DD Donovan

Does anyone remember DD Donovan that used to do the news and weather on Channel 28? I would like to find a picture of him.

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Elkhartian wrote:

Does anyone remember DD Donovan that used to do the news and weather on Channel 28? I would like to find a picture of him.

dd donovan was a character on a local kids show. he was a puppet figure that played the piano...seriously..I think it was on channel 28 which was abc then

It's time for the Donovan Show, with all the friends you know, there's you and me and the stooges three and tag-a-long a little shaggy dog, we'll tickle your funny bone, you'll never be alone (that's all I can remember right now, but that was sung to red wing. DD Donovan did both a the weather at 11 and a kids show in the after noon on 28 in the early 60s. I think he was some how connected with Bob Clampett of Beanie and Cecil fame.

Oh...no not again, let me guess - retired.

DD Donovan sure brings back memories for me. It was great. He got me interested in weather and I still think the weather is best part of the news.
At the end he would always hit the light over the table. I actually came across and old Beanie and Cecil vhs. The grandkids weren't impressed at all.
thanks for bringing DD Donovan back to mind.

http://krilefiles.blogspot.com/2007/09/time-o...

Just typed in DD Donovan and got this website. Stated he did work on old Beanie and Cecil show.

I could type forever on this subject. I have been trying to find Irv Shoemaker (puppeteer and creator of D.D. Donovan)for years now without any luck. I have met a few who were close to him but when the puppet moved from Elkhart IN. to Cedar Rapids IA. in the late 60's or early 70's , the story seems to end. He was the puppet voice and character of Cecil & Dishonest John in the live puppet series in the early and late 50's, taking Stan Freberg's place in Bob Clampett's show. He did the same characters in the cartoon series in the late 50's and early 60's before settling on the D.D. Donovan role. Those who want to see his early work and influences for Donovan can see a youtube film titled Bob Clampett. He is doing the character of Cecil in the Babes In The Hollywoods short made not for TV. Anyone wanting to share info can contact me at galeekas@gmail.com. Thanks!

Remember this? "Let's go to church on day this weekend, let's go to church side by side! Remember boys and girls to worship at the church or synagogue of your choice this weekend!" I loved it when i was a kid and DD sang that every Friday. I was certain to go to church then, because DD told me to if felt everyone would go to church!

D.D. Donovan had the Three Stooges in the morning and the Little Rascals in the afternoon. Yes, it was Channel 28. The puppet was a dog with a long nose, eye glasses, little beady eyes, tie and top hat. He had one white gloved hand. Since the other hand was used for moving the mouth by Irv Shoemaker. D.D. always used his mouth to put thihgs in, like a pencil or his pointer for the weather. He would fly in the room and grab the light chain with his mouth to turn it on every night for the weather report on Channel 28. Awesome memory!!!!!!!

It's great to know that my dad's work instilled so many fond memories for those who watched the DD Donovan Show. And some of you have done your homework!--Yes, my family did move from Elkhart to Cedar Rapids in 1966. He continued to do Donovan there on KCRG-TV until 1972, then got out of show biz. He was involved in the Beany & Cecil show (as galeekas has noted) from the early '50s live puppet show through the cartoon series. I was delighted to see how much of this is now on YouTube. I have fond memories of playing with the old Donovan puppet as a child, and having my dad tease me in Dishonest John's voice -"Nya-ah-ah!" By the way, his first name is spelled Erv. He passed away in 1988.

It was great to hear from a close relative of Erv's on this site. I would like to find out more if possible. I am requesting DD's daughter to email me directly at the address in my earlier post. Please trust me that information would be shared privately. Thanks!

DDs daughter wrote:

It's great to know that my dad's work instilled so many fond memories for those who watched the DD Donovan Show. And some of you have done your homework!--Yes, my family did move from Elkhart to Cedar Rapids in 1966. He continued to do Donovan there on KCRG-TV until 1972, then got out of show biz. He was involved in the Beany & Cecil show (as galeekas has noted) from the early '50s live puppet show through the cartoon series. I was delighted to see how much of this is now on YouTube. I have fond memories of playing with the old Donovan puppet as a child, and having my dad tease me in Dishonest John's voice -"Nya-ah-ah!" By the way, his first name is spelled Erv. He passed away in 1988.

We stayed up late to see his show. I remember that he appeared at the old Rice school once and saw him and was awed as a kid. I wish that I could see many of the dd donovan shows again from some archives.

DDs daughter wrote:

It's great to know that my dad's work instilled so many fond memories for those who watched the DD Donovan Show. And some of you have done your homework!--Yes, my family did move from Elkhart to Cedar Rapids in 1966. He continued to do Donovan there on KCRG-TV until 1972, then got out of show biz. He was involved in the Beany & Cecil show (as galeekas has noted) from the early '50s live puppet show through the cartoon series. I was delighted to see how much of this is now on YouTube. I have fond memories of playing with the old Donovan puppet as a child, and having my dad tease me in Dishonest John's voice -"Nya-ah-ah!" By the way, his first name is spelled Erv. He passed away in 1988.

Would you happen to have a hard copy photo you could send me of DD? Oh he is the greatest childhood memory and I have searched information on him for years!

Channel 28 did a 50th anniversary special a few years ago and perhaps they have the DVD available for purchase. DD Donovan is part of the video. My sister and I were interviewed for the special because we had sung on the show one time in 1961 once when DD Donovan wasn't available so they had a blank spot they needed to fill since it was live tv (I think that's the reason - I was only nine years old at the time). Anyway, the interview was fun, and it was great to see clips of DD Donovan and Tag-a-Long (the little shaggy dog)!

These posts are facinating and a downright miracle to find. As a youngster in Syracuse IN, I watched Kidsville religiously and loved those dogs. Then, in 1963 we moved to Wisconsin and I mourned I'd never see them again. Surprise! DD reappeared several years later on KCRG in Cedar Rapids, one of the 4 channels we got. For a kid, the experience was sort of transendental, since Indiana seemed a million miles away! Well, over 45 years I completely forgot about DD and Tag, until two months ago when, seriously, I had a DREAM about them. There they were, complete with their forgotten names and piano-playing antics (in black & white no less) Some guy named Rufus Culpepper also appeared in this dream. I awoke absolutely astonished such a lost memory could be recovered, and googled DD Donovan just to see if the dream was accurate. That led me to this post. I'm even more amazed to find all YOU out there! Please guys, write more (especially DD's Daughter) as you are filling in the blanks of some very fond childhood memories. I gotta contact channel 28 for that anniversary CD. Geez, I'm prone to say "this is like a dream come true", but evidently it IS a dream come true!

galeekas wrote:

I could type forever on this subject. I have been trying to find Irv Shoemaker (puppeteer and creator of D.D. Donovan)for years now without any luck. I have met a few who were close to him but when the puppet moved from Elkhart IN. to Cedar Rapids IA. in the late 60's or early 70's , the story seems to end. He was the puppet voice and character of Cecil & Dishonest John in the live puppet series in the early and late 50's, taking Stan Freberg's place in Bob Clampett's show. He did the same characters in the cartoon series in the late 50's and early 60's before settling on the D.D. Donovan role. Those who want to see his early work and influences for Donovan can see a youtube film titled Bob Clampett. He is doing the character of Cecil in the Babes In The Hollywoods short made not for TV. Anyone wanting to share info can contact me at galeekas@gmail.com. Thanks!

Irv was working for KCRG channel 9 as creative services director in Cedar Rapids in 1969 when I started working as a broadcast tech. He quit in the early seventies to go into business for himself. Latter worked for Carma Lou's House of Music selling pianos.

"With Curly, Larry and Moe"
Bow down, Shakespeare.

Carma Lou's House of Music! Geez, I'd forgotten about that place. How long did you work at Channel 9? Do you know John Campbell? He and I were friends way back in the day in Green Bay when he was at Channel 2. Hey, Ernest T Bass, what means "Bow down, Shakespeare."? I wish Erv's daughter would post back...

Remember D D Donovan clearly, and I was also a huge Beanie and Cecil fan when I was a kid. I contacted the TV station in Elkhart that had the D D Donovan show and they sent me a DVD about D D Donovan and when he was doing his kid show way back then.

Those were great times to be a kid.