[jake]

I would like to find out if they archived this show and how would I go about getting copies?

[SpaceAge]

First you have to spell the name correctly. The show was on KTRK 13 and they simply added an 'i' between each of the call letters. That's an easy way to remember it.

KiTiRiK
Try Google. Check 13. They have kept a few things from those days. They still have the robot from the Cadet Don Show.

Her son was two years ahead of me in high school. Everyone knew his mother was a hot celebrity. MeeeeeOwwwwwwwwwww!

[Ron]

Hello SpaceAge,

My name is Ron. I was one of the lucky few that was able to get on Kitirik's Show. Do you remember "Lucky Bucks". If I remember right, the lucky bucks were the cardboard tops to the Glass Milk Jugs that the milkman dropped off outside our house several times a week. I was about 5 or 6 at the time. Wow, I cant believe I still remember that! LOL! Anyway, I feel fortunate to been able to be on her show. I always thought that her show was the best around, with the exception of "Mighty Mouse". LOL!

Ron

SpaceAge, on Saturday, February 19th, 2005 @ 2:23am, said:

First you have to spell the name correctly. The show was on KTRK 13 and they simply added an 'i' between each of the call letters. That's an easy way to remember it.

KiTiRiK
Try Google. Check 13. They have kept a few things from those days. They still have the robot from the Cadet Don Show.

Her son was two years ahead of me in high school. Everyone knew his mother was a hot celebrity. MeeeeeOwwwwwwwwwww!

[Vertigo58]

Ron, on Friday, November 16th, 2007 @ 2:56pm, said:

Hello SpaceAge,

My name is Ron. I was one of the lucky few that was able to get on Kitirik's Show. Do you remember "Lucky Bucks". If I remember right, the lucky bucks were the cardboard tops to the Glass Milk Jugs that the milkman dropped off outside our house several times a week. I was about 5 or 6 at the time. Wow, I cant believe I still remember that! LOL! Anyway, I feel fortunate to been able to be on her show. I always thought that her show was the best around, with the exception of "Mighty Mouse". LOL!

Ron



Try a search here on Haif under Kitirik and you will find many others that appeared on the show. My ex-sister in law was lucky enough to be on twice (her family had connections). I think there was a topic like "Childrens TV Shows in Houston" or Media/Houston.

Bunny (real name) lives up in Woodlands or Conroe now. We kids loved her and the show!

PS, I remember a Mighty Mouse episode where all the mice we Jitterbugging to 40's swing music then that goofy cat (Catnip?)crashed the party.

[KimberlySayWhat]

My mom used to watch that show.

Here's an article I found:
http://abclocal.go.c...=...&id=3300775

[Disastro]

I remember KiTiRiK...I was never on it, but I remember it. Probably one of my earliest TV memories.

I also remember when KTRK showed Jack LaLane and Casper cartoons in the morning...and Cadet Don! Anybody remember him?

Damn that was a lonnnnng time ago, huh?

[FilioScotia]

Disastro, on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 @ 11:10am, said:

I remember KiTiRiK...I was never on it, but I remember it. Probably one of my earliest TV memories.

Here's the info on Kitirik from Channel 13's website: By Melanie Lawson

Long before Mister Roger's Neighborhood, Sesame Street or dozens of other children's programs, Houston had its own TV star for kids. She was the good luck charm for a station with an unlucky number. It seemed natural for channel 13 to have a mascot dressed as a black cat. And to the thousands of kids who grew up watching Kitirik every day, she was truly the cat's meow.

Her name is Bunny, but at age 23, she became a cat. Bunny Orsak answered an ad in 1954 at a TV station that hadn't even gone on the air yet -- channel 13.

Bunny Orsak/"Kitirik": "They said, 'We have in mind a station mascot and we want her to dress as a black cat.'" So her mother made a hat with ears and a tail attached to black leotards. Bunny drew on the whiskers.

Bunny Orsak/"Kitirik": "I can do that to this day, without even looking."

In those days, everything was done live, so she read commercials, station breaks, even mail and introduced cartoons. A contest gave her a name -- Kitirik -- by putting i's between the station's call letters, KTRK. Then came a studio audience, and the bleachers were filled with excited kids on live TV. But the carousel was the biggest thrill, reserved for kids having birthdays.

Carl McReight clearly remembers his ride on the carousel -- his fifth birthday, in 1971.

Carl McReight/Appeared On "Kitirik": "It was like, wow, this really is it, she really is there. Wow, she really does dress like a cat." And he remembers what happened after the show.

Carl McReight/Appeared On "Kitirik": "I remember she started crying. I remember asking my mother why is Kitirik crying, because being that small it was really devastating to see someone like Kitirik crying. And mom explained this was going to be the last show."

Bunny Orsak/"Kitirik": "I found it out that afternoon, before I did the show. ... I wished I could have finished the year of the kids who had been waiting to come on their birthday, and I wished I could have explained it better."

These days, she works out regularly and at age 69, she's still trim enough to fit into her old leotard. Bunny's had nine lives since Kitirik, from business owner to great grandmother. The retiree divides her time between Lafayette, Louisiana, and Ruidoso, New Mexico. Her two sons live in Austin and the Woodlands.

Bunny Orsak/"Kitirik": "I just loved doing it and to have someone come up to me and tell me they enjoyed it makes me cry."

(Poster's note: That article was written in 2000, when Bunny was 69 years old. She's 76 now. I grew up watching her on TV too. Now I really do feel old.)

This post has been edited by FilioScotia: Sunday, February 3, 2008 at 3:51 PM

[SchwinnChopper68]

These should bring back a few memories. I remember being in the audience a couple times. Let me tell you one thing, as a 11 year old boy in the audience let's just say she had a most mesmerizing effect on me as she would pass me in the stands. After that, watching her on TV with the neighborhood gang could never compare to her sashaying down the aisle mere inches from moi.

[gonzo1976]

It seems the image of a cat featured prominently in station's image back then.

[NenaE]

I loved "Kitirik" & her carousel. Thanks for the pics!

[SchwinnChopper68]

Here's a new one for all the Kitirik lovers out there.

[NenaE]

Disastro, on Sunday, February 3rd, 2008 @ 10:10am, said:

I remember KiTiRiK...I was never on it, but I remember it. Probably one of my earliest TV memories.

I also remember when KTRK showed Jack LaLane and Casper cartoons in the morning...and Cadet Don! Anybody remember him?

Damn that was a lonnnnng time ago, huh?

I remember Jack Lalane, Casper(was a favorite), and the "singing with the bouncing ball" show. I'm showing my age, now! Don't recall Cadet Don, but the name is familiar. I remember vaguely a show with a giraffe puppet, could that be "Happy Hollow" or "Mary Jane's Castle"? Couldn't find a pic in the links. Just wondering.

[SchwinnChopper68]

NenaE, on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 @ 2:50pm, said:

Don't recall Cadet Don, but the name is familiar.

Here ya go!

[Vertigo58]

SchwinnChopper68, on Thursday, July 17th, 2008 @ 3:42am, said:

Here ya go!

My big brother and I remember him quite well. It all seemed so real and the black and white made no difference to us. He was part of the kid line up after him Batman, The Green Hornet, etc. Good ol days.
(See Batman's phone number topic under Historic Houston). There were some updates on Kitirick and Cadet Don in the Chron a few years ago. Pleasant, wholesome memories.

[rreini]

NenaE, on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 @ 3:50pm, said:

I remember Jack Lalane, Casper(was a favorite), and the "singing with the bouncing ball" show. I'm showing my age, now! Don't recall Cadet Don, but the name is familiar. I remember vaguely a show with a giraffe puppet, could that be "Happy Hollow" or "Mary Jane's Castle"? Couldn't find a pic in the links. Just wondering.

The only show I remember with a giraffe puppet was The Friendly Giant, which aired on channel 8. Jerome Giraffe, I believe (yes, I remembered correctly; thank you, Wikipedia!)

I vaguely remember Marijane's Magic Castle; it was on channel 2, and I think I won a prize of some sort from a contest on it. But that's all I can remember; I was 3, maybe 4 at the time.

[e streeter]

rreini, on Monday, July 21st, 2008 @ 10:16pm, said:

The only show I remember with a giraffe puppet was The Friendly Giant, which aired on channel 8. Jerome Giraffe, I believe (yes, I remembered correctly; thank you, Wikipedia!)

I vaguely remember Marijane's Magic Castle; it was on channel 2, and I think I won a prize of some sort from a contest on it. But that's all I can remember; I was 3, maybe 4 at the time.

i remember mary jane's magic castle and the word koprocotovo (kprctv with o's.). mary jane was kprc's answer to kitirik, but not nearly as famous, nor as prominent in the memories of the baby boomers of houston.

how i always wanted to ride on the birthday merry go round or be in the audience.

i also remember cadet don and seymour.

and my afternoon memories are full of larry kane. couldn't wait to be old enough to be on his show.

[HoustonianInColorado]

I remember all of these. I actually got to go on Kitirik and Cadet Don for various birthdays. I recall that Cadet Don had a fake satellite that looked sort of Sputnikish, where the birthday kids would come up, talk on TV with Cadet Don, and then go get a handful of pennies from the satellite.

[memebag]

I rode on Kitirik's merry-go-round for my birthday once. I must have been 4 or 5. She talked to me, and I took the opportunity to say some embarrassing things about my dad smoking too much on local TV.

I've been to Mary Jane's Magic Castle, but that was in college and I don't think we're talking about the same thing.

[Vertigo58]

memebag, on Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 @ 1:31am, said:

I rode on Kitirik's merry-go-round for my birthday once. I must have been 4 or 5. She talked to me, and I took the opportunity to say some embarrassing things about my dad smoking too much on local TV.

I've been to Mary Jane's Magic Castle, but that was in college and I don't think we're talking about the same thing.

My (former) sister in law said she appeared twice for her Bday too.

Can anyone help solve this true mystery? I could swear the phrase "Kitty's Korner" was used in Kitterick's or similar show? They would announce (or TV Guide) would have Kitty's Korner with both K's?

I would gladly buy someone a cheeseburger with the answer. I have wondered for decades....

[HoustonianInColorado]

memebag, on Sunday, August 3rd, 2008 @ 12:31am, said:

I rode on Kitirik's merry-go-round

That's not a euphemism for something is it? Rode her merry go round indeed!

[rreini]

Vertigo58, on Monday, August 4th, 2008 @ 1:19pm, said:

My (former) sister in law said she appeared twice for her Bday too.

Can anyone help solve this true mystery? I could swear the phrase "Kitty's Korner" was used in Kitterick's or similar show? They would announce (or TV Guide) would have Kitty's Korner with both K's?

I would gladly buy someone a cheeseburger with the answer. I have wondered for decades....

That was another channel 13 show that I can barely remember: Kitty's Corner. Back in October 1966, according to the Houston Post TV guide that I have, it aired at 8:30 in the mornings. Cadet Don was on from 6:30 to 7, then came back from 7:30 to 8:30.

That TV guide had "Kitty's Corner" spelled that way, just the one K. But it did list the Kitirik show (4 PM) as "Kitirik's Karrousel".

[FilioScotia]

rreini, on Monday, August 4th, 2008 @ 4:32pm, said:

That was another channel 13 show that I can barely remember: Kitty's Corner. Back in October 1966, according to the Houston Post TV guide that I have, it aired at 8:30 in the mornings. Cadet Don was on from 6:30 to 7, then came back from 7:30 to 8:30. That TV guide had "Kitty's Corner" spelled that way, just the one K. But it did list the Kitirik show (4 PM) as "Kitirik's Karrousel".

You're thinking of Kitty Borah, a former KTRK personality who later went into corporate public relations at Shell Oil. Here's a link to a newspaper item that mentions her and a lot of other former local TV personalities.

http://www.societysp...ve/05_parts.htm

You'll find her name somewhere down in there.

[readam]

FilioScotia, on Monday, August 4th, 2008 @ 5:10pm, said:

You're thinking of Kitty Borah, a former KTRK personality who later went into corporate public relations at Shell Oil. Here's a link to a newspaper item that mentions her and a lot of other former local TV personalities.

http://www.societysp...ve/05_parts.htm

You'll find her name somewhere down in there.

Great job Filio you beat me to it with Ms. Borah...Now, whatever happened to Kitirik's helpers -I believe one was NOD the Clown and the other was named Skipper Conlan(sp). I hope my age is not playing tricks on me about those characters...wasn't "Little Kit" Bunny Orsak's son? Again I hope my brain cells aren't playing tricks.

[fresnel151]

Birthday kids on MaryJane's Magic Castle would get to stick their hands into the hollow tree and pull out as many pennies as they could grab. It wasn't even close to Kitirik in kid entertainment value.

Does anyone remember a kid show on KPRC (I think) from late 50's with a character named Captain Bob?

[HoustonianInColorado]

fresnel151, on Monday, August 4th, 2008 @ 8:15pm, said:

Does anyone remember a kid show on KPRC (I think) from late 50's with a character named Captain Bob?

Yes there was. I went on his show also. A long L O N G time ago.

[fresnel151]

HoustonianInColorado, on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 @ 4:07pm, said:

Yes there was. I went on his show also. A long L O N G time ago.

Thanks...it's a relief to know Captain Bob wasn't just a figment of my childhood imagination. No one I've asked has ever remembered him.

[HoustonianInColorado]

fresnel151, on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 @ 6:17pm, said:

Thanks...it's a relief to know Captain Bob wasn't just a figment of my childhood imagination. No one I've asked has ever remembered him.

Once in a while, my "old fart" status pays off!

[Absinthe_1900]

I was on Kitirik half a million years ago back in the early 1960s, I remember being amazed at walking into the studio and seeing Cadet Don's set in color, for a five year old it was pretty impressive back when black & white TV was the norm.

[Vertigo58]

rreini, on Monday, August 4th, 2008 @ 4:32pm, said:

That was another channel 13 show that I can barely remember: Kitty's Corner. Back in October 1966, according to the Houston Post TV guide that I have, it aired at 8:30 in the mornings. Cadet Don was on from 6:30 to 7, then came back from 7:30 to 8:30.

That TV guide had "Kitty's Corner" spelled that way, just the one K. But it did list the Kitirik show (4 PM) as "Kitirik's Karrousel".

Oh my God! So there really was a Kitty's Corner!

I was about the seek therapy to help me connect that title (kidding). It always stayed in my mind but since I was only about 6-8 yrs old then it seemed more like a dream I had as a child, but it truly existed.

The great attached link only mentiond her name and the show but how did it differ from Kitterick's show? What was Kitty's Corner's format?

I am guessing it must have been around circa 1966-68ish???

[readam]

fresnel151, on Tuesday, August 5th, 2008 @ 7:17pm, said:

Thanks...it's a relief to know Captain Bob wasn't just a figment of my childhood imagination. No one I've asked has ever remembered him.

That must have been before my time ...I do remember going to the Old Channel 2 studios on Post Oak for the "Uncle Bert Lynn" show for birthdays etc....and that was the mid 50s...
Same era I also remember many times going with my family to the studios on Friday nights to be in the audience for the "Curly Fox and Texas Ruby" LIVE music shows

[FilioScotia]

Vertigo58, on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 @ 7:47am, said:

Oh my God! So there really was a Kitty's Corner!
I was about the seek therapy to help me connect that title (kidding). It always stayed in my mind but since I was only about 6-8 yrs old then it seemed more like a dream I had as a child, but it truly existed. The great attached link only mentiond her name and the show but how did it differ from Kitterick's show? What was Kitty's Corner's format? I am guessing it must have been around circa 1966-68ish???

Kitty's Corner was NOT a kids' show. It was for grownups, and it was on in the late 50s and early 60s. It was one of the first news features and interviews shows. It wasn't a talk show and didn't have a live audience, but later TV talk shows generally followed the same format Kitty Borah developed and used.

[Vertigo58]

FilioScotia, on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 @ 6:54am, said:

Kitty's Corner was NOT a kids' show. It was for grownups, and it was on in the late 50s and early 60s. It was one of the first news features and interviews shows. It wasn't a talk show and didn't have a live audience, but later TV talk shows generally followed the same format Kitty Borah developed and used.

Thank you for clearing that up. I sure would like to get my hands on a taping of that show, just for sake of curiosity. Imagine who the guests were? Wow, and I do mean WOW!

[FilioScotia]

Vertigo58, on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 @ 9:59am, said:

Thank you for clearing that up. I sure would like to get my hands on a taping of that show, just for sake of curiosity. Imagine who the guests were? Wow, and I do mean WOW!

I would call KTRK and ask to speak to someone in their archives department. Can't guarantee they'll have anything by Kitty Borah but that's the place to start.

Sadly, vast amounts of Houston's early TV have been lost forever because it wasn't filmed or recorded. And countless files of what WAS recorded on film and tape have been thrown out because of storage problems. That old stuff takes up a lot of space.

This post has been edited by FilioScotia: Saturday, August 9, 2008 at 1:34 PM

[misplaced txgirl]

i remember captain bob too...what was the little car that he was shown driving up to the studio? i remember the door opened to the front. it was a strange little car.

lynda

[HoustonianInColorado]

misplaced txgirl, on Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 @ 9:27pm, said:

i remember captain bob too...what was the little car that he was shown driving up to the studio? i remember the door opened to the front. it was a strange little car.

lynda

Perhaps an Isetta?

[misplaced txgirl]

that's it! thank you very much...

[fresnel151]

Wow..that's a Captain Bob detail I don't recollect. Any other details on the show? All I remember is a guy with one of those white captains caps and possibly some kind of turtle neck sweater.

[misplaced txgirl]

i remember at one time his tv set included a staircase that didn't go anywhere...
don't know why i would remember these strange tidbits...
at times, he also had a woman working with him - i have no idea what her name was
does anyone have any idea who captain bob was?

[Vertigo58]

HoustonianInColorado, on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 @ 7:04pm, said:

Perhaps an Isetta?

All I can say is this car is so cool!

This crazy guy was waaaaaay ahead of his time in car economy. Everyone in Houston needs this sucker!

and most of us ride with clowns anyway!lol

This post has been edited by Vertigo58: Monday, August 18, 2008 at 7:55 AM

[bobruss]

Vertigo58, on Monday, August 18th, 2008 @ 7:55am, said:

All I can say is this car is so cool!

This crazy guy was waaaaaay ahead of his time in car economy. Everyone in Houston needs this sucker!

and most of us ride with clowns anyway!lol

[bobruss]

I just found this site and was intrigued by the current discussion. My father was Captain Bob on KPRC in the late 50's and 60's. He actually had 3 childrens t.v. shows. The first ws Looney Town and that was a rival show that competed in the same time slot as Kitirik. He also had a show on Saturday Mornings called Today is Saturday which was formatted like the Today show on NBC. He had guests like John Wehrler from the Zoo and cartoons and science films. He had another show on Saturdays which someone earlier was confusing. It was called Looney Auction and you did collect looney bucks from Carnation milk and the rainbo Bread company. We used to ride around in the Isetta. He used that for promotions and parades. The picture that was shown was not of his car. His had a big white admiral cap on top big plastic eyes and a smile painted on the front so it looked like a face. I hadn't thought about this in a long time. I used to get kidded at school about all of this but it had its perks. Rodeos circuses concerts parades celebrities. We got to meet every star that came to town for the rodeo or T.V. stars appearing at channel 2. Quite a crazy time.

[bobruss]

Not to bore anyone, but I read some of the earlier texts and there was a little confusion abot the different shows. Looney town which my father hosted was the show with the money tree where kids would go on their birthday and grab for pennies. Also you used the Looney bucks on Looney Auction to bid for prizes. Looney Town came out of the Bert Lynn show and featured puppets from outer space and had a theme song. It's time now for Looney Town and you can bet were ready set to go. Silly little theme song written by our next door neighbor at the time who a lot of old time Houstonians would remember for his jingle for Utotem- You tellum you totem. Or his Dixienauts, who used to play at the Astrodome. Next door to him lived another old Houston T.V. Celebrity named Lee Gordon, who did commercials for the YMCA, and next door to him lived Tom Reiff who was station G. M. for KPRC, and next door to him were my Godparents Marrietta and Bob Marich who had dinner theaters and actually she and my father had one of the earliest T.V. shows on Houston T.V. It was sponsored by I think Lightcrust flower and ran on Saturday afternoons. They did slapstick and sang with a live orchestra, between commercials on the feature movie of the week. Just to keep things straight.

[HoustonianInColorado]

Bob Russ, thanks for filling in memory gaps here. Great stuff. Once you pass the mid-century mark, things get a bit fuzzy in the old noggin. :-) And when you mentioned Looney Town, I did remember that title.

I can tell you that your dad was a big part of this middle-aged guy's childhood memories. I posted the car photo, and knew it wasn't the same car, but thought I would post it as an example.

Is your father still living? If so, pass along my regards, even though he won't know me. If he is not, my condolences to you and your family.

This post has been edited by HoustonianInColorado: Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 7:22 PM

[NenaE]

J.R. Gonzales' blog with Kitirik story & good b/w photos: http://blogs.chron.c...istory/2008/11/

I always wanted to go on her show to ride that miniature carousel she used to spin around & stop to talk to each kid.

This post has been edited by NenaE: Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 12:10 PM

[Ptarmigan]

I have seen the old KTRK logo and had the black cat because 13 and black cat is considered unlucky. This was before the circle 13 that looks like cattle branding, which I remember the most. It is a pity that television stations do not produce their own children's show like they did back than.

[SchwinnChopper68]

Here's another one for all the Kitirik lovers out there.

[NenaE]

Schwinn, I'm jealous! Thnx for sharing that pic...I've always been fond of cats.

[Witch King]

Were there TWO Kitirik's? Bunni Orsak and someone else? I also remember Cadet Don and just barely
remember LoonyTown.

[NenaE]

As far as I know, there was only one Kitirik the cat, Bunni.

[FilioScotia]

NenaE, on Thursday, March 26th, 2009 @ 5:25pm, said:

As far as I know, there was only one Kitirik the cat, Bunni.

There was just one Kitirik. Even though her show left the air long ago, Kitirik will always have a special place in my heart.

Bunny Orsak/Kitirik brought genuine warmth and love for kids to that show. A generation of Houston children remember her as "real", and nothing about her was fake or put-on.

It's a good thing KTRK didn't try to replace her because it just wouldn't have worked without Bunny in the cat-suit.

I believe "Witch King" is thinking of Kitty Borah, a former KTRK personality who hosted a weekly business news interview program called "Kitty's Corner" for a while in the 1960s. She got out of TV and went to work in corporate public relations at Shell Oil. I think she retired from Shell in the late 90s.

Here's a link to a local blogger named Society Spy. She wrote up a big soiree someone threw for Dave Ward's 61st birthday a few years ago, and a number of current and former TV types were in attendance. Complete with pictures of some of them.

http://www.societysp...ve/05_parts.htm

You'll find Kitty Borah's name somewhere in there

This post has been edited by FilioScotia: Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 4:26 PM