"Winky-Dink and You" (1953) TV series 1953-1957

Creators:

Harry W. Prichett
Edwin Brit Wyckoff

Release Date:

10 October 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Animation

Plot:

"winky-dink and you" was the pioneer in interactive programming. The core of the program was children sent away for a kit...

Plot Keywords:

Interactive | Educational Program | Character Name In Title

Cast

Jack Barry	...	Host
Dayton Allen	...	Mr. Bungle
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mae Questel	...	Winky Dink (voice)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Barry & Enright Productions

Trivia:

One of the first interactive T.V. shows. Young viewers could send for a special plastic sheet that clung to the television screen, and crayons for drawing thereupon. Children were encouraged to draw on the screen in order to assist in telling a Winky-Dink adventure story.

Interactive Simplicity - The prefect formula for the 50"s.

Some of my fondest early memories was interacting with the Winky Dink Show on Saturday mornings at my grandmother's house. It's amazing how a plastic sheet the size of a TV screen, three crayons, and a cloth can be the creative tools of the first interactive TV show. But I believe my fond memories of helping Winky Dink through dangerous situations with my crayons and cloth will easily surpass the memories of today's kids with Nintendo, XBox, etc. The Winky Dink show is just one example of the clean, simple fun that makes the 50's so euphoric to those of us who were pre-teens during this time. The different between the good guys and the bad guys was clear cut. And even though Winky Dink was always getting into situations where we had to draw a bridge for him to cross a river, a tree to hide behind, etc., we were given the opportunity to be the hero with Winky Dink. I wish I still had my magic drawing screen so that I could draw the "white picket fence" of the 50's again.