The Wallace and Ladmo Show
Encyclopedia
The Wallace and Ladmo Show, also known as It's Wallace? and Wallace & Company, was a children's television show produced by and aired on KPHO-TV (Channel 5) in Phoenix, Arizona
.
It premiered as It's Wallace?, a vehicle to showcase cartoons for KPHO. The show was hosted by Bill Thompson, who created the character of Wallace Snead when he appeared on the Golddust Charlie Show (also on KPHO). It aired on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM. Within a year, Ladimir Kwiatkowski
(who had been a cameraman for the station) joined the show as Ladmo, the rubber-faced sidekick to Wallace. In 1960, Pat McMahon joined the cast and developed a list of characters (such as Gerald, Aunt Maud, Captain Super and Marshall Good) that parodied various popular culture icons. (McMahon was also a popular talk radio
host for KTAR
in the Phoenix market.) In addition to the daily broadcasts, the cast of the show performed regular stage shows at such venues as local movie theaters and malls, Encanto Park
(in central Phoenix), and the Legend City
theme park.
In 1968 the show was renamed Wallace & Company and again in 1970, to its better known title, The Wallace & Ladmo Show. In 1973, the time slot of the show split with a morning and afternoon show but taping of the two shows was still in the afternoon so children could attend the audience after school.
The show ended with the final taping on December 29, 1989. By that time it had won many awards, including nine Emmy award
s.
In recent years, the show has been airing reruns on and off the KAZT-TV
(Channel 7.1 in Prescott
and Phoenix) schedule. On June 6, 2009 the show returned to the KAZT schedule airing Saturdays at 6:00 PM.
In the mid-1960's, the Ladmo Bag first appeared on the show. The Ladmo Bag was a prize won by children in the in-studio audience or at stage performances. They were paper grocery bags filled with candy, potato chips, assorted coupons and so on.
To Wallace and Ladmo fans and collectors, an authentic Ladmo Bag from the original show can be worth a considerable amount of money. However, very few of these bags still exist intact, as most children that won the prizes consumed the content inside and discarded the bag. Some natives of the Phoenix area use the expression "I never got a Ladmo Bag when I was a kid" as a metaphor for "I had a deprived childhood."
Kwiatkowski died from cancer in 1994. However, during special events in Arizona, particularly the Arizona State Fair
, Ladmo bags are still won by select people attending. The last Ladmo bag, on the final telecast, was given to Wallace in a symbolic gesture by Ladmo.
Residents of Tent City, AZ, the Maricopa County jail run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, are served morning meals in see through plastic bags, which are referred to on the inside as "Ladmos." A “Ladmo”, with the word “bag” now superfluous, is the lunch bag of expired and donated food. A highly coveted item central to gambling, extortion and the currency of inmate commerce.
. The second play deals with the death of Ladmo from cancer. The first play was performed two times at the Herberger Theatre in downtown Phoenix, with several celebrities showing up as "Time Machine" guests, including Alice Cooper
. The plays were all written by Ben Tyler with input from both Thompson and McMahon.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
History
The Wallace and Ladmo Show ran from April 1, 1954 to December 29, 1989—36 years—making it one of the longest-running, daily, locally produced children's television shows in American broadcasting.It premiered as It's Wallace?, a vehicle to showcase cartoons for KPHO. The show was hosted by Bill Thompson, who created the character of Wallace Snead when he appeared on the Golddust Charlie Show (also on KPHO). It aired on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM. Within a year, Ladimir Kwiatkowski
Ladimir Kwiatkowski
Ladimir Kwiatkowski was better known as Ladmo on The Wallace and Ladmo Show, a daily children's variety show broadcast on KPHO in Phoenix, Arizona. The program featured clowns, cartoons and short comedy skits....
(who had been a cameraman for the station) joined the show as Ladmo, the rubber-faced sidekick to Wallace. In 1960, Pat McMahon joined the cast and developed a list of characters (such as Gerald, Aunt Maud, Captain Super and Marshall Good) that parodied various popular culture icons. (McMahon was also a popular talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
host for KTAR
KTAR (AM)
KTAR is the callsign for a radio station in Phoenix, Arizona. It airs programming from ESPN Radio, in addition to KTAR-acquired broadcast rights for local teams...
in the Phoenix market.) In addition to the daily broadcasts, the cast of the show performed regular stage shows at such venues as local movie theaters and malls, Encanto Park
Encanto Park
Coordinates: Encanto Park is a public park in central Phoenix, Arizona. The park is composed of of land consisting of picnic areas, a lagoon, a boat house, swimming pool, nature trail, amusement park, fishing and two golf courses. The lagoon is approximately in surface area and about deep, on...
(in central Phoenix), and the Legend City
Legend city
Legend City was an amusement park that existed on the border of Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona from its opening in 1963 to its closing and demolition in 1983.-History:...
theme park.
In 1968 the show was renamed Wallace & Company and again in 1970, to its better known title, The Wallace & Ladmo Show. In 1973, the time slot of the show split with a morning and afternoon show but taping of the two shows was still in the afternoon so children could attend the audience after school.
The show ended with the final taping on December 29, 1989. By that time it had won many awards, including nine Emmy award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s.
In recent years, the show has been airing reruns on and off the KAZT-TV
KAZT-TV
KAZT-TV is an independent television station in Prescott, Arizona, broadcasting locally in digital on VHF channel 7 from its transmitter located atop Mingus Mountain northeast of Prescott. Its analog signal is simulcast across central and northern Arizona through a translator system, and its...
(Channel 7.1 in Prescott
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
and Phoenix) schedule. On June 6, 2009 the show returned to the KAZT schedule airing Saturdays at 6:00 PM.
Ladmo Bags
To Wallace and Ladmo fans and collectors, an authentic Ladmo Bag from the original show can be worth a considerable amount of money. However, very few of these bags still exist intact, as most children that won the prizes consumed the content inside and discarded the bag. Some natives of the Phoenix area use the expression "I never got a Ladmo Bag when I was a kid" as a metaphor for "I had a deprived childhood."
Kwiatkowski died from cancer in 1994. However, during special events in Arizona, particularly the Arizona State Fair
Arizona State Fair
The Arizona State Fair is an annual state fair, held at a permanent fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. It was first held in 1884, but has had various interruptions due to cotton crop failure, the Great Depression era, and World War II years. Since 1946, the fair has been held regularly each year...
, Ladmo bags are still won by select people attending. The last Ladmo bag, on the final telecast, was given to Wallace in a symbolic gesture by Ladmo.
Residents of Tent City, AZ, the Maricopa County jail run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, are served morning meals in see through plastic bags, which are referred to on the inside as "Ladmos." A “Ladmo”, with the word “bag” now superfluous, is the lunch bag of expired and donated food. A highly coveted item central to gambling, extortion and the currency of inmate commerce.
Plays
In recent years there have been two plays written about the show. The first play follows Wallace, Ladmo, Pat and Mike Condello as they struggle to hold the show together when the parody band, Hubb Kapp and the Wheels, is offered a record deal with Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
. The second play deals with the death of Ladmo from cancer. The first play was performed two times at the Herberger Theatre in downtown Phoenix, with several celebrities showing up as "Time Machine" guests, including Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
. The plays were all written by Ben Tyler with input from both Thompson and McMahon.