Most programming from the early years of television does not exist today. Programs were aired live without a film back-up or if they were filmed, that film was destroyed at some point in time.

Comic CutUps featuring Ken Wagner and his buddy PeeWee the clown puppet is known as "The Granddaddy of Iowa Programs." It appeared on WOC TV 5 (later 6) in 1949, during the first full week of programming for the station and ran until the late 1950's. The show featured Ken along with his son Ken Jr. as the voice of PeeWee. Later, one of the first woman directors in the television industry, Eddie Glidden, provided PeeWee's voice and then Ken's daughter Diane took up the roll.

This show was presumed lost forever to the ages when after a two year search, a copy of it was found in deep storage in California. Ken had moved to California during his retirement years and (thankfully!) had saved a copy as part of his portfolio. One screen shot alone - unbelievable. An episode found? Priceless.

Presenting screen shots from one of the most popular and important shows of the early years of television in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois - Comic CutUps.

The film begins before the start of the show. There is a brief three second remainder of a classic Bayer aspirin advertisement. It is not known if this is the only trace of this commercial in existence. The first photo is a three dimensional sphere. The sphere then changes into an aspirin. If one looks closely enough, the remnants of the "ER" in BAYER are visible. Finally, a spokesperson comes onto the ad with a Bayer commercial standee to tout the benefits of Bayer. This is the end of the commercial break and the film proceeds into the introduction of Comic CutUps.

In the opening credits, one can see Ken Wagner's artwork on each picture. Ken was the station artist from the beginning of WOC in 1949 and did all of the art at the station until he left for KMSP Minneapolis in 1960. Ken was an outstanding artist. Eddie Glidden's name is given credit as director. George Sontag, longtime musical director for both WOC TV 6 and WOC 1420 Radio plays the whimsical Comic CutUps theme in the background.

Ken begins the show with PeeWee and a drawing of an Easter basket. This Easter basket contains a letter which Ken is going to read to us. Much to PeeWee's suprise and delight, the Easter Bunny has invited us to an Easter Party provided by Fanny Farmer. Ken reveals that he knows that not everyone can be on the show today to take part in the fun and games so he is going to introduce us to some kids who were able to make it to the show who will be representatives for us!

Ken introduces the children who can be seen by clicking this link. The children give their names and Ken is off to the drawing board. The theme today is the shape of an egg. Ken draws an egg on each page and changes the egg into a picture of a nursery rhyme. The kids in the audience are given a chance each time to figure out the name of the rhyme as Ken is drawing it.

Below is a WMV file of the segment where Ken gives the details of today's Easter party. It should play on your Windows Media Player. If not, you will need to download this program off of the internet to view this segment. This clip takes up to 25 seconds to start with a high speed connection. It will take much longer on a slower speed connection.

In the left side picture, Ken is drawing one of the nursery rhymes. He starts with an egg shape which quickly has a distraught face added onto it. During the drawing the kids on the show are trying to guess what the rhyme is. In addition, the irrepressible PeeWee is playing the foil to Ken by announcing that he knows the nursery rhymes and asks Ken if he would like to hear them. Ken would be delighted to hear them but they are not the versions that Ken remembers as a child! The rhyme according to PeeWee for this picture which is The Cow Jumped Over the Moon goes like this -

Hey doodle doodle
The cat and the poodle
Gave the poor cow a chase
She jumped so high
She hit the sky
And spilled milk all over the place!

The children obviously prefer PeeWee's version, much to Ken's chagrin, because they are laughing at each ridiculous poem. After a number of these pictures and PeeWee interruptions, Ken decides that we have seen enough pictures of eggs and it is time to go to a cartoon. The cartoon is a Scrappy cartoon. Scrappy is a round-headed fellow who goes on off-beat adventures in his neighborhood. Scrappy cartoons were from the early 1930's although some were made as late as 1941. Ken states that as we are having an Easter party today on the show, Scrappy is having another kind of party on this episode - a birthday party.

At the end of the cartoon, we are back and Ken is now at a table full of Easter goodies at the other side of the studio. In some of the screen shots one can tell that the children have shifted as well. They have now moved into the direction of the table. Ken has a folded paper party hat on and PeeWee is yelling "HEY WHO TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS?!" because his party hat has covered his entire head!

Ken shows us the goodies and explains that now the kids on the show are going to play games to win the delicious Fanny Farmer chocolate eggs and bunnies. PeeWee is thrilled with just the mention of chocolate!

In one of the most stunning segments of the show, Ken announces that there is another prize for everyone as well. Sadly, the film is quickly coming to an end due to the size of the film reel, however, Ken is letting the TV viewers know that they can receive a copy of TV Doodles magazine with PeeWee and Ken on the front cover. The shocking part of this is, Tim Hollis, author of the Kid's Show host book "Hi There Boys and Girls" was given a copy of this book, presumably by Milt Boyd who played the kids show host Grandpa Happy on WHBF TV 4, Rock Island which was WOC TV 6's competitor. Inside of this book are coloring pages which are images of the kids show hosts from Iowa and Illinois including Marshal J from WMT, Cowboy Wes Holly from WOC, Grandpa Happy, Ken Wagner & PeeWee. These pages are to be colored and used to enter a contest to win prizes

Here is a scan of one of the images. It shows Ken sitting and drawing on his board and can clearly be seen in the picture! The image of the cover of TV Doodles as well as the scan of the image of Ken Wagner are courtesy Tim Hollis.

Special thanks to Ken Wagner Jr. and his sisters Diane and Linda. Without their help, kindness and generocity, this historical film would have never seen the light of day. How incredible that a copy of ComicCutups exists.

The voices of PeeWee: Ken Wagner Jr. (shown here with his father Ken Sr.), Director Eddie Glidden and Diane Wagner. Diane is the voice of this found episode which was most likely filmed in 1957.

Click here to go to Captain Ernie's Showboat

My sister Diane said that Pee Wee's voice was hers. She remembers having those little poems written out on a sheet of paper. There was never a written script for the shows. Dad always "outlined" each show on a piece of paper though. They even included mini sketches representing the drawings that would be on the show.
- Ken Wagner Jr.