Storybook Squares- Mary Jame vs. Tim (1969)

Here is an episode from the short-lived Saturday Morning version of the Hollywood Squares that lasted for just half a season in early 1969, although periodic special episodes would later appear on the parent show. Featuring Wally Cox as Paul Revere, Stu Gillam as Merlin, Soupy Sales as Henry VIII, Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams, Arte Johnson as The Very Interesting Soldier, Abby Dalton as Little Miss Muffet, Charley Weaver, Nanette Fabray as the Old Lady In The Shoe, and Paul Winchell & Jerry Mahoney as Romeo & Juliet.

[@jlovebirch]

Thanks for posting. Really wanted to see Carolyn Jones and no one called on her. Interesting how "Addams" was never mentioned, probably for legal reasons.

[@georgemaster4225]

I absolutely LOVE the classic NBC peacock!Whoever has this videotape needs to preserve it by transferring it to fresh media since not a lot of 60s HS episodes exist.

[@Owlzindabarn]

This was the only time Carolyn Jones appeared as Morticia on the show, and they didn't even ask her anything. Thanks a lot, Mary Jane and Tim!!

[@pinedelgado4743]

Thanks for the 411, Owlzindabarn!! :) :)

[@nataliep.9047]

She appeared in color on the 1970's Addams Family Halloween special.

[@sixtieskid062]

The only time I can recall seeing Morticia Addams in color.😂

[@LarryLeeMoniz]

NO WAY! Carolyn Jones as Morticia!

[@Bigbadwhitecracker]

Yes, I fondly remember this series. I was just 5 years old when this aired. I probably saw this one.

[@redranger78web21]

I was in grade school and I was 7 years old. Then 12 years later, I graduated in 1980. I had a very strict High school ,. Very strict,. It wasn't discipline, it was the requirements , or you didn't graduate. I remember that like it was yesterday.

[@dianepeck6189]

OMG! A million hugs for posting this! I remember this show well. I was almost 11 when this aired. Couldn't believe someone would have a show from '69! Amazing & verrrrry entertaining. Thanks for posting!!

[@MrMenefrego1]

'Verrry entertaining' and Verrry Interesting!

[@brucepappas6298]

I remember Bob Crane appeared on this show as Col. Hogan.

[@RobbCorless]

That was great seeing the extra effort they all took with the kids++++

[@TruWatcher]

I definitely remember this! It was on TV the year a school levy failed and our school was closed for weeks, then reopened when an emergency levy passed and we had to go to school on Saturdays to make up the time! What an injustice to have to go to school on Saturday and miss this show!...I also had one of those Playtapes awarded as a prize. It was a 2-track tape player...played 4-song cassettes. Ah, the ancient technology!

[@redranger78web21]

OH,!! This year ? I was in Grade school. First grade.

[@paulculler3800]

Paul Winchell would host another Heatter-Quigley kids game show Runaround It aired on NBC in 1972

[@kevinbutler1126]

I remember watching this show..saturday mornings on NBC TV..I loved this show...I'm sorry that it only lasted one season.

[@MrMenefrego1]

not even 1

[@joefagan6244]

it was taped @ NBC in Burbank California.

[@kevinbutler8824]

Mr.Johnson's "Wolfgang"/"The Very Interesting Soldier"is a popular tv character with the kids,back then."The Storybook Squares"not only had famous performers and personalities,appear as storybook characters? They also appeared as their well known tv alter egos,Jubal Calif.

[@jehobden]

RIP, Abby Dalton. Now Peter Marshall has outlived all the celebrities on this show. I hope/expect both the young contestants are doing ok. Both would be about in their early 60s now.

[@pinedelgado4743]

OMG!! That's right!!

[@joefagan6244]

Guardian of the gates is Kenny Williams.

[@raymondgallardo576]

'Tis hath been a Merrill Heatter/Robert Quigley Production!

[@smittykins]

A kid having their own(color!)TV was a Big Deal in 1969.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Sufferin' Sucatash ! I don't recall this at all on Saturday mornings in early 1969 ! Bizarre...weird...odd...but oh so strangely compelling ! THANKS so much for uploading this bodacious "blast from the past" for us to enjoy ! CHEERS !! :-)

[@jehobden]

This particular episode originally aired Saturday morning, Feb. 22, 1969, on NBC. I've had a poor quality copy of this on tape for years which I just transferred to DVD, with little more than sound transferring over to disk in several places. I'd love to watch more of these if anyone can make them available.

[@pinedelgado4743]

Wait a minute, Jon H. I've found out on Wikipedia that Carolyn Jones was on the STORYBOOK SQUARES debut/premiere which was telecast on Jan. 4, 1969. And according to another KZbinr, whose comments I've just read, Ms. Jones only appeared on the "SBSq" debut/premiere. So, I'm wondering if she appeared on JUST the debut episode or on an additional episode as well. Someone doesn't have their facts straight.

[@charlesmeadows6285]

Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley later produced & developed RunAround another game for young people.

[@artkurtz5177]

I remember Storybook Squares on Saturday mornings... already a game show fan by age 7, I remember Arte Johnson as "Nice Old Man" who was wandering aimlessly thru the grid! On another occasion Atre (again as "Nice Old Man" got his cane inter twinned with Little bo Peep's (I think played by Nannette Fabray) shepard's hook. I really enjoyed it as a teen when it came back as specials (with Paul Lynde as The Wicked Queen") and those cousume party episodes later in the syndie nighttime run.

[@kevinbutler1126]

Paul Winchell..also appeared with his puppets as Frank & Jesse James,"Jack & the Giant","Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde","Sherlock Holmes & Dr.Watson","Simple Simon & The Pieman".

[@hiridavidfeign]

And Charlie Weaver as Charlie Weaver...

[@jehobden]

RIP, Arte Johnson. Now Abby Dalton is the last storybook celeb remaining with us, though Master of the Hollywood Squares Peter Marshall is still with us at age 93.

[@Musicradio77Network]

This was an episode which was not shown on GSN in its rotation back in 2002.

[@Bigwave2003]

Today Mary Jane is an astrophysicist and Tim works at McDonald's.

[@jehobden]

With the recent passing of Nanette Fabray (at age 97!) only Arte Johnson & Abby Dalton, along w/ host Peter Marshall, remain with us today.

[@meyerj75]

You might want to add Arte Johnson along with Nanette Fabray to the list. He went to serve the house of the Lord at 90.

[@TheBlueyedblond]

The girl is smarter than most of the adults.

[@jubalcalif9100]

Indeed ! That youngster was one smart cookie !!

[@meyerj75]

I heard a lot about this show but never seen it before until right here. Charley Weaver must have had it easy not dressing up in any of the costumed characters that the other 8 stars. Also, Wally Cox was Davy Crokett on any episode and Paul Lynde was the Joker of Batman. Hahaha! Anyways, this could still be around as most Saturday morning shows were at the time. But this is a game show and unfortunately may have fallen the same fate as Runaround later on. Let's hope there's more out there so that I can see Paul Lynde in his Joker getup.

[@michaelhealy1767]

A very early version of match game gene Rayburn 1973-1982 on Hollywood squares nbc and cbs in 1969

[@kevinbutler8824]

On another episodes of"The Storybook Squares"(The Saturday morning version)Ms.Judy Carne(formerly of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh In!")played"Little Miss Muffet"on the show.

[@jubalcalif9100]

She was a cutie ! I would love to see that episode !

[@pardyhardly]

I deny that I'm drunk.

[@TVonthePorch]

Tim apparently wasn't picking up any educational stations on his crystal set....

[@pinedelgado4743]

LOL!! :) :)

[@mikeries6930]

If I recall Wasn't there an episode featuring Adam West and Bart Ward as Batman & Robin?

[@DucNguyen0131]

Some H-Q shows had Kenny Williams on-camera.

[@kevins.butler3402]

Excuse me..Pannoni 8..but that is not "Jerry Mahoney" as"Juliet"..that is his cousin"Tessie Mahoney" as Juliet".

[@XMLarry]

I remember watching these, they were great fun. If you can find anymore Storybook Squares I'd love to see them

[@katefromct1969]

Same! Would love to see any with Henry Gibson.

[@kevinbutler8824]

Unfotuneately,Jubal Calif,that episode of "The Storybook Squares",no longer exist.

[@raymondgallardo576]

should be "Storybook Squares - Mary Jane (not Jame) vs. Tim (1969)" - thanks for understanding

[@Neville60001]

There was also William Shatner as Captain Kirk, and Ted Cassidy (Lurch on The Adams Family) as Tarzan.

[@MetFan37]

I seem to recall an episode where Paul Lynde played Narcissus (in Greek Mythology, looked into a pond at his reflection and fell in love with himself) and they played "I Feel Pretty" when he was chosen. When the line played "I feel pretty and witty and gay", Paul gave a nasty look to the camera! Too funny!!

[@louistenore2185]

i must ask this again was this taped at disneyland and wasnt someone else little miss muffet during thoose special weeks

[@jubalcalif9100]

As far as I know, it was videotaped at the NBC studios in Burbank on the same set they used for the regular weekday version of "Hollywood Squares".

[@louistenore2185]

@@jubalcalif9100 Well it looked liked Disney land when it was shown on the regular version if memory serves me correct that was 1977 but the difference was it was members of the entire family

[@jubalcalif9100]

@@louistenore2185 As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point !! :-)

[@silvereagle2061]

Poor Tim. It just wasn't his day.

[@rickw1100]

These are hysterically funny ,although I wonder if Artie Johnson would get away with doing the"very interesting" soldier on a kids show today in this PC times.

[@kevinbutler8824]

I'd say..No..Mr.Johnson couldn't play:"Wolfgang":"The Very Interesting Soldier" or"Tyrone F.Horni"/"The Dirty/Nice Old Man"on any kids tv show..today.

[@jubalcalif9100]

That's for sure ! I am surprised not only that they allowed the character but that he's got a cigarette....not a good role model for the kiddies ! And how is a German soldier a storybook character ???

[@LynxSouth]

@@jubalcalif9100 This was less than 25 years after WWII, so most children's parents had lived through it or even served in it. WWII and all aspects of it were common in lots of ways then:TV, magazines, movies, school lessons, library books. No one would have objected. Also, what is Morticia Adams, a TV character, doing on there? Neither Henry VIII nor Paul Revere is a storybook character, either, and Charley Weaver is just being 'himself', a comedian's character. As to the cigarettes, half of everyone smoked in the 1960s. It was accepted, meaning no one worried about it, although some didn't like the smell. *IF* anyone thought about being role models for children, it was about values such as honesty, good manners, and working hard.

[@jubalcalif9100]

@@LynxSouth As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point ! Thanks for sharing your insightful comment with us !

[@thegameshowguy]

I remember an episode where Arte Johnson was "Nice Old Man" and was travelling from square to square bothering the other characters before sitting with Charley Weaver for the rest of the show. In another episode of Storybook Squares "Nice Old Man" reached his cane up to Nanette Fabray playing Little Bo Peep and got his cane stuck on her hook. Charley Weaver references "Nice Old Man" here, so I take it the stars did a few of these in different costumes in one taping.

[@revinevan87]

Tim played very badly, his lack of knowledge and choice of squares cleared the road for mary jane

[@MrMenefrego1]

How wonderful to see all these stars again! I thought that Charlie Weaver was just brilliant as Charli Weaver! We Baby Boomers were so spoiled with all of the amazing talents we had in those days, and not a whining Snowflake in the bunch!

[@rockhard2654]

like paul revere wally cox was an accomplished silver smith

[@kevins.butler3402]

Obviously? "Julliet"("Ms.Tessie Mahoney")has been watching too many reruns of"The Pixie,Dixie and Mr.Jinx"TV Cartoons.."Mr.Jinx"referred to those two mice as"Meeces". "Believe It Or Else?'.

[@michaelhealy1767]

Aired nbc and cbs 2 22 1969 match game Hollywood sqaures