WGN Channel 9 - Garfield Goose And Friends (Opening Excerpt, 1971)

The Goose Lives!!
Found on an ancient, open-reel black & white skip field recording that was donated to us along with a bunch of other miscellaneous stuff, and tucked away at the end of the reel, this gem was discovered - some footage from Garfield Goose and Friends on WGN Channel 9 that has been lost and unseen for almost 40 years!! (originally broadcast in color, but captured on this early home videotape recorder in black and white)

As you may know, footage from this show is extremely rare. You can probably count on one hand all of the existing clips that survived.

It starts off with that familiar theme music playing (Ethel Smith's "Monkey on a String"). The opening lingers a bit longer than the other few examples that exist, and then, we see another slide that has likely not been seen in 35+ years, as it's not on any existing footage of the show up until now - "Created and Produced by Frazier Thomas". Why was this removed at some point from the opening? Time constraints? Some other reason? Maybe someone out there has the answer.

We zoom into the still of the castle as Frazier Thomas goes through the mail with Gar and Romberg Rabbit.

Jenny Monaco, 5 years old, who attends Kindergarten at Washington Township School, and whose address was Rural Route 1 - Box 77 - Valparaiso, Indiana (amazing how they gave this info out over the air, even if it's only a PO box - a simpler time) - made and sent in a bunny rabbit out of cotton and matches for Gar.

Drew Bandusky of South Lavergne Avenue in Burbank, IL made and sent in a green knit pillow for Gar (his mother helped a little bit).

Greg Davidson of Hillside, IL made and sent a Christmas tree out of colored tissue paper. Don't hold it up to a candle! :-)

Gretchen Novak of West Chicago, IL made what looks like a wooden Mrs. Santa Claus ornament.

Based on all available evidence, we believe this aired on local Chicago TV in December of 1971!

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