BOUNCE (1960)

BOUNCE is an American educational children's television show airing initially from 1960 to 1966. It is the first full NBC Two show after the channel was unexpectedly released from a power outage on its launch. Dave Helton, the show's creator, used to be in a punk rock band called the Sea Monsters.

## Overview

BOUNCE uses activities sent in by viewers in segments, such as Crafting, BOUNCE Science, Tasty BOUNCy Treats, BOUNCE's play of today, BOUNCERap (later Meetings), Game Time, BOUNCECrackers, Cool Tricks, BOUNCE Mail, Knock-Knock, Maria Says, and serials introduced through the windows -- triangle, semicircle, and arch.

The show spawned numerous spin-offs and reboots and involved a large number of real-life mostly teen performers (called *BOUNCers*) and musicians during its run. Despite a revamp in 1963, *BOUNCE* maintained the same basic formula throughout its 7-year history, but changes to the NBC children's output led to the show's cancellation in 1966, when it was replaced by *The Bright Side Show*, which later became *Bright Side*.

## History

*BOUNCE* originally appeared on weekdays at 11 am on NBC2 and receiving Holiday runs on NBC1 in Summer 1960 and 1961 later acquiring a mid-afternoon NBC1 repeat as the opening programme of NBC1's dinner children's schedule. The morning showing was transferred to NBC1 in September 1963 when NBC Schools programming transferred to NBC2. It remained in that slot even after daytime television was launched in October 1965 and continued to be broadcast at that time until it was superseded in October 1966 by *The Bright Side Show*.

When the NBC scrapped the afternoon edition of *BOUNCE* in April 1965, to make way for a variety of kids shows in the afternoon, a Sunday morning compilation was launched called *Sent in to us by*.

The opening of *BOUNCE* during its run, was "Sunny Days, sweeping the rain away, on my way to the show where kids ounce, oh can you tell me how to BOUNCE how to BOUNCE-BOUNCE-BOUNCEa-BOUNCE"

Unlike earlier NBC shows aimed at preschool children such as *The Dinner Show*, *BOUNCE* featured real presenters (children and teens) known as *BOUNCers*) who spoke directly to their audience. Each BOUNCer wore a blue shirt with the first letter of their name on it with their full first name below. Certain BOUNCers stayed for a season if they were young enough. *BOUNCE* and another NBC children's television show *The Bugaloos* were sometimes recorded somewhere else when MediaCity US was busy.

## Contents of the show

The show had viewers write to the BOUNCers about what they would like to see on the show (usually a craft, game, play, science experiment, or recipe). If the *BOUNCE* Crew would get the idea, they'd show it on the show.

* BOUNCE Science - A science segment where the cast does science experiments
* Crafting - A craft segment where the cast does arts and crafts
* Tasty BOUNCy Treats - A cooking segment where the cast cooks up recipes
* Game Time - A game segment where the cast plays games
* Knock Knock - A segment where we take a look at real-kids' lives.
* BOUNCE Mail - A segment where the cast does fan mail
* BOUNCERap (later Meetings) - A segment where the cast talks about things
* BOUNCECrackers - A segment where the BOUNCers would do brainteaser games.
* Jokes - A segment where the cast tells jokes
* Grandma - A segment where the cast sings a song about what Grandma likes and doesn't like
* Gibberish - Segments where the BOUNCers would speak in their own secret language.
* Poems - A segment where the cast reads poems.
* BOUNCE's Play of the Day - A segment where the cast performs in plays
* Cool Tricks - A segment where a real-kid or cast member demonstrates a talent. The segment lives on in the 2007 children's show *Yo Gabba Gabba*, which borrows much from *BOUNCE*.
* Story Time - A short story read from a book, introduced by checking the time on the BOUNCEClock. Normally the clock would show either an hour or a half hour with the BOUNCers saying "Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock. What's the time on the BOUNCEClock? Well, the long hand is pointing straight up, so that means it's something o'clock – and the short hand is pointing to the number...two (or whatever). So today, the clock says, two...o'...clock" (the latter phrase always delivered very slowly). This was followed by, "But what's underneath the clock?", and viewers would then see a turntable under the clock featuring certain items such as toy animals or clocks, which were, in a clever twist, always a clue to the forthcoming story. This was all accompanied by a church bell chime, yet undeniably catchy, clock-like tune.
* Serials - A section of each episode was a serial taken through one of three windows: the young viewers were invited to guess whether the triangle, semicircle, or arched window would be chosen that day, usually by means of the phrase, "...Have a look – through the....(whichever) window." A rectangle window was added in 1965. Very often the serial would be *Nancy Drew*, *Lukeanory*, or *My Name is Toodee*.

## Trivia

* Most of the episodes were studio-based, but there were a number of outside broadcasts at a variety of locations, such as zoos, beaches, churches, schools and farms.
* From 1962 to 1966, *BOUNCE* also had a sister show called BOUNCEAway
* There would also be songs, games, poems, skits, and stories, all submitted in by viewers (known as "*BOUNCElets*"), as well as regular science, cooking, and craft activities. The BOUNCers would frequently invite the viewers to participate at home, usually by means of the prompt, 'Can you do that?' They normally signed off at the end of each episode by saying, "Time for us to go now, but only until tomorrow, so goodbye until tomorrow" – or, at the end of a week, "Goodbye, until it's our turn to be here again". (The latter phrase stemmed from the fact that the presenters changed from one week to the next)..
* In many cases five programmes would be produced in the space of two days, with one day of rehearsal and one day of recording.

## BOUNCers

BOUNCers throughout the 7-year run included:

### Season 1 (1960)

* Andrew Garçon
* Gary Riggs
* Elena "Toodee" Marks
* Nathaniel Lee
* Maria Yang
* Diane Washington
* Chris Taylor

### Season 2 (1961)

#### C1

* Maria Yang
* Nathaniel Lee
* Diane Washington
* Caroline Wood
* Lisa Nye
* Alex Alden
* Sam Bradfood

#### C2

* Caroline Wood
* Alex Alden
* Sam Bradfood
* Lisa Nye
* DiDi Yorgova
* Noah David
* Aiden Gonalez

#### C3

* DiDi Yorgova
* Noah David
* Aiden Gonalez
* Jill Carver
* Anthony Vida
* Lindsay Moore

### Season 3 (1962)

#### C1

* Jill Carver (Michael Dsani's soon to be wife)
* Anthony Vida
* Lindsay Moore
* Michelle Parker
* Jack Dean
* Michael Dsani (Jill Carver's soon to be husband)

### C2

* Michelle Parker
* Jack Dean
* Michael Dsani
* Apallo Vinez
* Julie Ellington
* Anthony Reed (II)
* Jacob Erana

### Season 4 (1963)

* Katie Wyatt
* Valerie Miller
* Alex Mitchell (II)
* Tara Lecia-Pollard
* Evan M. Hazen
* Leo Love
* Yellow O'Connel
* Lindsay Heeley (II)
* Chris Dunlap (II)
* Liz Mettis (not the singer)

#### Trivia

This is the only season with more than 7 Bouncers

### Season 5 (1964)

* Brian Dixon
* Brad Spider
* Jeannie Gold
* Kathy Wing
* Lucas Xena
* Ellie Divana
* Bill Nye

### Season 6 (1965-66)

* Jennifer Hiop
* Amelia Slocum (Danny Moon's soon to be wife)
* Luke DeHirr
* Danny Moon (Amelia Slocum's soon to be husband)
* Jonathan Hatch (as Johnny Bochling)
* Emory Dweck
* Daphne Grandgiard

## Revivals or Adaptations

*BOUNCE* was sold to PBS, and was then followed by a reboot in 1999 with new BOUNCers. Similarly a reboot aired from 1977 to 1979 with new BOUNCers. The Australian adaptation was *What Happens Next...* and ran from 1971 to 1993.

Other countries including *Prallen* in German (1971–81), Britain, Spain, the Netherlands, India (1971–74), and Israel were provided with scripts and film segments so they could produce their own versions.

## Celebrity Storytellers

A number of famous people also appeared on the show as storytellers: many became semi-regulars. Both existing and former BOUNCers also frequently made guest appearances as storytellers.

## Musicians

Many musicians worked on the programme over the years: they included Thomas Cohen, William Smart, Kevin Gosling, Mark Graham, Paul Donson, Spike Heatley, Clark Reading. Some of them, in particular Cohen, Gosling, Smart, and Reading, occasionally appeared on camera, especially during Christmas editions.

## Pets

* Jasper - Parrot
* Bits and Bobs – goldfish
* Rabbits, including Buffy, Mopsy, Marley, Lilly and Jerry.
* Mice including Jelly, Bean, Tyrus, Callen, and Tom
* Guinea pigs including Sandy

The pets were cared for by Nora Mod, a Los Angeles-based zookeeper.