Thinking About Cousin Cliff
Sure was nice to look at yesterday’s Birmingham News and not reading stories about “Storm Porn” or “global warming” for a change.
What a great piece by Bob Carlton on Cousin Cliff. Read it here.
I always wanted to be on Cliff’s show when I was a kid, but he was always booked up on my birthday. I wound up going on the Benny Carle show over on Channel 6 on year. Nothing personal Benny, but my dream was being on Cliff’s show.
Both Benny and Cliff had local kids shows that came on after school in the 1950s and 1960s. I occasionally catch a glimpse of “freak of the week” that now comes on TV from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m., and I wish for the days of Cousin Cliff again.
My dream did come true in 1991. Channel 6 brought Cousin Cliff back to Birmingham TV for a Saturday morning run, and they taped the show on a weeknight, during my weather shift. One night, Cliff asked me if I wanted come over and be on his show. I did my best not to let out an excited scream you could hear all the way to Montgomery, but you bet I took him up on the offer. It was a magic memory for me, and I will always be thankful for it. Later that year, my own son (who was about 7 at the time) got to be on the show.
Cliff is a kind man with a servant’s heart. I asked him to call my wife on her birthday as a surprise, and he made no hesitation to handle the chore. I loved being around him during the days at Channel 6; it reminded me of a simpler time in my life when I could come in after school and watch all the kids on his show; I wanted to know where they all went to school and their name, and you bet he asked all of them. I loved the cakes from Marsh Bakery, and I couldn’t wait for the Jack’s Hamburgers jingle. Yep, 15 cents, and they were so good… good… good.
And, lets not forget Cliff played the Three Stooges movies on his show. He always reminded us not to bang a hammer on our friends head, or poke them in the eyes. Moe, Larry, Curley, and Cliff. What a great combination.
You see, those great Birmingham TV pioneers paved the way for my career. People like Cliff Holman, Tom York, Joe Langston, Wendell Harris, Pat Gray, Rosemary Lucas, Country Boy Eddie, Benny Carle, Harry Mabry, Neil Miller (Sergeant Jack), and Bill Bolen.
I came to Birmingham TV in 1978, a bright eyed 22 year old kid in awe of stepping into the same lights that illuminated these men and women. I thank them all, but tonight, especially Cousin Cliff.
You rock, Cuz….
Want to learn more about Birmingham TV history? Go to Birmingham Rewound’s great TV site here.
Category: Pre-November 2010 Posts