Once upon a time, back in at least the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the three major television stations in our Capital District broadcast area, WRGB-6, WTEN-10 and WAST-13 (no, those were WNYT’s earlier call letters) oftentimes produced their own five-day-a-week morning entertainment programs. While Channel 13 had “Romper Room” (which I think every city in the United States had their own locally-produced version of this show), and WTEN had “Dialing for Dollars” (their excuse to run an old movie and call people to see if they were actually watching, if they were watching they won money), WRGB had probably the kitschiest game show I’ve ever seen – either locally or nationally.
It was called “Pick-A-Show.” The program ran for about ten years, starting maybe in 1965 and ending around 1973 or 1974.
The program was part game show, part promotional event for the WRGB-WGY family of announcers and broadcasters and on-air talent, and it was also the chance for housewives throughout the Capital District to pick up a few extra dollars – as long as they could guess the winning answers. And it starred David Allan, the songwriter-singer-announcer who at last report was working for WABY Radio as an on-air personality.
This is most likely the only surviving image of David Allan and the giant Pick-A-Show game board, along with the giant cube of postcards and the telephone used to call contestants.
Game play was simple. Those who wished to play Pick-A-Show sent in postcards with their names, addresses and a daytime telephone number. Allan would reach into the bin, announce what city he would be calling, and start dialing. The lucky caller – if he or she was home – would be asked by Allan the name of the Preview show that was announced at the start of the Pick-A-Show telecast (the “Preview show” was often an NBC primetime series like “Name of the Game” or “The Virginian” or one of the other programs WRGB, at that time an NBC affiliate, aired). If the contestant knew the name of the preview show, then the game began.
If you can see the game board in the picture, you can see that on the left side of the game board are the illuminated letters W R G B. The contestant had to guess which of the three shows on the top row of the game board had the letter “W” behind them. Picking the “W” got the contestant five dollars, and the chance to move to the second round of play.
The second round meant choosing which of the four TV shows listed on the second row had the letter “R” behind them. Remember, you only get two chances to find that “R”. Finding it earns the contestant another $5.
Gameplay continues down to trying to find the letter “G” among five television shows, and the letter “B” among the bottom row of six shows.
Should a contestant get to the bottom row and successfully find the “B”, they had one chance to find the “6” behind one of six different WRGB-produced programs. The picture I scanned wasn’t in very sharp focus, but I can make out that some of the shows listed in the “6” include such programs as “TV Tournament Time,” “Answers Please” and the “6 O’Clock News.”
The $505 amount seen in the picture was a progressive jackpot; the show would add $5 for every contestant who failed to successfully complete the game.
In addition to playing the telephone game, “Pick-A-Show” also, from time to time, had guests who were performing at the Colonie Coliseum stop by – maybe they would sing a song or make small talk with David Allan. On occasion, several announcers and/or performers from WGY would visit the WRGB studios and entertain the viewers by singing a song or playing a guitar.
David Allan left WRGB in the mid-70’s and joined WAST-13, creating a different variation of “Pick-A-Show” with the call-in game “Pitfall.” Same style of gameplay, in that you had to find certain prizes that were hidden behind the letters P, I, T, F, A, and LL. Not as fun as Pick-A-Show, IMHO.
As for Pick-A-Show, I believe that all the episodes of the show were broadcast live, and I highly doubt that any episodes were ever saved to videotape. The only evidence of the show’s existence was a 1972 record album, “The Best of Pick-A-Show,” that was produced as a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Associations of America. The record album focuses on Allan’s humorous interactions with contestants, as well as musical performances by WRGB/WGY personalities Harry Downie and Earle Pudney, as well as a vocal number by General Electric Broadcasting President Reid L. Shaw. Sadly, the record album has very little recorded gameplay, focusing instead on Allen’s telephone calls and the musical numbers.
Hey WRGB – maybe it’s time to have a “Retro” Week where you can bring back shows like “Pick-A-Show,” “TV Tournament Time,” “Student Spectrum,” “Teenage Barn,” “Answers Please” and “The Freddie Freihofer Show” – if not the original broadcasts, then how about creating new episodes for a few weeks? Might be kind of fun.
Or maybe somebody in the WRGB archive might have a copy of an old episode of Pick-A-Show that could be shown on WRGB’s website? Maybe?
Chuck The Writer 
Chuck,
I should have known that you’d have a copy of the Pick-A-Show album. I do, too, of course. In fact, my band – or rather one of my bands – actually performed on Pick-A-Show. One of the highlights of my early musical career.
I too would love to see an episode. If you find one, please let me know.
And I’ll check with Mr. Allan on the off-chance that he knows or has something.
Greg Haymes
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Greg –
I’m assuming that might have been the Star Spangled Washboard Band, perchance?
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Actually, it was pre-SSWB, I believe. Maybe the Henry Gravier Jug Band. Then again, maybe not.
Oh, and thanks for the Blotto shout-out on Baumgartner’s blog, too.
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My sister and I would ride out bikes over to the station, go in the back door and watch the show being produced – especially if we knew who the guest was. Don’t think you could do that now.
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Whew, at least SOMEONE ELSE remembers Pick A Show. As a kid living in Pittsfield, it was always Pick A Show over that boring Dialing For Dollars.
Does anyone remember “Captain Six” the host of a cartoon show and his “Race Through Space Game”?
I think the six is behind TV Tournament Time…
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Chuck,
I must say that I feel somewhat left out. For a couple of years (1972-73) I was the “judges” on Pick-A-Show. I would roll in a prize table with five bottomless boxes on it covering five different items.
I believe it was some sort of conselation prize. The contestant would coose a numbered box and I would lift the box to reveal the prize. I would record the contestant’s name and ship the item that day. I couldn’t count the ammount of cases of Clamato Juice or boxes of Clackers I shipped in those days. David and I had a lotta fun in those days and I still retain the wonderful memories.
Ed
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Kevin:
Pick a Show was great. Sure do remember Captain Six as well as Satellite Six before that. Was hosted by Glendora.
John
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Sorry for overdoing it on your blog today, Chuck, but you’re hitting me where I live on several counts …
As a kid, I was a contestant on “Pick-A-Show.” Or, more precisely, on another game that was incorporated into it. It was called “Pick-A-Mistake,” and you were given a question with multiple-choice answers — one of which was purposely wrong.
For instance, you’d have to pick the actor who wasn’t in a certain movie. I still remember “The Andromeda Strain” being the subject of one of those questions.
I won for several days, with my parents dutifully driving me from Glens Falls to the Balltown Road studio for each appearance. I left with such prizes as a popcorn popper and an RCA transistor radio (which got quite a workout for years afterward; even after I dropped and broke it, I glued it back together).
And my two fondest remembrances from that period: what a kind gentleman David Allan was to me, which remains the case to this day; and how generous Harry Downie was in introducing me to the then-WGY studio. Little did I know then that I’d have a dream come true … by spending time in that studio as an employee later, and also in the following locations of WGY.
Thanks again for prompting the memories!
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A Novel could be written about the odd background connivances
happening at WGY/WRGB in those days. The people involved in
the kiddie shows were somewhat different from their on-camera/
mic personas. The people playing Glendora, and (Little Lenny at
WAST) Captain Six were “interesting”, let’s say. My Mom worked
there. I visited after school, a lot. The only consistently nice
person I knew, there, was “Wendy With The Weather”.
Wendy was also drop-dead Gorgeous.
I previewed Felix The Cat cartoons for Glendora, to weed out the
odder ones, prior to airing. Some of those were QUITE disturbing.
David Allan was always polite. Unlike “Felix”.
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does anyone remember the songs david used to play–such as “latham circle” and “that’s how the word gets around” etc.? i know my mother had it, but it’s long disappeared. i’d love to hear it again–fond memories of david allan. what’s he doing now?
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I know that David Allan recorded several LP’s for Scooter Records in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Readers, can you help?
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I never saw the Pick-a-Show LP, but I suspect that I may still have a couple copies of Allan’s “Town and Country” LP, which contained his local hit “Little Red Scooter.”
In the late 60s, my dad was picking up some extra money working part time at WRGB. From time to time, he’d bring me to the station with him, and once I visited the Pick-a-Show set while the morning broadcast was in progress. At the end, I got to spin the letters on the game board. Memorable. (I was ~5 years old at the time.)
I remember the Town and Country album vividly — it evidently seeped into my impressionable young brain. I believe that Allan composed most of the songs. I’ll search out those LPs when I visit my folks this holiday.
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I remember watching this show as a young kid of about 7. I would ask relatives if they remembered it and no one did. It’s one of the few childhood memories I have at that age. It’s great that someone remembers this.
Bob
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Wow!! am I glad I found this board.
I had forgotten Pick-a-show (at least until I saw the photo) But I sure remember Satellite six with Captain six and the RACE THROUGH SPACE game. You could actually buy a home version for a while (it used dice instead of a wheel) It’s funny how players had to go past Mars, Saturn etc to get to the end circle called “IN ORBIT” as if that would be further then the planets. I used to watch Captain Six introduce such cartoons as Space Angel & Gumby. I also remember Freddie Friehoffer (Freddie – We’re Ready – We’re Waiting for you). Funny also how in both shows, those envelope shaped hats were used. WRGB must have had a contract with the manufacturer.
I also got my dose of monster movies back then (I know I’m switching channels here. Anyway, does WTEN’s Thursday night “Weirdo Late Show ring a bell? How bout John Stewart (different one) hosting Mon-Fri 5PM early Show. Or how Bout Sat Night at 11:15 CHILLER (The first movie was Boris Karloff in THE MUMMY)
Perhaps you may remember “The Old Skipper” who showed Popeye, The Three Stooges, and The Marvel Super Heroes (Thor, Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man & Sub Mariner. John Stewart also hosted “Dialing for $ along with Dianne Webber. Dianne Webber was also in the local Romper Room. Then there was Wally Weather. Anyone remember the weatherman’s striped pole countdown of days till Christmas?
I lived in Greenfield Center (Near Saratoga) on Hyspot Rd (1962-1964) and S Greenfield Rd. (1964-1969).This was close to the old, but cool looking Stewart’s ice cream building. There was also an abandoned Drive in theater there. Then I lived at Saratoga Lake (1969-1972). I grew up with WTEN 10, WRGB 6, WAST 13 & even WMHT 17 after we got our first color set (with UHF). I’d be interested in finding anything to do with these old shows. would like to know Captain 6’s real name. Also The Old Skipper. I’d love to find the race through space game, or see the intro to chiller with the mangetting out of the coffin saying, “GOOD EVENING – BRAVE HEARTS!! WELCOME TO CHILLER!!!” then laughing in an evil manner.
Hope this jogged a memory or two. Have a great day!
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I used to watch “Pick A Show” during the summers I spent in the Catskills at my grandmother’s home in Sunside, NY, near East Durham. I bought David Allan’s Self Titled LP on Scooter Records, released in 1970 through WRGB 6. He also released the following:
“David Allan – Town and Country” on Scooter Records (1968) which contained the song “Little Red Scooter”.
“David Allan – Until We Meet Again” on Scooter Records (1971)
“Pete Williams – David Allan – Songs You Wrote Requesting” (not sure of release date) on Scooter Records
“The Best of Pick A Show”. Scooter Records (1972)
He also released a 45 rpm single called “Let’s Have A Party, Albany!” in 1986
I bought all of the above (except for the Self Titled LP) by phone from Last Vestige Records in Albany, NY. They have a web site which lists their address and phone number. They are great people to deal with.
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I remember going to visit my aunt on my way home (walking) from grade school in Pittsfield, MA. She had Pick A Show on with David Allen. She liked to watch the show because David Allen was “such a nice young man!”
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This is quite a walk down memory lane! I found your blog because I was trying to remember someone named Harry Downie. I think he was either a WRGB or WGY personality, I was at a golf course yesterday and they had old pictures of people who had frequented the place. It’s taken me a complete day to come up with a name of one of the people in the photo. I’m quite sure it’s Harry Downie but that’s all I can remember. I’d love to know if anyone knows anything about him.
I remember all the old shows too. Ah, what a simple life we led in the 60’s and 70’s. I was a “squiggler” on the old Freddie Freighofer shows. I drew the number 8 because if was my 8th b’day and it was Nov. 8 and he made a witch out of it.
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I remember Pick-A-Show growing up. I was a small child and wished I was old enough to participate. I loved David Allen!
For Dennis Pope, the Old Skipper was Ralph Vartigan. Don’t ask me how I know this, I just do. I think that since I was the youngest child in a large family one of my older siblings must have told me so. I also loved Romper Room but Miss Diane never saw me in her magic mirror as “Cheryl” was a new name back then. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
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“The Old Skipper” on Channel 10 was not Ralph Vartigan (who was Commander Ralph). He was played by George Leighton, who was also a staff announcer.
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Dan, you are right about “The Old Skipper” and Commander Ralph. I remember my mother watching Pick-a-show and her bringing me with her when David Allen made an appearence at a local bank here in Pittsfield. Harry Downing and John Banner (Sgt Shultz from Hogan’s Heroes) were with him. As I remember it was the Union Federal Bank and all of them were really nice, giving out photos and autographs. I think John Banner died shortly after this appearence. Hey Dan, great memeories from a Dewey Park allumni. lol
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OMG, I did a search for “The Old Skipper” and this page came up, so I just took a fantastic walk down “Memory Lane.” I used to LOVE “The Old Skipper,” “Commander Ralph,” with Ralph Vartigan, “Satellite Six,” “Glendora,” and of course “Freddie Freihofer.” I was on Dialing For Dollars a few times; we always liked John Stewart, and Ralph Vartigan. Anyone remember the musical group “The Valentino’s?” I always heard that David Allen was a good guy as well; I saw an album of his on eBay but didn’t win it. Harry Downie on WGY….Ernie Tetrault, Howard Tupper, and last but certainly not least, Liz Bishop who’s still with WRGB; my brother appeared on Teenage Barn several times. Though I’ve lived in Alabama for over 31 years now, I always think of Schenectady as “home” and have great memories of growing up there. I know this article was from 09 but when I saw it I wanted to write just the same. Thanks again for the memories…It was great to be a kid in Schenectady during the 50’s!!
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Anyone remember Betty and Moo, The Weather Girl?
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So, does anyone know whether David Allan is still around somewhere? I have just come across some interesting clippings and a wonderful photo of him from his alma mater Ohio University.
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I used to watch this show all the time in the late 60’s and early 70’s as a kid growing up at that time in Amsterdam. I used to love the show for some reason back then. It would be nice to see a telecast of one of the old original shows.
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Apparently, The host of Satellite Six (at least for the time I watched it) was Dick Belkin.
The site above is the first time I saw him in well over 40 years. Great memories.
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Whatever became of David Allen ?? There is a “David Allen”, with a morning show on KJUL Las Vegas. Same person ???
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Not the same person. “Ours” is David ALLAN, still associated (I believe) with Albany station WABY.
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Who was that woman with the DOG NAMED MOO??
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You’re thinking of Betty George.
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As a youngster, we would watch Pick-a-Show and frequently nagged our mom to send in a postcard. Each morning my mom would walk next door to my grandmother to help her get ready for the day. One morning, David spun the barrel and announced he’d be calling a contestant in Catskill NY. I recall watching him make the call and our home phone start ringing! I picked the phone up and immediatley hung it up. I watched live as David Allen got a puzzled look and said “it seems as if someone picked up the phone and then hung up. I’ll try and call again”. I sent my brother to get my mom and she came rushing back to the house in time to get the call back. We made it to G and would have went further if she had listened to me and pick the show I wanted. What a great memory. I still think about that once in a while-why I’ll never know!
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OMG–I was ON Pick-A-Show when I was 12; my aunt won $813 on the progressive jackpot and the whole family drove over the mountain from Pittsfield, MA to collect(yes, I skipped school that day). I remember David Allan was a very nice and gracious man. One of his songs that burned into my memory: “There’s no life on the moon” (there’s no life on Mars, so let’s take care of this lovely world of ours, let’s make the waters clean again and the winds fresh when they blow, ’cause if we wreck this world of ours there’s nowhere else to go”). “Little Red Scooter” was recorded by Pat Cooper, a Vegas-type entertainer.
Also remember Glendora, Little Lenny, Miss Dianne, Uncle Jim Fisk and the Freddie Freihofer Show, Commander Ralph, the Old Skipper, etc. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
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I used to watch Pick A Show in the 60’s, and have always wondered
what became of Dave Allan. I can’t believe I have come across this
site! Earlier today I finally found Harry Downey’s obituary. I
remember some of the people mentioned here; wonder what became of
Pete Williams and others? Also, Jay Bobbin’s name rang a bell.
Life may be short, but memories help stretch it to the horizon.
Thanks, Chuck, for sharing these!
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I loved all the shows discussed!!! Pick A Show was one of my favorites. I used to work with David Allen (Very, Very nice guy) and all I did was bug him about Pick A Show! Commander Ralph and Captain Kangaroo got me ready for school. Sunday mornings were always TV Tournament Time and Answers Please. The first ‘celebrity’ I ever met was Moo The Wonder Dog. Betty George (Another great person I’ve worked with) used to shop at a store in downtown Schenectady and we would bump into her from time to time. She let us pet the dog to our heart’s content! I miss those days! I think Ranger Danger was the closest thing (In the past 20 years) that celebrated the local celebrity that we all knew and enjoyed!
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I was 17 years old when I started modeling for the “Louise Boyka Modeling Agency” in Schenectady N.Y. in the early 1970’s.We did many modeling “gig’s” in the Downtown area….Carl Co.,The Junction restaurant…and many more.My most famous appearance was on “Pick -a-show in the early 1970’s…I was the girl who choose the key ,if you won, to open the treasure chest of prizes.I appeared many times….as a youg girl ,I loved the show and was so glad to be able to skip school to go to the studio…I remember the dressing room and all the little back of the studio things…..I’m from Mechanicville N.Y. and this was a big deal for our ” Little Town” so all my friends would stay home from school to watch the show!!! and of course none of the Mom’s worked…What a Hoot…..anyone who has any knowledge of where We could get any footage let me know ….miss those day’s..also modled for Cohoes Manufacturing co.
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Chuck! What a great article-I’m so glad I ran across it! I grew up on Pashley Road in East Glenville during the golden age of local, live TV and radio in the 60’s and 70’s. I watched Pick-A-Show on summer mornings (9 AM) during school vacation followed by the Lucy Show, the Beverly Hillbillies and Andy of Mayberry. I can remember David Allan sitting on a stool, strumming his guitar and singing ” the cars go round and round on Latham Circle “!!! Do you recall what the grand prize was on Pick-A-Show?? If I remember correctly, it was a weekend for two at the” fabulous Jugend Resort” in South Egremont, MA. I checked on Jugend-it is now completely gone! Now a State wildlife area. I remember the Freddie Freihofer theme song, and yes, sing it frequently for my kids! Uncle Jim Fisk’s daughter was in my high school class, BHBL ’74. Is Uncle Jim still printing JIMAPCO Maps? What a great time to have been a kid. Thanks to all who have commented for the great memories!!
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I have a funny memory of Captain Six doing a live commercial featuring this stuff called Jack Frosted. It was a syrup in an aerosol can that you sprayed into your milk. It came out with sufficient force to not only mix itself, but give a foamy head.
Captain Six sprays it into his milk, and proceeds to gag on it. but since it was live TV, the camera couldn’t pan off of him until the cartoon was scheduled to run. The facial expressions along with his croaking out that it was good were priceless.
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I have wonderful memories of local live TV. My wife was once on with Freddie Freihofer! I watched Pick-A-Show a lot and always enjoyed it. Once in a while we’d flip over to Dialing For Dollars. Where David Allan always seemed to reach the contestant off of the postcard, if I remember right Dialing For Dollars called people at random out of the phone book. I do not recall even one person being home! Do you recall John Stewart’s drama after all the no-answer calls? “That means our jackpot goes up 10 dollars; our next call is WORTH: $120!!” Once, Pick-A-Show did a remote broadcast at Colonie Center, and my father brought me there. No one ever seemed to not find the W and get past the 1st round. I had my suspicions and was going to find out! I managed to get a look at the back of the board. Sure enough…2 W’s!
(Sorry if just ruined WRGB’s reputation!) 🙂
Is there any way I could learn what was the name of the catchy little ditty played at the beginning and end of Pick-A-Show? I can still play it in my mental juke box, but have never known the title/artist. I can’t imagine that today’s children will have such memories of local TV, which of course solely consists of 90 hours of news a week.
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