The Friendly Giant: Timid Timothy 1953

First broadcast in Madison, Wisconsin in 1953, The Friendly Giant was one of the earliest educational children’s shows, moving quickly from radio to TV. In this first episode, Friendly the Giant (Bob Homme) reads Timid Timothy: The Kitten Who Learned to Be Brave (by Gweneira Williams, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard) to two little kittens that show up at his castle.
Aired: 12/02/53

[@kayakerdude3727]

No offense to Ernie Coombs and Mr. Dressup fans out there but the Friendly Giant "Bob" is my absolute fav and always the answer I give people when they say who was your favorite childhood personality. It was so simple and his nice demeanor came across through the tv - You can tell he was a good person and even as a kid I picked up on sincere nice versus fake nice - The Giant was sincere. The show was perfectly simple - Look way up and then spend only the next 15 minutes (felt longer as a kid) reading a short story and playing music after having small talk with gerome and rusty about some topic like the the importance of nature or farmers or something - Then arrange the furniture, give an open palm, then a good bye with the drawbridge closing and the cow jumping over the moon with early one morning playing in the background - It was magical stuff.

[@AlanTClark]

I absolutely loved the friendly giant, I also liked Mr. Dress up as well, I actually met Mr. Dress up when I was an adult in Lindsey Ontario, when he was doing a show in 1991. The children's TV programs today are WILDLY different from the ones we watched.

[@lgravelle4182]

I had no idea that the show was around since the 50s, Wow!! I watched this show in the 80s. Loved it!!

[@Nunavuter1]

The show debuted on the CBC in 1958, but I think this is from when Bob Homme was still in Wisconsin.

[@SLam-ve3yp]

I'm 60 and this was pure magic. I remember watching The Friendly Giant, Mr. Dressup and Chez Hélène as a child in the 60s. I'm french and was exposed at a very young age to the English language. We were spoiled. I feel sorry for today's children who's innocence is being robbed at a very young age.

[@tazman572]

I grew up in Montreal in the 60's and 70's. (Born in 1961, Pointe St. Charles). I probably watched the same programs as you did: The Friendly Giant, (10:30 - 10:45), chez Hélène, (10:45 - 11:00) and Mr. Dressup, (11:00 - 11:30). And then there was the Flintstones, (12:00 - 12:30). We also had Magic Tom. Sadly the shows and all of the people are gone now. Wonderful memories of a happy time. I really miss them.

[@laminage]

@@tazman572 Wow! What a wonderful legacy to have.

[@kirstenhaldrup5219]

Me too!

[@cynthiablandford6213]

Me too!!❤❤❤😃

[@zHumanfactor]

I watched Friendly Giant all the time in Montréal in the early 60s. Loved that draw bridge!

[@bubbastill2040]

We had the Friendly Giant on our local educational channel from the mid-60s to the early to mid- 70s (it wasn't PBS at first it was NET).Very pleasant and gentle childhood memories

[@blehkelekwet9642]

When I was a kid, sometimes I had to miss school due to a cold or flu and I watched The Friendly Giant, Mr Dressup and Chez Hélène. I loved those shows.

[@lawoftheuniverse8089]

Every Kid of My Generation Grew Up with The Friendly Giant...When I watch the Old Black and White CBC Episodes it truly brings a tear to my eye...These things mean a lot to me and all of my Cohorts... :)

[@geoffreybovey3482]

Wow!!!!! Whoever you are - THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER!!! What a great treasure to unbury!!! 🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸🇨🇦🇺🇸

[@Gantzz321]

grew up on this show, but first time seeing this. No one thought that having a fly on his nose was like having a fly the size of a horse

[@-danR]

Must've been a horsefly.

[@laurelldockall2399]

I was born in 1959. I was in love with the giant. He also sparked my love for miniatures. I still love and collect them today. Thank you for posted this. Makes me so happy 🥰

[@JMM0111]

I was born in 1959, too. Watching these replays of ‘The Friendly Giant’ makes me teary-eyed. Such sweet memories.

[@goblinman7]

Rod Coneybeare is the best. Shows like this are really missed these days.

[@cynthiablandford6213]

This program was on radio in Wisconsin 1953,moved to television in 1954.

[@BOLLOCKS1968]

I still remember this show ... as a kid who could forget about a scrawny little rooster just hanging in a bag way up on the wall ? I always wanted to know where he went to the bathroom 😂 50 years later and I still over analyze everything.

[@briansteinmacher5811]

Brings back memories

[@carlaeskelsen]

Thank you for this sweet gift. 🙏🏻

[@23v0lv32]

Iconic!!! My dad watched this as a child and myself and my siblings watched it as children growing up in the 80s! Absolutely amazing :)

[@rootedsorrow]

This show originated in Wisconsin. This is from the Wisconsin Friendly Giant before it moved to Canada about five years later

[@fernpearlsfriend4842]

I watched it on PBS all the way in New Mexico in the 1960s

[@TurdFerguson101]

I grew up watching Mr. Dressup. Years ago when I was 17, I met Mr.Dressup in a shopping mall. I was so nervous, that I asked him if he knew who He was. I felt pretty dumb, and he was a pretty good sport. Good Guy

[@marmaly]

I remember seeing him in a show at Yorkdale and the kids were going crazy. He got really mad and yelled at everyone. For real. That was it for me.

[@sweetoneloves6811]

wow Mike, I also remember Mr. Dressup and Kacey and that little dog. I miss those day Mike. wonderful times.

[@b-zoneonroku2020]

Before the line was 'look up, look WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY up'

[@markwoodley712]

Happy memories. Mr Dressup, Friendly the Giant, Chez Hélène all on CBC eventually.

[@reepacheirpfirewalker8629]

This is the main thing I was raised with I loved it better than Sesame Street. Still do.

[@kelhard]

Wow thank you for this!

[@sweetoneloves6811]

I was a kid, I really believed this giant really existed. It was a wonderful time.

[@rootedsorrow]

Loved this program so much. But as much as I love the opening song "Early One Morning" it's actually a very sad song about a woman who is betrayed and deceived by her lover." Off juxtaposition

[@TheRealNewWhirledOrder]

The fly and the rooster are out of proportion.

[@DarthABBA]

its crazy to see him younger

[@sinrob1]

It would seem as if this first episode had an air date of May 3, 1954 when WHA-TV first began broadcasting.

[@OsagieGuobadia]

Looks like the Friendly Giant is tall. Mr. Christopher S commented and brought me to watch this recommend Mr. Dressup video. 😱😀

[@cariboubearmalachy1174]

Thay fly must be huge!

[@Pozer714]

That fly was as big as a dog!

[@psalm37v4]

Is this the first episode? I don’t remember him ever introducing himself as a friendly giant, or having a farm. But then again when I watched it, it was in the 70s and 80s. The music is different and no sign of Jerome. This was a fun trip down memory lane. And interesting.

[@bradcolwell8319]

Huh, didn't have a rocking chair for those who like to rock in the early days.

[@whatsthebigidea8157]

That's fly would be the size of a Volkswagen what green radiated hell is he living in !!!

[@laminage]

He is also of Norwegian background the same way that Annifrid Lyngstad aka "Frida" from Abba as well as Norma Deloris Egstrom aka "Peggy Lee" whose parents are of Norwegian and Scandinavian background. Could someone tell me if alot of the folks who live in Wisconsin and Minnesota are of Swedish, Norwegian and Scandanavian background. I take nothing away from today's programming for Kids but there's something about Old school programs that are so fun to watch.

[@Nunavuter1]

Friendly Giant from *before* it debuted on the CBC in 1958.

[@Jon-iz9if]

That’s a huge fly

[@sherry4524]

❤

[@cashewABCD]

Thanks to Dave's garage for the suggestion.

[@DouglasConlin]

I love the Friendly Giant but I must call balderdash: the fly is not to scale.🤣

[@angrybananacompany1092]

Is this the first episode? I watched in the late 70s and I never knew that bag was supposed to be his book bag until now.

[@AndyLehrer]

Rusty the Rooster must be about 7 feet tall.

[@Derek_Read]

The cats on this version of the show look a lot nicer than what I remember from the Canadian shows growing up. The ones I remember seemed to have hard plastic faces.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

It's interesting it was started down here in the US.

[@rootedsorrow]

That's because it started as an American show and originated in Wisconsin. The Friendly Giant was American. This show is from the Wisconsin show

[@MichaelBrookham]

I thought the show started in 1958.

[@stumarston6812]

The show moved to Canada in 58. Before that, he did the show for 5 years in Wisconsin.

[@matthewweatherford6566]

Is this the very first episode?

[@carlaeskelsen]

I was wondering that, myself. I think I was watching in '58, through the '60s, and this is earlier than anything I can remember. I only saw black and white episodes, but the furniture was different- little wooden chairs and rocker.

[@markschildberg1667]

It’s the first TV episode. It was on local radio for a few months before moving to television.

[@BBC600]

So PBS had it first?

[@teejaymz742]

So … that was a book bag that Rusty lived in? It looked like a laundry bag to me.

[@BAOBABS111]

wOw

[@animerlon]

No, no, no, the furniture is all wrong! 😟 Where's the rocking chair?!

[@midlandjamie]

E

[@terryclemans2065]

Who remembers Soupy Sales Captain Kangaroo milky the Clown this one here's a friendly giant there was one more but I can't remember the name of it it had to do with a little boy and had a lot to do with the Bible

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

Creepy