VIDEO: On This Day 11/29 - KUKLA FRAN & OLLIE Debuts on NBC

Welcome to BWW TV World's new daily ON THIS DAY series celebrating series premieres and special events that took place on this day in television history!

Children's classic Kukla, Fran & Ollie, the live ad-libbed puppet show that also became a magnet for adults, debuted on NBC on November 29, 1948. The show aired weeknights at 7 p.m. ET/PT through 1952, and found new life on ABC from 1954-57. Series creator Burr Tillstrom kept what was referred to as the "Kuklapolitan Players" alive in later years on NBC in daytime in a five-minute weekday spot from 1961-62, on PBS from 1969-71, and in first-run syndication in the 1975-76 season. Kukla, Fran & Ollie also appeared on Broadway.

'Fran' in the trio, was Fran Allison, a radio comedienne and singer who was usually the only human to appear on screen, filling the role of big sister and cheery voice of reason as the puppets engaged each other concerning their foibles. The puppet cast also included Kukla, the earnest leader of the troupe; Ollie, or Oliver J. Dragon, a roguish one-toothed dragon; Madame Ooglepuss, a retired opera diva; Buelah Witch, a liberated witch; Fletcher Rabbit, the troupe's mailman and resident fussbudget; Cecil Bill, the troupe's union stagehand who spoke in "tooie talk"; Colonel Crackie, a Southern gentleman; Dolores Dragon, Ollie's younger cousin, and a number of others.

Below, check out the opening sequence from the show in later years!

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