Searching for a Kansan...
For as long as I can remember, we always waited for the day when we would see Santa's Workshop. Each year, my brother, sister, and I would wait until the evening news was done, because a miniature superstar was about to appear in our world. It was Santa and Toy Boy. Every night for 30 minutes, the CBS affiliate-I believe based out of Witcita-would have a thirty minute show with some mall looking Santa Claus and some puppet/jack-in-the-box that would tell you all of the things you would love to have for Christmas. I don't remember the function of this program, it was definetley supposed to be for kids, but it seems like the show also told you where to buy these things, I don't know...I just know that at the end the last thing the program would do before ending, was zoom in on a little calendar that would show us how many days were left until Christmas. All was good with the world, and I could go to sleep because tomorrow I would see Santa and Toy Boy again and again up until the day that I got presents and who the hell needs Santa and Toy Boy when you've got new shit to play with? So I ditched the bastards right after Christmas and I wouldn't think about them until the following December...
I didn't realize how precious this memory was for me until I moved away from Kansas. At some point, I remember mentioning in my new elementary school how I used to see Santa and Toy Boy and over and over again, no one has ever seen the show and more disturbingly, everybody wants to know who the hell Toy Boy is... By the way, don't try to Google it, he wasn't that kind of toy boy.
So here I am. Twenty-four. And when I think of it, I try to find people that remember this show. So far, since I have moved, I have yet to meet someone who knows or remembers this program. I am searching for a Kansan who might have seen this program that aired sometime in the 80s who remembers...
Having searched high and low, I found this website that actually has the first of what I think might be the first of this series in the show. If this description is accurate, and I believe it is, then there should be more than just Kansans that remember Santa and Toy Boy. If you know who these people are, please let me know. It would be nice to know that I am not the only one who remembers Santa and Toy Boy.
(For more information on Toy Boy, please refer to The Real Toy Boy.)
posted by Unequivocal_Prowess at 5:49 AM
12 Comments:
I don't know Toy Boy, but your description reminds me of The Land of Lost Toys in Rudolph...
And HGTV has a similar show now for adults. I picked one of my presents that I don't know I'm getting from there. :)
Can't say that we had anything like that up in Canada - but we did have a show called Santa Calls - kids could call in and talk to Santa and give him their wish lists live, on the air! Ooh! By the time this aired, though, I was getting out of the Santa stage and into my teens, though, so I was mostly bored to death with it.
As to your comment on my blog - First of all, thanks for the comforting thoughts and words. I got started knitting this summer because I worked at a park (www.edmonton.ca/fort) where I pretended to be an 1885 housewife all day, and needed something to do to pass the time that was historically accurate. Adele taught me - she's amazing, and a link to her blog is on mine.
You have no idea who I am, but I cannot believe what I've just read! I've been searching for toy boy and everyone seems to think I'm crazy. I just called my mom, who assured me that I'm not crazy! I'm glad I'm not the only one that remembers this.
I didn't realize it was a Wichita area thing. I'm from the Wichita area.
I've googled it and searched high & low, yeah, all I get is the dude toy boy stuff. It's nice to know that someone else remembers toy boy and excitement around watching him!
You are not crazy. I grew up just south of Wichita, and I remember Santa and Toyboy well. They were on a show called Santa's Workshop that aired for 30 years on Kake Channel 10 in Wichita. Originally Toyboy was called "Cakeman" and wore a bakers outfit. Sometime later his name was changed to "Toyboy" and he was given an elf hat. The elf hat became his trademark because of the way he would feverently whip it in a circle atop his head while excitedly talkinging about zooming around and around the world in his adorable high pitched voice. Sadly, the man who played Santa all those years, Henry Harvey, passed away sometime around 1994. Recently I beleive they have brought the dinamic duo back, obviously with someone else playing Santa, and having changed Toyboys name back to "Kakeman". However I think that they simply pan to Santa and Kakeman to get an update on how many days are left until Christmas, but do not do an entire half hour show. Honestly I'm not sure, but I will start watching Channel 10 to find out. If you really want to relive your childhood you can go to their website, www.kake.com, and purchase a "best of" dvd of Santa's workshop. Hope this helped
They are showing Toy Boy reruns on TV here in Wichita again, I just googled Santa's Workshop and Toy Boy to find out if this were a national thing or if this crazy ass show were just in Wichita. So your post has answered my questions!
And you're not crazy, because they're showing it again!
I know how you feel about people thinking you are crazy. I go around talking about missing toy boy and him swinging his crazy little had around singing "doo dee doo dee doo" and my husband always asks me if I'm okay and I assure him that I am. Yet I always feel that my children are missing out on something wonderful every Christmas. Then just last night I'm watching the evening news only to discover that they are showing Santa and Toy Boy again! Ah! A childhood memory returns! When my cousin and I were young she had her picture on there and so I intend to purchase the best of DVD from KAKE's website so that my kids will forever know who Toy Boy is and my husband will FINALLY know that at least in this, I'm not crazy! Remember on!!!
Carrie
I was just reading the blog above put on by jhwkgrl19 and I must correct her if I may. Santa and Kakeman was NOT Santa and Toy Boy. They were two totally different shows. Santa's workshop with Toy Boy was on Channel 12 after the 10 o'clock news and his name was always Toy Boy and he is back on this year right after the 10:00 news showing on their CW channel through the 23rd of December. Then on Christas Eve he will be on their KWCH Channel 12 at 6:30 and 11:30 p.m. and on Christmas Day he will be on the CW channel again from 6 a.m. through 8 a.m. I spoke with someone just a bit ago at KWCH to get this information and also asked about a DVD with Santa and Toy Boy and they do not have one but they are considering having one to sell for next year. However, for those of you really wanting to see Toy Boy I felt I must make a note for you that the DVD that is listed on KAKE is NOT Toy Boy but KAKEman and is not the same as Toy Boy but was KAKE stations version for their Santa's Workshop back in the day of Toy Boy to try and compete with KWCH Channel 12. Kakeman is NOT the same with a name change though as this person listed above. Sorry to disappoint any of you hoping to purchase that "best of" DVD but you would be so much more disappointed if you had purchased it and then found out it was not what you thought.
Carrie
I moved to Kansas in 1998, and have heard many stories of Toy Boy's crazy hijinx from my husband. This is the first year I have seen any of the episodes, and I laughed so hard I cried. I am recording the episodes on TIVO to send to my sisters to spread the love.
Not a big fan of the doctor or the moose though.
You are not crazy! I swear to you, as I sit here writing this I am introducing two boys (age 8 and 11) to the glory that is Santa's workshop. I grew up in Derby, but I now live in South Carolina.
Last year, my mom gave my brother and I a DVD that she ordered from Kake Channel 10. Santa's Workshop is a very old shoe and ToyBoy was originally named Kake Man.
Kake Man became ToyBoy when the show transfered from Channel 10 to Channel 12.
I am now 27 years old and Santa's Workshop truly is my fondest childhood memory.
My fiance and I watched the DVD together last night and then googled santa's workshop with ToyBoy. We were able to find some clips with ToyBoy in YouTube. We laughed until we cried.
If you are really intereset, I suggest that you go to Kake Channel 10 website. They may be selling the DVD's again this year.
Hello! I recently moved to Iowa, and everyone thought I was insane when I mentioned Toy Boy and his crazy hat twirling!
That was the best part of Christmas :D I'm kind of proud to know that this is a "Kansas" thing. I hail from North Central Kansas. And thanks for the You Tube note, I'm going to check it out!
From Kansas, and only know Toy Boy because of my dad. He turned 42 this year and still gets excited when Santa and Toy Boy come on in December. So I want to try to get the series or something for him cause I don't know if I'll be home for Christmas. And you are right, don't search for Toy Boy...search engines will lead you astray. But if anyone knows where I can get something for my dad I would greatly appreciate it
To clarify, it was KAKEman on KAKE. Thus, why he changed to become Toy Boy on KWCH.
Post a Comment
<< Home