finishes its run, it's replaced at noontime by The Fugitive.

KCMT, Channel 7 (Alex) (NBC/ABC)
Morning
07:00aToday (Minnesota Fats, Justino Diaz, Wendy Hiller, Dr. Michael de Bakey, Dr. Adrian Kamtrowitz) (color)
09:00aEye Guess
09:25aNBC News (color)
09:30aConcentration (color)
10:00aPat Boone (Margaret Whiting, George Lindsey) (color)
10:30aHollywood Squares (Glenn Ford, Michael Landon, Judy Carne, Peter Deuel) (color)
11:00aJeopardy (color)
11:30aSwingin’ Country (Leslie Uggams) (color)
11:55aNBC News (color)
Afternoon
12:00pNews (local)
12:20pTrading Post
12:30pLet’s Make a Deal (color)
12:55pLNBC News (color)
01:00pDays of Our Lives (color)
01:30pThe Doctors (color)
02:00pAnother World (color)
02:30pYou Don’t Say! (Keely Smith, Mel Torme) (color)
03:00pThe Match Game (Henry Morgan, Vivian Vance) (color)
03:25pNBC News (color)
03:30pGeneral Hospital
04:00pWelcome Inn
04:30pBeatles
05:00pSt. Benedict High School Choir
05:30pNBC News (Huntley/Brinkley) (color)
Evening
06:00pNews (local)
06:30pThe Monkees (color)
07:00pI Dream of Jeannie (color)
07:30pRoger Miller (Frank Gorshin, Brothers Castro) (color)
08:00pThe Road West (color)
09:00pRun For Your Life (color)
10:00pNews (local)
10:30pJohnny Carson (Woody Allen) (color)

I could fill volumes writing about KCMT, a station which no longer exists.  It was the station I was stuck with after we moved to the world's worst town when I was a teenager.  It was a dual NBC/ABC affiliate, with most of the daytime and primetime programming belonging to the Peacock Network, and the ABC shows (such as General Hospital and the animated Beatles) appearing during local hours. You could see more of this alternate programming during the weekend, when KCMT would occasionally pick up college football and other sporting events.

Welcome Inn was a local variety show, co-hosted by the station's weatherman.  Out of charity, I'll refrain from further comments.  I love the high school choirs singing Christmas music in the afternoon, though.  My high school was on there once - the show ran short, and to fill the time the music director asked them to sing three verses of a song to which the choir only knew the first verse.  It was so typical.

KMSP, Channel 9 (ABC)
Morning
07:30aSoupy Sales
08:00aLinus the Lionhearted (color)
08:30aRomper Room
09:30aJack LaLanne (color)
10:00aMarket Sweep
10:30aThe Dating Game
11:00aDonna Reed
11:30aFather Knows Best
Afternoon
12:00pBen Casey
01:00pThe Newlywed Game
01:30pTime For Us
01:55pABC News (Marlene Sanders )
02:00pGeneral Hospital
02:30pThe Nurses
03:00pDark Shadows
03:30pWhere the Action Is (Peter and Gordon, Keith Allison)
04:00pRoute 66
05:00pABC News (Peter Jennings)
05:15pNews (local)
05:30pLeave It to Beaver
Evening
06:00pNorthwest Passage (color)
06:30pIron Horse (color)
07:30pThe Rat Patrol (color)
08:00pFelony Squad (color)
08:30pPeyton Place (color)
09:00pThe Big Valley (color)
10:00pNews (local)
10:30pMovie – “Captain Horatio Hornblower” (color)

You notice that Peter Jennings and the News is still only 15 minutes long - it won't expand to a full half-hour until next year.  Later that week, Jennings and the rest of ABC's major correspondents appear at a luncheon/news symposium at the Leamington Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.  Only $3.75 per person.  It looks as if it would have been pretty interesting - Vietnam correspondent Lou Cioffy, White House corrspondent Bill Lawrence, John Scali from the State Department, Louis Rukeyser from London, and others.  I wonder who was left to host the national news that night?

ABC's afternoon programming does run longer than that of the other networks, bidding to capture the after-school teen audience with Where the Action Is.  You see that it's followed by Route 66, which was in syndication back then.  No wonder I always thought it was an ABC show, rather than CBS.

KROC, Channel 10 (Rochester) (NBC)
Morning
07:00aToday (Minnesota Fats, Justino Diaz, Wendy Hiller, Dr. Michael de Bakey, Dr. Adrian Kamtrowitz) (color)
09:00aCartoons
09:30aConcentration (color)
10:00aPat Boone (Margaret Whiting, George Lindsey) (color)
10:30aHollywood Squares (Glenn Ford, Michael Landon, Judy Carne, Peter Deuel) (color)
11:00aJeopardy (color)
11:30aSwingin’ Country (Leslie Uggams) (color)
11:55aNBC News (color)
Afternoon
12:00pNews (local)
12:20pMemos From Mary Bea
12:30pLet’s Make a Deal (color)
12:55pNBC News (color)
01:00pDays of Our Lives (color)
01:30pThe Doctors (color)
02:00pAnother World (color)
02:30pYou Don’t Say! (Keely Smith, Mel Torme) (color)
03:00pThe Match Game (Henry Morgan, Vivian Vance) (color)
03:25pNBC News (color)
03:30pSergeant Preston
04:00pMister Ed
04:30pLeave It to Beaver
05:00pCisco Kid
05:30pNBC News (Huntley/Brinkley) (color)
Evening
06:00pNews (local)
06:30pThe Monkees (color)
07:00pI Dream of Jeannie (color)
07:30pBarn Dance (color)
08:00pThe Road West (color)
09:00pRun For Your Life (color)
10:00pNews (local)
10:30pJohnny Carson (Woody Allen) (color)

Definitely kid-centric programming on KROC, which since 1976 has been known as KTTC.  It's still the NBC affiliate, though.  Interesting how the station substitutes Barn Dance in place of Roger Miller at 7:30.  I wonder if they aired Miller at another time?

Unlike KSTP, KROC and KCMT both carried the 90-minute version of Carson.  KSTP carried the full hour and 45 minutes.

WTCN, Channel 11 (Ind.)
Morning
09:00aCasey Junior
09:05aHank and Casey
09:20aNews, Weather, Sports (local)
09:30a Exercise With Gloria (color)
10:00aGirl Talk (Aline MacMahon, Paula Trueman, Velma Royton)
10:30aMovie – “Pharaoh’s Curse”
11:55aNews (local)
Afternoon
12:00pLunch With Casey
01:00pMovie – “Guns Don’t Argue”
02:40pMel’s Notebook
02:55pNews (local)
03:00pAlfred Hitchcock Presents
03:30pMister Ed
04:00pPopeye and Pete
04:30pCasey and Roundhouse
05:30pThe Flintstones (color)
Evening
06:00pThe Rifleman
06:30pPatty Duke
07:00pThe Twilight Zone
07:30pThe Addams Family
08:00pMovie – “Two Women”
10:05pNews, Weather, Sports (local) (time approximate)
10:35pMovie – “Flight of the Lost Balloon” (time approximate)

WTCN, now known as KARE (and an NBC affiliate), was the big local independent station.  This is perhaps an unfortunate snapshot of the station's programming; WTCN carried most of the local sports teams, including the Twins, the North Stars (starting in 1967), and the University of Minnesota.  Without them, their schedule looks kind of bare.  

The 9:30am show, Exercise With Gloria, was an exercise program; Gloria was the distaff version of Jack LaLanne.  Many people had fond thoughts about her.  The "Mel" in the 2:40pm show, Mel's Notebook, was Mel Jass, who hosted the matinee movie.  I mean this with all affection when I say that Mel Jass was the kind of guy who really, really got on your nerves when you watched him, but after matinee movies became a thing of the past you realize you actually kind of missed him. 

KEYC, Channel 12 (Mankato) (CBS)
Morning
07:30aCBS Morning News (Joseph Benti) (color)
07:55aFilm Short
08:00aCaptain Kangaroo
09:30aBeverly Hillbillies
10:00aAndy Griffith
10:30aDick Van Dyke
11:00aLove of Life
11:25aCBS News (color)
11:30aSearch for Tomorrow
11:45aGuiding Light
Afternoon
12:00pNews (local)
12:30pAs the World Turns
01:00pPassword (Jim Backus, Elizabeth Montgomery) (color)
01:30pHouse Party (William Demarest, Elaine McKenna) (color)
02:00pTo Tell The Truth
02:25pCBS News (color)
02:30pThe Edge of Night
03:00pThe Secret Storm
03:30pSounds of Christmas (Mankato High School Choir)
04:00pBart’s Clubhouse
04:30pRocky and His Friends
04:45pBart’s Clubhouse
05:00pSounds of Christmas (Springfield High School Choir)
05:30pCBS News (Harry Reasoner) (color)
Evening
06:00pNews (local)
06:30pGilligan’s Island (color)
07:00pRun, Buddy, Run (color)
07:30pLucille Ball (color)
08:00pAndy Griffith (color)
08:30pFamily Affair (color)
09:00pTo Tell The Truth (Orson Bean, Peggy Cass, Tom Poston, Kitty Carlisle) (color)
09:30pBandwagon
10:00pNews (local)
10:30pI’ve Got a Secret (Bud Collyer)
11:00pFilm Feature