The Night Before Christmas A Parody Done in Swedish Dialect by Clellan Card on the Northrup, King & Co’s. Christmas Program December 23, 1938 It vas de night before Xmas, ven all tru de place vere I vas staying Dere vasn’t nobody making no noise, not eefen som mouses except my brudder-in-law and he […]
This item is the earliest known piece of Clellan Card memorabilia, postmarked February 1937 just six months after his Almanac of the Air morning radio program began. In the photo, Clellan has what is probably a radio script in his left hand, while in his right he appears to be holding a small stuffed […]
A rare color shot of Axel and Tallulah, circa June 1955. Notice that set designer Bill Dietrichson painted the set almost entirely in grays, since the program was broadcast only in black and white. Another color photo of Axel and Tallulah, circa June 1955. Tallulah seems to have interrupted Axel when he was about to […]
This photo, taken October 8, 1954, offers a look at some of the people who usually stayed on the other side of the camera: (left to right) Don Stolz (Tallulah and Towser), Clellan Card (Axel), Henry Shepard (WCCO-TV technician), Bill Dietrichson (set designer), and Harry Jones (director). Another look at some of the people who […]
On October 8, 1954, Axel and His Dog was broadcast in color using an experimental technology, making it the first Twin Cities program ever colorcast. A new set was constructed just for the occasion, along with this sign. Notice that Clellan’s first name is misspelled! Axel wore a bright red shirt especially for the color […]
Here’s Axel in the Tree House with a skunk, probably around the fall of 1954. Notice that by this time he is wearing the broad-striped shirt, but his mustache is much larger than it was later. Axel with Sylvia the monkey, who was a frequent, though rather uncooperative, guest on Axel and His Dog during […]
This is a photograph of the premiere episode of Axel and His Dog. Don Stolz, who played Axel’s dog, Towser, is in the left foreground wearing the “paw” that was the only part of the mutt that viewers ever saw. Clellan Card as Axel appears to be speaking to the audience at home, as he […]
Here’s the classic Night Before Christmas performed by Axel with Carman the Nurse. This was posted by someone on You Tube and I’m sharing it here for Christmas. Over on the Lunch with Casey website I’ve posted Casey singing Walking in my Winter Underwear. Just a short note on the goings on at Minnesota Kid […]
Harry Jones was the director of Axel and His Dog during its entire run from 1954 to 1966. He also directed most of WCCO-TV’s other children’s television shows, as well as a variety of other programs. Here WCCO-TV film editor Claude Heisch and director Harry Jones are perhaps going over the day’s programming. It was […]
Axel and His Dog premiere, August 5, 1954 The Early Years The experimental 1954 color broadcast