HOUSE WITH THE MAGIC WINDOW ARCHIVE
HOUSE WITH THE MAGIC WINDOW TV

Something most people may not be aware of is that WOI-TV produced a second childrenвЂ™s program in 1954 called Window Watchers (I see a theme here). Special Collections and University Archives has kinescope (16mm film) recordings of some of the earliest episodes of The Magic Window in our collections, but sadly we only have one recording, dating from 1955, of Betty Lou as host of The Magic Window! Each of these women hosted the show for a year or so until Betty Lou took over permanently. Other hosts included Virginia вЂњGinnyвЂќ Adams, Joy (Ringham) Munn, and Arjes вЂњSunnyвЂќ Sundquist. However, Betty Lou was not the first host of The Magic Window. Betty Lou became a fixture in most central Iowa households and almost anyone growing up here during this time could tell you who Betty Lou was and name each of her puppetВ friends that regularly appeared on the show. Originally called The Magic Window, this program aired in central Iowa on WOI-TV from 1951 until 1994 and for nearly 40 years was hosted by Betty Lou (McVay) Varnum. Of course, any discussion of childrenвЂ™s programming in Iowa eventually leads to talk of WOI-TV and AmericaвЂ™s longest-running childrenвЂ™s program (who am I to argue with Wikipedia?)вЂ“ The House with the Magic Window. Photograph from box 4, folder 6 of the Betty Lou Varnum Papers, RS 5/6/53. This undated image shows longtime host of The Magic Window, Betty Lou Varnum, on the set of the show. If you have kids (or you are a kid at heart) I would recommend checking it out.

After all, Iowa Public Television is debuting their new IPTV Kids Clubhouse with host, and personal friend of yours truly, Dan Wardell. This month is a great time to celebrate childrenвЂ™s television programming in the State of Iowa. Betty Lou Varnum, host of The Magic Window, 1955 She began her career in 1954 as host of a program for children, вЂњThe Magic Window.вЂќ She also hosted other WOI-TV programs вЂњDimension 5,вЂќ вЂњStatus 6,вЂќ and вЂњStringerвЂ™s Newscast.вЂќ Varnum was an announcer for a number of televised VEISHEA parades at Iowa State University and Iowa State Fair parades in Des Moines, Iowa.

HOUSE WITH THE MAGIC WINDOW TV

But the kids had to find everything fast, really fast or Betty Lou would go on without them.вЂќВ вЂ“ The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship by Jeffrey Zaslow (Gotham, 2010)ДЇrame still from The Magic Window, 1956 Betty Lou Varnum was a TV personality at WOI-TV in central Iowa. These were always kid-safe items that could be found around the house. In every episode, Betty Lou would introduce a craft-making segment by announcing the materials needed. Intro title of The Magic Window, 1954 вЂњThe Magic Window, which for forty years was hosted by a woman named Betty Lou Varnum. This is our third post commemorating the 50 thВ anniversary of the signing of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, and this week we are highlighting the longest-running, locally produced childrenвЂ™s educational television program ever made in America: The Magic Window.

HOUSE WITH THE MAGIC WINDOW ARCHIVE

National Educational Television presents The Magic Window program, 1956 Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) have joined the American Archive of Public BroadcastingвЂ™s month-long celebrationВ of the Public Broadcasting ActвЂ™s 50th Anniversary! WeвЂ™re posting content throughout the month to celebrate the history and preservation of public broadcasting.

House with the magic window