Andy’s Gang

by Michael RichComment — Updated August 3, 2023

Smilin’ Ed McConnell and his Buster Brown Gang

1951-1955 NBC, CBS, ABC 30 minutes

Andy’s Gang

8/20/55 – 12/31/1960 NBC 30 minutes
Black and White

Both sponsored by Buster Brown Shoes

Andy’s Gang Cast

Ed McConnell (1951-1955)
Andy Devine (1955-1960)
Nino Marcel as Gunga Ram
June Foray as Midnight the Cat/Old Grandie, the witch
Billy Gilbert as The Teacher
Lou Krugman as The Maharajah
Jerry Maren as Buster Brown
Alan Reed asThe Poet
Vito Scotti in Pasta Fazooli/Rama
Bud Tollefson as Tige, the dog

Trivia

Andy Devine’s real name is Jeremiah Schwartz

Tidbits

PLUNK YOUR MAGIC TWANGER, FROGGY!

Words to make a Baby Boomer smile. The mischievous Froggy the Gremlin appeared in a puff go smoke and was always interrupting the story!

Smilin’ Ed McConnell started the show with “”Hiya, kids” followed by the audience singing the sponsor’s song (Buster Brown Shoes) “I got shoes, you got shoes, everybody’s got to have shoes, but there’s only one kind of shoe for me-good old Buster Brown shoes!”

Then Ed said “Thank you buddies and sweethearts. Good old Buster Brown shoes are on the air out here in Hollywood for another good old Saturday hullabaloo.”

At first the show was filmed in front of a live audience but as McConnell’s health deteriorated, they used prefilmed kiddie reaction shots intercut with the studio performance. McConnell died of a heart attack in 1955.

The show then went to the rough voiced, gentle giant, Andy Devine. They feared real kids would be intimidated by Devine, so again the used the studio reaction shots and Devine did his segments without a live audience.

The show began with Andy sitting in a big easy chair reading from a book, Andy’s Stories. Remember Midnight the Cat and Squeeky the Mouse? Grandie the Talking Piano?

How about Gunga Ram? In the filmed segments, he was an Indian boy played by Nino Marcel. Gunga (Ghanga Rama during Smilin’ Ed’s tenure) and his friend Rama (Vito Scotti) helped out the Majarajah.

Andy had a lovely closing. ” “Yes, sir, we’re pals and pals stick together. And now gang, don’t forget church or Sunday school.”

Passings

Ed McConnell died in 1955 of a heart attack and Andy Devine in 1977 from leukemia.

Andy's Ganag - Andy Devine
Midnight the Cat and Andy DevineAndy's Gang, Smilin Ed's Gang
Andy Devine

Andy's Gang, Smilin Ed MCConnell, Froggy the Gremlin

Froggy the Gremlin

For Andy Devine fans:
He appeared in theWagon Trainepisode, The Jesse MacAbbee StoryEmail for details.

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